Calderdale Way Relay – 11 May 2014

2014 saw the 30th Anniversary of the Calderdale Way Relay with P&B entering a Mixed Team chosen, paired-up, and assigned legs by Captain Mick Hill.

Leg 1: Ian Nixon & Niall Bourke.    Leg 2: Rachel Pilling & Claire Green.
Leg 3: Jo Schreiber & Jess Nixon.         Leg 4: Sarah Rowell & Suzie Sharman.
Leg 5: Graham Pilling & Scott Alder.         Leg 6: Paul Stevenson & Jon Holah.

Mick did a great job of supporting and being present at the start/end of each Leg (helper dogs in tow) but the highlight has to be his Live Text commentary of the race as it unfolded — the texts are reproduced below, with the result at the very end so you can enjoy the drama as it unfolds.

Here’s Captain Mick’s final statement and the texts:

Everyone in the team was a star, from Jess stepping into replacing injured Caroline, Ian replacing ‘tired & emotional’ Dave, to the storming ladies on L2, to Scott ‘face plant’ Alder.

Performance of the day however probably has to be from our golden oldies Jonny & ‘retired’ Stevie for eating up the field on L6 and getting us to where we finished. Three teams literally within 30seconds of them.

And nobody got lost.“

8.01am – Race starts on time at 800am. Go Niall & Ian!! A CVFR pair have flown off, Wharfedale’s Sam Watson & Ted Mason hot on their heels.
8.15am – At the road crossing onto Norland Moor, there’s 15 and a bit mins on the clock and the first pair approaches. Its CVFR.
8.17am – Ted & Sam about 20secs back. Barlick 3rd. Tring 4th. Sale 5th. Clayton 6th. We’re 7th. But its tightly bunched.
9.34am – 73.45 for the leaders from CVFR. Rach & Claire ready to roll, just as the heavens open!! 75.20 for Ted & Sam. We’re in on 81.30 ish. 9th spot. But plenty for the ladies to go at!!! Its tight between 5th to 9th.
10.15am – Claire and rach hanging onto Ilkley men in 10th! They haven’t lost anytime (courtesy of Niall)
10.34am – CVFR still leading from Wharfedale at end of L2 Barlick 3rd. Clayton 4th. CVFR 5th. Ross 6th. Tring 7th. Hgate 8th. Tod 9th. PB 10th. Superb running. 2.33.47 on the clock. Jo and Jess off next! Go P&B! Team 82, Tring is a mixed team.
11.30am – CVFR still leading from Wharfedale at end of L3. Barlick 3rd. Ilkley thru in about 9th, and a possible mixed team. Tring off in 16th on 3.25.45. Sale in 19th, poss mixed team. We’re in at c. 3.30. 22nd. Well done Jo / Jess! Go Saz / Suzie!! Bang on my guestimated schedule.
12.25pm – CVFR, Wharfedale, Barlick, Clayton, CVFR, Todmorden so far at end of L4. The sun has come out. Come on Saz & Suzie!!
12.49pm – 8th Rossendale, 9th Holmfirth, 10th Harrogate, 11th Preston, 12th Sale, 13th Rossendale, 14th Ilkley, 15th Tring, 16th Sale, 17th Pudsey Pacers, 18th Stadium Runners, 19th Wharefedale……..come P&B!!!!!!
13.42pm – 20th Baildon, 21st Accrington, 22nd CVFR (again!!), 23rd P&B…..4.56.45 on the clock (12.57pm). Good work Saz & Suzie. The boys need to catch Accrington & Sale!!
13.59pm – 1.59pm on the clock and our boys are off, 1min ahead of the mass start! Position to follow!
14.02pm – 62mins, 20th place at end of L5. Great running Scott & Graham. They got the Sale mixed team, so possibly only one mixed team ahead. No pressure Jon & Stevie!!!
14.32pm – News just in, the boys did pass both Accrington & Sale on L5. We are right up there for first mixed team. Possibly Ilkley. Possibly Tring ahead of us.
14.35pm – More news. Tring are NOT a mixed team.
14.38pm – As the L6 runners come off the canal after Brighouse and start the climb through the woods…..its 6.38ish on the clock and Ilkley & Valley Striders are together. Ilkley look very slow!!
14.40pm – Halifax, Rochdale……and I can see P&B……
14.40pm – 2min gap to Ilkley. Its on the cards!!!!!
14.59pm – Rossendale, Harrogate both through and down the home straight…600m or so from the finish…..I haven’t a clue of positions or what’s happened at the front……
15.09pm – We haven’t managed to do Pudsey Pacers (non-mixed) who came 12th, or Tring 13th or Rochdale 14th (but may have come off the mass start)…….but it looks like we’ve done Ilkley and grabbed 14th or 15th!!!!!
18.10pm – My last CWR group text. Our Mixed team victory is confirmed (and I think we were 14th). For subscriptions to my Premium text message service, whereby I send you 40 random texts every Sunday the fee is £9.99/month for UK residents & EURO 14.00/month if you live somewhere in the French Pyreness. Over & out, and until 2015, Au Revoir, Captain Mick

So there you have it: 1st place in the Mixed Team category and 15th Team overall in a field of 90 teams. Special mention goes to Claire & Rach, and Suzie & Sarah who were both fastest ladies on their respective legs.

Well done to Calder Valley for fastest men’s team and first place overall, as well as Keswick for fastest ladies team. A big thank you to Halifax Harriers for all their hard work in organising and hosting the event, all the volunteers, photographers, and supporters on the course, and of course all the teams and clubs taking part — especially the Ilkley Harriers’ Mixed Team for providing such an exciting and closely fought race to the finish. A cracking day’s racing!

Leg times and positions below (full results to be found here) and photos to follow.

Ian Nixon		Rachel Pilling		Jess Nixon		Sarah Rowell		Graham Pilling		Paul Stevenson
Niall Bourke		Claire Green		Jo Schreiber		Suzie Sharman		Scott Alder		Jon Hozah
1:21:35	(9)	1:11:59	(21)	0:56:29	(59)	1:26:42	(32)	1:02:00	(11)	1:13:39	(8)
1:21:35	(9)	2:33:34	(10)	3:30:03	(23)	4:56:45	(24)	5:58:45	(19)	7:12:24	(15)