Cross Country 2023-24

[Llani Boy]

I'm running in the Derbyshire XC champs tomorrow at Bulwell in Nottingham.

Having seen the flooding in Nottingham today on the TV I've been expecting an e-mail to say they have been cancelled!

[anthonykay]

I'm running in the Derbyshire XC champs tomorrow at Bulwell in Nottingham.

Having seen the flooding in Nottingham today on the TV I've been expecting an e-mail to say they have been cancelled!

Excuse the obvious question, but why are the Derbyshire champs in Nottinghamshire? After all it's not as if you haven't got any mud in Derbyshire.

[Llani Boy]

Excuse the obvious question, but why are the Derbyshire champs in Nottinghamshire? After all it's not as if you haven't got any mud in Derbyshire.

I knew I would be asked that by someone Anthony.

Notts and Derbys run their championship together and alternate the venues between the counties. I think they do this to make it a bigger event, due to the smaller number of runners entered for each county. It probably also saves some money for the associations.

One problem is that unless you know which club all the vests belong to you do not know who you are actually racing against. To help, I recall from previous events that one county wears a number front and back and the other front only but in the heat of battle you can forget how many numbers you are displaying!

Oh, I also recall that they were in Notts last year too, as the Derbyshire venue had a few puddles and the council didn't want their precious grass to become muddy so they were moved at the last minute.

[Graham Breeze]

I also recall that they were in Notts last year too, as the Derbyshire venue had a few puddles and the council didn't want their precious grass to become muddy so they were moved at the last minute.

One long standing historical venue for West Yorkshire XC events is Nunroyd Park in Guiseley. They are organised by one of my old clubs: Skyrac AC.

The runners tend to leave a trail of, shall we say, darkened grass along the race route.

One wet year the Council received a lots of complaints about this - from dog walkers!

[Llani Boy]

One long standing historical venue for West Yorkshire XC events is Nunroyd Park in Guiseley. They are organised by one of my old clubs: Skyrac AC.

The runners tend to leave a trail of, shall we say, darkened grass along the race route.

One wet year the Council received a lots of complaints about this - from dog walkers!

I've seen the odd Skyrac AC vest over the years and always wondered from where or what the name originated.

Can you shed some light Graham?

[Graham Breeze]

I've seen the odd Skyrac AC vest over the years and always wondered from where or what the name originated.

Can you shed some light Graham?

Are you sitting down?

The Danes divided Yorkshire into thridings or thirds. (Hence "Ridings"). Each of which was divided into wapentakes. These were the meeting place for decision making.

The "Shire Oak" in Headingly was one such place - hence Skyrack.

There is a pub in Headingly called just that and close by is a pub called the "Original Oak". There is a Shire Oak Road.

The pretentious co-founder of Skyrac AC decided to call his club Skyrac.

Go figure.

Of course only around three people now understand why the club is called that and soon we will all be dead.

The rest of the world has no idea where the club is based which is actually Guiseley/Yeadon. It will be up to you to explain to people who ask the question in future. Then you could become Chairman!

It is actually the second oldest athletics club in the Leeds area (after Leeds City AC) and is primarily a track and field plus road, rather than a fell, club. It has a very strong junior section.

Gary Devine and Simon Booth both ran for Skyrac once upon a time and it used to have 15-20 runners turn out for, say, the Three Peaks - but those days have long gone.

The club has a rather good modern clubhouse which it shares with the cricket and rugby clubs based at Nunroyd Park and is well funded because it organises the Guiseley Gallop off-road trail race through Esholt Woods which is always held on Easter Sunday. Why Easter Sunday? Because all the local supermarkets and retail parks are closed and so there is free parking for the 500 runners who have turned up because few races are held on Easter Sunday. The idea for the Guiseley Gallop was conceived by the then club Treasurer who didn't need to hear a moo to recognise a potential cash cow.

[anthonykay]

Are you sitting down?

The Danes divided Yorkshire into thridings or thirds. (Hence "Ridings"). Each of which was divided into wapentakes. These were the meeting place for decision making.

The "Shire Oak" in Headingly was one such place - hence Skyrack.

There is a pub in Headingly called just that and close by is a pub called the "Original Oak". There is a Shire Oak Road.

The pretentious co-founder of Skyrac AC decided to call his club Skyrac.

Go figure.

Of course only around three people now understand why the club is called that and soon we will all be dead.

The rest of the world has no idea where the club is based which is actually Guiseley/Yeadon. It will be up to you to explain to people who ask the question in future. Then you could become Chairman!

It is actually the second oldest athletics club in the Leeds area (after Leeds City AC) and is primarily a track and field plus road, rather than a fell, club. It has a very strong junior section.

Gary Devine and Simon Booth both ran for Skyrac once upon a time and it used to have 15-20 runners turn out for, say, the Three Peaks - but those days have long gone.

This history lesson has encouraged me to investigate something that has always seemed rather strange to me, that a club called Cambridge Harriers should be based in south-east London. The reasons are revealed here: https://www.cambridgeharriers.org/history

[Graham Breeze]

This history lesson has encouraged me to investigate something that has always seemed rather strange to me, that a club called Cambridge Harriers should be based in south-east London. The reasons are revealed here: https://www.cambridgeharriers.org/history

Well I never ...