Last Mid Lanc

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 Captain 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 it's 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 fourth and Peter Bartlett fifth. This seasons Cross Country virgin, Alistair Morris ran a very credible sixth all topped off by ex Captain 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 medallists 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 revaluating 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?