Squeaky Bones 3.5 miles Relay
7th November 2010

 

Official Results

 
Graham’s Beds Harriers

Leg 1

Graham Horne

26:16

Leg 2

Alastair Fadden

23:44

Leg 3

Kevin Willett

22:37

Leg 4

Adam Hills

23:06

Total   1.35.43
     
The Kat’s Bananas

Leg 1

Katarina Darcy

36:33

Leg 2

Maria McBeth

37:22

Leg 3

Cheryl White

37:24

Leg 4

Tim Price

26:29

Total   2.17.48

Race Report:

Two Bedford Harriers teams entered the Squeaky Bone Relay on 7th November. One men's team and one mixed team. In total, 30 teams had booked in for the relay for the men's, women’s, mixed and unaffiliated categories.
  
 In parts I was dreading this event as it is cross country, having said that I knew the area fairly well as I used to live there. The parts in which I was looking forward to was running with such a great team - I knew that we would have a laugh from start to finish.  I was indecisive as to what to wear to this event so I threw on some clothes and took my banana costume with me. Unfortunately due to the rain on Friday I was advised not to wear the costume in case it dragged me down. 

 The Squeaky Bone Relay consisted of four runners in each team, running an interesting course with a bone which we were required to squeak as we ran. (There is actually a story behind 'the squeaky bone' see below) The course was designed in a loop so that we would start and finish moreorless in the same place to pass the bone to the next runner.
I was quite unsettled knowing that I was required to start first as all of the other runners on the first leg looked very athletic and keen on cross country. I did not want the spectators to see them all sprinting off and leaving me for dust so I had a plan.....

 When it was time to start we all squeaked our bones and ran. I decided to keep the pace of the other runners which was for about 400 metres and then when we all turned the corner and couldn't be seen by the spectators I slowed down to a comfortable pace and continued. Many of the corners were quite muddy but the fields themselves were not too bad.  It was quite chilly in the first field due to the wind but as I approached the second field, the sun came up and nearly roasted me but fortunately it did not last for long. Passing the marshals I squeaked the bone, although nothing came out when I pressed it as I passed one of the marshals which was weird. 

 There was a bit of a 'scary' part when the trail path was extremely narrow and within the trees and bushes. It was particularly muddy in this bit and one slight slip to the right would send you flying into the River Ouse. I could not afford to run in this bit. However once out of it I took a sprint across the field, squeaking as I ran.

 On Approach to the old railway I squeak the bone and the marshal's dog decide to come up and say 'hello' but he would not leave me alone so am not sure whether he wanted to chase me or have the bone, but when the marsahl grabbed him, he was unable to do either.  It was quite difficult running up the hill onto the railway but it was do-able. The worst bit was the mud and sludge along the railway line and I almost ended up doing a "Vicar of Dibley" scene with a nice muddy puddle! Fortunately it was only my leg that disappeared and I lost my shoe.

 Throughout the course I kept my eye on the time and despite running quite a good pace, or so I thought, the time was pressing on and I was no where near finishing. I was sure that I had run 3 miles (as advertised in the race information). As I got closer to the next marshals I thought that they were signalling left and so I started running towards it only for them to should 'go right' so I had to make a hasty sharp turn and fortunately spotted the end. As I ran towards the finish I was a little confused as to where to go: underneath the Olney Runners sign or back to where I had started from. It was quite confusing as the spectators seemed to be standing on the course and I was not too sure until I spotted Maria ready and waiting to grab the bone. I squeaked it one last time and passed it on. Maria went off squeaking. It was only then that I found out that the course was in fact 3.5 miles, so I felt a bit better knowing that I had been running o.k.

 As Maria came back, squeaking all of the way, we wished Cheryl luck and decided to put a few bits of warm clothes on - my foot really needed a good dying out. Olney Runners had refreshments available, male and female changing areas and a couple of portaloos. We had a few nibbles from the goodie bags that I had made up for our team and made our way back to welcome Cheryl in.

 Cheryl was running towards the finish whilst Tim was still stripping for his run and then it looked like something from a comedy scene...Cheryl came in, Tim whipped off his trousers, darted through the tape grabbed the bone and sprinted off.
 
 We cheered Tim in, waited for the other teams to finish and then headed off to the prize giving. Maria was awarded "The Most Squeaks" as she had squeaked the bone non-stop throughout the course. 
  
 Our team was up for a laugh and we certainly had that!
  
 Olney is renowned for its lace making history where bone bobbins were used by the poor women and children to keep them from the workhouse. In 1880, William Cowper wrote "I am an eye witness to their poverty". With raw materials scarce and costly, bone bobbings were procured from all sources. It is suggested that this is why there is a lack of graveyards in Olney! In recognition of the town's history, whenever Olney Runners run a relay race they enact the supply of bone bobbins to the lace makers who would squeak by on a limited income. 
  
 "The free maids that weave their thread with bones" Shakespeare, Twelfth Night.
  
  Katarina

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