Flying solo ...

Saturday morning. 5am. It's dark outside and threatening to rain.

Once again, I peel myself from the warm, comfortable bed and try and wake myself up a little. Shower, dress and make a cuppa. Today was going to be an exciting, albeit slightly nerve-racking, start of a memorable weekend. The first full days of my marshalling life.

Coffee done, I pull the orange romper suit off the hanger where it had been since I had won it on eBay the week before. It's not perfect, but it'll do. I will eventually get round to ordering a made to measure one - but that will have to wait until all the paperwork is in order. I twist and turn as I pull the overalls on, and finally manage to get the suit zipped up. I pull on my boots, and then check that I have put everything into the rucksack that I would need. I re-read the instructions sent to me for sign on, take the paddock pass out of the envelope ready to put on my dashboard, put the ticket into my pocket, check my lunchbox is suitably stocked and fill the water bottle.

Reasonably sure that I had everything I needed I lugged the stuff to the car, coaxed the engine into life and headed off. Petrol station, cash machine and then off to Donington for the F3/GT weekend.

My mind was racing a little on the trip down. I had been there before on the taster day of course, but this time there would be no friendly faces pointing me in the right direction. I didn't fully know what to expect, but I was on my way and going to enjoy the weekend regardless.

Before I know it I'm at the circuit. I head in through the main entrance, and the security post that had looked at me strangely on the taster day spotted the pass and orange overalls, smiled and just waved me through. They obviously mistook me for a real marshal or something!

Using the Zen art of navigating (follow someone who looks like they know where they are going ...) I found my way to the paddock entrance. Again, the security guys spot the pass and overalls and wave me through. I then realise that I am entirely too early. Sign on starts at 7.45am - it's now 6.50am! I wanted to leave enough time in case I had any issues with my 4x4 on the way down, but it did me proud and didn't miss a beat. The gateway is open to the assembly area so on I go onto the track. Hazard lights on I gingerly drive round, hoping that I am actually allowed to be there, fully expecting a car to come racing up behind me and ask me what the heck I think I am doing.

There is no car chase of course, and I turn off the track towards the sign on area, only to be presented with a closed gate. I get out, fully expecting it to be locked, but find that it's not. I swing the gate open, drive through, close it again and wait again for the irate circuit staff member to come wagging fingers at me ... and again, it doesn't happen. As I wait, rechecking the instructions in case I was in the wrong place, another car comes through and drives down to the meeting area. I follow on behind and park up in the car park. I wait and watch as the driver of the other vehicle gets out and slowly gets his kit out of the back of the car. I spot another orange romper suit, so lock up the car and head slowly down to say hello and check I was in the right area. The guy seems more than a little surprised to see me, but is polite and chats as much as someone can at that time in the morning.

As we chat, a few more cars turn up. More guys get out and the orange trickle begins. People with briefcases turn up and unlock various doors. Those in the know start congregating around the area. I venture inside the room with a couple of the guys and spot sheets being placed on the counter with people's names on for sign on. A quick scan of the sheets and I spot my name on one. This is it! It's official!

I am about the third person to sign on. With as much of a smile as I can muster over the nerves, I joke to the official about being nice to me as it's my first day marshalling. He scours the list and decides to place me on Post 4 with someone called "Ian", as he is "really good with new marshals". A handshake and a "welcome to the mad house" later and I'm all signed up and ready to go. I go outside and check the list of post chiefs outside, and spot Ian's full name. I had no idea who he was, or where to go specifically. I knew where Post 4 was from the taster day, but that was about it.

More and more people arrive and sign on. I scan the faces to see if there were any that I recognised. Eventually there was - Ian and Caroline who had looked after me on the taster day! I still had no idea if the Ian I had met a few weeks before was the same Ian that I would be posted with on the day or not - we hadn't exactly exchanged full names before. I try and spot any name badge on Ian's overalls, but I can't. I just nod, smile, and keep myself mostly to myself as sign on continues.

8.15am and sign on is concluded. There is a quick briefing on the day by the organisers - most of which goes straight over my head. International rules for one race, but not for another. Radio messages to be kept short and sweet etc. The briefing draws to an end and everyone starts heading off. I sum up the courage to interrupt the Ian I recognised to ask if he was, in fact, the same Ian as I needed to meet up with for the day. To my delight, he was! At least there would be a friendly face for my first day. I apologise to him for being saddled with me again, and ask the dumb question of where I was going and what to do with my car. He politely informed me and headed off.

I jump in the car and drive back up to the top of the road to the track at Redgate. I park up just inside the fenced area, climb out and get my gear together. I wait for Ian, and then start on the long hike (well, it felt long!) across the track and gravel trap to the post area. Already there was Ben, who would be Observer/Flag for the day. I introduce myself and warned him that it would become painfully obvious that this was my first day, and I had no real clue as to what I was doing.

Ian started setting up the post. I was handed a couple of extinguishers and sent off to the other side of the track to set them up. By the time I returned Ian had set up the others and we were ready for the day. A quick brief and the day was under way.

The day was fairly uneventful from an incident point of view. We watched as the various practice sessions got under way. The drivers, clearly trying to get a feel for the track, were all very cautious going around Redgate, so we had little to do. Ian deftly pointed me in the right direction as needed, and Ben waved the appropriate flags in the appropriate places. Ben came and spoke to us from time to time between sessions, and Ian was the ever professional expert, doing whatever it is that these experienced marshals needed to do. Watching the various types of car head round the track was fantastic, and I was glad that there wasn't much to do while I became accustomed to the role.

In the afternoon there were a few races, and this provided more entertainment. One of the Formula Fords decided to test their drifting skills across the gravel trap, which in turn created a hail storm of small rocks heading our way that we needed to take cover from. One of the Caterhams beached itself in the gravel, and once the session was over we needed to push it back to the exit area at Redgate in. Pushing a lowered car through gravel is akin to trying to push a saloon car up a steep hill - lots of grunting and groaning but little distance covered in a seemingly long time. Before long the day was over, and we packed up the post and headed off home. An hour later and I was collapsing in my chair, exhausted but with a big grin on my face.

Sunday morning. Another 5am start, but with a little less trepidation about the day this time. Once again I climb into the truck and head off to Donington. Once again I arrive earlier than I probably should have, but I was eager to get the day started. The rain gods had decided that today was going to be an interesting day on track. It had rained over night, but stopped by the time I got half way to the circuit. I arrive at the sign on area nice and early again, and I am assigned to the same post again. This time I spend some time chatting to Ben and a few of the other marshals while we wait for the briefing, which made the start of the day much more comfortable than Saturdays.

The briefing comes, and a very confusing set of instructions are issued regarding the different classes of race and the requirements for flags and reporting "4 wheels off". I try and take in the information in case there is a quiz later in the day as threatened by Ben. Briefing over, I confidently stride to the car and drive back up to the same parking area as before. I grab my gear and take the long walk across to the post ready to help set up. Once again, I am sent across the track to set up the extinguishers, and then we are good to go.

Sunday was mostly racing, which was made even more interesting with the variable weather conditions of the day. The day started with a wet track but no rain. This turned into a slippery track as it dried out, to a dry track - back to a wet one as the rain came down. Coats went on and came off. The rain did manage to point out one vital piece of equipment that I was missing however. There's nothing like reduced visibility due to a lack of windscreen wipers on your glasses to make you realise that you should have taken a hat of some variety! A reduced lunch break and a quick dash to the Donington merchandise stand resolves the issue. Five quid later and I am the proud owner of a Braun GP baseball cap.

The races continue, and several false alarms kept us on our toes as vehicles pirouetted around the track by us, all able to recover by themselves. The F3 race and one of the cars decide to park in the gravel. We pull the driver to safety and leave the car there until the end of the race. Of course, just as we declare it in a safe position, Will Buller takes an excursion through the trap, missing the car by a matter of feet! The race was soon over and Ian and I swung into action as we helped the driver back to his car and the tractor pull it away. Brushes out and a track sweeping session later and we're back to racing condition. In one of the Caterham races, two cars come together on the track and one of them deposits a wheel guard on the side of the track. Risking life and limb (well, in so much as the risk of a heart attack during the run) I am dispatched over the tyre wall and across the trap to recover the discarded part. The cars of course were well round the track on the other side to us, but it was an interesting experience nonetheless.

During one of the breaks between the sessions, I am surprised to learn from Ben that I had won a prize in the marshal's raffle! After a detailed explanation of how to get to Race Control to collect the prize, the rescue unit takes a drive around the track and stops at our post, handing an envelope to Ben, who then passes it on to me. After we have finished sweeping the track I return to the post and open the envelope - it's a fiver! Completely unexpected and very welcome, it turns out that in effect my nice new cap that was keeping my head mostly dry had effectively been for free!

The last race of the day arrives. A three hour GT endurance race. It's also an endurance test for the marshals, as once the session is under way, you can't just pop off and grab a cuppa. For three long hours we watch the cars thunder around the track, shifting weight from one leg to another, wandering up and down the wall checking the extinguishers ... anything to keep the legs moving and the urge to just sit down and have a kip at bay. A few skids and spins were observed during the race, but overall nothing much happened in our sector.

The end of the day and we put the post to bed. I thank both Ben and Ian for looking after me over the weekend, and head back to the car. As I drive out of the track there is an even bigger smile on my face. I am hooked. If I can stand there in sheeting rain watching not much happen in the way of incidents and yet still have a thoroughly enjoyable weekend then there must be something to this marshalling malarkey! The only down side is that at the moment the 2012 dates are not on the site so I can start planning my year. I think my next outing will be for one of the training days I have been told about, but again I await the details. I will also be trying to convince some of my friends and work colleagues to get involved in the orange, and all the rewards it brings.

Roll on 2012!