18 October 2014
Graves Park, Sheffield
Enthusiasm was running high after the Northern Road Relays so we decided to enter a team at the XC equivalent held in the scenic if rather undulating Graves Park, Sheffield. Unfortunately we lost 2 of our dream team to injury and 2 more to holidays and the team evaporated. I was going anyway as my daughters were running for Stockport Harriers so I thought that I might as well run one stage. At registration I explained that I was a 1 man team and half-jokingly volunteered to run all 4 stages. Surprisingly the match referee agreed so long as I wore the correct numbers on each lap and didn't get in the way or finish last.
Graves Park is a great venue with nice rolling parkland and rather slippery woodland trails. The exposed setting gives nice views over Sheffield but catches the full force of the wind off the Peak District. Each stage was a rather short 2 miles but the loop was challenging and you really had to attack the hills to get a decent time. With 4 "reps" I needed to adopt a more steady approach.
The relays incorporated the Yorkshire Vets Championships and on the first stage I amused myself by just managing to stay ahead of the leading V50 teams. I lost a few seconds on the changeover and the new guys came fairly racing out of the traps but I worked back towards them up the hills and by the second finish I was back in the lead. The same happened on the third stage which was the final one for the vets teams. So in theory I finished first V50 team.
But Wilmslow weren't entered as Vets so I had one more number to peel off and continued for a 4th and final stage overtaking Trafford B and Halifax B in the final mile. I was of course well and truly DQ'd but it was all good fun and sort of in the spirit of what was a very friendly event. Hopefully we can return mob-handed next year and finish better than my time which would have ranked 28th team.
1 Liverpool Harriers & AC 42.59
Jamie Webb (14) 11:00
Daniel Jarvis (1) 10:28
Richard Evans (1) 10:39
James McNally (1) 10:52
28 Wilmslow RC 51.03
Rob Downs (31) 12:20
Rob Downs (26) 12:52
Rob Downs (31) 12:50
Rob Downs (28) 13:01
Full results at http://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2014/nxcrsm.htm
Rob