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Thread: Cross Country 2021-2022

  1. #1
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Cross Country 2021-2022

    Anybody else looking forward to a season of XC this year?

    We kick off the Birmingham League in Crewe next month. Really looking forward to getting back in a Godiva vest after a summer representing Eden on the fells.

    Can i finally get a top 100 place (not a chance), or get a lot closer than before (possibly).

    Hoping to guest at one or two Cumbria League races as well.

  2. #2
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    Ankle-injury permitting, I'll be doing as much XC as possible. Starting with guesting in the Red Rose league at Bolton Saturday, then Midland relays at Aldersley, then Betley, and so on. Will see you at Betley mate.

  3. #3
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Looks like i've had the nod to run for our first team at the National XC relays in Mansfield on saturday.

    Which can only mean one thing.... they must be absolutely desperate.

    Has also rather scuppered my plan to do an informal local XC relay as a bit of a training run.

  4. #4
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    Good luck Travs. We haven't got a men's team going. Have done it at least half a dozen times over the years. One of my favourite events - great for spectating and the course is a nice undulating twisty one. 5k hits the spot sometimes! The start is brutal on leg 1 - even faster than the Birmingham League or national.

  5. #5
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    I ran the National XC Relays today at Mansfield.

    Having never been to this venue, i was very pleasantly surprised to find an interesting course through woodland and grass, with enough undulations to make it very challenging. The woodland sections especially were very good quality.

    Top 5

    1 Shaftesbury Barnet
    2 Highgate Harriers
    3 Aldershot, Farnham & District
    4 Leeds CIty
    5 Tonbridge

    Pretty much all the big club names in and around the top 30 or so.

    As to my own race, i went off on the final leg, losing 11 places overall (as expected), finishing in 20:17 for what was about 50 metres over 5km.

    Initially disappointed with that time, but i was a similar distance behind others in my team to what i would be on a flat 5km, so i guess i ran about level par today... Although certainly can and should have ran a bit faster with some race-sharpness in the legs.

    We had a good opening leg and were around 30th but steadily dropped throughout the remainder of the race... not at full strength today. I bought us home in 68th.

    On to the first Birmingham League next weekend which will be no less competitive!

  6. #6
    Senior Member fellgazelle's Avatar
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    Nice one Travs.
    The National relays is such a high calibre competition and never been pleased with my performance there but it is great just to be part of it.

    I love the Berry Hill course, it's usually a mud bath and used to be a regular fixture in the North Midlands XC league, but recently they've only used it for the National relay competition until this season when it makes a welcome return in January.

    I would have been looking forward to some XC this year but the first 3 fixtures all clash with 50@50 races and not sure I'm going to be fit enough due to injury troubles for Mansfield in January, but you never know.
    Do what you like, like what you do

  7. #7
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    First league fixture tomorrow on a farm outside Crewe.

    Felt a little bit flat last weekend at the National Relay... hopefully tomorrow will see a bit of improvement.

  8. #8
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    A bumper day of cross country for the opening league fixture at Crewe yesterday.

    All three divisions of the Birmngham League running in the same race, saw over 600 on the start line.

    Managed to run 90secs faster than last time we were there (winter 2019), which is very encouraging. But still didn't feel that i ran well.... again felt a little "flat".... GazB came past me with 1.5 miles to go and although i stuck to him up the hill, he pulled out nearly 30secs on me over the final mile... and i had absolutely nothing up the finishing straight, losing perhaps 6 places in the final 200mtrs.

    Looks like the standard was as good as ever, if not even higher.... despite knocking 90secs off, i don't think i've gone any further up the field... still hovering just outside the top 150.

    As to the overall results... not seen official standings, but a quick glance and i think Univ Of Birmngham have taken a good lead, followed by Birchfield. Tipton and Loughborough battling for 3rd. Cov Godiva i think 6th.

    Again a missed opportunity for us as missing a good chunk of our usual scorers... if we could get our arse in gear we could have been comfortably 3rd today... but i guess all clubs have similar issues... i'm sure Birchfield and Loughborough will start firing in later fixtures, not to mention some of the teams queueing just outside the top 6.

    3 weeks until the next fixture at Northampton.
    Last edited by Travs; 14-11-2021 at 10:00 AM.

  9. #9
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    Fixture 2 of the Birmingham League saw us travel a short distance south-east to Northampton, and one of my favourite courses (although listening to others, i'm well in the minority there)

    Having been really quite ill for a few days, i wasn't sure i was even fit to race, but an early-morning fitness test on the treadmill and i'd survived, so it was off to Abington Park.

    Imagine my surprise then to pick up a narrow pb in terms of league position (153rd), and manage to see off the challenge of one or two clubmates who usually beat me.

    I can only imagine it was from running without pressure from the start... Just went out hoping to live through the ordeal, found myself in the hunt on laps 2 & 3, and had enough in the tank to see it home on lap 4.

    The walk back to the car was a different story... first both calves cramped up, them both my entire upper legs.

    As for team results, it was a strange day, with both Loughborough and Birchfield finishing well down on their usual positions. Although i understand there was a high-profile 5km race on in the Midlands this morning.

    We were also depleted, losing our two best scores from the first fixture, and then another of our faster guys this morning. Tale of our season really. With the exception of Birmingham University who are way in front, the minor positions are there for the taking but nobody seems to want them!

    Onto next year and the various county champs being the next fixture.
    Last edited by Travs; 04-12-2021 at 08:01 PM.

  10. #10
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    Back to the league tomorrow, at a favourite course of mine, Warley Woods in Smethwick, a classic cross country fixture and venue in the midlands.

    Faint hopes of sneaking into the top 150 for the first time ever, after finishing 153rd last time out despite illness.

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