Running Through a Golfing Diary

A report by Dawn Lock from the Weetabix Ladies' Golf Open, Lytham St. Annes,

2nd - 6th August 2006

Wednesday 2nd. August 2006

Easy starting day but wind whistles through open tent walls carrying my tickets and ten-pound notes with it. I'm shivering under a cagoule and two junmpers.

It's Pro/Am day and golfers go out in fours: usually one woman, (the Pro), and three men, (the Ams). Unflatteringly, a Hole12 marshal, referring to the best efforts of the latter, says, "I've seen some rubbish today."

The attention, usually focused on the young Michelle Wie, (the 16 year-old US Amazon), is today all on Charlie, a 10 year-old Nottingham girl prodigy. You can tell where she is by the entourage of cameramen and spectators.

After only a 7-hour shift and a 1pm. finish, I'm fresh and ready to run tonight's Promenade 4. I've been promising myself this race all season but until now dates have clashed. Unfortunately, all afternoon, wind and rain rage against the windows and I set out against others’ advice. (It'll be cancelled, there'll be no-one there. What are you trying to prove? It's CRAZY). I'm third to sign in but gradually a small group of runners begins to appear. Shortly before the start the rain stops and conditions are quite reasonable. Even the near gale force wind, that 2 miles of the course run directly into, is pleasantly bracing on the skin. Ron McAndrew starts us off with the loudest of gun reports which none of the 22 competitors can miss. A visitor from Nene Valley wins in 24:03. Wesham's two leading competitors in the Racing Miles tables are of course there: Peter Cruse is 4th. in 25:41 and Martin Bates 6th. in 26:36. I'm 19th. in 42:09.

Thursday 3rd. August 2006

04:00 Grope about bedroom changing yesterday's cotton blouse for a warmer synthetic one and adding an extra jumper to the pack.. Supervisors move me from drafty tent to railway right-of-way, (RoW), path. In the breathless 90^o heat - I fry. I have plenty of woolies but neither sun hat nor sun block. The week's longest shift of 10+ hours ensures I'm well done by the end.

Before 6am an old woman passes, spreading a line of bird seed along the eastern edge of the path. Particles trail across my shoes. She explains that she has to do it every morning because the birds expect it. I don't see any expectant birds!

Morning joggers pass me, taking their pre-work exercise. Most look lumbering and one, a women, shows real style. A heavily perspiring man of roundish form is pointed out to me as a local celebrity footballer.

8am. Paul Muller runs past. It's the day of his 92-year-old mother's funeral but Paul can't miss a day's training. He would have like to do the Lowther race but, with the funeral, it looks unlikely. He informs me that he likes golf and is planning to visit the tournament later in the week. He is, he says, a better golfer than runner and was once offered a job as a golf club pro. Coming from anyone else, I would take it as an idle boast but, from one of the Fylde’s premier runners, I have to believe it.

Lytham member Simon Cole passes with his little daughter Rebecca on her pink mini bike. He's doing the Lowther Half Marathon tomorrow and wants to know if any club-mates will be there. I tell him that the race is popular with Wesham but yet to be discovered by Lytham members.

Near-by resident passes. He wants to know what sports I do if not golf. Rashly, I say running. This immediately sparks his interest. His daughter Jeanette was third in the Lancashire Championships twenty years ago and a former running mate of Lytham's Sue Samme.

Friday 4th. August 2006

The trail of bird seed is already in place when I put down my chair. It's a late start today - 06:00.

An elderly women with a limp, slurred talk but undiminished mental faculties, seeing the book I'm reading in the increasing sales gaps, "A History of Everyday Life During the Second World War", tells me about the Warton tradgedy when an American bomber crashed on take-off onto the nearby Freckleton primary school - killing a large number of the school’s staff and pupils.

Resident, with ex-running daughter Jeanette and three dogs, passes for the fourth time. She's as thin as a rake and, if she didn't smoke and have sore knees, she might well join a running club. Sue Samme once took her on a never-to-be-forgotten 27 mile training run. (I'm delighted to manage 27 miles a week!) In the remaining times he passes - without Jeanette - he never fails to stop and question me about running. The topic of my running is rapidly becoming an embarrassment. I sink lower in my chair and wish I'd never mentioned running.

It's overcast, cool and blustery and it's affecting the ladies' golf. Many are struggling. A marshal reports that he saw a golfer 5-put on the 9th. (Obviously something totally shocking in golfing circles). People comment that it's a shame after yesterday's wonderful weather but, secretly, I'm really appreciating the fresh breezes.

Saturday 5th. August 2006

Amongst today's runners is Phil Lever. He stops for quite a long chat. He would have liked to do Lowther - and the Promenade 4 - but didn't.

A family, with a young boy and girl, moves towards the exit while the play still has still a long time to go. Enthusiastic golfing parents explain sadly that the girl, around 12, is bored. The mother turns to her daughter to admonish her that it's not watching golf but what I am doing - sitting in the same spot for many hours - that is really boring. They content themselves that her eight-year old brother seems altogether more sport-minded. I smile indulgently as I'm not bored.

An unwise lunchtime sandwhich eaten by the 4th. green with a disgusting filling called "Leicester Red, Spring Onion and Mayonnaise" plus a very hot afternoon leaves me feeling sick for the remainder of the shift.

Sunday 6th. August 2006

It's not yet 7am when the neat, lady runner passes. Does she do this every morning? "Yes". Um. Impressive.

Phil passes again but doesn't stop this time. Running both Saturday and Sunday plus one way to work has enabled him to raise his mileage to 40 miles per week.

An hour later, it's Brian Porter's turn. He's done Lowther and with a Life Time Best of 1:42:32 for 30th in the Half Marathon, and he's delighted. Wesham did indeed turn out in force considering the near 200 mile round trip and the weekday start. Ten percent of the 89 competitors were WRR with Wesham taking first, (Alex Rowe 1:19:36) and five top 25 places. (Alex, Derek Buckley, 7th, Russell Mabbett, 9th, Peter Cruse, 11th. and Martin Bates, 22nd). Loud jocularity from our group attracts hisses and frantic "Quiet" board waving from the marshals on the 11th tee.

The day is quieter than the previous ones. Fewer spectators use this enterance and most have passes. My mound of tickets doesn't diminish very quickly. Only the numbers of locals using the path rises exponentially as the week progresses as the message that the RoW path is open gets round. Familiar faces pass me cycling and walking their dogs a surprising number of times. I'd like to do a survey to see how often this path is used on any other Sunday. My period as a ticket seller draws to an end with a wimper rather than a bang.

I finally see a wood pigeon eating the bird seed. The old woman must be right, they do expect to be fed.

Written by: Dawn Lock

Submitted: 10th August 2006

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor