Thank you from your BD5 Race Director

27 December 2022 - By James Attenborough

I always knew this club and its members were awesome, being Race Director for the first time for the BD5 has just cemented that forever!

When I volunteered to be Race Director back in October I had no idea it would be as ace as it was yesterday!

I have been supported by the best race committee I could have asked for. They have supported me in performing tasks to a level way above and beyond what I could have imagined. I’ve never organised a non virtual race or event like this before. I mean I’m just the guy who books your pubs and swears (a lot) on most runs right?!

So on to the following who have sustained, challenged and tolerated me over the last two months…The below list of jobs done is not exhaustive which says an awful lot about the dedication shown.

Natalie Lilley who unfortunately couldn’t be with us on the day but her input and expertise has been invaluable over the last two months.

Jodee Mayer and Fiona Collins who have helped promote the race via social media, done e-mail promotions and also helped massively with the on the day organisation, such as entries, T shirts and booking the vital Coffee van and Jodee with the task of stuffing envelopes with Karen along with bringing various other items on race day.

David Jobling who in true style helped order our T shirts, Trophies and race numbers along with the leaflet drop to local residents plus offered his wisdom and advice throughout.

Ian Lucas for organising and helping with things like the first aid, leaflet drop and collected the timing chips on top of (and I’m sure you will agree) being an awesome Chief Marshal.

Karen Flowers with her wealth of experience and on the day entries, along with paying for our outlays and thinking of the various things I forgot.

James Blackshaw for setting up our online entry system, booked the racetimers and did the most amazing pie charts which definitely dangled a carrot to some of the clubs in order to increase entries.

Thank you also to our previous Race Directors Bill Smythe and Marc Underdown who shared their previous experience and various documents with me to help us with the pre and race day organisation.

Thanks also to James Crisp for dedicating his time to the T shirt and Logo design.

Thanks to Jason Lilley for helping behind the scenes with the website and mail shots amongst other jobs done.

Thanks to the crew of DJ, Graham Eyre, Sam Hajder and Adam Regan who went to the lock up to transfer all the stuff into Andrew Reads van ready for race day. Thank you to Andrew Read for leading the course set up and take down and also to David Carey for leading the race parking.

This year we also managed to raise £1,250 worth of sponsorship so thanks must go to the following for sourcing sponsors: Scott Darney, Kerry Townsend, Celine Elson and Andy Notley.

This amount of sponsorship helped offset the increased costs of everything this year and made sure we made a profit of over £2,800! 50% of this profit will be donated to the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity.

Thank you to everyone who also helped promote the race by sharing the stories and posts on the various social media outlets.

Onto the High viz army, who include those who set up, took down, registrations, baggage, marshaled and of course our pud Leanne who decided she wanted to finish dead last so every one of the 320 finishers beat the pud! All of this captured brilliantly by our photographers David and Anita Grainger.

We look best of course in our black and gold tops, but whilst we don’t don these for our own races, we did the club proud and the comments from the runners has been unanimous in gratitude for you all.

Each and every one of you are thoroughly deserving of those 100 club championship points, and we hope the free drink from the coffee van went a small way as a token of our gratitude for giving up your Boxing Day morning. A true team effort!

It wont be long before we are looking for the next committee for the May Day 10 race, if you’d like to get involved please let any of the committee know.

Many thanks

James Attenborough