Flagging

20th March 2011

Arrive at 9am to flag the course for the Fell Race. It's raining and enthusiasm is low. Soon GB arrives with the flags and we are of up the fell. Carefully placing flags and keeping the routes colour coded, we don't want to lose anyone, and soon we are into the mist and visibility is low. Wet and cold by the summit we leave the flag bags and jog back down. Checking placements to ensure averyone will stay on the right route.

GB goes home when  the registration team arrive, I sit in the car to get warm.

Five minutes to race start and I make my way back up the fell to ensure people know where they are going and turn around at the right place. The junior races seem to go without an hitch and now I await the seniors.

Soon they are streaming past and I pick up the last runner to follow to the summit. Now the last job. Collect all the flags. I set of with two sacks, soon they are filling up and awkward to carry. I hope someone will be coming up to help or other spectators have taken the flags down from the junior races but I am out of luck.

At the junior turn I pick up the third sack and struggle on down. I drop below the mist and can see my car. Everyone else has left. Take a breather. Back at the car I load the three full sack into the back. Dismantle the finish funnell and arms aching head off home. Hot bath, bottle of wine and the satisfaction that I have done a little bit for the fell running community.

Cheers!