Cross country section

 

FINAL REPORT FROM ALAN GLASGOW

 

Last mid Lanc's XC report for the prol's

Date line: - Saturday, 12th March, 2011

Venue: -     Beacon Country Park, Skelmersdale

Event: -     Mid - Lanc's Cross Country

 

What a finale the Mid - Lanc's organisers served up for us, a new venue providing a course you could truly call Cross Country. It had it all, mud, hills, open fields and closed wooded areas. In Comrades G's car going to the event, “Does anybody know much about the course?”, ex Cap’n Young, "No, but I can't see there will be much in the way of hills as it's flat around Skem ". Dooooooo.

 

Conditions were testing to say the least. After a fast start on grass, the course wound it's way over field and dale before a cruel, mudded climb, took the contestants up to the highest part of the course. But there was no easing of the pain as the next section was again muddy with a sharp right hand bend, leading to another nasty dig, thrown in for good measure. The last lap saw the runners pick up speed only to face the final test, a sharp climb just before the finish, for the men, 4.7 miles. "Three full laps would have been better" said masochist, Mark Midgley.  

 

With the ladies numbers down, quality had to make up for quantity, with Joanna G leading the Wesham Comradettes home backed by the now, ever present, Sarah S and Helen L plus Kerry E for a very credible 5th team and 3rd LV35 positions. A result the girls have every right to be proud of.

 

Of the men, numbers were almost at rock bottom. Just seven of "Wesham’s Chosen Few" took the start. A combination of Northern Vet's duties, injuries, and, I suspect, a little apathy, taking its toll. Mr. Reliable and super consistent John C was first home for the boys with the ever improving Gary M second. A resurgent Russell Mabbutt, proving that extra miles do pay, placing third with Mark M forth and Peter Bartlett fifth. This seasons Cross Country virgin, Alistair Morris ran a very credible sixth all topped off by ex Cap’n Dave Young however, despite their best efforts, it was no cigar today guys.

 

All in all a season of mixed fortunes with the ladies unfortunately facing relegation from the top flight but, on a more positive note, claiming 3rd in the LV35 category overall, and the boys, 3rd place division 2 team, 1st MV40 division 2 team and Silver medalists MV50's overall, not bad.

 

So what of my feelings for the season? Considering all, injuries, our 10k's now annual clash with Liverpool and individuals commitments to other calls of duty. My conclusion is we simply need all our best runners out all of the time to have any impact, which is clearly a big ask, and puts an overwhelming burden on the ever shrinking hard core of Cross Country devotees. The club is growing and going from strength to strength in many successful ways but, it would appear, at the expense of the more traditional events we once used to patronize in numbers, namely, Cross Country and the seasonal relay events where we have, as a club "punched over our weight" in the past. So what is the solution you may ask? Should the club be reevaluating it's priorities, or is it just a fact of life that, with ever more choice, with ever increasing demands on our precious time but ever decreasing finances to indulge our passion, the bottom line will, ultimately, prevail.

 

Nostrovia y Salud

Siempre

Comrade G

 

Comrades

 

My final act as your Dear Leader was picking up Wesham RR's hard earned mid - Lanc's Cross Country medals at the Oscar rivaling presentation night of Friday, 8th April, 2011, MC'd by the one and only, irrepressible, Dawn Lock.

 

Division two silver MV40 medals go to the following: - Mark Midgley, Russell Mabbutt, John Collier, Alex Rowe, John Bertenshaw and Alistair Morris whilst the MV50 medal recipients are: - John Collier, Alex Rowe, John Bertenshaw, Alistair Morris, Gary Moore and Alan Glasgow.

 

Tracey H picked up the ladies medals and will distribute accordingly. 

I shall call down to the club 18th April to make the awards.

 

Nostrovia

Comrade G 

CROSS COUNTRY AWARDS FOR 2010/2011

 

Mud, Sweat and Spikes award - Kerry Eccles

 

Ladies overall champion -Sarah Sherratt

 

LV 45 Tracey Hulme

LV 35 Sarah Sherratt

The LV 60 category was uncontested.

 

The Men’s overall champion was John Collier.

This is the first time John has won the award in over twenty years. 

 

M40 Mark Midgley,

MV 45 Russell Mabbutt 

MV 50 John Collier

MV 60 Peter Bartlett

 

My own tokens of thank's went to our Lady Captain, Tracey Hulme, Joanna Goorney, Steve Myerscough and Alistair Morris.

      

What is the secret to running cross country well?

 

I have a love hate relationship with cross country racing.  I feel that I should really enjoy it and it should be right up my street but instead I get to the end and wonder where I went wrong.  People whom I battle with on the road are miles ahead of me on the grass and mud.

 

2010 turned into a very successful year on the road.  I managed to remain injury free and PB on all distances.  Could I transfer some of this good form into the 2010/2011 cross country season or was it a different training method and/or race strategy that I needed?

 

I decided to forego a Spring marathon, (for the first time in quite a number of years) so that I could concentrate on shorter distances and in particular cross country, my main target being the Lancashire Cross Country Championships in January 2011.

 

The first race of the season was a trip up to Barrow where I finished in the top 10 for the first time.  I felt though that this was just from my increase in speed and not through technique.

 

The next Mid Lancs race was at Witton Park, Blackburn.  I normally run in fell shoes, (studs).  This was a compromise buy – obviously for running fell races but also for use in cross country.  I decided that I should now up the stakes and a pair of cross country shoes (spikes) might be the answer.  I had seen what a difference they made particularly at the previous Lancashire Cross Country Championships in the snow and ice where Carmel had literally very sportingly pulled me up one of the hills where I couldn't get any grip.

 

But before investing in a pair of cross country shoes, I decided to experiment with my track shoes by fitting longer spikes on them.  So out came my 6mm spikes and in went lethal looking 12mm spikes.  It was an interesting experience running through the mud in them at Witton Park.  Yes, the grip was better on them at the front but my heel was slipping all over the place at the back and I spent the race hoping that I wasn't going to sprain my ankle.

 

Go to fullsize imageSo off to Sweatshop for some proper cross country shoes.  Easier said than done.  Unfortunately, it was mid way through the season already and as with many specialised sports shoes, there was less variety for women.  In fact, there was a choice of only one ladies specific shoe.  And even size became an issue.  Having never worn cross country shoes before, I had no idea how they should fit.  I bumped into ex BW&F champion Vaughan Sadler who advised me to buy the smaller size – snugger fit, less likely to come off in the mud, less room inside to absorb water and mud and if I did experience discomfort then I was only running at most 8 km in them.

 

Next race was the Lancashire Cross Country Championships.  I arrived with my new bright pink Cross Country shoes.  The race started.  I went off quickly trying to keep up with the pace.  I was moving well.  As I came round for the last lap, I could feel the girls in front of me starting to tire on the Saucer.  I overtook Gail Griffiths from the Isle of Man and sprinted for the line.  (She got revenge a fortnight later at the Brass Monkeys Half Marathon!)  I had finished sixth and earned automatic selection for one of the nine places available for the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships on the 5th March.  I was elated.  Also, my new shoes had moulded to my feet straight away and I was delighted with their performance.

 

The Inter Counties was held at Coften Park which is near to Bromsgrove on the other side of Birmingham.  I drove down the evening before with my Mum staying the night just north of Birmingham.  My race started at 11:52.  An unusual time but it was being filmed live by Sky Sports and the timings were dictated by their scheduling.  Parking was easy in a huge car park opposite the course.  We were amazed when arriving at 10am, how many people were there.  It all felt very surreal.  We walked over to the park and all the county tents.  We found the Lancashire one and I was given my county vest, number and Velcro timing chip.  I then went for a run around the course before the first race got under way at 11 am.  My race was 5 miles long using a 2 mile circuit going uphill then down hill.  Quite firm but with a little bit of mud on one corner, (just to make me feel at home).  Up to a couple of years ago, apparently, the championships used to be held in Nottingham but the course was not tough enough!

 

I then went to find the toilets.  These must go down as the most disgusting portaloos that I have ever used, half of them being too bad to even enter the cubicle.  After queuing for that pleasure, I then needed to get changed.  Panic – I couldn't find my Velcro timing chip.  After unpacking my bag three times, I eventually found it attached to some clothing.  Nightmare – all adding to my stress.

 

I then worked my way towards the start.  Where could I go for my last minute pit stop?  (I'm probably caught on the Sky Sports version of 'You've been framed').  We then had to go through a marquee and out towards the start pens on the other side.  Lancashire was in the middle in Pen 20 and so my eight team mates and I lined up behind each other.  There was a white tape along the start line.  When this was removed, the gun would go 30 seconds later, we were told.  The tape dropped, there was a deathly silence.  Then someone shouted 'Come on Rebecca'.  Everybody lurched forward then quickly realised it was a spectator shouting support.  We reassembled.  Again, another deathly silence.  Bang, the gun went and the pack flew forward.  I have never been in such a fast intense start.  I was soon swallowed up and spat out the back.  In fact, my mum said she actually saw a couple of girls, at the rear, trip.  There was a mad sprint to the top of the hill then down the hill then back up the hill and down the hill twice more.  In fact, there were no flat parts!

 

The race was won by 20 year old rising star Charlotte Purdue.  I came in 193rd out of about 260, the last girl coming in only a few minutes after me.  Then it was on to the next race.  Not my best performance and quite an intimidating experience but, if I ever get selected again, I know what to expect next time.

 

We watched the rest of the races, culminating in the senior men's race.  It was amazing watching them go round.  The speed the lead men were going at was brought home by watching the buggy at the front, with the cameraman on, whiz by.

 

So what have I learnt about running Cross Country this year and have I improved.  Well, it definitely requires a different approach to the road.  From what I read and experienced, a much quicker start is needed.  Once the front runners have got away, because of the breaks in continuity of the course, you are unlikely to catch them.  Also, when there is very definitely an optimum path to take or a narrowing of the course, everyone is aiming for it resulting in someone slipping back losing distance.  A different running technique is required; a much shorter stride length is recommended due to the softer and often slippery conditions but in return a greater leg speed is required along with a higher knee lift.  Also, much more hill work is required in training. (Mmm – bit of a problem living in flat Freckleton), along with practising running on softer ground. Running in cross-country shoes did appear to make a difference especially in muddy conditions.

 

At the end of the day though, I always enjoy running off road, the races are a bit different and fun to do, (although I question my sanity when I run through the mud at the bottom of the Witton Park Saucer), and there is always great camaraderie both within the club and the other local clubs.

 

Written By; Joanna Goorney

Submitted: 23rd June 2011

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor