15.07.2011 Washburn Valley Relay

This is an invitation-only event put on by Otley AC – and we managed to blag entries for three teams of three. Kay Jefferies, Sue Smith, Liz Jones and Vicki Megson represented the girls, and Dave McGuire, Chris Taylor, Chris Jones, Russell  Gardham and Rich Quinn turned out for the boys. Teams were picked, the starter called, and the race was on.


This is an unmarked but straightforward off-road race round two reservoirs. Laps one and two go round the top rezza and lap three goes round the bottom one. Simples.

Simples, except that one person (nameless, but initials CJ) got lost. Despite the advice of the organisers to do a recce, Chris decided he could blag it, and wound up doing more like eight miles than the four he was down for. After 45 minutes, team-mate Sue Smith had to set off without him and, accompanied all the way by Mr McGuire, and for the last 100m by sundry HPH and ERR runners, she pulled off a great third lap to ensure that faces were saved all round.

Kudos to the organisers who, despite the cold rain, waited for us to finish before presenting the prizes (we didn’t win anything). A swift half (or three) in The Sun Inn helped us warm up, and all nine of us agreed it was a worthwhile way to end the week.  

The results spreadsheet is ‘orribly complicated, but I think that we came 14th (Rich, Dave and Chris T), 60^th (Liz, Russell and Vicki) and 65^th (Kay, Chris J and Sue). More volunteers for next year’s teams, please, as I am sure we can go still higher.

Race report courtesy of Liz Jones