Alternative running or A Day off work

Revenue and Customs Cross-Country, Birmingham 2007

I was looking forward to this race as a sharpener for the impending Cross-country season and also as it was a longer distance for us ladies for a change. Who seem to be relegated to shorter distances than the men, for some reason! Even though the distance, (travelling to and from Blackpool to Birmingham and back), had previously deterred me, a pleading e-mail from the organiser, worried that the event would fold due to depleted numbers, spurred me on to put my name down, me being a team player and all!

I got to the venue with about an hour to spare. God only knows how I got there, it’s all a blur, but I found the place and that’s all that mattered! ‘Tally Ho’ is the sports and social club in the middle of the West Midlands Police headquarters. This was the base and the race was in the park at the back of there, not far from the Edgbaston Cricket Ground. It was a sunny, windy autumnal day perfect for Cross- country racing and I was up for this. The race was actually part of the Midland Services and Police Cross-country League and we, Revenue and Customs, (RCSL) tagged onto the back of this. The hosts were very welcoming, (despite being police), and hospitable and have invited us back again. The turnout for the race was quite encouraging 67 in total, but only 8 girls. It stood, however, to be an interesting battle.

Just before the start we were all chatting and warming up, because even though most were strangers to me, being amongst runners is like being amongst friends. As we all stood waiting for the race to be started by the host, he welcomed the Inland Revenue to the race and they all booed us! Charming! That reputation is going to be hard to shift! After that, we had a minutes clap for an absent colleague/runner who’d recently died in a traffic accident. After that, bang! We were off! The distance was approximately 10k and was three laps round fields, up a steep grassy bank up through some woods and down again through some overgrown grass, across a football pitch and onto a bit of a path. It was a real mixed bag and a great course.

I set off quite well and was hot on the heels of a Staffordshire police woman who was going to be my marker! I quite quickly caught her up and was breathing down her neck through the woods, hot on her tail. I wasn’t sure what position we were in the race, but I hadn’t seen where the other ladies had started. As we ran across the field and up the steep grassy bank for the first time, I could see that her strength was going to be on the up-hills as she got further away from me. I neared her again on the downhill through the woods, but couldn’t quite get past her. Onto the flat football pitch we then went and I was closing in on her along the path. I’ll get her next time I thought!!! As we went up the grassy bank for the second time, again she pulled away. Nothing majorly significant, but enough! I knew I could get her though if I found it from somewhere. I think she knew it to, but was hanging on for grim death! A few runners passed us and we passed a few, but none of them women.

As we neared the path for the second time and hit the hard surface, I got into a rhythm and speeded up. I was going to catch her! Sure enough, I went past her and kept going bearing in mind the steep bank was coming up again and she could get me back! I mist keep it going I thought and at the top of the steep bank I was still ahead. Up through the woods again we went, watching each root and knoll underfoot. I motored on, always aware of her presence behind. My marker had now changed to a man in a red vest. I knew the finish was about half a mile away and I pressed on with determination and passed him on the football pitch. I couldn’t really hear my rival breathing anymore and I didn’t like to look back as it’s not very sporting and it’s also a sign you’re weakening, so I pushed on!

We were now trailing back through the woods from where we had come through at the start and turned a corner to enter the finishing field. I took a quick glance behind, just for peace of mind, entered the field and sprinted approximately 200 metres onto the finish, overtaking a couple of the lads on the way. Someone shouted first lady! Thank God I put the effort in when I did and showed a bit of mettle!

I did 41:52 and my rival did 42.07. There wasn’t a lot in it, but it made the race more interesting! We shook hands at the finish and congratulated each other as the rivalry dissipated. It was of course, nothing personal

After the race we had our RCSL AGM accompanied by either fruit juice or in my case cider! We thanked our hosts, and discussed future joint races, even a possible evening one in the Summer. I’m all up for that provided it doesn’t clash with one of my pint pulling evenings!

So there we are, a trip to Birmingham, a great race, some nice policemen, and oh….. a day off work! Here’s to the next one!

Written by: Michaela Dempsey

Submitted: 21^st November 2007

Edited by Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor