Cross Country 2009-2010

Sunday XC League - Year End Results - 22nd February 2010

Well done to the 3 men who qualified for the Year End results of the XC
League.
Ian Horritt who finished 10th in the Senior Mens Competition with finishes at
63rd/43rd/43rd and 40th places. Michael Wilson in the Vet40 Category in
131/161/145/117 placings and Edward Barnard who finished in 25th place in the
Senior Men Category and completed in all 5 races in 184th/182nd/195th/191st
and
151st finishes.

Sunday XC League - Watford - 21st February 2010

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

The last race in this years series finally came round on a wet and damp Sunday
morning in Watford. Nobody seemed to know what the full distance was going to
be. Theories had it from 5 - 6.2 miles. But in truth it was 7 miles of a
quite hilly course and apparently about half a mile or more further than last
year. We once again struggled to field a team, some were running to complete
their 4 out of 5, some to get rid of a bad result earlier in the series. We
even had a lady turn out this time!. Well done to Gillian on her first XC
outing for us coming in in 36th position. With Ian missing, it was Derek who
came in first for the men followed by Miguel. Mick completing his 4th race in
the series and well done to Edward the only member to do all 5 fixtures. I
finished but it wasn't easy, have to do better next year. Thanks also to Jim
Bird for his enthusiastic support.
Don Bennett.

Sunday Cross country League - Royston - 3rd January 2010

Five hardy souls from the club drove to this location north of Stansted for a
particularly tough and relentlessly hilly course in cold but sunny
conditions. The course consists of one lap of a hilly field, followed by two
laps of a larger circuit. At one point the runners pass each other in opposite
directions, giving them the opportunity to hail fellow team members. At
another point, the hill is so steep that "climbing" is a better word to use
than "running". The runners complained of never being able to take it easy as
the race consists of ups followed by downs with only one section that may be
described as flat. Ian stormed ahead to clock a very respectable time, faster
than last year, followed by Derek, Jamie, Mike and Edward, who used the
word "evil" to sum up the experience. Rachel was in attendance to offer
support on those tough hair-pin bends. Next stop Watford in February for the
last race of the season.

Sunday Cross Country League - Trent Park, Cockfosters - 13th December 2009

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

A truly testing course started confusing us right from the start. The opening
2 laps of the top field became 3 figure of eight laps with runners merging in
and out of each other before finally leaving the top field. After a downhill
stretch came the second field and a further two laps with runners on their
first and second laps passing each other. The course turned out to be closer
to 10km than the advertised 9km. The men's team were short-handed and with
Miguel having to pull put with an injury, all the rest battled hard. Thanks to
Jim Bird for his enthusiastic support. There were 340 finishers. The next race
comes up early in the New Year on January 3rd at Royston.

Essex Vets Cross Country Championships - Chigwell Row - Saturday 5th December 2009

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

A bright sunny, but cool morning following a period of heavy rain left this
two lap hilly course very muddy and demanding. Nevertheless the Ladies team
put up a spirited performance. Regretably the Men were unable to provide a
full Team but well done to Mick and Grant for their efforts. Good to see the
support of Jim and Frank (on crutches) as well as some of the families of the
Ladies!

Sunday Cross Country League - Rowney Warren, Chicksand, Beds - 22nd November 2009

Well done to Ian and Edward for travelling up to Bedford to represent the Club
in the second fixture of the season. Regretably we had too few runners to
record a team score. Very tough course (think: Royston, but entirely in a
forest), bit narrow at the start, so most runners came to a stop a few times,
but good enough.

Sunday Cross Country League : Cheshunt Park, Broxbourne - 25th October 2009

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

Good first turnout, managing to field a full men's team of 8. Unfortunately
the women's team all making their XC debut's were short by 2 to make a full
team of 5. Men's race had 213 finishers , the Ladies race 108. The first
Cross Country is behind us, and so begins another season! We managed to field
a full team of men but with none to spare. The ladies numbered four falling
short by two to make a full team. There is always a next time though! Some
good runs were had with Ian 1st, Miguel 2nd followed by Mike in 3rd place. The
ladies also gave a good account of themselves with Katherine crossing the line
1st, for ELR ladies, followed by Kristina and then Priya in 3rd. Unfortunatly
Jennifer had to DNF due to a badly blistered foot that apparently she had been
nursing before the race. This worsened through the run and by the start of the
third and final lap was ( not by her own choosing) pulled out by the
Marshalls. Bad luck!! With her determination it won't be long before she is
flying round the courses.