Race report by David Phillips.
Sat 13th Jan ’18. B’ham. League XC 6 miler at Cofton Park, Longbridge, B’ham.
This is never an easy course with the long steep winding hill to the top of the park where a few years ago 2 lads were shooting at me with air rifles. How they missed a “slow moving target” is still a mystery but the marshal and I chased them through the woods never to be seen again. Them not us!! Glad they weren’t there this year.
This was the most enjoyable XC run ever for me because for the whole race I jogged round with the Kings Heath Club “sweeper marshal”. We chatted about how their club started a few years ago, their rise to division 2 and that this was the 1st ever XC they had organised and hosted. Plus a word or two about marathons (he is doing his 1st this year) so all in all it was a most enjoyable event. Plus the friendliness and encouragement of the KH members around the course was superb so well done the KH club.
And thanks to Mr Sweeper for keeping me company for 76 mins (think I dragged him round).
Then of course the Hare and Hounds pub with the Massey team made for a superb day. And of course we all ran the same and time is irrelevant (one MF wag said). I agree.
Sun 14th Not the Roman 1X 12k. Stratford upon Avon.
So called because it used to be sponsored by Roman Motors and it was a 9 mile event originally from Stratford Rugby Club. RM is no more, the course has changed and it’s now 12k (c7.5m). It is usually a sell out with no entries on the day but today’s event was well down on runners with loads of on the day entries not taken. Thus the huge amount of T Shirts left over at the end!
It was about a 1k walk from the club HQ on Tiddington Road at the NFU to the start then an undulating road course until the steep climb towards Shottery at 6k.
A well marshalled run by Stratford Runners along quiet country roads and fairly flat from 6k onwards with not too much traffic.
Eventually the end was in sight and a great welcome from the many Massey runners who waited ‘till we were all in. So when I finished they could all go home. Thanks a lot guys.
Massey time:
Dave Phillips 1hr 37 mins.
So that’s 4 races done and not yet half way through Jan.