Winter Series 2025/26 Race 1

Wednesday 12th November.

What a start to the series, record number of runners (103) for this race, all obviously eager to tackle the cycle track route in reverse and see if it was any harder than last year’s way round, well, was it?
So many runners in fact that the timekeepers exceeded the capabilities of their stopwatches.

To the results, first across the line on the evening was Nicola Krzysiak coming in just 9 seconds ahead of Henry Madden with a further 11 seconds to Gary Weir in 3rd. Well done Nicola Krzysiak and a great return to some form for Henry Madden and Gary Weir. The ever improving Jean Gaillí was next over the line, just ahead of Kevin King, great runs you two which started the ‘deluge’ of finishers thereafter, great showing from all. The STIG tries to make the finishers come across the line as close as possible to each other and challenge our lovely timekeepers to stay focussed throughout.

The busiest 15 seconds of the night was between 38:20 and 38:44 with a massive 22 runners crossing the line in that timeframe, one runner every 0.68 seconds, that’s pretty close that like.

77 of the 103 runners were within +/- 1 min of the 38:00 target finish time (75%)
50 of the 103 runners were within +/- 30s of the target finish time (49%)
Not a bad effort by the STIG for race 1 and bodes well for a close series this time round.

The team competition (assuming I have not made any further errors in the team members, please check (tab 1 on the file)) kicks off with Sole Mates taking the opening race with Henry Madden in 2nd leading the charge with counting members in 6th, 10th and 37th rounding off the team for a total of 55 points. Second on the evening in the team comp was The Doylems on 87 points (including a 25 point benefit for a volunteer) and 3rd was Keeping up with the Kids on 100 points (again with a 25 point benefit for a volunteer). Those volunteer points will surely play a part in deciding overall victory this time round so it’s worth teams providing volunteers if able to do so.

So there we have it ladies and gents, Race 1 done and dusted. Myself suitably chastised for start list errors, my computer ‘wobbling’ itself back into service and team and individual victors identified.

While the STIG retires to the darkened room for more data analysis over the next month and I try to solve the ‘wobbles’ so as not to make you wait for race 2 results quite as long, stay fit everyone, race well and see you all again for Race 2 on the 17th December, same time same place.  Can we break the record again and exceed 103 runners.

Last note, thank you to one and all who organised or volunteered to make this happen (and also all who showed up and ran) and provide us with a cracking Race 1.

Cheers

Dave (and the STIG)

Next race Wednesday 17th December  – see you all there.