This is the page which celebrates the volunteers . . but first of all - here's the "new" section beside the river . . the local council has been along and widened the footpath just where it got really narrow and the marshal needed a lifebelt . . so Abingdon now scores less in the degree of difficulty category . .

Before then though, the volunteers were already out and about, preparing the course at 8.15 . .

 . . and it was a while before the runners began to make their way to the start . .