Helm have 5 teams entered in the annual FRA Relays, this year being held in Kettlewell. I am in the Vets Team, along with Phil, Garry, Geoff, Rick and Chris Speight. Rick & I are on the navigation leg, leg 3.
It is a glorious day, chilly start with an early mist which is soon burnt off by the sun. The race starts at 10am, from the Maypole in the village. Phil is our leg 1 man and has a good run, we cheer him, together with the other Helm teams as they enter and loop the handover field.
Geoff and Garry set-off on leg 2, this is a great section, very runnable and the one which I recce'd last week. They run well, Garry finishes looking wiped. Then it's me and Rick. We set-off (well Rick sets-off) at a blistering pace. It's a long way to the map hand-out and the sun is beating down on us.
We had already agreed a strategy, Rick would navigate and I would back him up.This worked well and he navigated well to the 7 checkpoints. Visibility was excellent, the going tough in places (tussocks and bogs) but we made good progress.
A fast run in and an Ambleside team were in our sights; we dug deep on the last evil little climb and took them on the final descent to the hand-over. Chris takes over and runs a good leg to take us to 42nd place overall.
Our other teams run well and it's been a good day out.
No comments:
Post a Comment