The start of the race was in the car park, and runners had already begun to gather there 20 minutes before the race.

Others were more leisurely in their approach and came strolling past the church with just a few minutes to spare.

Steve was leading the runners around the course on his bike and he began pedalling fast and furiously as soon as the starting pistol was fired (see the puff of smoke above his head in the 3 photos below)

as Steve cycled past (I was stood in the middle of the road with 130 runners bearing down on me) he called out “I wouldn’t stand there if I were you” . . and a few more photos later and I was on the pavement in plenty of time, and so the race was underway without the photographer getting trampled under foot!!. .

please e-mail me if you'd like to buy any of the photos below . .