Super heroes at the Oxford Town & Gown

My first time running this 10k event round the city of Oxford
( I don’t think it will be my last!)

Town and Gown was amazing… parkrun on steroids would be an apt description. The spectators round Oxford were just brilliant, (just like they were for the Oxford half last Autumn). There weren’t any bands or anything like that along the way (à la London 10k a few days earlier) but the spectators more than made up for that. Dressed as Superman paid off. I got lots of shouts of support, especially when my “super-powers” appeared to be waning. Great to Hi-Five the spectators, both young and old.

I also got encouragement, of sorts, from a fellow participator who asked me how old I was. When I replied “65”, they then said then you do you really have super powers! “What is your secret”, they asked. I replied “parkrun…and a competitive supportive wife!”

I was touched by another “conversation”, enroute, with another participant who thanked me for being part of the event. He went on to explain that this event was, for him, his annual pilgrimage to the sponsoring charity (Muscular Dystrophy) who have helped his family a lot. That Dad I spoke to, really was a Superhero. It’s unlikely that he will ever read this but, I raise a glass to him, and families who face similar challenges looking after their children with special challenges every day of their lives.

Mingling in the event village afterwards, a number of people came up to me to ask for selfies with “Superman”. There was one student who turns out is at the same college that my daughter went to. He asked me what year she was in, so I explained that she graduated some 10 years ago (!). ( Perhaps running is the secret Elixir of Youth, or, more likely, dressing up as a comic book hero makes me look childish younger ;-). Ill let you decide, dear reader(s). One person in particular asked to take my picture. He explained that I had really made his son’s day when he was standing in the crowds waiting to cheer his Dad on, when “Superman” came running past giving out Hi-Fives.