UKA Fell race relays

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After hailstorms on the Saturday, and heavy overnight frost, Sunday dawned bright and sunny, with no rain for 24 hrs – some sort of record. Mark was able to gather together a ‘scratch’ team for the open event and I think we were all somewhat pessimistic about our final position, as we milled about at the start/finish area surrounded by a thousand other fell runners from such clubs as Dark Peaks, Eryri, Hunters Bog Trotters and (even!) Mercia. Rectory Field gave us a superb view of runners setting off up the slope, and finishers on their last descent. Adam was off first, with a longish early stint along roads and up the Burway. He handed over to Sue D and Jordan, who tackled the longest leg of 14.6km. An hour and a half later, it was Stuart and Mick’s navigational leg (with the elite clubs’ final leg runners already about to set off) They managed so well, they pulled us up a number of places. As I set off on the last leg, Mercia had already been crowned men’s champions and Mel Price had secured the club a second place in the ladies’ event. With nothing at stake but pride, I struggled to hold my own against a ‘mixed bag’ of anchor leg runners (wishing I had Gary’s speeed on the steeper than usual descents). We finished 100th team, out of 154 – in the ‘event’, a satisfactory result. Adam was 130= th on his leg, Sue and Jordan 101st, Mick and Stuart 89th and I was 98th.

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