With the decision taken not to compete in the Nationals in Sunderland , the Wilf RichardsR XC relays were to be the culmination of a highly successful XC campaign .
The two mens teams were changing by the day as injuries and domestic duties kicked in .
By the Friday , a call to the race organizer was needed to enquire if a mixed team could be entered as Dr Kate was stranded as the sole lady entrant , but such is her current form that us men would have welcomed her with open arms ……. steady tiger !!( ask Kate !!) .
Crisis calls on Saturday morning from ‘XC HQ’ as Mike Cooper failed to overcome a morning fitness test but Stuart Parrot got his chores done to reach the target brownie points (Thanks Tracey !!).
The teams were complete when Andy Penney answered the call to arms . Not only did Andy agree but he raced to Running Bear to buy some Mountain Bear XC shoes !! Well done Andy.
By the afternoon , the sun was out and a cracking but testing three mile course was in store .After each leg , runners agreed the mud had made this one seem like four miles not three ! The great thing about Heaton Park is the ability to create changes to a course whilst providing stretches of mud , firmer ground and stream crossings .
Mike Halman had generously suggested that we enter our strongest team as an outright Vets team and then the remaining four as the second team : teams were thus :
Vets : Malcolm , Rob , Stuart , Tom
Second Team : Mike H , Andy , Ray E , Nick.
In keeping with the Rocky theme , the Halman V Fowler rematch was on everyones minds when the teams and running order declared to the officials : Both were to run leg one !
Malcolm emerged victorious on this occasion but only by 30 metres :Malcolm handed over with the vets in fourth place overall and Mike only just behind . Super legs from both Rob and Andy meant that the Vets were now third overall and Andy had held his own to mean both teams were well placed . Stuart and Ray gave it their all and it left Tom and Nick to bring the teams home : sadly my recovery from injury took a set back in training this week , as my attempts to inject some pace(everything is relative) had left me nursing a tender calf : take it easy was the message from team mates : easier said than done when race day adrenalin is pumping .Six hundred metres in and my fears became reality as my calf ‘popped’ on an uneven stretch : apologies to the official for my language at that point .My three mile hobble cost us three places .
The need to get home to ice the calf and recover the three Bishops billeted out over Cheshire meant that I missed the awards .Suggestion is :
- Winning Vets team and fourth overall
- A very creditable placing for the second team.
A great day out : A great result : A fitting end to a most enjoyable and successful season (the two directly relate).Full results TBC .Very well done and thanks team.
Nick.