2007 Reports

Last updated: Sunday, 28 October, 2007

The Great Town & Gown Spoon Race!

Event: Town & Gown 10km Road Race
Time: 10:00am
Date: Sunday, 20 May 2007
Venue: University Park, Oxford

Every time I do this race the course seems to alter. It was no different this year. The first couple of kilometres had been changed from last year – it meant that the roads were wider for the start and reduced congestion, which was no bad thing.

The Town & Gown Spoon.I always enjoy this race – there’s something comforting about running around a city you know. Although I always get to see new bits I didn’t know before. Oxford is a beautiful city, but no time for sightseeing this year as I was after a good time. I started well up the field and it only took a few second to cross the start line. There were quite a few Harriers there, but I didn’t see any of them once the race got underway. Oh, apart from Jason who I passed on one of the two–way sections – I had just done 4km and he was approaching the 5km marker!

For those who don’t know the course winds through some residential areas, past colleges, the Natural History Museum, along High Street, Cornmarket, and Broad Street into University Park, more colleges, the Museum again and back for a finish in the Park.

This year we all got a water bottle at the finish, and if you raised enough sponsorship a commemorative teaspoon! I got another reward at the finish as I set a new PB of 42:31, taking 31 seconds off my old one set 14 years ago.

The weather was an improvement on last year too (when it poured down), but no doubt some will have found the sun too hot. As I said before I enjoy this race and will be back next year – if not for another PB at least I can get the second teaspoon in the series!

Simon Atkin