Chiswick 90K

Last Sunday afternoon saw The Capital Canaries take time off from playing football to gamely participate in two tests of stamina taking place around the London district. The irrelevant Nike 10K drew the attraction of a few of the squad, while the bulk of the team took part in the Chiswick 90K uniquely held on pitch 4, Civil Service Sports Ground, Chiswick. The first minor problem of the day occurred with the realisation that not only were the big C's completing their 90K dash on a wind swept sports field, Aberdeen United F.C were holding a soccer training match on the same pitch.

With the advantage of an extra 30 mins warm up 3 of the Canary Joggers chose to take a soccer ball and fresh from researching and collating proven warm up techniques in Clairefontaine, discarded them and punted balls at an empty net, gaining a particular sense of achievement from smashing the ball in the corner from 6 yrds.....unopposed. The emergence of Utting, with the red 'C' band proudly wrapped (3 times) around his left water pistol, prompted a Higuita scorpion kick from Gappy that will have sent reverberations surely felt by our yellow wearing brothers half way across the world.

2 minutes and 37 seconds before the big hooter was blown, the remaining athletes jogged out - impressed by the temporary goalkeeping display of Chris ' I'm really keen and can make my eyes go really big' Gallagher. Seconds later the race began.
0- 20K With Aberdeen United FC kicking off their practice match at the same time the first 20 kilometers of the run was a hectic and passionate affair. In an amazing display of versatility the Canaries, uninvited, joined in with the soccer game and for a while ran the show. The midfield trio linked well, giving some appetizing balls for the wing backs to apply their Paul Daniels like trickery, and in what was a contrast to the rest of the race, actually supplied ball to the otherwise starved feet of the strikers. The early commitment paid a whopping Vodafone like dividend, a slick move led to Gappy racing down the wing with a perfect crossing opportunity. Gallagher, Davies and Perret's waited in anticipation, their goal scoring taste buds on full secretion mode, dripping like Bouncer's Pink Tongue on a walk with Helen Daniels and Hannah. Gappy looked up, crossed, and accidentally bent the ball into the top right corner; 1-0 Canaries.
21K - 45K Happy with the goal the Canaries left the game and got back to what they were really there to do - run. As the kilometers clocked up they were entertained by the animated shouts of Angus McMoanalot and Bonny McUrBiast, both particularly non-instrumental in the Scots practice sesh. In a strange break from the monotony, Bennett spotted a stanchion 50ft up a near by tree, with a ball fortuitously rolling towards him, and encouraged by the firm words of 'make sure' from Howard, he did just that.

46K - 73K Buoyed by the belief that the hardest part of the race was done, the Canaries started the downhill section of the course with a spring in their spikes. Unfortunately a wrong turn early on led the pack onto a frustratingly familiar uphill surface. Reports in the press that Higgins was still fuming from his recent loss in the 'I decide what time we kick off' celebrity deathmatch, were confirmed with some tremendous yet very firm, last ditch tackles on unsuspecting Aberdeen trainees.

74K With the light beginning to glow at the end of the proverbial tunnel, the younger of the Hoofus McDoofus brothers at the back of the Aberdeen defense launched another ball into outer space. With moon dust fresh on the surface the ball re-entered the atmosphere, took a horrible bounce and was knocked into the back of the net by a curly haired haggis. For once Neil, the only runner to wear gloves, could not batter the ball away.

75K - 90K With some athletes feeling the pace and others just plain disgusted by all that running, the Canaries got involved with a little more soccer playing for the final 15 kilometers. Back from holiday, radiant Frazier, despite suffering from sunburn on his left calf gamely played on, mainly in the centre circle and instigated a few final kilometer moves. Gallagher, fresh from a spell of running on the left wing sent a header just over, and Davies and Gappy also went close, the older Hoofus McDoofus putting in a few game saving challenges.

As the Canaries broke the finishing tape, the Aberdeen practice match finished and the players started their 3 mile trudge back to the showering areas. The final controversy of the day occurred over the unusually expensive post match drinks. With Gappy many votes ahead in the man of the match poll, the manager decided there was slightly more chance of a match report from......anyone else but Gappy ....and 'recommended' the remaining votes were wasted on Jelbert.