Well, I did. Bite the bullet and turned up for my first road relay. I've always managed to wiggle my way out of winter races with the club. But the for sake of variety, following my pace and a potential piece for My Race, I signed up for the George Cummings relay in Houston.
Bit of background: Course is 2.7miles. Teams of four males or three females.
Beth and I ate a serious amount of Haribo this morning, so I was practically in sugar shock when I go there.
Arrived at the church hall feeling slightly intimidated with the task ahead. I'd always associated these kind of races with the elite. Far too competitive and far too fast. Jill O'Neil put me at ease with "now you kind do your marathon pace round the course, one-speed". Followed by an impression of Ali Whinship "Every second counts you know". I apologised to my team mates(Ailsa and Kathryn) for being landed with me and sloped off to get ready.
Down to the starting line...I was a bit nervous and desperately scanned the crowd for participants I could beat.
Alisa came in at 17.50. And I was off. Course was a bit hilly, but really pleasants. Mix of town, rural, road, trail and hills. Managed to make up one place. AND NOBODY OVERTOOK ME!! A girl was catching me, but I left her on the hills. Boy I'm loving the hills these days. Up the last hill, I knew it was downhill to the finish. Met Alasdair Morrison on the way up, who I was convinced was shouting "Dig in big chap" when in fact it was "dig in there's a big gap". Rob and Marco were waiting at the top. Rob shouted at me about losing form, and Marco was his eternally supportive self. Over the finish line in 20.23. Not too impressive, but it has given me a real incentive to get faster for next year. I think these kind of races really make you want to run faster.
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