3 x 1 Mile Relay 30/07/08
Leo had run the 2 miler the week before and thought we should enter a team of three for the meadows' mile relays organised by Sri Chinmoy. Ben was up for it so we went along on Wednesday instead of club. We had Leo run the first leg, myself second and Ben third. My previous here over the same course of 5.20 was set as the third race in 4 days so surely I could improve on that? But by how much?
Air guitar won't help now.
There was a large crowd gathered and a lot of quality runners. Swarms of the brown vests of HBT. The idea was for the first leg to run the mile circuit and finish through the chute crossing the line to start the second runner. No batons to drop. We continued to warm up while Leo ran, then as the first runners returned there was Leo well up the field in about 5th place.
I started briskly but avoided the urge to sprint the first 100 as 5 minutes can be a long time. However it is only 5 minutes and you should be up near 100% for the first half before picking it up for the second. I watched Adam Priestly (4.48) shoot off like a train – and sounding like one as well – before settling down for the middle part. I had thought about asking him if he needed a help with navigation after dropping 6 places at Musselburgh to 7th but didn't fancy a knuckle sandwich.
Pretty soon I was onto the back straight and tried to focus on good form. After a few minutes there is nothing in your brain but the word faster. Turn left and keep it together. Another turn and you're onto the home straight. In the distance you can see people finish. Leo is on the sideline cheering. There is a crowd at the finish. I try to keep running over the line rather than slow down to the line. I am so out of it I forget to put my watch off but I hear an official say “10.11”. I stagger back to where Leo is taking photos. I didn't see Ben at the Start / Finish. I feel light headed and ask Leo if he knew his time. He too had mismanaged his watch but reckoned 5.05 which made me 5.06.
When Ben came in after working equally hard and looking like he too had been put through the wringer he reckoned he had done 5.13. However when the results board was put up it turned out Leo had run a stonker: 4.56 which demoted me to 5.16 and Ben was timed at 5.14.
A whole four seconds! I was sure I could do a bit better than that but may have to go back to Tuesday night interval sessions for a few weeks before the next one. Plenty of room for improvement? And I think Ben was not on top form either. However 7th overall team was respectable amongst such strong competition.
The most impressive thing I saw on the night though was Ivor talking fluent Dutch to Leo. Is there no end to this man's talents? I think he was discussing how he ran one of those cafés in Holland for a few years.
Steve Cairns: 4.34Thanks to Adrian and his Run and Becomers for an informal but well organised event which strangely seemed to attract more competitors than just the one mile race. Luckily by the time we caught up with fellow club mates at the Wednesday evening session we were too late to join in.
Report pb
Photos Patience, Leo, pb,
Results and photos here
Leo's daughter Saskia came along to support as did wife Patience and her sister Alison
Fun for all ages.
