Dead Runners society race report
Eastern Veterans AC road relays, Hemingford Grey - Sunday 27th April 2003.
6 days after Boston I made my reluctantly made my long
awaited debut in veterans competition.
Hello folks
Today I made my debut in veterans/masters (delete as appropriate) competition.
For many years now I have been watching my beautiful wife Shelley competing in
these events, now as I have finally turned 40 today I got to join in the fun.
Today was not the day I had intended to make my debut, a mere 6 days after my
run in a well-known marathon over the pond. Shelley was going to be running for
the Bedford and County AC ladies team in the annual Eastern Vets road relay, I
said that I would run for Bedford to make up numbers if necessary with due
warning about my lack of speed after my fun on Heartbreak Hill.
Yesterday I went to Bedford to cheer on Shelley and her team-mates on the track
in the Southern Women's League, I was told that I would be needed to make up
the numbers so this morning off we both went to the little country village of
Hemingford Abbots (near St. Ives) to run in the road relay. The ladies were to
run in a 3 x 2 mile race, the gentlemen did 4 x 2 miles. We arrived in good
time and we both got handed the glory legs for our teams. The Bedford M40 team
had some fast vets in it with little old me to make up the numbers.
Jogged/walked the 3/4 mile or so out to the start from the race HQ, it was very
windy out there, especially on the exposed start/finish straight. Off they set,
after leg 1 the Bedford men's M40 were in 5th and the ladies team were 2nd. As
soon as Jim, our star runner, had set off I went for a little jog round the
course to get warmed up, on my way back to the start I had mixed feelings to
see Jim in the lead, that meant that I would have to try and race my leg. Jim
handed over with a lead of about 30 yards or so for our number 3 runners. Off
with my rainsuit and off to the start line to get ready for my leg, Shelley was
there getting ready to bring home the Bedford ladies team. Shelley set off in
5th place and then about a minute later the lead men on leg 3 came in.
Chelmsford were in the lead followed by Bedford, oh no!
Off I went, still a bit sore from Monday. I tried to stride out the best I
could but I was wary of pushing too hard as my back was painful. Thoughts of
hanging on for a top 3 medal went through my mind but after a couple of minutes
two fast looking runners zoomed past and I was in 4th place. I kept pushing on
the best I could through the village, my back was still sore but not too bad.
As I left the village I could see Shelley way ahead, she had just passed a few
of the tailenders in the ladies race. I slogged away hoping that no-one else
was going to catch me, just before the end I passed 3 of the ladies before
running in down the finish straight.
Pretty tired on finishing, 13.14 off my watch for 2 miles. I was well clear of
5th but a long way behind 3rd. I lost 2 places on my leg but Shelley gained 2
places on her leg to take Bedford back up to 3rd and into the medals :-) I
apologised to my team mates for losing them a medal but I was pleased to get
round without breaking down. Quickly on with some clothes and then jogged back
to race HQ with Shelley and the other Bedford ladies.
Afterwards prizes were presented, more hardware for Shelley. The AGM of Eastern
Veterans AC also took place and there was much animated discussion as to whether
the club should follow the world and national governing bodies in replacing the
name "veterans" with "masters". We agreed that such a
decision needed to be made by the whole club so that a postal vote will take
place.
All in all a fun event, we got to meet up with some friends from other clubs.
Hopefully I will be better prepared to compete in my next veterans/masters
competition.
Nearly time to go back up north, back to work in Manchester tomorrow :-(((
bye
tony....
Tony Bell
Midweek.
Warrington, Cheshire.
Weekends.
Milton, Cambridge.
tony.bell2@ntlworld.com
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tony.bell2/tonyhome.html
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