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‘A TRIP TO THE REPORT ON THE PIER TO PIER 15K |
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This was like no other Sunday
morning. I was getting all excited about
my day trip to the seaside. I had packed my bag with spare clothes just in case
in rained and I had been up for hours waiting to set off and meet up with
all of my friends. The waiting was over now and I arrived with plenty of
time to spare. I was not missing out on the top seat of the bus, especially the
back seat as well. I had missed out too many times at school; you had to be the
‘hard nut’ to sit at the back and I was just too easy going for any trouble
like that.
We
all knew the route we would be going on but somebody had forgotten to tell the
driver which way to go. He soon got back on the right road after a short
detour. There was lots of nervous energy when we got off the old, rickety bus
as we all made a bee line for the arcades.
It was too cold to stand about chatting in the open air. I had not been
on North Pier since I was 14 but
some 20 years on it was still the same as I remember it. Not much had changed
except for the old lady in the change box, which I was glad of; she threw me
out the last time I was in there.
The time had come as to why we were all at the seaside .It was
the big race – the second Pier to Pier
15k and the chance of being on the tele, if for only 5 minutes of fame, a
couple of seconds will do. The last time I was on the tele, it was on the beach
with Timmy Mallet and ‘Wack-a-Day’ jumping up and down in the
background.
There
was a bit of banter on the start line between rivals, some PMA, (positive mental
attitude), was needed if I was going to get the better of my team 
mates.
The starter fired the gun on the second time of asking. Charge! We were off and
that was the last time I was to run with anyone side by side. I could see the
two Steve's in front but
I could not keep up with them. I had decided to keep hold of my position
and was to run for nearly 10 miles on my own.
I could not complain as I finished 5th and won a prize. I expected it to be a bucket and spade to
enjoy on the beach. I was close; it was a ‘salt
& pepper pot’ and a ‘beach
towel’.
The last time I had a trip to the seaside I usually went
for an ice cream and pop, but now, being an adult, it was back to the
Norcross Social Club for some pints
of lager with friends or was it the Tower
Lounge? It was a bit loud and noisy and all that was
missing was a game of Bingo. After a
couple of pints and some joke telling, it was time to go. I staggered home; all
that fresh air had made my legs wobbly. I fell into the house and got sent
to bed - nothing knew there - after being late home after a good day out. Some
things don't change except it was not my mum but the wife packing me off
to bed. Some 11hours later, I woke up fresh as a daisy, without a hangover.
Must do it again sometime soon.
Cheers
Lee
Submitted: 14th
October 2006
Edited by: Brenda J
Earnshaw WRR Editor