You've come such a long way With no one to comfort you Or to tell you you're needed .....

The Calliope Athletic Club wound up for the year with its prize giving and Christmas party last Wednesday night.

Prior to the party, two events captured the imagination of the crowd: a one mile run followed by a one mile walk.

(For those of you brought up in the decimal age – one mile is 1609 metres to the nearest metre.)

Doing these mile events brought tears to many of the more mature athletes as they remembered those halcyon imperial days of old when they were fleet of foot.


It is an established rule in the club, that those aforementioned mature athletes may not have the assistance of their zimmer frames. However, a special zimmer frame race is envisioned as a future possibility.

Over 35 athletes (aged between 9 and 72) competed in the two events. Rod, the meeting director and astute timekeeper, deftly recored all times to one-hundredth of a second (as you do).

My friend Mike won the mile walk in 7:30 (a time not to be sneezed at). Yours truly managed a sound 8:25, passing the 1500 in 7:50.

Then it was on to the prize giving. Allan and Peter handed out cups and shields left, right and center. Certificates flew in all directions. Sandra brought a wheelbarrow for her collection.

Particularly notable was the fact that the marathon walk championship cup (won by Dave) was twice the size of the half marathon walk cup.  - ponder that folks!

Then a rather raunchy, risqué Santa turned up to dispense $10 secret gifts to the gathered Calliope congregation.

Finally came the hour of separation. We couldn't speak.

It had all been too much ....