(No) Monkey business!

 This scene will be replicated for the 28th. time tomorrow morning at 10.00 a.m. at the York Knavesmire racecourse as over 1000 runners set off to complete the BRASS MONKEY HALF MARATHON.

 I won't digress to go into the background to the naming of the race; only to say that apparently it has nothing to do with ships and brass monkeys,  housing cannon balls which as  temperature reach freezing,  the balls drop off. 
A load of tosh ! , I read cannon balls were never stored like this.
 No,  I read the phrase came from one Thomas Wolfe (?)(1900-1938)
"It would freeze the balls off a brass monkey- that's how cold it gets"

Should by some freak of nature temperatures rise inexplicably to  summer figures then  a phrase from 1847 can be borrowed........
                         "It was hot enough to melt the NOSE  off a brass monkey"

 Whatever the conditions,  the race will be a chance for serious competitors to monitor their fitness levels after the very difficult period of unfavourable weather.   Provided of course that they give it 100%  and don't lament missed training opportunities  and settle for less.

If you are reading this and racing tomorrow, have a good one , go for it! Best of luck.