Monday 18 April 2016

National 12 stage road relays, Sutton Park 16th April 2016

I landed a place in the B team for this annual event down in Birmingham.  Morpeth had two teams who qualified from the Northern relays a few weeks ago (in which I didn’t compete).  This was my first visit to Sutton Park since I was a wee nipper, or so I was told by the Club official.  
It was a long journey, around 3 and a half hours travelling with Messrs Snowball, Alder and Haswell.  We embarked on a recce around part of the course to see what was in store for us, and it was going to hurt.  I was on a long leg (approx. 5.4 miles) and was fifth in the pecking order.  I had envisaged a lot more teams being involved, there were around 60-70 in total and by the time I headed off on my leg the numbers were well spread out.  I was on my own for the majority.   I wasn’t overtaken and made up around six places.  
The course was tough. There were a few steady climbs which felt like they went on forever and the ice cream truck at the 2 mile mark took a long time to come into view.  There was good support around the course which was most welcome.  I’m so glad I wasn’t on the 12th leg, it would have been the longest day ever waiting around.
The A team finished eighth and the B team in the low 50’s.  It was a great performance by both teams and an experience to remember.
I aim to return in four weeks for the National Masters relays.
It’s the Yorkshire 3 peaks race in two weeks’ time.  I have no hills in my legs so I may have to give it a miss.  The Cheviot/Hedgehope pendulum race is on the Sunday which would be more manageable at half the distance.  Apparently there’s a drone filming it………