The weekend started on a high, had a major dip in the middle and finished on a high.
The weather wasn’t kind to the first two runners with heavy rain and that driving wind which always seems to appear on the shingle bank at Snettisham. Mark Haynes found it tough but finished strongly to hand over to Carl Goose. Carl was running well until a mile to go when he felt dizzy and disorientated and had to walk but got himself together and got the baton round to Lorraine Marshall. Then he was allowed to collapse!!
Lorraine ran well in the not so easy conditions to finish, just outside her predicted time, sprinting in on the Wells Quay to hand over to Simon Partridge. This was Simon’s first RNR and was very nervous but he coped with the very slippy underfoot conditions pretty well. Apparently, he is looking forward to running again next year. Although his cyclist nearly got us disqualified!! Mentioning no names Adrian.
Scott Walford was waiting at Cley to run one of the toughest legs to Cromer. He’ll certainly never come top of the age gradings on that one. He ran quicker than his predicted time and 3 minutes quicker than last year, missing out on the stage win, to be pipped by a minute, by a much younger runner. Next year Scott?
Vhari King was like a duracell bunny waiting for Scott to arrive. Such a crazy but fun lady!! This stage to Mundesley is also pretty tough with a few hills to contend with so when she got a motorist giving her grief Vhari handled it in her usual diplomatic way. I’m saying no more.
We were waiting at Mundesley with Ian Jermy, who must have been the most nervous member of the team and having never run much over 5k, wasn’t sure how he would cope with his 9 mile leg. He needn’t have worried as he ran a minute quicker than predicted.
It was at Mundesley, just before Ian Jermy set off that we got the news that Aaron Scott was unable to run stage 13. Once the race has started a substitute is not allowed so it put the committee in a bit of a dilemma. The long night legs were still to come and we weren’t sure if the lads would want to carry on knowing the chances of an award had gone. I don’t know why we worried as the response, when we contacted them was amazing. Their answer “we are not stopping because one runner has dropped out – of course we’ll carry on” That was one of the highlights of the race for me – I was so proud of everyone.
Anyway – back to the race and that news seemed to inspire all the runners rather than deflate them.
Waiting at Lessingham was Tessa Jones who, just before Ian Jermy came in, decided to change her socks and have a hedge break!! Ian arrived as Tessa came sprinting down the road to take over. This did add a bit of time to her leg but she finished two minutes quicker than predicted.
After this leg things seemed to go from strength to strength as Matthew Crane running from Horsey to Belton and only changed to this stage a week before, ran two minutes faster than stated. Matt handed over to Sam Coyne which was another late change. Sam took on the 18 mile leg with ease – running 6.16 pace. Although seeing him walking stiff legged around the field at Earsham it probably hadn’t been that easy. Colin Robilliard will be upset you didn’t wear a bandana!!
Matt Stone was next to go and as usual he was a nervous wreck but once he set off he was fine. Matt doesn’t like to run over 10 miles so he ran well to finish the 12 mile leg just outside his time. He had a great sprint finish handing over to Craig Bowen-Jones who had been waiting in the desolate field at Scole. Craig is another tough nut and ran the 19 mile leg in 6.37 pace. We stopped off along the way to cheer him on and some of the comments were choice!!
We had no one on the next stage so the baton was driven on to Feltwell where Sabina Spence was waiting. Sabina had an excellent run to finish 3 mins ahead of time and she also took the ladies stage prize for that leg. Sabina handed over to the laid back Frazer Heasman who had a very casual baton change. He got into gear very quickly and ran a very good leg, more or less spot on his time. Frazer was handing over to Autumn Hales who worried me the most so we got to Wissington early to make sure she was ok. She was nervous and apprehensive but needn’t have worried as her time was 30 seconds per mile quicker than last year.
Last but not least was the Chairman Martin Adcock (running with a chest infection) and I was thinking thank goodness we had got to the last stage with no further problems but then I get a phone call from Emma, who was his cyclist, to say she had lost Martin. She had missed him on a pick-up point as he had already gone through so a call to Adrian Jay, who was on his way to Kings Lynn, quickly got out of his car and onto his bike to catch up with Martin and make sure he made it safely to the finish.
After what had happened we didn’t expect to win anything so it was a lovely surprise to be presented with a trophy for first small club and a stage prize.
We’ve mentioned all the runners and some of the cyclist but a big thank you must go to everyone else who supported and marshalled. At Wiveton the marshals on the early stint were Leanne, Piers and Denver. They were replaced in the afternoon by Sally, Geoff and Katherine. The cyclists, Bob, Ady, Leanne, James, Denver, Sarah, Cal, Emma.
The biggest thanks must go to all who did the whole thing day and night – Jon Foot, Emma Fox, Jon Edwards and Krysia. Ady and Sarah Jay went through the day and night, taking turns at cycling and really encouraging the runners. They were a couple of stars.
Can’t wait for next year!!