DEVON Relays at Haytor
Sun 17 July 2016
Becca is very persuasive. With a long drive the previous day, I didn't really want the honour of WIM depending on my doubtful skill and stamina but there was no one else. So that was that. Doubt turned to horror soon after arriving at the car park, when I found out Michelle Spillar was our 3rd runner. Two crack young athletes teamed with an ancient packhorse. Oh good.
The format was deceptively simple. There were 7 score courses of varying standard, 5 controls per course, printed on two maps. 3 courses were on Map 1 and 4 courses on Map 2. The courses had different colour overprints & number sequences so they shouldn't be confused. Two runners set off, the first one back gave his/her map to the waiting member, and so on until all 7 courses had been run. The mechanics were dead easy but the strategy required thought. How do you synchronise shorter & longer courses to minimise waiting around? How do you keep Map 2 moving continuously? Michelle masterminded a Timetable which Becca endorsed as a winning Plan! I mostly agreed and did as I was told.
Despite the heat it was beautiful out on the moor. There were obviously some climbs (the long uphill to Saddle Tor nearly killed me) but the open moor is wonderful orienteering terrain and control sites were well chosen. The Planner had done an excellent job with the two courses I ran (the verb is used loosely) and I felt quite enthused about the event (retrospectively). Very different from a Harris relay or other formats I've tried and great fun.
We didn't win: that accolade went to WSX Raiders who came first by a substantial margin. And who cares? If ever there was a time to relish the sheer joy of sprinting lightly (or plodding ponderously) across a truly glorious landscape, it was today. My sincere thanks to Becca for putting me in the WIM team and for the hard work I know she's done with the other summer relays. Thank you to Becca and Michelle for being such nice team-mates. I had a great time.
Mike Kite
Click to view Map 1 Click to view Map 2
