Ducklington Dash 5k Report by John Rowland
The Duck Dash is a small out and back 5k organised by Witney Roadrunners.
It’s one of my favourites, partly as it was the first race I did with ERR back in Aug 2022. I’ve now run it 4 times, and I think every time we’ve had lovely summer weather to enjoy, as well as the village and surroundings of Ducklington. This year was no exception, as the sun was out and the grass at their race HQ was brown and crisp.
There was an unusual air of slightly nervous excitement on the evening, as 18 ERRs arrived for the race. But no, the excitement wasn’t for the race, instead it was for the football that would start as we were unwinding after the run.
The race starts on a farm track, on the other side of the village from the race HQ, and heads away from the village before a right turn along a narrow path that takes you alongside a field. After a little over 2k the route doubles back on itself and you retrace your steps to the start and then into the village, before completing a lap of the cricket pitch at race HQ. Given the restrictions on the course, overtaking is difficult and the field is relatively small. There were about 100 this year, with numbers perhaps a little down as some people probably decided not to run and stay home for the football.
The good turnout from ERR reflected the race’s position in the club championship and, despite my affection for the event, I know the race is not everyone’s favourite. In its favour, it’s cheap, local, has a nice alliterative name, and in a small field there a good chance some ERRs will pick up a category placing and this year 8 coin members were in the top 3 in their category, with pride of place going to Daf who was 1st MV50. The full list was: Tom Baker (3rd SM), Daf Warburton (1st MV50), Xavier Laurent (3rd MV50), Graham Bridges (1st MV60), John Rowland (3rd MV60), Nadine Hunter (2nd FV60), Rosamond Hall (3rd FV60), and Hugh Morris (2nd MV70), who also equalled the club MV70 record for 5k.
As our club Race Committee tends to cycle round local races, perhaps it won’t be in next year’s club championship. I’ll probably do it anyway and hope it returns the following year so that I can be joined at the race by the full gang once more.
