Stage 13 - 2007 RNR

Stage 13 - 2007 Round Norfolk Relay

From:	Thetford	To:	Feltwell
Distance:	13.98 miles	Duration:	1:46:41
Start:	03:20 Sun 16th	Finished:	05:06 Sun 16th

Runner's Comments

The Tuesday before the RNR, I was coerced into the 3am slot by Kerry (mental note – don’t go drinking with Kerry again). This gave me a few days to complain to friends and family about how I was about to run 14 mile through Thetford forest at 3am and it wasn’t even out of choice.

So here I was, waiting at the start of my section. Mark Clues arrives, passes me the baton at 3:20 and I’m off out of street lit Thetford and after 3 miles plunged into darkness of the A134. Melvin continued as my cycle buddy from his Stage 12 stint and the van was crawling behind us with it’s engine cooling fan complaining away. In the darkness the orange flashing lights where the first indication you were gaining on a runner. I managed to overtake a few runners on the road and after 5 miles, we turned left into the forest tracks. Eventually we went off-road to Track 23 for about 3 miles with no other teams were in sight. The soft sand-like track had me leaping around trying to find more solid ground, but with head-torch, bike lights and van behind and occasional flashing marker, I was able to find my way along the track OK and I actually made a reasonable pace. Unknown to me, Melvyn became a victim of the soft sand as his bike came to a stop and he failed to detach his cleats. Out of the forest, we were back on the dark lanes for a few more miles. Coming to the end of the run, the lit-up giant golf ball radar housings were an obvious feature of RAF Feltwell. My shift was over as I passed onto Gary Wooton.

What was I complaining about earlier in the week? Running through the forest track was the best bit helped by a calm clear night and clear stars up above, wondering just what the hell am I doing here and now. It’s a surreal moment and I am glad to have achieved it.

Mark Philo

Driver's + Support Comments

Mark P. looked pretty with all his lights.

Kerry Davis

Other Runner's Comments

This was my ninth time in this event and the third time I have run the stage 13 (lucky for some) 13.98 miles from Thetford to Feltwell. Getting up at 2:00am for the drive down to Thetford to ensure Debbie was able to get on the ladies bus as she was running from Wissington to Downham Market, it was weird waiting around for the hour or so for my run to start. Although I told myself to take it easier for the first 4/5 miles, I got into a rhythm and by the time I got to the forest (about 7 miles), I felt I was running hard. Through the tracks in the forest, it was difficult to find the best running area as there was loads of deep sand and holes causing me to stagger a few times.

After the forest, there is one long straight road and it seemed to take ages to get to the t-junction I remembered from 2003 before the last mile towards Feltwell. During the last couple of miles I was struggling with calf cramps, but I finished tired in 1:33. Soon after I was in the car, driving to Wissington to cycle with Debbie and then cycling the last stage to Kings Lynn, especially interesting and quite rough along the Fenland way footpath. I finally arrived home after the breakfast and presentations at Lynnsport 3pm.

Overall an enjoyable event and week-end.