at the finish line

My first visit to Sutton Feast was for the Feast Beast. I arrived at the Pavilion just as the first runners were arriving back. I just had time to get a cup of tea and a slice of cake before the first man past the post ran in. He was too quick for my camera.. but a few minutes later I caught a picture of the fastest woman – though I didn’t get her name.

fastest women at the beast

By this time runners were passing under the finish line banner in a steady stream. Several of them wore running club tops, I saw the Ramsey Roadrunners and Ely Runners all well-represented. It was seriously impressive for a warm Sunday morning. I told myself that if I lived in such a place where I could run on the fens then I would be an enthusiastic runner too. As yet, there’s little chance that I’ll have to test that theory..

not tired runners..

By the time everyone was back (the last runner had popped home for a minute) the first runners were relaxing with the Women’s Institute tea and very impressive range of cakes or taking a sports massage, pretending they weren’t there for the prize giving.

the girls of the WI and their cakes

Spectators and runners waited while the times were calculated and the prizes allocated…

checking the cups

and then awarded..

The Feast Beast ended, all runners accounted for, and I took a seat in the sun with yet another slice of W.I. cake. I felt inspired by the runners who’d spent a morning running in the summer’s air across the fens, and glad that I’d played a little part in it by moving chairs, handing out water.. and eating cake of course.

at the prize giving