Second best

Run 1915 teetered on the brink of being our biggest turn-out of the year, but then at the last minute fell away and we still await the breaking of the 30-barrier. But with a couple of new runners and a healthy short run pack it felt crowded even if the long run was a bit sparse. The run  however, was not difficult and the whole hill section was bereft of 360s, with the result that by the final check, all 5 hounds were together and the sweeping hare was able to short cut to the beer stop with a clear conscience. There, the beer truck guardians' run awaited them with 4 people having opted to join 2 of the hares on the ride out with several then setting out to finish the run on foot with the long run pack.

For the record the long run was 6.7k stretching to 8.4k with all the checks. The maximum height reached by whoever found the 6th F was 198m and the total ascent was about 260m. The short run in contrast was flat, flat, flat never getting above 70m, and discounting the only F on the run was about 3.7k. Back at the run site there was pumpkin soup and chocolate cake to sustain the runners - just right for those cold winter evenings, and the beer truck was ritually emptied with the last 5 cans being added to the surfeit which will have to be drunk at today's HH3 run. People began to drift away before the circle could be called, partly because of a clash with some minor football match in the UK - we really are going to have to protest to the Premier League about their scheduling of games in our drinking time! Eightball was among the early departees, much to the chagrin of Buddy who resolutely refused to get into the car and had to be chained and dragged protesting into the back seat.