Richard's Report
The race started in
horrible conditions at 6:30 am on Saturday with Bob Wells having to run in
driving rain and into a head wind along the Norfolk coast up to Hunstanton,
but luckily the weather was kind to us after that and Chris Fadden even
got to run in sunshine.
Another really great
weekend and the Harriers’ team was supported very well thanks to the
non-runners in our squad of Keith Lakin (as always), Linda Watson, Lynn
Short, Alex Rothwell and Margaret Wells, although it would appear that a
couple of our runners do need to take the cycling proficiency test before
supporting next year.
Bedford
Harriers finished in 27 hours 12 mins and 16 seconds, an average of 8
minutes 16 seconds per mile for the 197.2mile course.
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Sarah's Report:
Firstly - Huge Huge thanks to Richard for organising this again, what a
brilliant and bonkers good time we had, also much thanks to Linda (behind
every good man etc)
And then there's everyone else - forgive me if I miss anyone brain is
royally ruined re sleep deprivation right now :
Support crew
Jen 'rude muffin' Lovesey
Linda 'Holding it all together' Watson
Keith 'LEFT' Lakes
Lynn 'David Bailey' Short
Alex 'bruised ears' Rothwell
Not sure of our final scores yet but think I can tell you we didn't win!
The idea - for those not in the RNR 'know' is for runners to run the
entire 197 mile Norfolk border in 24 hours, the run is split into 17 legs,
the legs are all different lengths (something for everyone from 5 - 20
miles) aiming to all arrive around 9.30 am on Sunday morning.
We all are given a leg and Richard works out - based on our rough average
running times - what time we need to leave Kings Lynn in order to arrive
at the allotted time.
Each runner has a car and bike support during his or her run (where
possible)
We left at 06.30am on Saturday and here are my notes (I drove the entire
course with Steve Crane and ran a leg)
1 - Kings Lynn - Bob 'Well ard' Wells a tough first leg in driving rain
and wind
2 - Hunstanton - Graham 'Gazebo' Short - still bad weather but spirits are
high as weather due to clear.
3 - Burnham Overy Steve 'No' Crane - a multi terrain shorter leg
incorporating the nudist beach
4 - Wells - Tony 'Iceman' Jones - coming back from a recent injury Tony
ran with vigour.
5 - Cley - Chris 'Nails' Capps took on this renowned beastly shingle/hilly
leg - brave man.
6 - Cromer - Stuart 'Shreddies' Bullard tackled this run into Mundesley,
weather looking brighter.
7 - Mundesley - Angie 'wheres the keys?' Kay, fresh from Vichy sorted this
lap
8 - Lessingham - And Chris 'Wobbler' Fadden made his show stopping
appearance here
9 - Horsey - I just about made the handover from here after a scorching
run by Chris who came in to handover early surprising even himself!
10- Gt Yarmouth - And here the baton went to Neil 'The Machine' Lovesey
for a 20 mile stint
11- At Bungay Neil handed over to Juliet 'Smiler' Smith who was raring to
go.
12 - Scole - and Juliet to Ian 'save the day' Joyce - a true hero!
13 - Thetford - the baton was handed to Mark 'Colworth' Tinkler who ran a
freezing 20 miler.
14 - Feltwell - and then to Julian 'socks' Winn who enjoyed the dawn
chorus.
15 - Wissington - Ian 'Owl' Kingstone enjoyed a sociable run here.
16 - Downham Mkt - Richard 'the Boss' Watson surpassed his own
expectations.
17 - Stowbridge - Gary 'lycra king' Finch breezed in in his usual
effortless style.
Highlights of the epic adventure were:
Huge cake opportunities! A few interesting car problems, Alex riding
Steves bike with his knees up round his ears, Jens amazing muffins (yummy)
Seeing Bill Khinda and his lovely wife at Horsey, my tent not leaking at
all! Attempting a handover photo at every relay point, and all the lovely
runners we met along the way.
This was true teamwork at its best and together with a great attitude and
fab organising it went off without any major issues. A weekend I shall
remember for a long time.
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Mark's Report:
Really enjoyed this
years Harriers RNR squad - you see so much spending the weekend camping
(are 'onesees' legal on a camp site ??) .....and in various car parks and
laybys in Norfolk - one minute you fall asleep in a car with Juliet
........and you then wake up Ian !!
Spent the entire weekend
trying to catch up with the 'Legendary' Bob Wells our number 1 runner
(well was running stage 1) as wanted to warn him about the navigation
error potential just getting out of King Lynn ...so was a bit worried that
he never showed up at the restaurant Friday night - getting lost despite
having been there before !!
Sadly my tent flooded in
the Friday rain (one of the problems when the nephew uses it at a festival
and leaves rips in the fly sheet - at least this time it did had the poles
unlike last time - how do you put up a tent with no poles ??) ...anyway
had to retreat to the 'sleep' room in Lynn Sport Centre. Nice and warm but
very dark in there - resulting in that I couldn't find my stuff first
thing in the morning and I missed Bob's send off at 6-30am ...also missed
Bob handing over the baton to Graham.... but from the horrendous wind and
weather first thing - staying in the warm was the more attractive option
Had a convoluted car
lift from different people round the course, catching 10 minutes sleep
here and there, so did witness some of the more worrying aspects of the
weekend. Like the bike support admitting to have not having ridden a bike
for 15 years (and then only with stabilizers?) ....and then being unable
to let go of the handle bars in order to stay on resulting in the runner
having to rummage into his pocket to get water !!
Note to Alison Cooper I
think we have some good candidates for your cycling remedial classes.
Still no sign of Bob
Wells marshaling in Great Yarmouth somewhere - alegendary
Was enjoying a nice
dream when was pushed out of the car at 3am by Juliet into the cold (4C)
..and dark ...and fog at my run leg at Thetford - so may of done extra 7
miles running up and down the road before my start in a desperate attempt
to warm up while waiting for Ian.....but the actual leg distance was was
13.25 miles - not 20 as Sarah W (with Steve C) in the support car seemed
to think - this maybe because I was going so slow that the time was
dragging - Sorry Sarah (and Steve)
Eventually did catch up
with Bob Wells back at Kings Lynn on the finish line Sunday morning and
discovered he'd gone over a cliff on his leg (that's him personally - not
a real cliff - he's not a spring chicken anymore. Oddly I'd of thought
you'd be going a lot faster if you did go over a cliff - albeit briefly).
The other startling revelation from Bob was he'd been sleeping next to me
in the 'sleep' room all weekend ....... it all seems to be a bizarre dream
now.
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Chris's Report
Great weekend with
Bedford Harriers AC at RNR.
Arrived Friday at Lynn Sports Centre at about 5pm and got tent up before
te rain came down, and did it rain!! Good walk into town with Graham
Short and Lynn Short, with trusty Bedford Harriers Brolly. Apologies, I
did think I new where I was going for Market Resturant.
The rain was heavy and continuous all night with strong winds at one
point.
Up at 6am to see Bob Wells off before a McDonalds breakfast, with large
coffee with Keith Lakin. Rain continues with grey skies and nor let up of
rain.
Then 9.u30 on road with Keith, Mark and Tony Jones to Burnham Oveary, and
Wells before arriving at Cley next to sea for my run.
Rather surreal as the whole area is taken over by RNR people and yet the
twitchers stlll stand there with their telescopes as though its an
ordinary Saturday.
Rain clearing though the wind is blustary.
Too soon it's Tony coming in and the baton is in my hand and I'm off
accross the shingle. First bit not too bad, then a longer bit then its 2
miles of shingle but sheltered by the sea defences.
A short bit of grass is followed by more shingle and no signs to give
confidence I am going right. Go straight on and don't turn right, as
instructed, more shingle then see Richard Watson, at first car park so am
going right.
Further shingle and at Salthouse see Richard again and a sign so still
right.
The shingle stops but path starts to climb as the path rises to the coast
guard station at Sheringham, then drop down onto the front, help a Milton
Keynes runner who has no idea where he is going. Path then leave
Sheringham and I pass along steps up the coastal path and throught a
series of caravan parks before turining right and joining the road.
Now only 1.5 miles on the road, but its all up hill and feels like 4 miles
at least. The Milton Keynes runner passes me again as he did not turn
right and got lost.
Finally get to Cromer, turn left into the field and up the final hill to
the change over point. 10.81 miles done in 1 hour 37, some 9 minutes
longer than predicted.
Then quick change of clothes and in Richard's car and off to Mundersley.
Home made cake, coffee and sandwich before driving Angie Kay car to
Lessingham as she runs the leg.
Lessingham to Horsey Mill by car then on to Gt Yarmouth for fish and chips
before returning with Richard and family to Kings Lynn, arriving back at
about 9.30pm for a well earned shower and sleep. New sleeping bag much
better than old one, did not feel the cold at all.
Up early, packed and cooked breakfast before cheeering Gary Finch home our
total time was 27 hours 12 minutes and 16 seconds, 25 minues and 58
seconds longer than predicted and we were 43rd out of 53 teams.
A great weekend again, thanks to Richard and Angie for orgainising and all
those others who contributed to getting the baton round Norfolk. Tent
drying, clothes getting washed and start to think which Stage to do next
year, Stage 10 the 20miler is already ear marked for Keith so don't need
think about that one.
Finally as I wore my trail shoes have a couple pf blisters, one big and
painful and maybe as well I will lose a toe nail, the joys of running.
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