Pennine Bridleway Relay

[Antisocial]

I call it levity.

My first relay (Calderdale) was in 1985 and it seems to me that over the last 20 years it is the hilarity of these events that people remember and still talk about, not recollecting the performances of well-oiled machines of soul-less superstars.

Skyrac once came 4th in the Calderdale but a much better story is how a Skyrac leg 5 runner ran across the road at the very start of his leg, fell off the stile and broke his leg.

Brilliant!

Or the year one pair were still in the tea tent as the previous leg runners came powering in.

Or watching the runner who ran his leg after being concussed and had lost his sense of balance so was swaying from side to side.

Or the chap who turned up and asked his partner to go easy because he had run the 50 mile Round Rotherham Race the previous day.

Or...

or how this year the Keighley leg 3 teams started to run leg 4 cos the leg 4 team was still in the car changing and how the leg 5 team inc Brett turned up way after the leg 4 team had finished losing Keighley 17 places.

Another favourite was at the Vets relays at Bowland in 2007, We were desperately waiting for one of the team to turn up, on ringing him we found out that he had put the details in his sat nav and ended up in a cul de sac in Preston. My overriding memory is of my colleague (a teacher) saying down the phone (with barely supressed fury), Dave you need to turn off your sat nav, pick up your map and f.....g get here. Luckily he made it just in time whilst I was on the starting line ready for a second leg.

[Graham Breeze]

Or getting lost (but who hasn't?)

Or doing a second leg in a mass start (Fell Captain steps into the breach stuff) and asking my younger, faster, partner to take it easy because I had just done 10 miles to watch him respond by setting off at 100 metres pace.

[zimmer]

My thanks to the lads in team 48 'cock up'. They were at Fearns before 7 setting up and doing kit checks while some were still in bed . Good honest lads who helped make sure event was a success.

[stevefoster]

Though I agree , I think that it is inevitable that the most freely proclaimed spirits conform and buckle down to what they intially see as restrictive practice, for example the Fell Ponies (the non club) entered a team for this race - unless of course they were practicing double standards.

What's wrong with the Fell Ponies paying their money and entering a team? Are relay's some sort of elitist races for 'proper' clubs?
We paid, we raced, we enjoyed, simple

[Al Fowler]

What's wrong with the Fell Ponies paying their money and entering a team? Are relay's some sort of elitist races for 'proper' clubs?
We paid, we raced, we enjoyed, simple

I have to say, it wouldnt of been the same if the ponies where not there!!!!!!

Having a laugh at the Leg 3/4 change-over with everyone, and talking to George and Mrs C and all-sorts. Watching Merry play with his kids, amex with his footy skills and messed up mind, his wife with her big smile and happy comment, pudgys comment before it all started "You look cold Fowler, welcome to Rozzy Valley"

After id run and was with everyone laughing and chatting away, i wished id been a pony.

[DazTheSlug]

Thanks Al

(we know you're a Pony at heart )

[stevefoster]

I have to say, it wouldnt of been the same if the ponies where not there!!!!!!

Having a laugh at the Leg 3/4 change-over with everyone, and talking to George and Mrs C and all-sorts. Watching Merry play with his kids, amex with his footy skills and messed up mind, his wife with her big smile and happy comment, pudgys comment before it all started "You look cold Fowler, welcome to Rozzy Valley"

After id run and was with everyone laughing and chatting away, i wished id been a pony.

Yeah, we're not a bad bunch to hang around with, never a dull moment, and anyone's welcome to have a laugh with us, or run with us, we're a group of friends that share a common interest, a bit like a 'proper' club, and you and emmilou are ponies and Tussockface is a Calder Valley member and whoever you choose to run for on the day is fine. Think Antisocial is just trying to wind someone up, that's ok, he may succeed with some, but not me, he will always have a special place in my heart, being of natural beauty myself, i always feel sorry for the people who have fallen out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down
Hope he still respects me in the morning

[Al Fowler]

Yeah, we're not a bad bunch to hang around with, never a dull moment, and anyone's welcome to have a laugh with us, or run with us, we're a group of friends that share a common interest, a bit like a 'proper' club, and you and emmilou are ponies and Tussockface is a Calder Valley member and whoever you choose to run for on the day is fine. Think Antisocial is just trying to wind someone up, that's ok, he may succeed with some, but not me, he will always have a special place in my heart, being of natural beauty myself, i always feel sorry for the people who have fallen out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down
Hope he still respects me in the morning

George mentioned getting a Pony tattoo, you not got your name on that list as well?

[stevefoster]

George mentioned getting a Pony tattoo, you not got your name on that list as well?

Might have one already

[Antisocial]

What's wrong with the Fell Ponies paying their money and entering a team? Are relay's some sort of elitist races for 'proper' clubs?
We paid, we raced, we enjoyed, simple

Absolutely nothing - just thinking back to the founding free spirit principles that's all. When are your committee elections?