I was one of the 300 people lined up on the beach at Minnis Bay at 11 pm. The sun had just broken through; we had blue sky and a glorious view over to the twin towers of Reculver. However, the frenzied activity of the windsurfers and kite flyers there gave a clue to the conditions being not altogether calm - in fact there was a stiff westerly breeze blowing into our faces.

The gun went off and we strode out on the firm sand, dodging the rocky outcrops and the groynes. After 500 metres, the field turned away from the sea onto the shingle and negotiated a steep climb on shifting stones up to the promenade. Over the path and down onto the marshes behind the sea wall we picked up the notorious off-road drivers path, still heading west into the wind. This is a wide grassy path running in a straight line for some 3 Km, deeply rutted and very poorly drained. Those of us who have been coming to Minnis Bay for a number of years will be familiar with frozen ground and iced-over puddles which you bounce off when you land. This year it was mild, and we just had plenty of mud and standing water in all the low spots.

Tactics come into play along here - do you sit in behind the big guy in front to get the best assistance or do you go looking for the best ground conditions ? As a result, there was a good deal of switching from left to right. At the end, we turned inland along a raised footpath - nice and firm this one and probably the fastest part of the course - which took us to the halfway point alongside the railway lane. Here we mercifully turned out of the wind and started heading for home on what starts as a good quality path raised up above the fields to the left. However, Thanet Roadrunners evidently consider this to be boring as a cross country route and within 400 metres we were taken down a slope and through the first of five waterlogged ditches to set out along the edge of the muddy field below.

I've never managed to develop a good technique for these ditches - they're far too wide to leap in one go; you don't know what you will find in them and once you're in the bottom, they take some effort to get out. My aim was just to stay upright and avoid crushing the person in front of me (Debbie Percival on this occasion). The next 3 Km comprised sections of path at the lower level (heavy going) and at the higher level (good going) interspersed with steep climbs and descents through waterlogged ditches - some rather smelly.

Before too long, we were back at the Minnis Bay Nature Reserve, having left the mud and the standing water behind us. All we had left were the three hummocks to negotiate - these are about 2 metres off the ground and of varying width - all involving a steep scramble up to the top and a hazardous descent back to ground level. The last of the hummocks had a narrow footpath on top bounded by brambles (memo to Thanet Roadrunners to get them thinned out before next race). The last 150 metres were on the flat in the desperate hussle for positions as we crossed the line we had the welcome site of the Beach Café just beyond - the only sign of civilisation in this barren landscape !

As for the frontrunners, Steve Roberts (Paddock Wood) showed his affinity for glutinous conditions - having led the field out into the wind, and then lost his place to Martin Forder (Istead) at the halfway point. Roberts was always in touch with the leader and took full advantage of Forder's ungainly plunge into the first ditch and pressed enough of an advantage to see him home by 13 seconds. This result leaves these two with identical points from their best 5 races and the championship all hanging on the final event at Oxleas Wood.

David Law's 3rd place was his best of the season, while Paul Ross-Davies in finishing sixth effectively clinched the Over 50 title. The great battle for the Over 40 championship between Steve Adams (Dartford RR) and Chris Desmond (Sevenoaks AC) seems to be heading Adams' way - he finished one place ahead of his rival in 8th position.

The ladies' race saw Annabelle Stearns back still looking for the one race needed to clinch the Championship which she currently leads. Having been off running since before Christmas with a hairline fracture in the foot, she took a chance in reporting to the start line - and this proved to be her downfall. Despite a fast start, she pulled out after half a mile and now has a real struggle to get properly fit in time for Oxleas Meadow in three weeks time. This left veterans Debbie Percival and Liz Batty battling it out at the head of the ladies' field, but on the homeward leg they were both passed by newcomers Heidi Meeham (Invicta) and Miranda McLennon (Sevenoaks). Meeham took the honours on her debut in the league.

The team competition was notable for the revelation that Dartford Roadrunners didn't win this time - well, they've won every race up to now. Invicta came through as winners in the combined team event, while Sevenoaks were victors in the ladies' team competition. However, this has failed to put much of a dent in the huge lead which Dartford holds in both competitions.

My thanks to Thanet Roadrunners for staging a race which, despite the relatively featureless terrain still attracts nearly 300 runners on an annual basis. Everyone has the chance to relive the experience next weekend, when you can do the same circuit again (twice) in the biathlon - once on a bike and once on foot !

So 1st February is the day when everything will be decided in the final race at Oxleas Meadow. Hope to see you all there.

ROB BRIGHT.