Boston United Santa Fun Run 2009

[Ken Fox]

Well I'm entering the 5km Boston Santa Fun Run again. So I'll be running round the streets of Boston again on Sunday 13th December.

http://www.bufc.co.uk/article/3053825/Santa-Fun-Run-entry-forms-available

It should be fun and if my training goes well and I stay fit and healthy then I may be in with a chance this year! I'm hoping to get the 007 number again, so I'll be running as a festive James Bond amongst all the Santas.

Scotty Walds has been spending a lot of time in the gym this year (as everyone who has seen his goal celebrations can testify  ), so he should give me a run for my money.

Scott Dalton is coming up with some poor excuse about having to go to the Radio Lincolnshire Christmas party the night before. Well a few pints of real ale in Ossett on Saturday before I did the Leeds Abbey Dash this Sunday didn't slow me down, so he's going to need a better excuse than that!

Pete Brooksbank has already pulled out - probably still in trauma after losing his trousers in the first fun run. 

Will Craig manage more than one lap this year? 

It looks like there will be a few of the players turning out as well.

I'm running for Cancer Research UK again. It is a great cause and with your support they are managing to make a real difference in improving treatments and saving lives.

The Santa Fun Run is also raising some much needed money for Boston United FC, so I will personally match your donations to Cancer Research UK with an equivalent donation to the football club (up to a total of £200, so don't go too mad or I'll be bankrupt  ).

You can make donations by visiting my Justgiving page at:

www.justgiving.com/kenfox2009

So please consider making a donation, whether as a contribution to a great cause or just a thank you to me for putting together the websites and running the prediction league. They will all be very gratefully received.

[Pete Brooksbank]

Yes, it's true - I'm not running. I only hope my early withdrawal doesn't lead a disappointed David Newton to quit as chairman and both managers to walk away to take over at Grantham in disgust.

Has anyone seen my Santa trousers from the first run, by the way? They were last seen near the entrance to Pescod.

[Mickey Nuttells Hair]

ARGH!  Away on the Saturday and won't be able to get to Boston in time for the start!  

I'll chuck what would have been my entry fee in the Save the Pilgrims pot mind.

[Ken Fox]

ARGH!  Away on the Saturday and won't be able to get to Boston in time for the start!  

I'll chuck what would have been my entry fee in the Save the Pilgrims pot mind.

What you really mean is that you can't face the embarrassment of being outrun by me twice in three weeks. 

You could always sponsor me though and let me match your sponsorship to the Save the Pilgrims fund - then Cancer Research benefit as well as the club.

[Mickey Nuttells Hair]

No shame in getting a slower time than you Ken!

Although I'm thinking i might get along to some of those Park Run's on a Saturday morning to get my times down.

[Ken Fox]

Although I'm thinking i might get along to some of those Park Run's on a Saturday morning to get my times down.

Get on over to Leeds on Saturday mornings.

Parkruns are brilliant. Basically there are about 25 parks around the country where a 5km race takes place every Saturday morning at 9am. Entry is free, you just have to register on their website a couple of days before your first race.

www.parkrun.org.uk

The aim is to encourage people to walk, jog or run together irrespective of ability, having open access to this opportunity at no cost and encourage a diverse range of people, young and old to get involved.

The Leeds Parkrun is incredibly conveniently located for me as it takes place in Woodhouse Moor next to the University and just a short stroll from my flat. It's now getting over 200 participants turning up every Saturday morning - ranging from proper athletes to fun runners like me and some people who just walk the course.

I've been doing it since the summer and I'm certainly feeling a lot fitter if not actually getting much quicker!

They do some clever stuff to derive the times of each runner. No chips or race numbers are required. They basically log the time of each runner as they cross the finishing line and hand them a slip of paper with their position on. You then get your name and position entered into a laptop and after the race they tie up the logged times with the data on the laptops. The results then get put on the website around about lunchtime on Saturday. So you can see how I've been doing by visiting the Leeds Parkrun website at:

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/leeds/Home.aspx

I'd love for one to be set up in Boston so that I could get in a run when I'm home on Saturdays. The one in Leeds is organised by the Sports Science department at the University, so perhaps someone at Boston College would fancy doing something similar in Boston?

[father Ted]

Yes , maybe best to run in that area Ken !
  I found Hyde Park a very dodgy area when visiting my daughter .. who was at  Leeds Uni a few years back .
   Broken bottles and dodgy characters .. an area where an extra iron gate is fitted over most doorways .

[Ken Fox]

Yes , maybe best to run in that area Ken !
  I found Hyde Park a very dodgy area when visiting my daughter .. who was at  Leeds Uni a few years back .
   Broken bottles and dodgy characters .. an area where an extra iron gate is fitted over most doorways .

I was going to put on a post about how the park has got a lot better in recent years, but then I did this morning's Parkrun. It looks like there was an incident in the park last night. There was a police tent set up near the bowling green and the path was cordoned off with police "do not cross" tape. It caused a bit of a problem for the Parkrun as it was right across the course. The police weren't letting on what it was all about either. Looked serious though. 

[XYU]

Just wondering, does anyone know if you can enter this on the day, or do you have to get an entry form and get it filled in by the 6th?
There might be a few people not sure until the day. I entered on the day a two years ago, but had to stand around for five minutes while they found some entry forms as they weren't prepared it.

[Ken Fox]

I dare say you will still be able to enter on the day, however I'm also sure it would be greatly appreciated if you would enter by sending off your entry form before the 6th December. On the day the organisers will no doubt have more than enough things keeping them busy without having the hassle of trying to deal with late entries, e.g. last year the course had to be checked for ice and then the clock broke, etc, etc.

[chalker]

http://www.bufc.co.uk/article/3081239/Course-confirmed-for-Santa-Fun-Run

Entries gratefully received!

This event involves a lot of organisation, whether we have one runner or 1,000... So the more the merrier!

It's a fun event and it would be great to see hundreds of Santas running, jogging and walking through Boston on December 13...

Entries WILL be accepted on the day - although earlier entries are preferred!

[Pride of Lincolnshire]

Well after a long wet day in and around Bostons streets collecting sponsorship I've managed to reach £120 all going towards BUFC.
How is everyone elses fun raising going ? This is my 1st time doing the fun run and really looking forward to taking part in it.

[Ken Fox]

Well after a long wet day in and around Bostons streets collecting sponsorship I've managed to reach £120 all going towards BUFC.
How is everyone elses fund raising going ? This is my 1st time doing the fun run and really looking forward to taking part in it.

Well done, you're doing great, especially given the state of the economy.

So far I've got £65 donated on my Justgiving page for Cancer Research UK and I'm matching those with personal contributions to the football club. Many, many thanks to all those people who have donated. I'm still short of my target though so if you're not doing the run yourself and you'd like to give a bit of money to a great cause as well as supporting Boston United then just visit my fundraising page and make a donation of a fiver or so.

www.justgiving.com/kenfox2009

All donations are very gratefully received.

[doc]

what time u expecting ken? Hoping the santa suit doesnt chaffe

[Ken Fox]

what time u expecting ken? Hoping the santa suit doesnt chaffe

I did the 5km Leeds Parkrun in 21:26 last week, which is fairly respectable for an ancient transport modeller who is now the wrong side of 50. 

I have a slight advantage over the Santas as I'm running as James Bond again, so my outfit shouldn't slow me down quite as much as theirs will.

I donated some platelets at the blood donor centre yesterday, so I dare say that will slow me down a bit though.

I'd like to be in the top 20 but won't be too upset if I'm not.  8)