Shave Cross

For those who have never come across this race (easily done – you need good navigational skills just to find the start), this is a low key mainly on road race. The start and finish are in a field. I was there to return the cup which I’d won last year, due more to lack of competition than any speed on my part. Having done the Seaview last week, and spending the week collecting and playing with my new bike, I was fairly relaxed about taking part. Richard had accompanied me – well, someone has to drive if I’m map reading – but he wasn’t running. Dave C was also there and finished in an impressive 14th position. I started somewhere near the back, chatting as usual, and forgot to start my watch, also forgetting that they don’t record the finish times, but I think it was about 41 minutes. After the initial lap and a half of the field we set off up the road, Richard had passed on an enigmatic “she’s only 25 seconds ahead”. However “she” wasn’t the only one and I managed to get past her and a Bridport lady, and was feeling good until a lady in a pink vest cruised past. The first half of the course is generally uphill, but on a short downhill I got ahead of her again, only for her to go past on the next hill. However I knew that after the water station there is a good downhill so put in a good effort to keep her in sight. Luckily she stopped at the water station, my turn to cruise past, and I really legged it down the hill, head down arms working. And she didn’t come past. After a mile and a half we turned onto an unmade track and up to a field gate, this slowed me a bit, but then there was a nice grassy slope to run down. Still no pink vest although I thought I could hear footsteps behind, but I wouldn’t turn and look. Through the last gap in the hedge and into the finish field and there was Richard who ran alongside for a while before imparting the news that there was a lady just behind me. I gave it my best, but I’ve never been much good at sprint finishes and sure enough as we turned for the last 100 yards up hill to the finish she went past (quite easily!!) and got to the line a few seconds ahead.

When I got my breath back and looked at the finishing positions board I was surprised to find that there was only the lady in the pink vest ahead of me so she was first overall and I was first female vet again. (Not counting a female junior who was way ahead of both of us). I’m still getting over the shock, for 1.5 miles I had actually been first lady in the race. This position is usually reserved for much speedier “fast skinny birds”!! So no quick getaway for us this evening. Harry Moore was competing – there is a prize for oldest competitor, so we waited for him to cross the finish line before prize-giving could start. The cup will be off to the engraving shop again.