Seventeen Vegan Runners UK members met up at the Endure24 event at Wasing Park near Reading last weekend.
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Most of us with our medals shortly before we headed for home – after 24hrs a lot of our club vests had found their way into the laundry basket but we were all wearing it while out on the course.
We grabbed a good sized patch of the camp site near the start where all but Duncan, who was running solo and got to stay in a special compound right next to the track (and the loud music), could camp together using the club’s new event shelter as our communal space and cake storage area. Kim came along for the camping and what with partners and kids I doubt Wasing Park has ever seen so many vegans gathered together before and I’d be surprised if anywhere in Berkshire has ever seen such an amazing variety of vegan cake!
Young Maggie Wilcock took the opportunity to interview some of us about our exercise and dietary preferences – where better to find a representative cross section of society?
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Interestingly all of the interviewees showed a preference for plant based foods and the most popular form of exercise was running.
Matt and Chris were running as a duo with a target to hit 100 miles between them then call it a day as this was to be what they reckoned was an easy weekend! Duncan hoped for 100 miles solo, a heady goal considering his longest distance to date was 35 miles. Duncan, Matt and Chris all hit their targets with time to spare though I hope they don’t mind me saying they looked a bit tired afterwards 😉
Us mere mortal vegans made up 2 relay teams of 7 (down from 8 after a couple of members had to drop out). We were mixed sex and supposedly mixed ability though as things worked out the Vegan Dragons were a bit faster than us Vegan Chomp and Stomps. Last year a team of 6 had run 28 laps, 140 miles, between them so as I understood it honour was served if we beat that with a team of 7. Which we did despite a couple of wobbly tummys that had possibly overindulged in cake!
[stextbox id=”training_green”]The results were:
- Duncan McNeill – 100 miles in 21:48:23Â Â 9/100 Mens Solo
- Vegan Runners Duo – 100 miles in 22:06:26Â Â Â 10/18 Mens Duo
- Vegan Dragons – 170 miles in 24:34:25*Â Â Â 31/ 159 Mixed Teams 6-8
- Vegan Chomp and Stomp – 150 miles in 24:15:54Â Â Â 81/159 Mixed Teams 6-8
Vegan Runners Duo: Chris Taylor-Reed, Matthew Toy
Vegan Dragons: Celine Wilcock, Rafal Tkaczyk, Luisa Rabanal, Simon Scott, Katie Bedford, Lynda Beard, Tim Brown
Vegan Chomp and Stomp: Catherine Hansford, Nik Windle, Carla Reeve, Hortencia Mckechnie, Catrin Simon, Ali Taylor-Reed, Phil Davies[/stextbox]
* More than 24 hours as the rules allow the last runner to be counted so long as she set off before 24 hours had expired.
Vegan Runners UK were by no means the sum total of vegans present, I suspect there were as many non-member vegans there as there were us. Other vegans include:
- David Wise –Â 3rd place men’s solo with 120 miles
- Kate Anna-Louise Jayden – 2nd place ladies solo with 105 miles
- Matt Dowse – sporting the Vegan Runners vest in The Jog Shop men’s team of 6-8 who came 2nd
- Several other independent vegans who deserve a mention but have slipped from my knackered mind
Roll on Endure24 2016!