Wednesday (meet and greet)

Unbelievably Rabbit Run 2008 was upon us. This was Rabbit Run’s fifth event and it is amazing how quickly these annual events come around, which is why it is so important to get booked on and write the event into your diary as it is all too easy within the month or so before we go not to be able to commit due to being “too busy”. Before you know it a few events have passed you by - get booked on and stay on target. All work and no play makes for a dull boy (or girl)! Anyway, off the soapbox and on to writing about what was undoubtedly the best Rabbit Run yet.

With the event starting early on the Thursday morning (or late on Wednesday night depending how you look at it) rabbit runners travelled from all over the country to a well-placed hotel in Surrey in preparation for the ‘big off’. The first cars started to arrive at the hotel from around 3pm, and then Paul, that nice chap from Shine On (Rabbit Run’s official car washer/detailer) worked his magic.

The official group briefing started at 8pm and with all the cars there except one (Matt and Marcus), early indications showed that a fair amount of alcohol was to be consumed, especially by a certain few, mentioning no names, Darryl and Ian. After the briefing the group then split into three teams. This was the first time that the team approach had been used. Each of the three teams would he headed up by one of the event organisers, assisted by their trusty co-drivers, Gids, Paul and Roy. The three team leaders gathered their team members to discuss the finer details and those all-important tactics. It would seem that Team 1 (led by Craig) and Team 2 (led by Jon) did have some kind of strategic plan, where as Team 3 (led by Gary) had planned to “just get off the ferry and nail it”.

How would it all unfold?

The objective for the teams on day one and two was for every member of the team to arrive at the next destination, in its entirety, before the other teams. This means there is no point in one or two cars splintering off in an attempt to get there first as it is the last man in from each team that logs that team’s arrival (measured by each car dropping their colour coded and numbered golf ball into a Rabbit Run- manned tube upon arrival at each destination). There were also bonus points on each stage for the team that arrived within the shortest time window (1st from that team to 8th in that team). A further incentive for the teams to stick together.

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