Cross Country 2014-2015

Orion Mercury 10 Mile - Saturday 14th March 2015

also Simon Morgan 31st 1.25.47.

Chingford League Relays , Wanstead Flats - 2 miles - Saturday 7th March 2015

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

National Cross Country Championships, Hampstead Heath - Saturday 21st February 2015

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

Ladies : 865 finishers, Men: 2005 finishers. * Due to a mix up collecting the Ladies numbers some times are not official times but estimated.

Sunday Cross Country League - Event 5 - Royston - Sunday 15th February 2015

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

Chingford League Fixture 5 - Victoria Park 5m - Saturday 14th February 2015

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

252 FINISHERS.

SEAA Cross Country , Brighton - Saturday 24th January 2015

Chingford League Fixture 4 - Chingford Orion XC - Saturday 17th January 2015

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

182 finishers.

Some photos courtesy of Orion Running Club.

Sunday Cross Country League - Event 4 - Trent Park - Sunday 11th January 2015

134 ladies/ 236 men.

Essex County XC Championships, Claybury Park - Saturday 3rd January 2015

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

Ladies 107 finishers. Team 15th of 23 279pts.
Men 200 finishers. Team 10th ELR A team 466pts,20th ELR B team 965pts.
Simon Morgan (life member)139th 54.38.

Chingford League Fixture 3 - Trent Park, Cockfosters - Saturday 27th December 2014

150 finishers.

Essex Vets XC Championships, Chigwell Row - Saturday 29th November 2014

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

Team results :Vet Ladies 7th place,B Team 16th & Vet 40 Men 8th place, B Team 11th




It seemed like a balmy spring like morning but in reality it was the last Saturday in November when the old folks of Essex including the ELR teams rolled up for the County's Vets Championships of 2014 in the Woodland Trust area of Hainault Forest.

However despite the calm dry weather conditions underfoot were extremely wet and muddy following the heavy rains of recent weeks.

At 11am the Ladies 35+ and the Male Vets 50+ set off on the 2 lap 5.4 mile challenge and within 200 metres they met their first "obstacle", into the trees, uphill, smelly, muddy, boggy ground that seemed to go on for 200 metres or so. This led to better paths and before long they were cruising down a big hill(also muddy in parts) before heading back uphill to Squires Oak and a short downhill, past the two houses and back into the heart of the forest. A long diagonal drag and a big uphill challenge awaited before more normal and flatter ground could be gained which led to the run back to and on the plain to the start/finish. Just another lap and it was all over, easy? Never, enjoyable? Yes, Great sense of achievement? Definitely!

Then at 12 noon, having had the course softened up for them the young males aged 40 to 50 did the same except faster, allegedly.

Hosted by Ilford AC on behalf of ESSEX AAA the race was expertly organised and marshalled. Thanks to Mike and Jim for their support.






Maya's Race Report
So I've been casually calling it 'The Old Lady Race' since I said I'd run it a few weeks ago. Everyone kept talking about the mud. And the hills. And the mud. And the hills. And oh, did I know it would be muddy? I stoically ignored them and called it The Old Lady Race. That sounded much nicer, I decided.
A balmy sunny November morning. 'Course, we're lucky with the weather. Remember two years ago Frank ? When it was snowing?' You're not all helping you know!
Hmm. Maybe I should have listened more about the mud. A quick trip to the 'ladies' was muddy enough. I was disappointed with the facilities, I have to be honest. No Moulton Brown handwash, and no paper, but at least there was no queue. A few more leaves on the trees would have been appreciated though...
Two numbers this time, one on the back telling the world I'm not 45 yet. Which would normally be great, except when you're one of the youngest, and you're still at the back, racing a 78 year old ex international. Tell you what though, Pam has great support. I'm changing my name to Pam next ELR race I do. And I always knew how close she was on my tail, by judging how loud I could hear people cheering her.
Anyway. The mud. Glory BE, the mud. It was actually incredible. I had a proper Vicar of Dibley moment in one puddle, right upto my knees. But I kept both my shoes, which I think was a result actually. I'm putting that down to Karen and her 'lace up tight ladies' just before the off. And it was just so muddy, and just so hilly, that at some points I just had to walk. The thing with being at the back, is you know you're not the only walker, so while I just never could quite catch my teammate Sheila , I wasn't ever overtaken either.
Halfway round and there are the men, cheering. I love the East East East London chant. It makes me laugh. They're threatening to chase me round again like they did at Parliament Hill, but I know their race starts soon, so they won't have the time. Phew.
Round again. Past all the speedy runners on their way down. Here's a thing, when you are running towards someone, you get splashed in the face a fair bit. That made me laugh too. Past all the marshals again. All the marshals were great. Really happy and encouraging and bouncy. Even the one near the end who had the nerve to be eating a lovely looking ham roll, which I cheerfully could have snatched and eaten on the hoof.
And to the end. A downhill, relatively unmuddy (in comparison) stretch. Maud and Caroline there to run me home, and I knew that Pam probably had a good finish, so I actually managed a sprint with a smile. Not sure which is more of an achievement for me, I'm normally a scowly, staggery finisher...!
And I'm done. I was actually quite stressed about today. More than Parliament Hill. But it was so so pretty, and the mud made me laugh. And Pretending I Was Pam made me laugh too.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a LOT of mud in my toes, and I'd like to be allowed back in the pool at my gym tomorrow.

Sunday Cross Country League - Event 2 - Grovelands Park - Sunday 23rd November 2014

248 men, 133 ladies. Team : MEN 15TH of 21, Ladies 17th of 21.

London Cross Country Championships , Hampstead Heath - Saturday 15th November 2014

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

ELR Ladies and Mens Teams plus No 1 Supporter, Club Treasurer Don Bennett!

Maya's day (some expletives deleted!).

Follow the muddy people from the station. Crikey, some of them are truly filthy. Oh. They have rugby kit on. Ok. Calm down Maya. Right. So I'm bloody SURE that hill didn't look that steep in the photos.

Yep. It feels like I'm a horse at the start of the Grand National. Oh MY. He has a starter gun! No sirens here. Where's Chris Hoy and his horn? And GO.

Start strong, I can hear the boys shouting for us. Don't stop Maya.
WHEN IS THE BLOODY TOP COMING? This hill is just awful. Finally, the top. And a down. Now if I could just stop my lungs from burning, I could think about running properly.

Ok. I'm feeling better now. Keep going. Splosh splosh. You are KIDDING ME. UP AGAIN??? Don't walk Maya. Ooh. Look. I could actually overtake that skinny girl in black wearing headphones! Ok. Stay calm. Just keep going... I'm gaining... I'm gaining... I'm actually OVERTAKING.... YIPPEEE. I'm not last! Just make sure she doesn't catch me.

Holy cow. Another bloody hill. But look, people are walking! You could walk too Maya. No don't walk. Walk. No don't walk. Please walk! NO DONT WALK! Oh. I'm walking... Right. That's enough. Run again.

Look, I could catch another person! She's walking, just don't walk and you'll have her. Ha! Gotcha lady!

Oh. She just over took me again. Dammit. Oh well. I still have skinny headphones girl behind me. Really?? Another UP?? Sod this. I'm walking. Oh, but look, walking girl is walking again. Cmon Maya, RUN. Nope. Can't catch her.

What's that you say Marshall? Downhill to the halfway point? Really? FANBLOODYTASTIC. Watch your step Maya, don't slip. So this is easier. What's that noise? Look! It's the boys team! What a racket they are making! Keep going let them see how you're coping ok.

Right. Halfway. Bloody hell this is tough. And look. That awful hill again. Don't walk Maya. It's no good. I have to walk. Hang ON a cotton pickin minute. The boys are at the top of the hill to cheer already?? How on earth did they get there so fast??

Bugger. Now I can't walk. Yes Grant I'm trying to use my core, but this hill hurts! But there's walking girl again. This time she's MINE. Gotcha. Downhill again. Ignore your lungs Maya, you've done it once, you can do it again. Just find your breath quickly on this down, because.... Yep. There's an up again.

Ok. You can walk a little bit. No WAY. How do they do that?? Those bloody boys seem to miraculously appear just as my legs want to give up! Ok ok, I'm running. Did you hear that Maya? They're proud of you! Don't get emotional, just keep MOVING.

Last long up. Look over your shoulder, don't worry, she's way behind. Have a little walk. No flipping WAY. Those boys are stalkers! Every hill they've been there to stop me stopping!

Ok. I'll keep trying and pushing. Occupy your mind Maya, think about your race report. Would you do this race again? No I bloody won't. It's soooo hard.

And now it's the final down. Stretch your legs and go a bit quicker... Don't slip now.. LOOK! It's my girls! They're running to meet me! And now they're running with me!

The finish line is right there! I've done it!

No time to rest though, we have to run to the start to cheer the boys as they start in a minute, hurry hurry, phew, made it.

COME ON ELR!!

So there you go. My thoughts as I ran, pretty much verbatim. I wasn't last. I was very muddy. And actually, would I run it again? You betcha.



Maya in action!

Chingford League Fixture 2- Redbridge Cycle Track 5K, Hog Hill, Hainault. - Tuesday 4th November 2014

Finishers:- 124 men, 52 ladies. Times to be confirmed.

Sunday League Cross Country Fixture 1 - Cheshunt - 26th October 2014

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

366 finishers, 243 men & 123 ladies.

SEAA Cross Country Relays, Wormwood Scrubs - Saturday 18th October 2014

Pictures available in Photo Gallery

Well done to our team at the South of England x country relay champs at Wormwood Scrubs today.

A quick and easy journey across town to White City on the central line to the race venue at the Linford Christie Stadium to register the team.
Russell Price led us off on the first leg, followed by yours truly, then Patrick Brown ran leg 3 and Paul Thompson brought us home. All the team gave it their all and I think we all had fast times over the 5k distance on a relatively flat course in a well organised event that gave us a chance to compete against some international athletes in a strong field.
Thanks to our 3 supporters as well, Julie Brown, her mum and beautiful baby Annalise. Next year we should try and field at least two teams. Grant.

Chingford League Fixture 1- Redbridge Cycle Track 5K, Hog Hill, Hainault. - Tuesday 7th October 2014

Men's Senior team 4th and Vets team 5th (out of 11).
Women's Senior Team 7th and Vets team 7th (out of 11).
Total of 130 Men, 58 Women and a number of non-scoring guest runners.