Pot Luck Pairs

45 runners took part in the annual Pot Luck Pairs run. Before the race all participants predict the time that it would take them to run the 5.9 mile course. The draw for peoples’ partners, or pairs, was made just before the start with names being pulled out of a hat. The idea is that each pair of runners adds together the differences between their predicted and actual times, with the lowest total difference winning the race.

The course, as usual, went from the Leisure Centre via Breaston, Draycott and Sawley, before finally finishing outside the Wilsthorpe Tavern. All watches, heart rate monitors and Garmin G.P.S.s were banned and it was left to the individuals to pace their own runs! How accurate were their predictions? All but eight runners over – predicted their times! Not surprisingly, first back was Andy Colegate, but he was 36 seconds too early. Minute by minute, people arrived back anxious to know their times! Phil Abbott was the closest to his predicted time, only one second out, while Pete Thorburn (one of last year’s winners) was the least accurate, arriving nine minutes twenty two seconds too early!

After everyone was in and all combined differences were calculated, presentations were made upstairs in the bar. The first award was the ‘booby’ prize to the least accurate pair. This went to Becca Govan & Pete Thorburn for a combined discrepancy of 13 minutes and 41 seconds. Third place went to Debbie Parker & Kev Holland just over 33 seconds out. Runners up were Carla Tebbutt & Clive Steeden at 28 seconds, but the winners, only 23 seconds shy of their predictions, were Richard Wilkinson & Alan Maplethorpe. This ‘pair’ each received a bottle of wine and a share in the esteemed Pot Luck Pairs trophy.


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