1k T/T at A.B.C - 16.55, 1st place

Time for the HuRTS 1k swim handicap time trial again and with the Xmas holidays coming up  we went a week earlier for the month of December.  Good crew though with the likes of Walker, Leech, November duck winner Mickey Gee, MrAce, Taffy (sans Santa Hat), Champagne, Angus, J.C, and nice to see Paulie Hannell joining us for the first time.

Was 2^nd away after Mickey Gee some 90 seconds ahead and went out hard in order to try to reduce the gap, Happy with the first 200m and saw J.C standing at the end of the pool not even started. Got to the 500m mark in around 8.22 and had Pete Walker fly past but knew he would have to find another 100m in order to beat me. Each 100m seemed to get harder as I tried to get to the 1k mark, and with 900m done I could see Todd fast homing in, I could barely get the arms out of the water at this stage but hung in there to touch out in 16.55 and take the prized ‘golden duck’ for December.

Todd was on fire swimming around the 15.00 mark to be about 2-3 after me and another 25m he would have certainly got me.

So another ‘Duck’ sits pride of place on the mantelpiece and I end the year as the HuRTS swimming Champion (that’s something I thought I’d ever say J ) – and I must make sure I put a call into old mate Enda to let him know.

Other times for the day were:

J.C  14.05

Pete 14.30

Todd  15.03

Leech 16.02

Taffy   16.47

Timmy 16.55  - golden duck

Angus  17.19

Paul Hannell 18.20

Mickey Gee 18.25

Champagne   9.00 (did his customary 600m before departing)

Many thanks to Pete Walker for all the help and sorting the handicaps out throughout the year (even if he does still try to rort me)

Next T/T is the Friday 30^th January

Can’t believe another weekend has come around yet again – and still plenty on, when will it end?

In the premiership footy, Stoke take on the Drug Barons Chelski in a tough one at the Brit, will be close but think they might just edge it 0-1

I may not even get in the top 50 at the moment in my running BUT I can claim to be HuRTS #1 in the swimming team to end a successful year, after taking out the December 1k time trial and the Golden Duck.

Paul, Duck Winner, Taffy, Leech, Pete and Todd  - poolside after December T/T

Have a great weekend
Stay safe and train well
Cheers