Race Report - Wrekenton NEHL Fixture News

NEHL #1: Wrekenton – Saturday 30th September 2017

Match Report

 

So, the Cross-Country season is upon us again – a season filled with optimism for the ladies (following a late great escape from relegation last season) and the men who despite suffering a drop down to Division 3, really believe that this is our year (we really do!)

Arriving just before 2pm (late as ever – you’d think I lived miles away), the first thing I saw was Jason Long leaving! I guess XC is not ideal preparation for the York marathon the following Sunday – best of luck Jason (and Dave Salmon who’s also running).

I found my way to the club tent, expertly erected as usual by Clare and Steve and the other tent fairies, and put on my new (and rather embarrassingly shiny) shocking orange spikes. You need to see them to believe them.

The ladies raced first and it was great to see such a good turnout. Then, almost before we knew it, we were off. Genuinely almost before we knew it – a few of us had to shorten our warm up!

Clare was there with her camera and decided we should take a shot of the guys per race. It was quite tightly packed so clearly my only option to be seen was to get a piggy back off Danny… and nearly putting his back out in the process. Unfortunately, Clare had some ‘camera issues’ and there’s no photographic evidence of this mishap. (If there’s no proof, he can’t sue – that’s my story anyway).

Just before our race, Paul Harrison decided to impart some of his local knowledge and was overheard giving Paul Iredale a reassuring piece of advice before we started “there’s only one hill really, then it's flat all of the rest of the way around”. I *think* Paul I went looking for Paul H after the race to *thank* him for such an *accurate* course description. (the starred words may not accurately reflect the true story…)

Heard on the course:

Spectator to (Dr) Neil Morris (who was just behind me at the time) “Keep pushing, Doc!”

Me to Neil Morris immediately afterwards – “He means push me!”

Seen on the course:

The good ol’ doc knows his stuff and calculated he was carrying too much liquid. Quick pitstop and he was off again. Discretely of course. It’s all about marginal gains, don’t you know.

There were some exceptional performances – Paul Harrison – an early season promotion to medium pack, and Dave France who was second counter from medium. The men’s team finished second, but the performances were so strong that our second group of six finishers would have been in 3rd position.

It was fantastic to see such a huge turnout – 19 ladies and 22 male runners from LFRC – we were the most represented club and almost made four full teams of male runners. This bodes well for the rest of the season and also means we will be taking points off other clubs by having so many finishers – let’s keep it up!

We did have a couple of injuries – Simon Turnbull – who received some medical treatment for a damaged achilles – get well soon pal… and no football during recovery, please!

And we mustn’t forget poor little Stephen Magrath who had a blister. Bless him. You may think that isn’t a big injury but you’ll understand when I tell you, and I quote, “it even popped!” Let’s hope a long spell on the side lines isn’t in store for our brave lad #prayforsteve

And the best part of every XC: the fantastic cakes and muffins at the end. Thanks to Anna Q thinking about the team(!) and all of the other master bakers. I sampled one of Viki's muffins and it was tremendous.

It was also nice to see the local weather was kind while we ran the course, and it was only when we started to begin taking the tent down when the first heard pocking noises on the canvas. The fat drops of rain were few and far between… for the first 30 seconds or so, but inevitably the frequency of the drops began to increase. Suddenly it was bucketing down and any spectators would have seen a burgundy blur with everyone working to a frenzy trying to remove poles, getting things snagged, pulling them back, trying again, rolling it before it was ready and eventually, our brave drowned rats dressed in maroon had succeeded. Just 10 minutes earlier and we would’ve stayed dry!

So well done guys and girls for a great turnout and a bunch of cracking results. Onto Druridge Bay next week for more of the same.

 

Richard