Oxbelt Relay Reports
By Marina
The Oxford Greenbelt Way (or Oxbelt) – a 50 mile circular walk, or in our case run, was created in 2007 and takes in the countryside surrounding the city of Dreaming Spires.
I’ve been taking part in this relay since it was born about 3 years ago, and this year the organisers decided to change the order of the legs.
I don’t particularly like change, and I especially do not like running after lunchtime. I took the plunge and opted for the first leg – Radley to Cumnor, partly because it ticked the morning run box, but I also live in Cumnor. It also meant an 8 mile fundulating run through Radley College, Sunningwell and Boars Hill. My heart sank when reviewing the route, and I spotted a Strava segment called ‘Sunningwell Fecking Hell’ – what on earth had I let myself in for??
The very lovely Justin was kind enough to run the route with me, as he had done this route twice before, so we did the equally sensible thing of going at 6.30am on one of the hottest days of the year. It was a challenge, but I felt like I could do it.
Come relay day, I was nervous. I was one of the slowest members of the team and the sight of 11 other runners (only 3 other women) was a little daunting, I won’t lie. However, every year Eynsham has entered a team and there has been no pressure or expectation placed on any one person’s shoulders. Do your best and enjoy it has been the motto.
When we began, I was very quickly in last place. All the other runners were soon invisible to me. My goal however was to finish it and to do my best. If I walked, I walked. My body soon began to experience long standing issues and soon my mind got the better of me. I walked where I needed to, I stopped when my body told me to and sent a message to the group for a bit of support.
A big shout out to Benedict who I handed over to. I felt really bad he waited so long for me, not realising this was actually an excellent strategy! Me coming last, in turn gave him extra drive to hunt down some runners. Benedict, thank you for your kind words (and water!) and for being a great relay buddy.
I was overtaken by 2 runners who started off in the ‘fast’ wave (30 mins later) and was greeted by another runner who had finished my leg already and was running home. They were really nice to me, even if one frightened me half to death by sneaking up on me in a field! He was very apologetic when I got to Cumnor.
Did I care I was last? Not really, no. Did I beat my recee time (pit stops included)? Yes. Did I have some really nice messages from my relay mates? Yes. Did I do my best? Yes.
This relay is for everyone and if nothing else, an opportunity to run (ro walk!) somewhere new and really feel like a valued team member.
After all, someone has to come last, and so you may as well be so with your head held high, knowing you did your best.
A massive thanks to Ros for organising Eynsham’s entry and the team, Graham for marshaling for us (and running!), all 7 of my wonderful relay buddies and everyone else who made this event happen.
By Claire:
On Sunday I took part in the OxBelt relay as part of the ERR team. It was my first time being part of a relay team, having previously been put off for fear of ‘letting the team down’ by being ‘too slow’. I put those worries to one side, signed up and I’m so glad I did!
OxBelt is literally very accessible due to the fact it circumnavigates Oxford, so no complicated logistics or travelling for ages. It has legs of varying length, the longest being 8.9 miles and the shortest being 4.3 miles (I opted for the latter!) It’s really well organised (thanks Ros!) and you’re provided with a clear description of your route, along with an elevation profile (mine was also the flattest) and a strava file so you can follow it on your watch if you like. I was very lucky to have the offer of a recce with Marina and as a result, though I felt nervous when I set off, at least I wasn’t worried about getting lost!
On the day you have the fun/nerves of watching the team’s progress on the tracker, a tiny device you carry with you. As I set off on my leg (the final leg) I had mixed feelings. All the team who had run before me had done such a great job of getting us to a good position in the rankings, I didn’t want to ‘mess it up.’ I reminded myself that we’re a club that caters for everyone. If people are so inclined, they can always recruit a separate ‘competitive’ team. I trusted that my teammates would only ask that I do my best and most importantly enjoy it. I did both those things, but still came last in my leg and I was overtaken by a few teams! However, I was out there in my ERR vest, part of a fantastic team, proudly representing a fun and inclusive club, which I will always see as a win! I really encourage others who might have shared some of my worries to just go for it and get involved next year. See you in the pub at the end!
From Phil:
Oxbelter of a run….. As a last-minute addition to the team, I wasn’t sure what to expect, it would be a bit like the ridgeway relay but more relaxed, I was told! Like a good boy, i did my recce a few days before, and what a good job that was…. I felt prepared…. Race day came, and so did the rain. I sat in the car watching the dot. I had time, so I thought, to dodge the monsoon. Off to the checkpoint to warm up, I went. To my horror, a blue vest running towards me, but how?, what?, can’t be? But it was, speedy Ros had beaten the tracker. I took the baton and went off in a rage, at a pace suited to a guy half my age… Through the mooos and over the bridge, into a field of mud stuck on to my shoes. A lonely run it was except the cheer from Nick gave me a boost as I hit the hills that slowed me a bit. I remembered hidden roots, the fallen tree, the gap in the hedge, and to turn left and not right, up from the pub, and to the home straight. Passing the baton to Graham, it had gone in a flash, at a pace more suited to the duck dash.
Here are a few photos of the day, showing a variety of terrains and weather conditions.
