The day started with the wrong decision on clothes. I had already decided what
to wear on the previous day, but the previous day (Valentine’s day) was lovely.
The next day was not.
I put on a jumper, warm leggings, and my motorcycle jeans, and a Kombat UK
trouser overlay for some extra heat. I was expecting a somewhat sunny day
with maybe some rain here and there, and I got heavy rain, occasional hail,
and strong wind (about 25mph). At least I had some gloves, neck buff, and
winter cap which did a lot of heavy lifting.
A quick reccy on a previous day revealed to me that the radio point looks down
a straight, and it would be an excellent idea to bring out the binoculars
again. So I put them in the bag.
Early on in the day I went over a flooded bit of road and my boots got soaked.
This is because I chose the leather boots instead of my proper motorcycle footwear,
which is properly weather proofed. Visibility on the way was terrible - maybe 300
meters at a stretch - and it was going to get worse as the day went on. At some point
I noticed that my left heated glove was not on. Maybe I forgot to turn it on after
the fuel stop, I thought. Until the right one went off as well. I had failed to
charge them properly the day before. The day was wet and cold, my feet were already
wet, and my hands would soon turn into ice as well. Good start.
I arrived at around 9:50 in the morning. The race would begin at 10:30, with the early
starters making a move at 10. About 260 participants in all. The roll call went
out, I reported in good signal and good cell reception for me and the marshall.
Nigel the marshall was kind enough to let me sit in his car while we were talking
about the race. He had marshalled this point for the last three years, and had ran
the marathon himself in previous years. Like myself he was expecting a good day, hoping
to leave the car at the start and cycle down to the control point. Nigel was quite well
prepared, my instructions said I should have a first aid kit so I looted the one from my
camping bag - but he had a blanket, an old coat he was happy to part with for the benefit
of a cold runner, space blankets, some chocolate, and hot coffee in a thermos. Another marshall
turned up later on, but he was in his own car so I didn’t catch his name. Good chap though.
The first runners reached us shortly after 11 and all three of us went out. Nigel said I
could stay in the car and he’d shout the numbers of the runners at me, but I felt bad
leaving them in the rain while I was chilling in the warm so I got out as well. They
were better clothed than me, but that didn’t figure in the shame equation.
The first three male runners went past. Nigel shouted their numbers at me but I confirmed
them visually myself - and still managed to relay them wrong. I usually write them down
you see, and relay them at my leisure when all three males or females have gone past,
but today it was pissing it down so I couldn’t write anything down. So I keyed up the mic
as soon as they went past.
There was absolutely no point taking out the binoculars I was so happy I would get to
use. Spotting the numbers early means you can write down the numbers early, but as
I said there was nothing I could write down with in the torrent, and despite the long
straight, there was no binos good enough to penetrate the weather. The binos stayed in
the bag for the duration of the event.
Then a few more male runners, and the first female runner. I key up the mic again.
Then, the early starters. I clapped and cheered and warned about the potholes just
like the marshalls were doing. Then I realised that the old ladies in the early starter
pack were still, in fact, female, and I should’ve relayed their numbers, and I hadn’t.
Then another group of runners and the next female runner. I key up the mic again to relay
her number as well as the fact I missed the previous female ladies. Oh well.
A little while later someone dropped out and Nigel took care of him, put him in the car
with a blanket, some warm coffee, and some chocolate. At this point I was shaking so I
asked if I could drop out as well - but the wind was blowing so my request wasn’t heard.
Despite the fact that the marshalls were in a WhatsApp group, Nigel immediatelly told me
to report the drop-out and ask for the evac vehicle. That’s what I mean about good marshalls,
RAYNET are basically redundant since everyone has phones and the internet, but sometimes it’s
faster to radio in instead of fishing out a phone with cold and wet fingers. Control relayed
my request for evac to the race directors, and over the next hour or so Nigel would keep
checking on the runner (Aaron I think his name was) while the other marshall continued
to cheer on the very cold runners. “This is the hard bit” he told them. I don’t actually
know if it’s the hard bit, he confessed to me, but it’s good for their morale to hear it.
I agree.
Some time went on and Nigel asked for an update on the evac vehicle, as the casualty (Aaron)
was still in the back of his car. As I was keying up the mic, a car with two high-vis sitting
on the front pulled up next to us. “Evacuation vehicle is here” I confidently reported. Only
it wasn’t, the two marshalls who jumped out were following the tail marker, who I managed to
miss amidst the chaos, and were picking up the signs. Nigel would drive Aaron to the start
point himself, so I corrected my earlier message and updated control that the casualty was
on route and no evac was needed. “See you next year” said the marshalls to themselves and me,
jumped in their cars, and left.
I jumped on the bike in turn and went up where the runners had come from, eventually found
the ECU (that’s the Emergency Communications Vehicle - the pride and joy of Kent RAYNET),
and spent some time in the van to warm up myself to the degree that I could brave the cold
once more.
I said my goodbyes, jumped on the bike, eventually became aware of an ambulance that was
waiting for me to move so he could park, and left. Visibility was worse on the way back,
I couldn’t do more than 60mph for most of the way on the motorway because I wouldn’t dare.
I followed other cars for the most part, because their going into puddles alerted me to
the existence of said puddles, and I was able to avoid them. Very clever on my part.
I did, however, spot a blue sedan with RAYNET stickers and an antenna on top, just another
volunteer going home. Gave him a thumbs up as I went past.
I arrived home after more than an hour and a few more puddles that had washed all the mud
off my boots, and topped them up with water. Couldn’t get my clothes off because my
thumb muscles were failing. I didn’t have the strength to do my buttons, until I ran
my hands under lukewarm water and tried some strategies to make my life easier. I
was soaked through and through, but the event had been a success, and riding in these
conditions means you have very little room to think about anything else except for the
conditions, so overall I was happy. About an hour later my extremities started to feel
cold again, which means feeling had returned to them.
If I were to attend the Deal half marathon next year, I would make some changes to my clothing.
Specifically, I would ditch the helmet and buy a car.
