By Chris
Saturday 6 December, Birmingham City Centre
From the moment we turned the corner into Brindley Place, I knew we were in for it. Hundreds of Fathers Christmas huddled around Costa Coffee, hopping on one leg trying to get their festive felt suits on. Of the highest quality of course, no expense spared!
Once we had donned our Christmassy clothing we assembled at the start line to be warmed up, and what a warm up. A cheeky minx for a Zumba instructor had us gyrating and thrusting to various Latin beats – an interesting concept for Birmingham in the midst of Autumn! It has to be said some Swifts participated more enthusiastically than others… who knew Jay had snake hips?
And then we were off. A three lap sojourn around Brindley Place, the canals around and back again, thrice!
I didn’t have time to get tired, I was too busy concentrating on, firstly ensuring my trousers remained up for the sake of those following me and secondly from inhaling shards of rogue Santa beard that seemed determined to gravitate towards my mouth. As I said, no expense spared.
And after what seemed like a very swift run, 4 of us linked arms and finished together triumphantly. A well earned glass of water and flapjack were consumed greedily by all.
It was the best laugh I’d had in ages. Everyone else laughed too, when they noticed my Santa trousers had come apart on the thigh giving me the look of someone who’d really thrashed his run!
Next year I’m taking my own suit!
