Not tonight. Tonight is just that little bit different
I'm running down a gravel path in a local country park, it's a path that's on one of my training routes. I have run through this place many times, in my own little world, on my own mission. It's often a quiet trail populated by a few dog walkers, ramblers and people out enjoying the view. Usually it's just a quiet little run in the countryside.
Tonight though, the noise is defending. I'm heading through a tunnel of fellow runners who line the path underneath the trees, screaming encouragement at the racers and team mates as run by. As I pass though this corridor of noise, I can't help but smile, raise my hands and wave to the crowds and raise my pace slightly. The defending encouragement is infectious, it spurs you on, gets your adrenaline going, making you run just that little bit faster. This ain't no solitary training run, this is something else. I'm on the first lap of my relay leg, our team’s last leg of the Cosmeston Relays.
I'm running down a gravel path in a local country park, it's a path that's on one of my training routes. I have run through this place many times, in my own little world, on my own mission. It's often a quiet trail populated by a few dog walkers, ramblers and people out enjoying the view. Usually it's just a quiet little run in the countryside.
Tonight though, the noise is defending. I'm heading through a tunnel of fellow runners who line the path underneath the trees, screaming encouragement at the racers and team mates as run by. As I pass though this corridor of noise, I can't help but smile, raise my hands and wave to the crowds and raise my pace slightly. The defending encouragement is infectious, it spurs you on, gets your adrenaline going, making you run just that little bit faster. This ain't no solitary training run, this is something else. I'm on the first lap of my relay leg, our team’s last leg of the Cosmeston Relays.
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| Running the tunnel of noise |
A short way down the trail, the course takes a right, off the main path and into the woods. I'm now on my own, the distant noise of the crowd muffled by the trees. I look down at the baton in my hand and realise for once this race isn't just about me. My team mates have done their bit, they have given their all and now stand in the crowd of runners waiting for me to finish what they have started. Now the race begins, now I have to forget the pain and run at my limits for them, for our team.
The trail winds its way through the trees, constantly either going up or downhill, never quite flat. There are just a few of us together now and the run turns into any other race. Those in front of me have targets on their backs, I try and latch onto them, using them to push myself harder, trying to overtake and gain positions. It's a great night for a run, sun dappled light shining through the trees, illuminating the lake beyond, it's a stunning view but there's no time to take it in. Must keep running, must keep trying to catch those in front of me. Soon we hook another right through a gate and I'm back on a path that looks familiar. The distant noise builds once again, telling me that those crowds are near and that I'm almost home.
I run through the tunnel of noise once again, this time though, the smile has been replaced by a grimace, one more corner and the finish line beckons, I'm done, we're done, our team has finished.
Now a new race begins, as I try to make it to the cake table in time to get myself some well earned treats before the rest of my club mates devour everything in sight. A short time later we drag ourselves away from the now depleted mountain of cake and snacks for the prize giving where we are told we have won the mixed team race and our club has won in three categories. So we ended up with trophies, stuffed ourselves with cake and spent an evening in the sun with friends, oh and somewhere along the line we did a bit of running. It's been a damn good night.
I remember when I stared running everything was about me, my goals, my pace, my aspirations, running seemed like a very self centred sport. Tonight reminds me why I joined a club. Yes we have come here to race but more importantly we have come here to have fun, to socialise and to spend time in the company of people who have the same passion. We all have different reasons for running but we all share the same love for the sport.
It's been great fun to run as part of a team, to run with and for other people, this is why I started running with a club. Running can be so much more than a solitary past time, races like Cosmeston prove just how social and how much more enjoyable running can be when you are part of a team.
The trail winds its way through the trees, constantly either going up or downhill, never quite flat. There are just a few of us together now and the run turns into any other race. Those in front of me have targets on their backs, I try and latch onto them, using them to push myself harder, trying to overtake and gain positions. It's a great night for a run, sun dappled light shining through the trees, illuminating the lake beyond, it's a stunning view but there's no time to take it in. Must keep running, must keep trying to catch those in front of me. Soon we hook another right through a gate and I'm back on a path that looks familiar. The distant noise builds once again, telling me that those crowds are near and that I'm almost home.
I run through the tunnel of noise once again, this time though, the smile has been replaced by a grimace, one more corner and the finish line beckons, I'm done, we're done, our team has finished.
Now a new race begins, as I try to make it to the cake table in time to get myself some well earned treats before the rest of my club mates devour everything in sight. A short time later we drag ourselves away from the now depleted mountain of cake and snacks for the prize giving where we are told we have won the mixed team race and our club has won in three categories. So we ended up with trophies, stuffed ourselves with cake and spent an evening in the sun with friends, oh and somewhere along the line we did a bit of running. It's been a damn good night.
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| I may have got a bit excited about winning |
The Cosmeston Relays is a small race, it's a race not many people have heard of. You won’t find it being advertised in the back pages of Runners World and it’s not won any awards. It's just a little club run taking place on a weekday night, using a not quite 5k course, but it’s most definitely one of the best races of the year. There is just something about a relay race and being part of a team which creates a special atmosphere.
I remember when I stared running everything was about me, my goals, my pace, my aspirations, running seemed like a very self centred sport. Tonight reminds me why I joined a club. Yes we have come here to race but more importantly we have come here to have fun, to socialise and to spend time in the company of people who have the same passion. We all have different reasons for running but we all share the same love for the sport.
It's been great fun to run as part of a team, to run with and for other people, this is why I started running with a club. Running can be so much more than a solitary past time, races like Cosmeston prove just how social and how much more enjoyable running can be when you are part of a team.
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| What a team. There were quite a few of us from CDF Runners at Cosmeston |
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