We are already halfway through May, although based on the weather of late you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. In the MABAC calendar that means Farnham Park, what I think of as the ‘Goldilocks course’ – not too steep, not too flat, not too muddy but no soft sand either – and as Ken Swan has pointed out, shorter than most too at just under 7km.

Husband and wife Puffers duo Paula and Ian both took on the legendary 2026 London Marathon, making it a truly memorable day for their family.

A fine spring morning, albeit with a cold wind blowing, following weeks of little rain, made for near ideal running conditions for the third MABAC event of the year at Farley Heath. Long time Puffers will recall that it didn't use to be like this. For ten years from 2015, it was our home MABAC venue and traditionally the last event of the calendar, in mid-November. In later years Waverley Harriers helped with the organising until our move to Wisley last year since when they have been responsible for Farley Heath and the date has moved to April. November runs were notorious for the mud bath at the bottom of the hill in which Paula Holmes once (in)famously lost her shoe. Today the bigger challenge for runners is the soft sand near the start and finish, a consequence of the drier conditions in spring. 

The Puffers produced an excellent turnout and a strong collective performance at the Reigate MABAC Running League fixture, tackling a demanding multi-terrain course with determination and team spirit.

By tradition and/or convention, the MABAC year always starts with the run in Windsor Great Park. In the pre-Covid, pre-Brexit era, when the sun always shone, trains ran on time and after buying a pint of beer in a pub you would still have enough change from a £5 note for a packet of cigarettes, it was held in January. Snow on the ground was not unknown although ice and/or freezing rain were more common, and the course was longer than it is today. Now, in 2026, it is mid-February before it is run. Admittedly, it was originally scheduled for the previous weekend but was put back at the request of some of the bigger clubs, who were concerned that a clash with a Surrey League cross-country event would have meant their star runners were unavailable.

On Saturday night at a dinner at her golf club, my wife found herself talking to someone who runs with Dorking and Mole Valley AC. On learning I’m with the Puffers he told Won Kyong that it was a pity that I wasn’t there as he could have teased me about running with an ‘Oldies Club.’ My comment to Won Kyong on being told this was ‘Let’s see the results tomorrow.’ We now have them, and for the record, on the day we were third overall, very, very close behind DMV. I’m looking forward to the next golf club dinner and will make a point of attending. (Not that I’m competitive or anything like that!). We had a magnificent turnout at Wisley. According to the official results, there were 21 runners and 2 walkers/joggers for the Puffers, which I make to be the biggest turnout for us at a MABAC in my nine years as a Puffer. There were some great individual performances too, but this was our home event, which meant it fell to us to organise and marshal, and quite simply without the marshals it would not have happened. So I make no apology by starting by thanking all those who made it happen on the day. Chris Nash has been indefatigable ‘behind the scenes,’ helping with course planning and recce’ing. The day before, Roger Clark, Will Archer-Burton and Rob Lewis all helped set out the course, then Chris Nash was one of the first on the ground on Sunday morning to help with the all important car park marshalling. In this he was helped once again by Wade Pollard and between them they had all the cars neatly parked and ensured there were no collisions as runners rushed off afterwards. Out on the course, Edgar and Julie Northey are no longer regulars at the bridge since their move to Havant. But they still got up at dawn to drive up to marshal, with Julie for good measure once again supplying some of her famous biscuits for after-run nourishment.

A modest turnout of Puffers at Nonsuch this morning but we were represented in all categories! Compared to previous years Nonsuch had a very dry course with lots of cracks in the mud to contend with. Craig came in as the first puffer followed closely by Alfie. Our First lady home was Vicki, followed by David in touching distance behind her. Both were just ahead of Esme being the 5 puffer home. Katy was closing the gap having run her first lap with Thomas (9 years old). A massive thanks to Will AB for doing one lap despite an injury and parking in the wrong car park to transport PP’s table and banner!

Some of the Puffers were out in force this morning, finalising the route plan for 16th November! 

After the midweek runs of the summer,  today marked both the equinox and the return of MABACs to the customary Sunday morning. George has already posted many great photos of the day (See our Gallery)

Those of you as old as me may remember the best selling Meat Loaf album from the late 1970s, Bat Out of Hell. The lyrics featured the behaviour of bats on 'hot August nights.' I suspect midges - and maybe even Wombles - feature far more prominently on hot August nights on Wimbledon Common than bats ever do, but Tuesday night was warm, rather than hot, and with a strong breeze, the remnant or sideshow of Storm Floris, keeping the midges away, over 360 runners and joggers assembled by the windmill for the annual Wimbledon MABAC. Wimbledon has always been a popular MABAC but the turnout surpassed even Windmiler expectations, and the 330 who were at Denbies in June, making it possibly the biggest ever MABAC turnout, certainly the biggest in my time in the Puffers. Don't believe the doom-mongers who say MABAC as a concept is finished!