Its holiday time here in Dubai so here is another post for all you Bishopites
– The Annual Long distance runs.
The Long distance runs were something the entire school looked forward to. They were held in the cold months – not too sure when – probably November. Practices began a month or so in advance with all the boarders being taken to the Race course every evening at 4 pm by the MOD . The serious runners ran one or two rounds; others did as much as they could, while some never ran at all but walked around. A few were the adventurous type and were seen exploring the area around the tunnel which started at the center of the race course and supposedly came out a few miles away. There was also a story of a cobra living in the tunnel there (some boys claim to have heard it hissing and others say they saw marks on the ground but the elusive cobra was never seen! )Come the big day and one saw a large tent erected / tracks marked / and over 1800 boys gathered together for assembly. Staff wore caps / hats and dark glasses – all waiting for Mr Roberts to arrive .Boys stood in houses. There were two large pavilions and 2 houses sat in each one with the teachers to mind the discipline.Assembly over, instructions given and div 1 and 5 who ran together ( 2 and 1 rounds respectively ) took off for the start at the center of the RC.
The time keepers, starters, judges etc. also trooped along. The Fernandes brothers took their scooters as they were usually the marshals who went around the track to keep an eye on proceeding and bring back the injured / the fainted or the pretenders! A few scouts on cycles helped them out as well.
The whistle blown – a cloud of dust and they were off. There was usually one big pair of binoculars carried by the then estate Suptd Mr Donahue and everyone took turns to peer through them. The Announcer usually took charge of them and kept announcing the name/ house of the first few runners – there was much cheering after each name was announced. The good crafty experienced runners usually held back and broke free from the pack when there was about a km left and breasted the tape with a look that said I CAN DO ANOTHER ROUND !.
Points were allotted depending on your finishing time – 5 being the highest. Boys then waited in waiting areas to give their points in to the recorders. During this time a few boys would often be caught trying to move up from one area to the other to get more points!
What was sad was some boys who completed the race and just when they were a few mts from the finish line when the Chief judge said NO POINTS !!!Standing on the victory stand was an honour and the winners got a hearty cheer. Everyone then got a mug of Rasna juice and 2 glucose biscuits. A few stragglers were brought back on scooters and taken to the tent erected for the purpose and given first aid – usually some more Rasna with added glucose
Once all 5 divisions had finished there was another assembly. This was to announce the House points and give out the certificates . Then started the painful exercise of searching for the owners of the lost property- watches, caps, water bottles, tiffin boxes, shirts, shorts etc. Many items went unclaimed .
Everyone then trooped back to school – exhausted , hot and bothered. Some lucky boys hitched rides back on motorcycles and scooters of the staff , others rode 3 on a bicycle while the majority walked back to school .
It was indeed a day well spent – tiring to say the very least but A BISHOPS TRADITION !!
( Boys - Do feel free to add in details I may have left out )
– The Annual Long distance runs.
The Long distance runs were something the entire school looked forward to. They were held in the cold months – not too sure when – probably November. Practices began a month or so in advance with all the boarders being taken to the Race course every evening at 4 pm by the MOD . The serious runners ran one or two rounds; others did as much as they could, while some never ran at all but walked around. A few were the adventurous type and were seen exploring the area around the tunnel which started at the center of the race course and supposedly came out a few miles away. There was also a story of a cobra living in the tunnel there (some boys claim to have heard it hissing and others say they saw marks on the ground but the elusive cobra was never seen! )Come the big day and one saw a large tent erected / tracks marked / and over 1800 boys gathered together for assembly. Staff wore caps / hats and dark glasses – all waiting for Mr Roberts to arrive .Boys stood in houses. There were two large pavilions and 2 houses sat in each one with the teachers to mind the discipline.Assembly over, instructions given and div 1 and 5 who ran together ( 2 and 1 rounds respectively ) took off for the start at the center of the RC.
The time keepers, starters, judges etc. also trooped along. The Fernandes brothers took their scooters as they were usually the marshals who went around the track to keep an eye on proceeding and bring back the injured / the fainted or the pretenders! A few scouts on cycles helped them out as well.
The whistle blown – a cloud of dust and they were off. There was usually one big pair of binoculars carried by the then estate Suptd Mr Donahue and everyone took turns to peer through them. The Announcer usually took charge of them and kept announcing the name/ house of the first few runners – there was much cheering after each name was announced. The good crafty experienced runners usually held back and broke free from the pack when there was about a km left and breasted the tape with a look that said I CAN DO ANOTHER ROUND !.
Points were allotted depending on your finishing time – 5 being the highest. Boys then waited in waiting areas to give their points in to the recorders. During this time a few boys would often be caught trying to move up from one area to the other to get more points!
What was sad was some boys who completed the race and just when they were a few mts from the finish line when the Chief judge said NO POINTS !!!Standing on the victory stand was an honour and the winners got a hearty cheer. Everyone then got a mug of Rasna juice and 2 glucose biscuits. A few stragglers were brought back on scooters and taken to the tent erected for the purpose and given first aid – usually some more Rasna with added glucose
Once all 5 divisions had finished there was another assembly. This was to announce the House points and give out the certificates . Then started the painful exercise of searching for the owners of the lost property- watches, caps, water bottles, tiffin boxes, shirts, shorts etc. Many items went unclaimed .
Everyone then trooped back to school – exhausted , hot and bothered. Some lucky boys hitched rides back on motorcycles and scooters of the staff , others rode 3 on a bicycle while the majority walked back to school .
It was indeed a day well spent – tiring to say the very least but A BISHOPS TRADITION !!
( Boys - Do feel free to add in details I may have left out )
1 comment:
It's interesting . . . .
From 1969 to 1974, it was always held in Feb. The 1st big deal after the School year began.
Jumbo Fernandes, yes went around the course on his Scooty . . . . And got the best runner - Sojwal - disqualified as it was called " Pacing " and the eventual winner was a Mansfield House boy. This has to be in 1971. That was Jumbo's way of getting Mansfield up - by hook or crook -.
I remember the agony, as I had boasted to the House Captain and School Vice Head Boy - Peter Barrow - of being an accomplished runner . . . . The Test became a taste of horrendous torture as I had to go for practice with him and other Seniors.
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