In December I completed a cross country race. It was a beautiful sunny, cool day. Within about 2 minutes I was last on the course. I could see the nimble hares fleet footed across the skyline, wondering if I’d ever get to that point on the route. I settled down to my steady trot in the company of the tail runner (a marshal who checks that nobody is abandoned along the way). It was a two lap course, and three quarters of the way round the loop one of the marshals started whooping and cheering me by name. It was an old friend I hadn’t seen for some time. What a lovely surprise to lift my spirits and energise me. All the marshals were friendly and encouraging. 

Towards the end of the first lap I had to keep well to the side as I was passed by those about to finish the race. I cheered on many of them, and they reciprocated. In the heat of a race there may be little encouragement among those of a similar standard, each trying to outpace the other, but between the pointy end and the friendly end of the race there is nothing but goodwill that we’re all doing our thing.

It was a bit dispiriting seeing the fast people be filtered into the finish funnel while I had to embark on a second lap. I could have stopped and said ‘no, one lap is enough for me today’. If the weather had been filthy I may well have taken that option, feeling guilty for keeping marshals out in the rain. But the day was glorious and there was nothing but kind smiles all the way. I could see my nearest rival a couple of minutes ahead of me and off I lolloped.  When I came to the finish line all my club mates plus many more were cheering me in. I scored high on the Proud card that day. I was last in the race, but I beat everyone who hadn’t got out of bed that morning. I felt a huge sense of achievement.

Yesterday I did another cross country race. A crisp, frosty winter’s day. Stunning. As I plodded through the woods the sun gently thawed the leaves, sprinkling fresh droplets on me. I felt pretty good and all was well with the world. I even caught and eventually overtook a runner. I came through the line 3rd from last with my husband cheering me along the final sprint (he had long finished and got tea and cakes for us both).  Not only had I not been last, but in the league our club had enough women entered for two teams. I completed one of those teams, allowing my club mates to count in the team league as well as the individual league.

Sometimes it IS the taking part that counts. I was doing this for me, but in doing so also helped my team.

Susannah

A Moodscope member