Steward’s Enquiry
August 2010
With last-minute deadlines met, glad-rags on and copies of the
Racing Post tucked under our arms, the DAD team boarded the coaches
for our summer party at Sandown Park Racecourse.
The Solario Suite, overlooking the track, was the setting for
champagne, betting slips and celebration. We were given an
introductory talk and tips by Colin, the retired jockey (he'd
ridden Desert Orchid to victory 10 times don't ya know!?) He then
showed us around the paddock and taught us our Furlongs from our
Fillies. We were now ready to place our bets.
The success was company-wide and we saw some big cash wins
throughout the evening.
As the sun set, the extreme excitement over 7 races could surely
only be rivalled by one event…Westlife, LIVE anyone?
Some may say they are merely an expensive covers band that have
lost their way since the abandonment of Brian McFadden. The DAD
crew say neigh!
With our lighters aloft and ours arms swaying in unison, by the
end of the night we really were Flying Without Wings all
the way back to Battersea. The hardcore of the DAD family partied
on into the night while the rest of us retired with our winnings.
Only two members of our party missed the coach and were left at the
race track too, which, considering the hangovers in the office the
next day, was pretty good going.
DAD's photo
finish!
DAD’s ultra-marathon star
June 2010
Heidi Schumann, DAD Artwork Head, takes 147th place in
the world's toughest road race.
To road runners, South Africa's Comrades Marathon looms like an
Everest. At 56 miles, it's twice as long as a regular marathon. It
starts in freezing temperatures and ends in wilting heat. And its
crippling hills are as famous as its star runners.
This year, on May 30, over 16,000 men and women started the run.
As always, hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the route,
cheering themselves hoarse. Millions more watched the 12 hours of
live TV coverage.
Even with all the encouragement, 2,000 didn't make the 12-hour
cut-off, many collapsing within sight of the Durban finish
line.
With two previous Comrades races behind her, that wasn't Heidi's
fate. Out of 5,500 female runners, she finished in 147th place with
a time of 9 hours and 13 minutes. How did it go? "I really
struggled this time, the long hills really killed me, we don't seem
to have hills like that in London to train on."
And the pain didn't stop at the finish line. "It took me 4 days
before I was walking normally again - 4 days of sheer pain. Even
sleeping was hard work."
And next year? "Never again." But that's what they all say…