Today, VC Consulting entered the Corporate Relay Challenge, which took place on the University of Birmingham campus. In support of the learning disabilities charity, Mencap, the day consisted of 3 separate relay races; one for women and children, a mixed race and the men’s event, followed by a barbeque and networking. Being an all-male team of 4, we entered the men’s race with an ambitious aim of all four of us running the mile course (i.e. 4 miles in total) in a time of 25 minutes or less!
With this in mind, we decided to undertake training as a team. Chris, our designated office trainer, took us to Canon Hill Park on a wet and windy Tuesday evening (the same place where I went for my free British Military Fitness session) to undertake in a variety of exercises, including ground exercises (comprising a mix of squat thrusts, burpees, press ups and others) and “Fartlek” training (interval training of varying intensities). It was a good session, highlighting our common lack of fitness (though some were worse than others) and, importantly, that our 25-minute target was much too ambitious. Plus, I got bitten by what I can only assume were fleas. Wonderful. We all agreed to do it again soon (so that was the end of our training), and left confident that we definitely could not achieve the four miles in 25 minutes between us.
The day of the race dawned grey and dull, and it looked unlikely that the promised barbeque at the University was going to happen, which only strengthened our resolve to not go. Nonetheless, our sense of duty to our sponsors, all 3 of them, and our macho pride (i.e. not to chicken out) meant we retained the motivation to run. With the added incentive of a meal at Cafe Rouge after the race (2 for 1 on main meals!), we soldiered on to the race itself, dressed in our corporate colour T-shirts (grey, purportedly with a purple sash, though we decided this may be seen as too effeminate). Except that both Lawrence and Shihab had forgotten and were wearing yellow and blue respectively. Never mind!
By the time the men’s race was due to start at 8pm, we were cold, our warm up had definitely worn off but the weather had miraculously cleared up. With Shihab running first, we approached the race with high hopes that we could finish, if not within our 25 minute target, then at least in the top half of the field. These hopes swiftly evaporated as the klaxon sounded and Shihab immediately fell to the back of the pack, maintaining a steady, unremarkable pace. As runners started to return just outside the 4 minute mark, and the stream of second runners began to leave (Lawrence was waiting eagerly), it became obvious that we had started as we didn’t mean to go on: in last place. Shihab eventually returned at the 8 minute 20 second mark, and Lawrence set off at a slightly faster pace, the last of the second batch to do so. Whilst he was running, the fourth runner of the top team had already left. We were sadly still stuck in last place and it was all up to Chris and I to pull it back.
Chris was last to leave of the third batch of runners, but set off at a storming pace that promised much. Lawrence had completed his mile in 7 minutes 20 seconds – an improvement, yes, but we were still miles behind the closest competition. Chris used his natural fitness combined with our intense training regime to make up some of the time, overtaking one runner who was directly ahead of us and finishing his mile in 6 minutes 10 seconds. It was all on me now to finish the race strongly, and at least maintain our place of not being last: unfortunately, all the waiting and copious liquid I had consumed left me with a rather dodgy stomach and an overdose of adrenaline. I set off at a burning pace nonetheless, and despite a couple of hiccups (quite literal as I almost pushed myself to throwing up), not to mention a strapped up left ankle, managed to finish the course at a reasonable pace. I ran my mile in 6 minutes 20 seconds, which whilst not Olympian, I was pleased with – though it’s clear my fitness leaves a lot to be desired! Though I finished a good 30 seconds behind the next competitor, I did manage to finish ahead of my nemesis in red, meaning that I had maintained our position in the race, if not improved it. VC Consulting (aptly named VC Harriers for the day) finished a very creditable second last. So we didn’t even win the wooden spoon!
All in all, a fun event and all for a good cause. I think the team did really well considering out lack of preparation (some of the other teams were clearly full of specialist short-distance runners). Special credit must go to Shihab who claimed to have not exercised for 9 years prior to the race – so he actually did very well to finish! I’m pretty sure this will be the last of many sporting events that VC Consulting enter.
