Squeaky Bones 3.5 miles Relay
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Official Results |
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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