Shock for the Secret Seven – not by Enid Blyton

18 September 2016 - By Steve Hennings

In this story, the Secret Seven travel to the famous village of Dedham under the guise of taking on the “undulating” 10k Dedham Run, but really to investigate why dogs are disappearing in the village. Before the Secret Seven can get down to it Colsey’s Golden Spaniel becomes the latest victim so the seven decide they have to do something. And indeed they do…they get a rabbit instead, but unfortunately the rabbit develops an attitude, and they decide to make a recovery stew out of him.

On a more serious note, it was a beautiful route, but “there be hills” in the Dedham Vale and they sting. If anyone tells you it is “undulating” in future they are pulling your leg, as Ross found out!!

(Undulating – adjective. Having slight slopes or curves, or moving slightly up and down)

Helen Armitage was down from the snowy wastes of Urmston for the weekend to get in some warm weather training and, as expected, gave the men in the group a thorough drubbing on the roads of Dedham Vale.

With 95m of climbing on some leg sapping climbs and the temperatures climbing, everyone’s times held up pretty well. For the record, the finish times were as follows:-
Helen Armitage – 41:33 (1st lady F35)
Mark Lynch – 44:38
Colin Short – 50:01
Tony Smith – 52:36
Ross Silverton – 54:02
Steve Hennings – 01:01:29
Martina Byrne – 01:01:30