Running For Runnings sake?!: Petts Wood Runners Do It Again!

Hello blog lovers.

Waking up with sun still just peeking out from the cover of night on a Sunday morning and I was getting out of my bed. Unheard of for me, unless there is an aeroplane I need to be on. What made it even harder was watching my hubby snuggle into my spot of my nice warm bed.

I reluctantly entered the bathroom and turned on the shower, I was not looking forward to how the water was going to feel on my body. What I wanted, was to be snuggled up in bed, in my spot, with the duvet up to my chin! But then I started to think about why I was up a such an early time, (well for me anyway) on that Sunday morning. It looked like it was going to be a fab day, at least there was no rain. It's was the day of our Petts Wood Runners 10k event.

I began to feel more awake after my shower, I dressed and went down for a cuppa. It was too early for me to eat breakfast, I had planned to grab something at the rec when everything was set up! I knew that Higgs the butchers were going to be there, with their BBQ and bacon! Yes, when I could smell the bacon I would leave what ever post I was on to grab my breakfast!

After my tea I went out to the back garden to get my transport! Now I could lie and say that it's the 'green' thing to do. Our event is about how green we can be, with mainly paper cups, no posting of race booklets to all those who had paid their entrance fee, collection of race numbers and timing chips on the day at the registration tent! But I won't lie, and no, it's not because I am super duper fitness crazy either.....it's because for the first time this year, Petts Wood Runners will be having a beer tent, hosted by One Inn The Wood, a new micro pub In Petts Wood.

I arrived at the rec and already there were PWR's all over the place, there were men with vans, trailers and cars, all busy unloading their cargo into the middle of the field. Already the Start/Finish arch was up, taking pride of place on the field. Every marque had its place. St John Ambulance, baggage, registration, kids registration, St Christopers/Harris Hospice, Petts Wood Practise had a marque for post race massages. And just to the right of those was the BBQ! It was being set up! I would be keeping a keen eye on that particular marque!

I found my team leader and waited for her to allocated jobs for me. SingstarJo was my team leader, and our role today was the 'Race Makers', so much better label for us than 'race operatives', or 'general use people'. We had import roles to do, direct people to the right place, place and keep an eye on all bins in the rec, being mindful of our green ethics, we had bins for paper, plastic and other! We have thought of everything here.

We were also going to be used at the end for handing out the medals, bananas and water, plus clearing up after. I just love doing this, I was really excited. I was given my first job of the day, and that was to place the bin bags (with paper/plastic/other labels) on to poles in strategic places. Second job and was to stand at the gate at Towncourt Crescent to direct the runners towards the registration tent and to answer any questions that may have.

Towncourt Crescent entrance

After a while one of the other marshals brought me a cuppa, it was just what I needed! I could also smell the bacon cooking, I think that was the next job for me!

Although the race began at 10:30 people were starting arriving from about 9:00 to collect their number, which also had their timing chip incorporated into it. I remember last year the marshals were on the knees, in the mud with the rain pouring down, taking off the timing chips from the runners ankles! I think we learnt a lot about last years run, and how to cope if it rains on our Race Day!

It was soon time to get the marshals to the marshaling points, which meant that my time at the gate was up as the designated marshal for that position was there, ready to direct the runners to turn right as they came out of the gate. My next job, well that was obvious, bacon roll! I was ready for my breakfast. All the marshals were given a little voucher to claim a free bacon roll! Boy did I really enjoy that!

After queueing for my bacon roll, the warm up session had begun. Adele was on the podium leading all the runners in a warm up, along with Woody and Woodina, our Petts Wood mascots, who with out fail has turned up every year since PWR began, of course this is Woodinas first time here with us! I stood for a little while just watching them while eating my bacon sandwich, I decided not to join in, health and saftey and all that, I didn't want to choke on my roll!

I then received a call from Sue Radford, she was going to be one of our photographers, she did the photography at the 'Spirit of Running Man' event that I organised earlier in the year, and she has kindly said that she would do some photos of our event. I met up with her, and she was amazed at all the organisation happening in the rec. First things first was to get her a bacon roll. Then I walked her to the 7km mark which was just inside the woods, through Dog Poo ally!

The Dirty Perks, will be performing an acoustic set there, to serenade the runners as they run through the woods. I believe last year we had the 'Blues Brothers' playing! Isn't it the most quirkiest of runs ever! I think I have only ever been on one run when there was a band playing on route and that was the Santa Dash last year, but that was only about a mile from start to finish!

Serenading in the woods

By the time I had left Sue in the woods the race was under way! It' was time to get into my next position. The medals, bananans and water. SingstarJo's team were in full swing as we bagan filling up the water cups and placing them the table ready for the runners to come back. Our course record for the chaps is under 35 minutes, and the ladies make it 41 minutes! Incredible speed, as it really is a multi-terrain course with some lovely 'undulations'!

Just leaving the field!

In the meantime the kids races got underway! As soon as the last of the adults left the rec the Emma was calling for all the kids to get ready for their race. A smooth as clockwork. There were over a hundred kids! compared to last year when we had only a handful! Fortunately somebody had given Emma another 20 or so kids 'Chocolate' Medals as me and David, our race Director only picked up 100!

Look at them go!

Just then there was an announcement, "The One Inn The Wood is now open" For the first time, PWR's have a beer tent, and dead on 11 it was open for business,

but no time for us yet as we were busy filling up cups. When there were quite a few water cups filled, some of us then went on to get ready with the medals. Arms full with the medals, all chinkling and clanging on our arms, the kids also joined in with 'arming' themselves with the medals to hand out to the speedy, weary, happy runners that will be coming over the line, all 680 or so of them!

Hels with arm full of medals!

By the time the first runner was in place the band was back and playing some great tunes, I was rocking out to 'Sweet Child Of Mine' brilliant stuff. With kids all lined up hands eagerly stretching out to be the first one to hand out their batch of medals it was just a perfect sight! The band playing, the noise from the medals.

The Dirty Perks!

At first just one runner, the winner, .............. came in, shortly followed by the second runner.............. and then a steady flow of 1 or 2 runners at a time came in. Then there were more runners in a batch, each trying to get that little bit more speed as they saw their race opponents reaching the finishing line. The kids now all very excited and were creeping ever so slowly to the finishing line, so my next job was to keep the kids and adults in line! It's so easy to to take one step closer to hand out the medal but then forget to step back, and then to step forward again. It's just all to exciting!

The steady flow of people came in for the next 45 - 60 minutes. We waiting for the last runner marshals to show, making sure that no one was left behind in the woods. With just a few miner cuts from brambles in the woods I don't think the St Johns Ambulance was need to do to much again this year! Just a brilliant day, and it was over, there were the trophies to hand out, the band were continuing to play on, the beer tent was open, the bacon was cooking, tea was brewing and cakes being sold and eaten! And all on a perfectly dry running day for the Best 10k in the country for October as voted for by the readers and on line supports of Runners World!

Here are some links to videos of this years race! The first is from our own Physio Mike, always manages to produce epic videous, the other one is from a youtube user. And as soon as I know how to up add the other video with a twist then I shall add it on after!

http://youtu.be/JDGDNK7XTWo

http://youtu.be/yD5qp-DqkFU

Some more pictures of the day!