Steepdown is the FINAL WSFRL Fun Run event in 2014, therefore it was important that we didn’t slip backwards after such a good year. Yes I know, 16th 
out of 18 Clubs doesn’t sound great, but HJ are a SMALL Club compared to most. In fact today at Steepdown Arunners were holding a team photo for runners at todays event with more people in it than we have members! So we are always going to suffer, scoring points being limited by the numbers attending! For that reason it was great to get a decent turnout today, and even greater to see people like Joyce getting into the picture (Joyce has entered for some events individually, so it was great to get her in the group picture at last) 
and especially the legend that is Mick Dee at last. Mick is an inspiration, 70+ years young but next weekend he’s doing Beachy Head 10k on Saturday and Great South Run on Sunday!! I feel a total wimp!! I hope to feature a ‘special’ on Mick sometime over the next month or two!
Anyway, back to today. If you think of ‘Highdown Hike’, or ‘Roundhill Romp’, they sound quite benign, but really aren’t! Whereas Steepdown Challenge sounds positively evil, but isn’t! Demanding, yes, but the climb up to Steepdown trig point from Lancing Manor Leisure Centre is actually steady but not vertical. So next year, anyone put off by the name should definitely get along and give it a go! The route winds uphill steadily, and you can easily see the trig point that marks the absolute top once you break out of the woods……but the route dallies and delays that meeting, taking you around the back winding upwards. Its a great moment
to get to the trig point, looking out towards Devils Dyke, Chanctonbury Hill, Cissbury Ring, and of course the English Channel! No time to pause, as down we ‘dash’! At this point I need to break the news that myself, Danielle and Fabian all did the Brutal 10K yesterday – legs were NOT what they were! I’m proud to say I only walked for one short stretch uphill, during which Danielle passed me. But downhill I have the weight edge, so I slipped past her later…….but had zero energy to accelerate. It just wasn’t there, me legs felt like lead!
Always good to know that its not 50% up and 50% down….I haven’t got the exact split but its about 60% to the absolute top, and therefore a shorter trot down – the Leisure Centre appeared sooner than I thought, though nothing could get me legs going any faster for the final bit around the field to the finish!
I was delighted to get a Spot Prize – never ever had one before, which made my day. In fact we had TWO in our team!
So, a great day – results awaited but on this show I can’t see us slipping back and we should hold on to 16th. And – we’re THIRD in the ‘Most Improved’ table, which
shows just how far we’ve come this year. My thanks go to EVERYONE who has supported the Fun Runs across the year, and especially Gill, Liz and Danielle who have encouraged lots more people to take part. This is my final event as Fun Run coordinator as Danielle picks up the post for next year – good luck Danielle – and remember, the NEXT Fun Run is the famous Hangover 5 on New Years Day!!
RESULTS:
37:36 Peter Longworth
38:04 Chris Brockington
38:52 Fabian Kaelin
39:12 Megan Melville
45:02 Kieran Lewer
46:12 Paul Crowe
47:32 Joyce Blundell
47:36 Danielle Kaelin
48:09 Louise Lewer
48:50 Angela Morrison
52:39 Michael Dee
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