HYDRATING before and during exercise is always a good idea, but at the Wanborough Beer Race, they take the idea to extremes.*

The popular annual event took place yesterday afternoon and saw 50 runners gather at The New Calley Arms in Upper Wanborough before setting out on the two-mile course.

The aim is to drink half a pint of beer at the first pub before running, as fast as you can, to the next pub where you drink another half a pint of beer. This is repeated until the runners are topped up with half pints from five pubs ready for a sprint back to the start of the loop where the winner is crowned.

Mike Kent, 47, is one of the event organisers and has run the race around 20 times – in fact he holds the record for completing the course in 13 minutes and 54 seconds.

He said: “It’s just a great community day, most of the pubs put something on and the whole village comes out to watch the event.

“This year is the 60th anniversary which makes us about 25 years older than the London Marathon.”

The race first started as a bet between friends and has grown over the years ever since.

The pubs that now form part of the race are The New Calley Arms, The Plough Inn, The Harrow, The Brewers Arms and The Cross Keys.

Each year, the start point moves along one pub then the course follows in an anti-clockwise direction from there.

This year, with The New Calley Arms being at the top of the hill that runs through the village, the runners will have an uphill struggle – quite literally – to make it back to the finish with a belly full of beer.

One man who was determined not to let the incline bother him was Sotiris Karfakis, 26, originally from Greece but now living in Swindon.

He took part in the race for the first time last year and narrowly missed the record by just 21 seconds.

Sotiris said: “I am hoping to beat it this time. I run in quite a lot of races, I did the Bath Half earlier this year for example.

“This one is a bit different, but it’s a fun event and I’m looking forward to it.”

Other runners were not taking the challenge as seriously – Thomas Dominik, 24, had taken a break from his Royal Air Force basic training to join in the fun for the third time.

Dressed in a poncho and a sombrero, Thomas said for him the event was all about enjoying the day and having a few beers rather than setting a fast time.

Possibly the oldest participant, 66-year-old David Birley, arrived on his vintage bicycle sporting his father’s tweed jacket.

He said: “I thought seeing as it is the 60th anniversary I would dress the part.

“I’ve done about 10 of these now, it’s great fun, I just hope I don’t come last.”

  • Anyone who thinks beer is dehydrating rather than hydrating is probably right... and soft drinks were also available to participants.