I quite like the feeling I get when I know I've touched upon an inaugural occurrence. However, the usual interpretation of that is that I have had some participation be it running or organisational in the first staging of an event. Last nights inaugural event was not so pleasant, missing a race I set off to run.
The Vets race at Stainland was at 7.15 pm on Wednesday 18th August, I had read the race details on the Yorkshire Veterans Athletics Association site numerous times in the weeks before the race. Why then did I have it in my mind that it was taking place from the same club house as the Helen Windsor 10k back in July? I really don't know the answer to that question.
I had discussed with my husband Martin what time we should set off, we had downloaded a route finder and entered the postcode of the venue, established it was a 30 minute drive, what we didn't do was print off the YVAA details or the route finder - still thinking we knew exactly where we were going as we had been there on 7th July, my birthday, how could we forget. "Six O'Clock" he declared will be plenty of time to get there in time for the 7.15 pm start, pay your £3 and run! Now, on Wednesday afternoon I had been shopping for a new dress for my Niece's (very short notice) wedding this coming Saturday, off I popped upstairs to try on my new purchases, lovely, all set for the wedding I decided that I would not get dressed again but instead get into my club vest and running gear, pinning the veteran category onto the back of the vest, I did just that, 5 pm and I was ready to go!
An hour later we were literally getting set to walk out of the door when my sister and niece turned up, 'I won't keep you' she said and outlined her reasons for calling in to see us. Off we set, making our way confidently, if a little late, to Greetland. As we came upon the club house I could see the place was deserted, with that I noticed the sign outside 'Greetland All Rounders Club' - we're in the wrong place, we need to be at Heath Rugby Club? How had I made such a mistake? I'll never know, frantically I began ringing fellow club members mobile phones, nobody answered, those who were at the race would have obviously left their phones in their cars. It became clear we weren't going to make it to the start line. My heart sank as Martin declared we would have to go back home, in a last ditch attempt he drove down the road hoping to find a sign pointing us in the right direction, moments later a sign appeared 'Huddersfield'.
Dejected, we followed the road signs back to Bradford. The sinking feeling was one I have so very nearly felt before when we have been momentarily lost on the way to a race but found it at the last minute. This time though it wasn't going to go away, we were going to have to return home still clad in our race numbers and remove them not having taken part.......
I hope we have learned our lesson and take better care next time we are planning our journey to a race and that is the first and last time I miss the start.
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