There is a report of this race, by one of our eloquent
supporters, Pete Budd, which you can find at http://www.salfordharriers.co.uk/Race-Reports.htm
This blog is my personal interpretation of what occurred on 23 November 2013.
This weekend I joined in the fun on one of Salford Harriers
away days. Organiser, Dave Lockett, had a bus full of old men and a bucket full
of beer for the annual trip to Derby. With the bus unfortunately not coming via
Northwich, Rob and myself, along with cheerleader Carole, made our own way
there, as did some of the supporters, who not having to run, enjoyed a bit of a
lie in. This was the 2nd consecutive year the BMAF cross country
relays were held at Moorways Stadium, Derby. Last year Salford did well taking
medals in all four of the men’s events (see report http://rogalsop.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/salford-silvers-take-gold.html),
this year we were missing some runners and some of those present were lacking
fitness, but there was nothing wrong with our passion, we weren’t intending to
just make up the numbers.
A couple of months ago I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to run
in these championships, having suffered adverse effects during my attempts to
race in the September relays. On my racing return, just three weeks ago, I had
such a shocker that I was lucky to be considered for the B team. A good run
last week saw me promoted to the M45 A team, but it was a close run thing.
Having not been selected I was determined to get out there and run a blinder,
to show I could still run well, but once I was back in the A team I was more
nervous about my run, I was the slowest man in the team and I didn’t want to
let them down. Still I knew what I would have to do if we were to have any
chance of competing with the strong Leicester boys, and I was looking forward
to being competitive. As the day approached my body was starting to feel pretty
strong and my confidence was rising.
Rob, Carole and I arrived, in plenty of time, to find the
rest of the Salford boys already chilling in the winter sun. Then it was a case
of getting our numbers sorted and surveying the course. Last year the course
had been dry and fast, this year it still looked relatively dry, though there
were some sticky patches, and, with no wind, it looked like being another fast
event. The distance was marked as 3.1k, same as last year, though it did look
like there was a little extra bit added on before the last uphill, but I’m no
expert on course measurement and it is irrelevant how long it is as it’s the
same length for everyone.
The ladies and M65s were off first and it provided us with a
close finish and an excellent time in the W35 event, for W45 Clare Elms. This
year Salford didn’t have an M65 team. Then it was our turn, on the basis of
last year’s times I figured I had about 20 minutes after the start of the race
until it was my run, I was on 3rd leg. So after watching the guys
crest the first hill I started to get ready. Our M45 leader, and day trip tour
guide, Dave Lockett, had made a bold start near the front of the pack. We needed
him to get as close to Gordon Lee, one of the UK’s M45 best and Leicester man,
as possible, but initially Dave was ahead. In fact it looked like Gordon was
struggling for pace, until he emerged from the woods ahead of our Dave. James
Kovacs was also hanging onto Dave’s shorts and our B team runners were showing
us what they were made of. At the end of the leg Mansfield Harriers (M35) were
clearly in the lead after a storming leg by Mark Johnson, Tipton (M35) were
lying 2nd with Lincoln Wellington (M45) in 3rd place,
just three seconds ahead of Gordon Lee’s Leicester. Our Dave had done us proud,
his 10:41 saw him well positioned amongst the M35s, but crucially we were only
10 seconds down on Leicester, occupying 3rd place in the M45s. James
was a further 17 seconds adrift but keeping Salford in the medal hunt with 5th
M35 team. Our M35 B team was well up too with M45 Paul Birkett showing that
he’s improving week on week, his 11:14 being a solid target for other members
of the team and the M45 boys to aim at. Sean Cordell was in the mix for an
incomplete M45 B team, running 12:56. In the M55 race Ilkley Harriers were
first to show, but Phil Quibell kept Salford in the hunt with 12:18.
With our top M35 and M45 teams so close together it was
going to be another good race between the two teams on leg two, let alone all
the other teams trying to stop us from winning medals. For the M35s it was
Billy McCartney, up against M45 (and last year’s M35 gold medallist) Ian
Jackson. The guys slugged it out over the 3.1k but at the end there was still
the same gap, as both guys ran 11:18. The M45’s were still ahead of the M35s
but, more importantly, we were still 3rd in the M45 race, Lincoln
Wellington’s man had run the same time as Jacko so they were now our nearest
rival in 2nd place, the gap to Leicester had opened up, as they took
the lead, their 10 second lead from the 1st leg had increased to 36
seconds as they front loaded their squad. Our M35 B team was also showing
highly in the mix as newcomer, John Dance, ran a great leg, 10:51, showing what
an asset he will be to Salford. The M45 B team threw in the Towell, both during
and after this leg, Bob Towell being our final runner and showing that he still
has it with a 17:00 clocking. With many of the M55s away or injured it was Tom
Daniels who was called into the team and kept them going with 15:41.
So as I stepped onto the start line for my leg I had a few
things to ponder, Leicester’s man looked familiar, so I convinced myself he was
their weak link, this would give me added impetus to my chase knowing that as
much as I was about to suffer, he would be suffering more. I was the leading
Salford man, maybe not by far, or for long, but I had Salford’s reputation on
my shoulders. Matt Shaw was representing the M35s and not only is he a damned
good runner but he carries 13 years less aging process and beer about his
person, it was a foregone conclusion that the M35s would not be behind the M45s
at the end of the 3rd leg, but perhaps I might benefit from a bit of
a tow as he passed me.
I went off hard, as was needed when you have a 30 second
deficit to the leaders, but even so I was surprised when Matt overtook me
whilst we were still going round the track. My hope for a tow in the Lotus /
Mercedes ilk was dashed as it became more like a Red Bull / Marussia type tow.
Still I was going plenty hard enough, I actually started accumulating lactic by
the time I hit the mud patch and my lungs were working in overtime already. I
imagine I’d gone off too fast for my fitness level but it was only an 11 minute
run, surely I could put the pain to the back of my mind and concentrate on
overtaking runners. It took me until I hit the woods, about half way round the
lap, before I caught the Lincoln Wellington runner. I sensed he tried to hang
onto me for a while, which was a bit distressing as I fought for breath whilst
navigating the twists and turns of the woods, but I eventually pulled clear.
Back out of the woods and up the sharp hill into the stadium
area, my favourite bit. This is where the Salford boys are most vocal and it
really helps me. I forgot about the pain I was in and focussed on getting my
legs to turn over quickly again. Leicester were a small dot on the horizon but
I wasn’t about to give in, I had no idea what their next two men were like but
we had Derek Crewe and Rob Tudor to follow, I had to give them every chance. I
pushed through to start my 2nd lap, legs were screaming at me to
stop, my lungs felt like they were about to explode out of my chest, but this
is where a strategically placed Carole comes in handy. If you don’t look like
you’re trying as you run past Carole you get an earful and I didn’t fancy a
night in the spare bed, so I forced myself to keep pushing, then through the
Salford boys again, not the place to slow down either. Feeling it on the hill
and then a slight slow down and wide line around the corner of the downhill as
I was worried I was too tired to control myself through the mud. Back into the
woods it was about 3 more minutes of pain, keep pushing. Up the hill again into
the Salford boys and once again the noise was incredible, I went for the finish
from this point and gave everything I had left, as I passed the line it was the
first time I’d felt like I was going to throw up after a race, ever. Everything
hurt, but mostly my pride as I realised I hadn’t made any inroads into
Leicester’s lead (in fact I had gained 4 seconds). Then I turned around to see
an M45 runner had come in just behind me and that was another shock (until I
found out it was Brecon’s Austin Davies who had run, not only the M45 best, but
the day’s best time of 9:58), I hadn’t been aware of his presence at all during
the race.
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| Running hard up the final hill |
Where did Salford stand now. Matt had brought the M35s into
1st place, the M45s were now 2nd in their race and the
M35 b team and the M55 teams were still battling, Mark Seed had run 12:25 and
Mike Wakefield 12:23.
Coming into a team late is never easy and it’s a
particularly hard task when you’d turned up expecting to be in a B team only to
find yourself in the lead with a mass of teams hunting you down. But that’s the
nature of an event like this, it doesn’t matter if you’re fastest or slowest as
long as you put in the same amount of effort. Phil West was the unenviable
runner in question and he gave it everything he had. Two teams, Bourneville and
Tipton, came past but Phil tried so hard to keep us in touch with them and
ahead of the others, his 11:37 stacking up well against his opponents. In the
M45s Leicester pulled further ahead as Derek Crewe couldn’t quite match Gareth
Deacon’s pace, but he’d stretched the gap to Brecon a further 11 seconds. A
good leg also by Charles Foster in the M35 b team, he’d expected to be working
but when that fell through he could think of nothing better than a day trip to
Derby. This was the final leg for the M55s and we had England international
Stan Owen. The team was well back when Stan started but that didn’t stop him
running the 4th fastest M55 time of the day. In doing so he pulled
the team up to 10th position.
The final leg for the M35 and M45 teams and it was still to
play for. Dean Parker, of Bourneville, ran a good leg from the front, ensuring
that they stayed ahead to take victory. Our Mike Grace ran brilliantly to
snatch silver for Salford from Tipton. The M35 b team finished 12th
with Albert Castille fighting against some very competitive middle order men
and earning a good 12:04 for his efforts. Rob Tudor, my mate and Cheshire
gurning champion 1981-2012, was left in an awkward position, 50 seconds behind
Leicester but only 13 ahead of Brecon. Should he chase hard and risk losing
silver or should he concentrate on keeping silver by holding something in
reserve. In the end Rob decided to go for it and threw in a fast first lap but
having Leicester nowhere in sight with only 5 minutes to go must’ve been
galling, still Rob kept the pace up, no telling if Brecon had another Austin
Davies up their sleeve, whilst, no doubt, holding something in reserve should
he need a sprint finish. His reward, team Silver, 2nd fastest in the
team and 7th fastest M45 of the day, he’d done just the job we
wanted, making up time on Leicester whilst only giving away 1 second to Brecon.
It was job done, two silvers for Salford, not as good as
last year’s one gold and three silvers, but still a successful trip.
And then onto the presentation. The moment where Dave earns
his reputation of Salford Tour Guide of the year by presenting the team with a
bucket of beer. The medal presentation was drawn out, but beer is a great
comforter in times like these. For myself I feel I must apologise to my Salford
team mates, I’m usually pretty chirpy after races, particularly if I feel I
and/or the team have done well, but on this occasion I was a shadow of my
dancing on the table self, the race, albeit a short one, had taken every ounce
of energy out of me, I had nothing left to give and sat slumped in a corner
dazed and confused. I had about as much conversation in me as a trappist monk
and spent the majority of the presentation staring at the bottom of an empty
beer tin, wondering when somebody would notice I needed to be fed another one.
But I managed to make it up to collect my medal, which is my only complaint
about the day, the guys all ran pretty hard and deserve some recognition for
their efforts, I believe it is fitting that each should get their medal and a handshake
presented to them by whoever is the official on duty but today all the team’s
medals were handed to the first person up.
Anyway enough complaining, I don’t really think we should
complain too much about people who give up their time for these events (unless
they add 11 seconds to your leg time), once again it was a brilliant day out on
a good course with good facilities.
At the end of all that how do I feel about my run? I ran out
of my socks, it was a far superior run than anything I’ve done this year and
possibly one of the best runs I’ve done for many years, all the more special
because I’m still not back to full fitness. People talk about eyeballs out and
giving 110%, well that’s about how I felt during my run (though I have a
problem understanding how you can give more than 100% I will accept it’s use in
the context of this blog). In the end I was joint 8th fastest M45
and I came away with another national medal, can’t say much fairer than that.
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| I may be smiling but if it wasn't for Jacko and Dave I'd be slumped on the floor |
Written by Roger Alsop
Photos courtesy of Sid
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