MESSAGES FROM YOUR CROSS COUNTRY CAPTAIN
MESSAGE FROM YOUR CAPTAIN
10th August 2010
Comrades
Cross Country dates and details for your diaries: - Sat 09th October 2010, Northern XC relays, Graves Park, Sheffield, 2m per leg, x 4 man teams.
:- Sat 30th October 2010, 1st Mid Lanc's, venue to be decided
:- Sat 06th November 2010, English XC relays, Mansfield ?
:- Sat 13th November 2010, 2nd mid Lanc's. v to be d
:- Sat 27th November 2010, 3rd mid Lanc's, Liverpool
:- Sat 08th January 2011, County C'ships, Merseyside.
:- Sat 22nd January 2011, 4th mid Lanc's, v to be d
:- Sat 29th January 2011, Northern C'ships, v to be d
:- Sat 12th February 2011, 5th mid Lanc's, v to be d
:- Sat 19th February 2011, National C'ships, Alton Towers.
:- Sat 12th March 2011, 6th mid Lanc's, v to be d
I will post some hard copies down at the club of the above dates, etc, in the near future.
Regarding travel expenses whilst supporting any of the above events, I can only say that the club are undertaking a review of the whole travel expenses process so I cannot give any guarantee that financial support will be forthcoming.
On entries, this season it is my intention to enter only those who have directly contacted me, ( via e-mail, phone, or on a club night ) with their intention to run a particular event/s. I shall not be entering a block of names as, for the last two seasons, more than 50% of runners have failed to show up which is a waste of club, read members, funds, so please remember, the onus is on yourselves to contact me, rather Draconian but it is your cash I am spending.
If interest is expressed I will endeavour to book the minibus we used for Mansfield and Leeds last season for some of this seasons events.
Salud
Your Dear Leader
Alan
8th March, 2010
Date line :- Monday, 8th March, 2010
Venue :- Dahlia's Kitchen, Blackpool
Event :- 2009 / 2010 season Cross Country Presentation night
A change of venue saw 31 Wesham Cross Countryteers attend the annual presentation night ably catered for by Dahlia's Kitchen with Your Dear Leader as MC for the much anticipated, Oscar rivaling event. A chance for all to cast off the blue of Wesham and don their glad rags for an evening where individual achievements are recognised and celebrated and where thanks' were given to those who showed commitment to the cause.
A strong, consistent season paid off for Sarah Sherratt in the ladies categories as Sarah won both ladies overall and LV35 titles with Tracey Hulme winning the LV45 category.
It was all change for the men's awards as Lee Barlow swept all before him. Key to Lee's overall success was consistency and commitment. A resurgent Russell Mabbutt took the MV40 award and, despite an injury blighted season, Mick Edge triumphed in the MV45 category whilst, who else but, and despite temporarily stealing the show I still love him, the evergreen Alex Rowe bestrode the MV50's. With a welcome new face to the cross country scene, Peter Bartlett took the MV60 award.
So who did Your Dear Leader judge eligible for the "Mud, Sweat and Spikes" award? After last years "one horse race" a well deserving Sarah S took the honour due to her past seasons efforts and continued presence as a cross country devotee. One more up for the girls!
Thanks once again to all
Cheers
Alan
6th March, 2010
Date line :- Saturday, 6th March, 2010
Venue :- Barrow
Event :- Mid - Lanc's Cross Country
New course, former venue, as Barrow played host to the finale of the 2009 / 2010 Mid. Lanc's season where spring like weather and a well thought out course made for a fast competitive race, fair to say flat by cross country standards so a welcome change to the saucer and tea spoon.
Due to prior commitments and holidays Wesham’s ladies were a little thin on the ground with only three girls taking the start but this failed to take the shine off what has been a very successful season highlighted by a Gold medal in the LV35 category.
Contrasting the ladies achievements the boys limped to the end of the season, once again only fielding one team leading to relegation for both the "A" and "B" teams in their respective divisions with only a Bronze medal performance by the MV50's for comfort, injuries, illness and emigration didn't help the cause but I feel a re-doubling of effort and a change in priorities is needed next season to halt the slide. However, looking ahead to the 2010 / 2011 season, the immergence of fresh faces on the cross country scene, coupled with the continued presence of the hard core few, gives me cause for optimism that Wesham can again become a force to be reckoned with in the future, it's up to you to don those spikes and turn out.
To finish, I would like to thank all who did commit, Julie Cruse for all the work put in during her tenure as Ladies Captain and wish Tracey H good luck as the new Lady Captain.
Nostrovia
Your Dear Leader
Alan
Date line: - Saturday
27th February, 2010
Venue
: - Round Hay Park,
Event
: - English Cross Country Championships
With
visas sorted and passports to hand
Wesham’s chosen few took the
Socialist Express destination,
Leeds, for the
135th running of the
English Cross Country
Championships, venue,
Leaving
a sunny
Fylde
Coast and
crossing a snow blown
Pennines the chosen few were
initially greeted by bright, calm, cool weather, a total contrast to
Wesham’s last
Leeds visit of bitter cold howling
winds, conditions under spike were all that could be expected with the heaviest
mud left to the finishing straight testing all who had a sprint finish
left in their legs.
As per the
Northerns it was left to the boys to
represent the blues of
Wesham with the evergreen
Alex Rowe leading the charge ably
backed by the ever consistent
John
Collier, table
topper
Lee
Barlow, John Bertenshaw, Russ Mabbutt, your Dear Leader, Nigel S and
Peter Cooke. Due to family and work commitments
Dave
Young and
Charlie
P were notable absentees but,
as always, all who turned out laid it on the line for the cause.
The
event also saw, with more than a little head scratching, false starts and
assistance from our
Fylde rivals
Lytham
RR; the first erection of
the new cross country tent which proved slightly smaller than envisaged but,
more than adequate for the needs of the day. At least it was easy to
transport. So should prove popular when a long haul is in the offing,
think
Parliament
Hill Fields.
As
always your
Dear
Leader would
like to thank those who turned out and take this opportunity to remind all
comrades of the final
Mid-Lanc's race of the
2009 / 2010 season,
Barrow, Saturday, 6th March, followed
on
Monday,
8th March, and
then by the annual
Cross
Country Presentation night
at
Dahlia's
Kitchen, Cropper Road, Blackpool, 17:30 start, still taking bookings so names to me
a.s.a.p please.
Nostrovia
Your
Dear Leader
Alan
13th February, 2010
Date line: - Saturday, 13th February, 2010
Venue : - Wilson Fields, Hyndburn.
Event : - Mid-Lancs. Cross Country League
Seasonally mild weather was the order of the day at the East Lancashire venue of Hyndburn where, for the 3rd year running, the course was set through the woods with not a water crossing in site, those with a long memory will hark back to the days when water crossings were de-rigor, conditions under spike were as dry as could be expected.
Despite some notable absentees the ladies fielded a full squad under the stewardship of their new Dear Leaderette, Tracey H, with continued success, placing 2nd in the LV35 category - well done girls.
Ten senior men took the start including a welcome return of, after a mystery bout of fainting, (must be the worry of fending off all his harem of concubines), Charlie P, who lead from the front and boosted "Wesham’s chosen few" back up the results table. The MV 50's also reasserted their authority placing 1st in category with the ever reliable Alex R back in harness and a sparkling performance from the "evergreen" John Collier, your Dear Leader once again got his lazy a--e into gear as the final counter, how short are we if I can count in the V50 squad? Come on guys, turn out and put me back in my box.
On a final note, many thanks' to all who turned out, it is appreciated as it keeps the Wesham profile firmly up there where it belongs.
Nostrovia
Your Dear Leader - Alan
Date Line: - Saturday, 23rd January, 2010
Venue:
-
Event: - 2010 Northern Cross Country Championships
Cool misty conditions greeted Wesham’s chosen few at Blackburn's Witton Park which must have acted akin to a Klingon cloaking device because, despite searching high and low, your Dear Leader couldn't find a single Wesham lady, what happened girls?
Nine men took the start led by Alex R and including your Dear Leader, making his seasons long over due debut, all strained manfully against the climbs cast in front of them, as always, a big Dear Leader thank you to all.
Despite improvements to Saucers path and the re-routing of the course eliminating the narrow gate just after the saucers peak a tough track welcomed the senior men with both the saucer and the teaspoon to be tackled x4 and x2 ascents of the nasty little dig adjacent to the school adding spice to the mix, 11.5k in total.
Conditions under spike, ( or stud ), what ever takes your fancy, were as expected with only the traditional mud bath's to be negotiated so leaving the runners free to contemplate the climbs, without exaggeration, probably the hardest course of the 2009/2010 XC season. I did have in mind a further course improvement, we have the Saucer and now the Teaspoon but what happens if you take sugar? Maybe, just on the tip of the teaspoon the organisers could dump a couple of tons of sand, to simulate the sugar and thus make the course more interesting, good idea? Your thoughts welcome, two word answers welcome, suggest, “deep joy” or “absolutely brilliant ".
Nostrovia
Your Dear Leader
Alan
Date Line: - Saturday, 16th January 2010
Venue: - Blackpool (Lawson’s Road Fields)
Event: - Mid Lanc's Cross Country
With the early morning rain relenting and the wind dropping to a whisper Wesham’s chosen few could have few complaints about the weather however a revised and shortened course meant conditions under spike were leg sapping as all age groups used the same track.
Despite only five ladies taking the start continued success was the order of the day with a 5th place in the overall standings and a magnificent 1st in the V35 category - go girls.
The gent’s squad was again depleted through injury, work commitments and, I suspect Blackpool FC's home game however, all who ran, as always, put everything on the line resulting in 13th position overall, 9th V40 team and 4th in the V50's. A big Dear Leader thank you to all the girls and boys who turned out to both run and marshal.
Your Dear Leader
Alan
Date
:- Saturday 19th December 2009
Venue
:- Townley Park, Burnley
Event
:- Mid - Lanc's XC
Six ladies and eleven men travelled to a Townley Park already firmly in the grip of winter. Although driving conditions were treacherous course conditions proved ideal for a fast race, the frozen compacted snow presented no barriers although the air temperature was more akin to the Baltic than Burnley.
The girls continued their strong start to the season with a 3rd place in the overall standings and 1st V35 team, keep these results up girls and I will be in touch with Vladimir P to recommend the Order of Lenin's mother to be bestowed on the brave comradettes.
As for the boys, the few who turned out battled manfully but to no avail posting only a 4th in the V50 category and 14th overall which puts our presence in the top division under severe pressure for next season.
As a reminder, the next Mid-Lanc's is at Blackpool, 16th January 2010 so I shall order the press gangs into action if necessary to ensure a full turnout.
Salud
Your Dear Leader
Alan
Date: - Saturday 18th
November 2009
Venue: - Show Ground,
Kendal
Mid Lanc's Cross
Country League
The opening race of the 2009
/ 2010 Mid Lanc's Cross Country season was blessed with warm sunny weather
run on a new, to most of the Wesham
contingent, course.
A couple of steady up
hill pulls and dry conditions under foot lead to fast competitive racing which
saw nine senior ladies and sixteen senior men pull on the blues of Wesham.
The ladies excelled with 5th place
team overall, 1st ladies over 35 team and 4th ladies over 45 team
results, nothing like setting the benchmark early, well done girls.
Missing several key players the men were slightly under par with 7th place overall, 8th senior men's over 40, 3rd men's over 50, but, with an encouraging 2nd men's over 60 placing. The bus pass brigade set the standard.
Cheers
Alan
Date: - Saturday 31st
October, 2009
Venue: -
English Cross Country
Championships
It was all aboard the Socialist
Express, piloted by non other than your Dear
Leader himself, for Wesham's
annual pilgrimage to the
Two senior ladies teams and
two senior men's teams made up the Wesham
assault troop to take on the top cross country relay event of the
national calendar.
As always conditions were
dry under spike with the nation’s elite athletes exploiting the situation
to the full by putting on a feast of fast running with several
Weshamites in tow posting PB's for
the Berry Hill course.
Although non off the teams
featured high in the results all the clubs representatives gave, as
always, their all for the cause. So, from your Dear
Leader and chauffer for the day, a big thanks'.
Cheers
Alan