BEDFORD TEAM RELAYS

A calf tweak two weeks ago developed into a 10 minute tear inducing cramp at 3am on Friday night meaning the Bedford Team Relays on Sunday seemed unlikely if not a touch unwise.  After forewarning my team (Rory and Doug) that the 5K run was probably beyond me, I arrived early and set up the Ely Tri Club flag as a rallying point for Will, Kay, Martin, Rory and Doug.  After registering and chatting to a friend from Cambridge Tri in the queue for the toilets, I returned to the flag to see clubs from all over the east of England setting up gazebos, tables ladened with cake, camping chairs and even a massage table!  The event is clearly a focal point for tri clubs from across the region, with one club taking up one whole row of the bike racking with multiple teams.

I had not raced the format before, so it was strange to enter transition with nothing but my bike; that done I got into my wetsuit and waited patiently for my turn in the swim.  After Rory and then Doug had completed their swims, I realised that I needed to run from transition to the swim entrance!  With my leg in its current state this was going to be interesting.  I did my best but it was a sedate entry to the water.  Only then did I realised that my goggles were still on the top of my head, so after a quick bout of treading water, which my calf could have done without, I was on my way!  My goggles steamed up almost immediately making negotiating the wake boarding jumps interesting but I rounded the final yellow buoy and got a nice push from the stiff breeze all the way to the swim out, which was most welcome.  On exiting the swim I returned to transition as fast as I could shuffle, something latter described by our club captain as watching Grandad run for the toilet, and set Rory away on the bike!

I had about 1.5 hours to get out of my wetsuit and get ready for my turn on the bike, using the time to chat to old friends and new acquaintances and cheering on our colleagues.  The distance from transition to the mount line, which was described as 100m, but was more accurately about three times that, was starting to look like a major obstacle.  Deploying a shuffle and scoot method, using the bike to carry my weight as much as possible I reached the mount line, where the marshal declared loudly that he was taking my number so he could tell my team mates that I was not trying hard enough.

The bike was a glorious if rolling route, passing through picturesque villages and over beautiful streams before turning back to race HQ and the dismount line to encouraging calls from the marshals to break into a little trot.  Shuffle and scoot, shuffle and scoot.  The competitor that I had kept a bay on the bike jogged past me and into transition.  Rory was ready and waiting to head out on the run, just as the temperature started to rise.  After completing an impressive first 5K, Rory was regretting agreeing to complete my run for me but was ready, if not rearing, to go when Doug passed on the timing chip for the last leg.  Feeling a bit bad about making Rory do two 5K runs with only 25 minutes rest, Doug and I waited near the finish line to join Rory over the finish line.

Rory Dillon came in looking fresh as a daisy having just done the "Dillon double" and was too quick for Doug and me (Katherine, I hope you appreciated me thinking about the "I" versus "me" at this point; never known anyone to get so annoyed about a misplaced apostrophe - look out for the Egg's sign as you next go through Wardy Hill) to catch so we crossed the line in an elongated triangle formation, and I feature prominently in the photos of the team behind!

I had a thoroughly enjoyable race and it turns out I had done the run in 25 minutes, which on my leg was very good going; thanks a million Rory.  Thanks to Will for organising, Hannah for th chocolate orange brownies (worth the entrance fee alone) and everyone for making it a great day.  I will definitely be back next year; I might even try the run!