Relay Race - Hanging With My Homies!

Hello blog lovers.

I didn't manage to write my blog yesterday after the race, as me and the Old boy were going out for the evening to celebrate our 27th anniversary! So a nice run was just what I needed to give me plenty of appetite.

When I said on the facebook page, that I was 'thinking' about signing up for the relay race and then, realising, that by just saying that I had actually signed on the dotted line!, I did let people know that I wasn't the fastest runner of all time!, and I am usually languishing at the back of group 1 on our Tuesday night runs. But that didn't stop Little Boy lost from signing me up.

It has been a while since I ran a relay race, last time was when I was at school,....primary school, so some 40 years ago! But never as an adult. Memories (or fears) of those old school days, of going through the whole 'picking team mates' stage, were going through my mind. I was always left to the last, and then had to endure the 'groan' as the team leader had just me to chose! It's ok, though, I'm over that, now days I do try to 'volunteer' and be first in the lime light! (I even get up and do Karaoke!)

Anyway, enough sympathy gathering drivel, back to the race. There was only one thing that I could do, and thats just go there and do my best, (and try to earn the piece of cake that was on offer for after!) Our time for getting there was at 2, to get our numbers pinned on, a group photo, (that I am still waiting to see!) and pep talk, well, I say pep talk, its more like hang out really, with my PWR 'homies'.

Our race was due to start at 2:45 pm. Let me tell you, that soon came around, pretty quickly! Soon all the seniors race 'A' number runners were lined up ready for the off! .....A big cheer as they all set off. PWR had 4 teams, two girls teams and 2 boys teams! We were well represented! All running in our club colours. It felt good to be in a team.

Soon the the 'B' runners would be called up to the line, in readiness for the first lap runners to come back. We saw them all in, my team, and remember we are group 1 runners, were last to get going. It was to be me next, I am a 'C' runner! The pressure was great! Knowing that we were probably going to be the last team finished, I didn't want to leave my team mate standing there by herself for two long. But of course, while I was waiting to run I was getting all the low down of the course from the 'A' runner. About the hill through the woods, which lulls you into a false sense of security, because you get to a point where you can run down or up again. Of course the route was up! I do not like hills! I am afraid, as the OB says of me, I stopped and had 'a picnic' in the wood! To you or me, I walked up the hill, but not all of it! Oh know, I wasn't going to let the hill take it all from me!

There was another nice bit of flat once we got to the top of the hill, running along side the road before turning left again to go back in the woods, and the inevitable down hill section. I must say, that all the runners that......erm........passed me gave me lots of encouragement, and the marshalls through the woods and on the field cheered me along my way.

But coming up the long straight, that was where the pressure was. Knowing that the 'D' runners were already passing me and my team mate was left standing at the start/finish line waiting for the 'touch', oh wow the pressure! I ran as fast as my legs could go, I could see the OB with his camera at the ready, I am not going to try the whole 'pose' thing now, my team mate needs me at the line now! Through the trees and there she was.

A little disappointingly, the organises were beginning to 'tidy' away, and the tape that marked the route to the line had gone and just the poles were left in place, but I ran up to my team mate (and she was the only left on the line) gave her the touch and she ran off.

To save her from running the route by herself, our PWR's made a rota to run along side her, to keep her company! One taking the first field, one taking the route through the woods, (the up hill section) and then another taking the second field. She had a race on her hands. To get back before the rain started........and get back before the organises had packed everything away! Oh yes and to get the last piece of cake before 'The Prince' could get it!

She did brilliantly! She ran her socks off! The Organises were not packed away fully, and the rain just started as she ran up to the line! She beat both!

Of course, my team didn't win, but we won in team spirit! All supporting each other, and encouraging each other, and the fact that we were all smiling and laughing at the end as we ate cake and drank tea! (Thanks to one of our group 1 leaders, an absolutely delicious banana and walnut cake!) A brilliant day out, and I had run up and appetite for a lovely meal in the evening!

Thanks goes to (and here is a first, using proper names) Mark aka little boy lost for getting the teams together, Karen aka one of the Group 1 leaders, for making such a delicious cake and bring along a gas stove, kettle, tea coffee and milk, everything in fact apart from the kitchen sink, and last but not least the OB aka my lovely husband, for taking me to the race and supporting me in my running and cycling.



So geeky stats and photo of me running, team photo to follow shortly, oh the geeky stats have 'failed' again, so its just the web page, but you can still see the route when you click on the link

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/115275419