There's gonna be weather

Memories from a Race Marshal (beware! this post is huge!!)

This was always going to be a strange one for me.
Over the years I’ve gotten to know quite a number of WHW family members pretty well. Quite a few I would even regard as friends. In the beginning it was a great buzz anticipating the arrival of fellow Strathaven Striders to my checkpoint, now the list is massive. It feels like I cuddle at least half the field. Who said marshalling didn’t have its perks?

This time however I had one Subversive Runner to consider. There was some discussion as to whether I’d be allowed to abandon my duties in favour of attending to the Subversive ones every whim. I decided though that I wasn’t quite ready for surviving the testosterone fuelled toxic mix of half a dozen London Firemen and a white van!! I may be tough but I’m not THAT tough.

So, this year I have a bit of a split personality. Part marshal, part backup, and part party planner. At one stage I was doing all three at once.

This year would be my first time at the start of the Race. I normally spend the Friday night plotted up in the Wigwams wi ma Maw and a bottle of the finest grape juice we can find.
9.00pm Railway Station car park Milngavie
I get there at a silly time, as I’ve had to collect the remaining goblet delivery from the supplier in East Kilbride, just along the road from me.
SR is en route from Fort Bill where he has ditched the crew to collect the scales from Dr Chris. I arrive with my two bairns all excited and in plenty of time. He is stressed to the eyeballs, as he got lost near Drymen.

Registration over and try to get him to go for a wee sleep, but he’s like a cat on a hot tin roof.
I really enjoyed the buzz in the car park; even my 15-year-old son was getting right into the spirit of it all.

Meet up with DQ who is his usual chirpy self and after spending 10 minutes winding my wean up about boyfriends we head back outside to blether with Corned Beef, Ian & Angela Rae, Jon Steel and his mate and a host of other well kent faces.
Bump into a couple of guys from the Striders and discover that Irene Wilson has worked her magic again and convinced two unsuspecting club mates that the WHWR is the business. David Ross and Ewan are doing backup for a guy they’ve never met or even spoken too. They wander round the car park looking for a guy “with a yellow hat on”. How in gods name does she does it?

SR is getting a bit flappy. The van load of London’s finest fire-fighters are in no rush to reach the start line and with another runners kit to be packed he starts to wander round muttering to himself, I never knew there were so many expletives. Told the children to cover their ears and never to repeat anything they heard coming out of SR’s mouth.

12.30an Race briefing
Now I understand how people get confused. Mr Race Director stands in a car park wi a skirt on and shouts down a megaphone and still no one can hear. There were quite a few naughty boys giggling and laughing nervously amongst themselves as he spoke.
Lord of the Bridge took over and uttered the quote of the weekend for me. “Let me talk about weather -you’re gonna encounter some out there” Pure quality man.

And they’re off. We stood on the embankment on the south side and watched as the runners all disappeared into the tunnel and they’re gone.

Knowing I had an early start and a busy checkpoint. SR had asked if I would see him at one stop before hearing to Auchtertyre. The stop was Beech Tree. Now as you know my challenge was north to south so I’m not familiar with the early checkpoints. So he said “just follow the van”. Hmmmmmm that would be fine if I didn’t have a load of gear to collect for my checkpoint. By the time I was finished with the Lord of the Bridge the car park was empty. And I mean EMPTY. I hadn’t even paid attention to the general direction of the departing traffic. There I was a lonely figure with two sleepy kids at 1.35am stranded in Milngavie. Totally lost, my son typed Tyndrum into the sat nav and I headed north. I pulled over in a lay-by and blubbed as I text to say we wouldn’t be there. I had failed in the one and only thing he asked of me.

3am arrived at the wigwams and sorted the children out for a night sleeping in the car.
Woke up 3 and half hours later and managed to untangle myself from where the sleeping bag got caught in the steering wheel.
A quick shake down and I was off to meet Murdo Mc at Carmyle Cottage with some barrier tape he was promised. Arrived with my jammie trousers still on and didn’t even feel silly.

Back for a quick shower and it was time to set up our checkpoint. I have to thank the kindly gents who assisted my Maw and me with putting up the Eco Tent. You may have noticed the large white canopy with Strathaven Striders splashed up the side. I was quite a feat to erect but we got there in the end. It came into its own when we had three sports therapists to house too.

Really busy checkpoint as usual. Recruited an extra couple of helpers in the form of my Aunt and Uncle. Auld Chris (uncle) did a sterling job with directing the traffic, so much so he’s already booked time off next year. My kids are old hands at it now. Wee Hannah Mac is the tattie queen.

Great to meet a bunch of new people and I apologies if I was a bit distracted. Soooooooo many people congratulated Mum and I on our Cally. Loads of people I didn’t even recognise. Sorry Mrs Pacepusher, but you look different in the flesh ;-)
Thank you all.

Some people were moving too fast to stop for blether, but they didn’t escape the SCALES!!! Some people forgot it was a race and bleathered for ages. I was in the car when I heard the unmistakeable voice of Big Davie the Polis. I just had to go and say hello.

I got permission to abandon my post to track down the Pirate. It had been such a long time since I’d seen him and I had failed miserably by not being at Beech Tree. Also during our phone chats he sounded really down so I really wanted to see him. Came in to my checkpoint and got weighed in a fanfare of pirate hats. All family had donned them in his honour. Bloomin funny. Then handed him over to the crew.

Before I knew it he was off and so were we. Stopped of at BOO for 10 mins followed by a tea break at Kingy. Then off to Fort Bill for a couple hours shut eye. My sis in law Arlene and I were manning the finish from midnight til 6am. And my bro, Chris was sweeping from Kingy at 11.30. Drove him back there and hoped that I might catch the Pirate and The Hooperman there before I left. Only a chance conflab with Dot and Hils, marshals, led me to them in the back of the van. They had made great time since they left me at Auchtertyre. Shared a coffee and the pirate had a wee forty winks on my lap. Sorry if this is a bit soppy but it was nice to have a wee bit of time before knowing they were off up the Staircase. Bro was primed the Pirate and the Hooperman had to finish come what may and he was to boot them in the b*ll*cks if need be.
Raced back to Fort Bill to relive Mum. She had stepped in for me for a bit. Just as well!!! About 20 runners finished in a very short space of time (all trying for sub 24) and the poor doctor doing the bloods was overwhelmed. Add to the mix an ill runner and you can imagine the chaos. Luckily Mum is the gaffer at the blood transfusion service donor suite and jags folk for a living. I think she’s just talked herself back in to a nightshift stint next year.

Great to see DQ, Corned Beef, and Big Stoo etc when I came on shift. Not so good being sworn to secrecy re CB hair brained idea to continue up to Inverness. To say I was slightly concerned is an understatement. Panic set in when I realised he still had a tracker and it wouldn’t be a secret for much longer. All came good in the end though, Crazy Aussie Well done CB.

The night passed quickly and we were soon heading back for a couple hours of shuteye. Got word that the boys had left Lundavra. So got ourselves together and headed back to the finish. Was sorry to have missed the twins and big Davie the polis finishing.
Before long I couldn’t contain it any longer. Standing about was winding me up. Headed out the path towards Braveheart. Just before reaching it I happened upon man mountain Big Al escorting one tired Pirate. I thought it strange that he kept asking how far we had to go. Given that he has been on the Way so many times. As we reached the houses he decided he wanted to run. This is the ONLY time I have ever been quicker than him. As we approached the centre I saw all the crew, my family and lots of our friends. It was really emotional and quite a reception. Even people in the houses were cheering. He was filmed as he ran in, and I held back. As I entered the centre he was necking a rather large half that the Race daddy had offered. At this point tiredness and a rollercoaster of emotions took over and I blubbed AGAIN. What is it with this bloody race it makes me cry all the time. I was just so pleased that he was home safe and managed to banish the demons of last years DNF. Time is immaterial.

So, a strange one? Yes it was. But definitely the best so far.
And what of next year? A marshal, backup, party planner? Who knows? But I can tell you this it wont be long before the plans start all over again. The Pirate has more to give, he’ll be back, but maybe next year I will enforce an early to bed rule.

And what of the post race party. Well I enjoyed myself. A wee bit more sleep deprived than I would have liked. But a nice meal followed by a few drinkeys is always good. Glad to hear Jody has forgiven me for making him stop longer than planned at Auchtertyre. Even though he had no idea it was actually ME.
Glad too to hear that Dave is not the only one to need help with his pants. Sonic, your secrets safe with me;-)
Loving DQ’s new bag. Had a laugh with Jeff whatshis name fae Ireland re phoning his granny last year. A bit gutted that I missed Debbie MC and Sharon trying to make the Pirate dance but getting robotics in return

Two weekends, two versions of the WHW, too knackered for anything.

Thanks to everyone who made this weekend what it is. I truly do feel like I have an extended family.

Mrs Mac x