You know that thing where you dash up the station steps only to see your train just pulling away from the platform and you know that it’s going to be a long, boring hour sat on the platform waiting for the next one and that you’re going to miss that all important meeting. Well it’s a problem that some of our runners have sort of found a way round.
Helen Clegg, Ian Sutcliffe and Nicki & Jonny Cartwright decided not to get on the train but to race it. As simple as it sounds they had a race against a steam train on the Talyllyn Railway in Twywn, Wales (is there a Welsh Countdown? I’ll have 9 consonants please). The finish line is 14 miles away and features muddy fields, tracks, sideways rain and a Bog of Doom (naturally Jonny swan dived in to this). All the way along you need to listen out for the whistle of the train.
So how did our intrepid new age commuters do? Jonny beat the train! Ian was just seconds behind it and Helen and Nicki were miles off but they have suggested that we do something similar for next years train to train.
All in all a demanding but hugely entertaining day and one to make a note of in your diaries for next year.