A great trip to London for the National XC Champs.
by Dave Rodgers
Although it was the most brutal National course that I have ever seen and therefore the most mud ever at Parliament hill. There was very little respite from the mud and hills, so there were many drop outs. It is 100m above most of London and the men ran 275m of elevation gain and some of the downhills had runners slipping onto their bums.
The Under 17 Women started the day at 11am and the mud was already atrocious, all the same they were 2nd Northern team to Salford who won Bronze medals. In the MACCL they are currently 2nd to Trafford, but need 3 scorers at Woodbank to take the Silver or Gold in the league title. Good Brave & solid runs from Na'ilah Christmas, Hannah Beaver, Maddie Gillam and Imogen Hill.
Sole runner in the U17 Men was Rueben Ashton, a last minute decision as not back to racing fitness yet. He had a fun day in his pure white shoes.
The under 15 girls were 4th, just off the medals, Also 1st Northern club again. Some of these will join the group in a year or two. 12 girls made the effort to travel down. Well done.
First year Junior Woman Sophie Armitage was 56th and 18th Northern, taking some scalps too. Two more years to progress to the front of the race?
In the Junior Men's tough 10K George Noble was 43rd and 11th Northern and first year U20 Fin Day was 22nd Northern, with Xander Gilmartin having stopped to put his shoe back on, was 35th Northern.
The Senior Women despite issues with many of them still finished 2nd Northern club to Winners Leeds. They were 8th overall amongst strong Southern clubs out in force.
Georgia Taylor-Brown raced to a great 9th, smiling all the way on her favourite race surface. She flew in from her new home in Gerona knowing she was not as fit as on her 4th place races, and with no XC races and just 2 bike races but ran great.
She said:-"I always knew I loved cross country but this just solidified my feelings! I really love cross country! I want to be able to run this race forever! I smiled my way around that entire 8km! It’s made so much more fun with all the support on the course and I just love the freshness and simplicity of it all: shorts, vest & spikes and you’re good to go!
I started my racing days at these events. I’ve done everything from local area races all the way to the Olympic Games but these open events, that anyone can enter, will always hold a special place in my heart: standing on the start-line with women racing for the win, racing in their first race back after injury, starting their first race or racing with their girlies & taking selfies along the way, I love it all 💖"
Lucy Armitage had the ideal start of 15 - 20th on the start hill, but knew that the energy was not there after 2 top end XC races and 2 1500m indoor races with a podium place and PB, all within a few weeks. She succumbed to light headed feelings on the last lap and was slowing up, so had no choice but to have her very first DNF.
Anne Chinoy (vet 50) also felt the same on the second lap and had to stop for 45s, dropping her way outside 100, but got a second wind and pulled back up to 106. Alice Wright was up against it after losing a shoe at the top of the first hill, but battled to a great 73rd and found her shoe afterwards. Aine Cunningham was 3rd counter with Laura Martin 4th counter. She had a strong 2nd lap, but when winding up to finish the last 400m strongly, had to stop to put a shoe back on. A good run too from Heather Hughes, and not too far behind Anne won the battle of the Sale Vets, Anne was probably one of the highest finishing V50's. Cat Jones and Lynda Rowlinson ran strongly around together.
The Senior Men were also 2nd Northern club to 4th placed Leeds.
Nigel Martin was a great 26th and 4th Northern in the mud, considering he is still building back after injury. He said:-
"The National XC, back at Parliament Hill, but in very different conditions! Shin deep mud most of the way round made this extremely tough (and a shock after the dry weather we've had up north!). On the bits that were runnable I was actually moving very well 🙃
26th in the end, very close to my top 20 target and pleased with it all things considered. Enjoyed battling with some quality competition, but I'll never be a true mud lark.
Time now for some road racing 👌"
4 min miler Max Wharton, hoping for a top 20, had to pull out with the plantar fasciitis he has been nursing, which was triggered by the sticky mud. Training for London, marathoner Phil Robertson had a great run in 63rd, this was 12th Northern Finisher. Alex Bradford and Joe Godwood had their highest ever National positions. A storming last lap sorted the battle of the vets when Chris Donnelly got a buffer to Rob Dunn. Alan White finished strongly and Andrew Curvis had a good run ahead of Paul Peters.
Olly Gailemin was successful on two counts, the over 50's battle and family bragging rights, beating the Nobleman and young Zac G.
There were also solid races from Tom Stevenson, getting the edge on James Walsh, whilst Stevie Gavin was determined to finish ahead of the younger Paul Barrett, which he did with plenty to spare. Olly Bartlett was not blowing his trumpet or trombone, but could have done with a second & third wind.
The final rearranged MACCL at Woodbank Park, should see us take many League and some top 3 individuals.
