Meon Valley Plod - 2011

The race this year started on a pleasant Sunday morning, Sunny, dry and a little on the cool side making it ideal for a little jaunt around the Meon valley. After lulling you into a false sense of security the typical plod weather returned with the cold rain. Until the rain occurred the new hill up  from Rake Bottom (also known locally as Grandfather's Bottom) was just a little muddy and was just a bit of a slog to get up, as time went by and the rain got heavier it just turned into liquid mud making parts of the hill very slippery. Several people where having to use the fence to haul themselves up the hill.

Due to the change of route this year I had to change my second location. It was my intention to be half way up the hill from Rake Bottom, but after the first runners went thought it was obvious that you would all just be looking down at the ground to ensure you had safe footing, so the photos would not be interesting. So I switched up to a point at the top of the climb. Not quite an ideal location as perhaps could have done with a different len's on the camera - but as the rain started I was not going to risk changing lens's.  As the rain occurred the light levels dropped considerable making photograph a little more challenging, so a few photos will look a little washed out. Due to the low light levels it means that the lens was operating wide open - this means depth of field is rather shallow so the runner of interest will be focus - but those either side may be out of focus. Lens wide open tend to be a little soft as well. It was a battle to keep the camera dry and functioning.

As usual, I was at 2 locations on the course,

The first point was Small Down, this is the first climb

Click on this link to see the photos Location 1 - Small Down

The second point was at the top  of the hill up from Rake Bottom

Click on this link to see the photos Location 2 - Top Rake Bottom

If you would like a FREE full size digital copy of the image, e-mail the image number to alandunkdenmead@aol.com , or use the request image link at the bottom of each photo. I will try and respond to all request's within 48hrs.

All images can be freely used for personal use, running club websites and running club newsletter's etc. The copy write notice is only their  to deter anyone from trying to sell my images commercially.

Alan Dunk, Denmead, 28 February 2011