There were nearly 400 boats taking part throughout the day in this year’s Abingdon Spring Head of the River (or time trial). This is an early season event rowed upstream over 2000 M from Culham to Abingdon.

Boats came from all over England and Wales, but the vast majority came from places on the River Thames …

Oxford, Reading, Maidenhead, Wallingford, Henley, Marlow, Putney … even Abingdon.

The event is organised by Abingdon Rowing Club and so most of the Abingdon rowers are marshalling in one way or another.

Unlike the dragon boat racing, which will be on September 8th, the rowing crews dress in club kits, and have to carry their own boats.

There is some entertainment beyond the rowing: The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers were there for a second year. There was also a beer tent to keep them happy between dances.

Because of floods, the Abingdon Parkrun, a weekly free 5km timed run, starting at Rye Farm Meadow, has been cancelled for a few weeks.

Conditions, although far from ideal, were better this week. The fastest runner today, pictured above, completed the course in 17 mins 37 secs.

The video shows the runners near the start as they approached Abingdon Lock.

I was suprised to hear that five men were going for the world record at the Abingdon Marathon this year …

At about five miles into the race, as they came past the Market Place, the leaders were already spread out, and Paul Fernandez from Abingdon Amblers was in second place. No Kenyans were with him.

It turned out the five were trying to beat the world record for running together connected. There are points along the course where runners get a good cheer. One is at the Market Place.

Another is at the corner of Preston Road where spectators can see the runners on three occasions.

Paul Fernandez was in second place for most of the race but within the last couple of miles overtook the leader and came in to win with a time of 2:32. First time I remember an Abingdon runner winning the Abingdon Marathon.

The winning lady was number 60, Liz Hartney, from Reading Road Runners, who broke the course record in the womens race.

There were over a thousand others runners taking part, runners of all standards, and they all had to run past the mural showing the Abingdon Marathon on the underpass where there is about two miles to go.

The video shows Paul Fernandez running up to Tilsley Park with 400 meters to go, and then the five connected runners breaking the world record.

You may have already noticed the new Martial Arts Centre off the Audlett Drive – just on the corner after Snakes and Ladders at the Penlon Building.

It has been open for about 4 weeks now. The people running it, Can Do Martial Arts, have been providing martial arts classes for children and adults in Abingdon and the surrounding area for the past 7 years in other venues. Now they have a place of their own.

The new centre is open 7 days a week offering martial arts classes for
children aged from just 2 years of age (Tiny Tigers Karate) up to adults of any age and ability. Beginners are always welcome. Martial Arts classes include Shotokan Karate, Jeet Kune Do, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Sticks and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. There is also Pilates classes for all abilities.

New members are welcome to go and try sessions for free. They can be contacted by phone: 07989 949 226 or email: virginia@candomartialarts.co.uk. You can also check out their website: www.candomartialarts.co.uk.

Regarding the building name … I see that a Dojo is the name given to a martial arts training place in the west. But in Japan dōjō means The place of the way. It was originally a hall beside the temple where martial arts were practiced. You would take off your shoes before entering.