Rack Raid by Ivan
10/06/2008 by Lou.
Rack Raid Stage Relay ( Apologies in advance for anyone i fail to mention and the fact that this may just appear to be a long rambling diaryesque type report)
Also please note that this is a biased Chepstow Harriers review of the event, apologies to the other teams if we upset anyone. To this end I have made some changes to the text in my “moderator” role. (Admin).
Yowser – what a great day – shame we had to go running, would have been far nicer to go and sit a in a river somewhere!
Those of us who had the earlier legs had the mere problem of getting up early, after that we were all quite happy to not be running in the mid-day/afternoon sun.
Andy Chauffeur & water boy Ost, Dick Routefinder Finch, Lou Almost first lady to win a stage Summers and yep you guessed it, SatNav, headed up the road at 5:30 am to Grosmont, for the start of the first leg. Little did they know that Jane and Geoff were already in place following the 4:30 alarm call (sorry Jane 
The other, as ever, main support unit was Syd ‘Two Cars’ Wheeler, who was at the start of every leg to make sure all the runners were present and ready for the off.
Leg 1/2
I managed to get up at a far more reasonable hour and arrived ready at Skenfrith just before 7:30. Geoff was already there. A quick wander round the castle to absorb a bit of culture then time to get changed as hoards of cars/runners started turning up ready for the off. A short warm up jog and use of the local facilities and we were being ushered towards the start line.
In perfect timing the leaders of Stage 1 came flying round the corner. I am reliably informed that Lou had led right up until the last few hundred metres when the ‘Gentleman’ from Islwyn (i think) blast past for the stage win. Lou finishing just a few seconds behind. If only it had been a downhill finish - with Lou’s down hill speed he wouldn’t have stood a chance. Still something to train for Lou, race craft and a faster finish. Well done Islwyn.
Myself (A Team) & Geoff (B Team - or should it have been called ‘Team Bayliss’ at this point) set of up the road and were able to congratulate all those heading for the finish. I saw Jane coming the other way, looking very comfortable and smiling away - or maybe just laughing at us mugs heading out into the ever warming weather, or perhaps she new about the hills we were just about to embark on!
Into Leg 2
I quickly discovered Pontypridd were taking part in the Relay. I set off alongside the Ponty runner and decided his shoulder was the place to be. A bit of a different experience to that of my Chepstow-Calidcot leg from last year - at which I had felt strangely like a Kenyan runner trotting along at the front.
All seemed to be going pretty well, apart from the whole course seemed to be going be up hill!! In fact, Leg 2, is flat for about half a mile, then starts a long gradual climb until just before half way.
All seemed good on the Ponty shoulder, I was feeling confident. My first inkling that things might change was on our first short down-hill, when Mr. Ponty suddenly pulled out, I quickly gathered him back up and thought no more of it.
We had another bit of a hill, at which to my relief, we were due a long downhill section before the last climb up to Whitecastle. Once again Mr Ponty immediately pulled ahead a few metres. This time I was unable to close him down - even with the aid of a water cooling system (lou) and hydration package (mark) doing there best to keep me going.
Ponty pulled steadily ahead gaining 100m lead before the last climb. I put my best into the last uphill mile (which was strangely not as bad as i had expected) but couldn’t make any impression and had to settle for the 2nd place.
As soon as I crossed the finish line and managed to lift my head up, Leg 3 were on their way. Dave Somersall for Team A, and Nick Higgings taking over from Team Bayliss.
Leg 3
Unfortunately my coverage of this leg will be pretty much non-existent as i spent this leg getting a lift (via Andy.C) back to my car at Skenfrith. I hear however that Leg 3 went all to plan. Dave led from the start, with Nick in pretty close pursuit . The Leg finished in Abergavenny with Dave in 1st place and i believe Nick was 4th. Thus extending Team A’s lead at the top, Team B must surely have been topping the B Team competition at this point.
Leg 4
Having found a suitable place to stop about a couple of miles into the leg I waited for the Chepstow runners of SatNav & Colin ‘I’ll get him if he goes the wrong way’ Prosser. Unfortunately it didn’t go quite to plan, Colin and Mark characteristically shot off as normal at the front, and un-characteristically didn’t go the wrong way! Mark passed by me looking strong, no other runners in sight. I decided I’d stopped to early to serve any use and drove on for a couple of miles to the top of one of the hills (it seemed steep in the car). After a short while Mark came running up the hill, I successfully delivered water, but wasn’t very successful in answering ‘how far behind’ - mainly because I couldn’t see anyone else!
Colin came through also looking pretty strong and happily took some water. Further on I happened upon Team Ost/Finch/Summers awaiting the arrival of Mark. Lou was deciding the best way to throw water at Mark, when he came round the corner shouting ‘on my legs, on my legs’, we all proceeded to thro/squirt water in his vague direction, some of it must have reached the legs…. Team OFS then proceeded towards the finish while I offered water to a few other runners and made sure Colin had a bit of water ready for the last 1.5 miles.
Mark finished in 1st, with Colin chasing him to I think somewhere around 7th or 8th place.
Leg 5
Over to Ed Green & Brett ‘ between two 12 hour shifts’ Regulski. I missed the start of this one but chasing them off down the road I happened upon Brett and two other runners, all looking comfortable. Further down the road I found Ed running along at the front.
One quick stop to offer water on this leg and then I left Team OFS/Harvey to deal with watering while I headed on to Monmouth in search of toilets and food. Coming out of Waitrose, I saw Ed flying over the Mono-bridge pretty comfortably in the lead. He was shortly followed by the start of Leg 6 heading the other way. I quickly then happened upon ‘Photo-Finch’ and we awaited the arrival of Brett.
Leg 6
Pete Ward & Nick Battersby set off on one of the longer legs, from Monmouth to Raglan (if only it went a more direct way - say the A40!!). Lou jumped into my car and we took a slightly ‘different’ route, in order to be in place at the 9/10 mile point, the Ost Mobile pursued the runners.
As soon as we got ourselves in place the Mobile rang, it was Dick with news!!!! Peter was suffering - his calf had ‘pinged’, he’d been patched/ibuprofen gel’d up and was still on the go. However, Syd had broken down on the A40 and someone needed to go to the start of the next leg to make sure all were ready. So I left Lou with the Creber and headed off to Raglan.
Leg 7
Roberta was all ready and in place, but Luke ‘thought he’d got away with it’ Malarz wasn’t around - we had a good 15mins (ish) to go so not time to panic yet. Fortunately Geoff&Jane were there so I figured I could’ve persuaded them to do another leg . Luke arrived, running over to the start line carrying trainers with about 7minutes to go - perfect timing.
We awaited the first of the finishers in Raglan. First was a Fairwater runner, 4th or 5th place saw the arrival of Pete, apologies Nick I’m not sure where you finished as it was time to get to Usk for the next start.
Heading down the Road towards Usk, Roberta was running well, in about 8th or 9th, Luke was chasing the 1st place guy.
Leg 8 (boy am I glad I didn’t do this one)
Nick ‘I don’t drink water’ Davis & Gareth Creed set off on this one. We were just about to head off when Syd ‘2nd Car’ Wheeler’ rocked up in some new wheels. After deliberating how good the AA must have been, he told us he dumped the broken one in Lidl (somewhere) and happened upon a certain Brett & Ed who delivered him home where he hot wired the car he’d left for his wife and drove off before she knew it was missing.
Lou and I headed off to intercept some runners, and took it on ourselves to chase Nick through the lanes (mostly up hill) leaving the Ostmobile to make sure Gareth had water. It was quickly apparent (after the first offer of water) that Nick doesn’t like the stuff and just insisted that we should keep chucking it over him. I wish I’d got a picture of Lou chasing Nick up the road holding a 5 litre bottle of water up-side down over his head.
After much water throwing we were confident Nick was going to hold off the guy in second place ( - he was the one with the great running style - just ask Lou & Elizabeta, - a great heel flick ) So we headed to Tintern for Ice-Cream - sorry I mean to cheer them over the finish line. Nick finished First, Gareth doing the gentlemanly thing didn’t sprint passed the girl who he’d run the whole way with.
Leg 9
Steve Caldwell & Pete Hutton, were very sensibly sheltering in the Shade, awaiting the start of their pretty hilly leg, that would see them climb out of Tintern ‘chasing Esther on a bike!’ to Devauden, before going down the Itton road to Chepstow.
Steve was cruising in 3rd place with two quick guys just ahead, Pete just a couple of places behind. A few water stops and we made our way to Chepstow to watch the finish & start of the next Leg.
Leg 10
Steve ‘calf/ITB/Knee/cold - take your pick’ Harris and Sian ‘I better not put anything here or she’ll kill me’ Griffith took over the mantle on the leg from Chepstow to Caldicot.
It was great to see extra supporters who weren’t running at all, turning up to watch the local legs, much appreciated by the runners. Steve had a very similar experience to me last year, in that in heading off up the Dell it felt very strange to be at the front and not really knowing what to do.
The route goes up the Dell, Welsh Street (that we all love) across Kingsmark Lane before joining the main road up past the Hospital. Then following the main roads to Caldicot. A nice leg to do if you live locally as It means have a great concept of knowing where you are in the leg. I was given charge of Dick’s camera and told to take pictures if possible as he needed to head with Syd towards the start of his leg later on.
I managed to catch up with the runners as they were heading past St Pierre, so I stopped the car just a bit further along and waited with water and Camera. Steve came into view with a good lead. Whilst taking a photo I noticed the Ost mobile parked on the other side of the Road with Andy & Mark delivering water. They headed off and I awaited the arrival of Sian, she was running very well and appeared to be keeping every water bottle that people kept handing her, interesting tactic - I suppose it prevented others getting their water!! - must remember that one.
Leg 11
I missed the start of this one, but the representatives were Calum Cheshire & Jenni Bell, Sian & I were a bit delayed in chasing this leg but managed to get to the finish to see Jenni with a smile on her face. And Calum, having finished way out in front, drinking a big Pint - he’ll say it was Coke.
Leg 12
Moving swiftly onwards, Rich Matthews & Syd set off towards Caerleon, we eventually caught up and were able to offer water at about 1.5 miles from the end of the leg. Up to this point Rich had been on the shoulder of the chap in first and looking ok. Then a supporting motorbike handed Rich a bottle, and despite this assistance the guy started pulling away. At the end Rich was looking thoroughly shot, but enjoying some shade in the Amphitheatre. I guess this shows the need for better support on the leg, particularly in hot weather. In any case, 2nd place ain’t bad! Syd meanwhile seemed to be running very strongly and looked like possibly catching up with the chap just in front of him, Syd now has only one leg remaining (Usk-Raglan) and he will have then done all of the legs over the years.
Leg 13
Unfortunately we missed all of this leg, and I believe it proved once again to be a tricky leg to support, partly because the last couple of mile are closed to supporting traffic. Andy Blackmore ran the leg for the A team, and Mally Reeks for the B team, and as far as I know they both ran pretty well, I saw them at the pub at the finish so they definitely got there!
Well done to all, and thanks to whoever supplied the weather. Fairwater Runners did a great job (as I imagine is usual) and provided a thoroughly enjoyable relay. A great warm up for the Castles.
Thanks to all those who supported me during my leg and congratulations to both teams, Job well done by all I think.
I’m sure the Team Captains & committee will be happy to receive any comments back from those who ran and anyone who has suggestions on how to improve the support.
From my perspective, it gets a bit hectic sometimes but it was great fun spectating / supporting down the length of the relay - it does lead to a long day, and the danger of falling asleep in front of the computer the next day at work is a distinct possibility!!
Thanks again & well done to all.
Ivan
