Captains report by Joy Woolass
Ladies Captain Report: Midland Ladies Cross Country League Division 3
Pelsall Common Race 1 – 9th November 2024
On Saturday, 9th November, our team gathered at Pelsall Common for the first race of the Midland Ladies Cross Country League Division 3. The conditions were fair, though the ground was a little boggy in places, adding a layer of challenge to the 6k course.
The race involved two laps of a 600m section followed by two loops around the common, providing plenty of opportunities for the athletes to show their strength and resilience. We had 21 ladies running, and it was a fantastic display of teamwork and individual effort from all involved. Hosted by Sneyd Striders and City of Birmingham Striders, the event was an excellent start to the cross-country season.
Top Performances: Our first counter, Zoe Moore (Capt) , kicked things off with an impressive sprint start, getting us into a strong position right from the beginning. Zoe held her form throughout the race and was a key performer for the team. Joy Woolass ( Capt), in second for the team, ran a controlled and consistent race, ensuring we stayed in contention. Sue Leonard ( Vice Capt) our third counter, continued her steady improvement, pacing herself beautifully to finish strong. Lizzie Watts was our fourth counter, pushing hard to contribute to the team’s overall result.
The provisional results have put us in an overall team result of 18th and 12th place in the masters.
Debutants and Returnees: It was wonderful to see two our athletes making their cross-country debuts. Mel Geddes delivered an outstanding performance, finishing as the 5th Massey lady across the line a brilliant start to her cross-country journey. Beckie Draper also made her debut, showing great promise in her first race. Lauren Szablowska, also who made her debut in this race and showed incredible determination in the race.
We were also thrilled to welcome back Lesley Keighley and Brenda Lee. Both seasoned runners brought invaluable experience and energy to the team, rounding off our line-up and contributing to our collective performance. A big thank you must go to Lynnie McDonald (Vice Capt), did a brilliant job acting as support and ensuring everything ran smoothly for the ladies. We must also thank Richard Pearce and Eve Cannon who stepped us as Marshalls for the club and did a fantastic job in volunteering.
Conclusion: All in all, it was a fantastic race and a great start to the cross-country season. We saw some brilliant individual performances and strong teamwork, and it was inspiring to see both our debutants and returnees give it their all. We’re excited to build on this momentum as we look ahead to the next race. A big thank you again to everyone who took part, supported, and helped make the day a success.
Ladies Captain Team
( Joy, Zoe, Lynnie and Sue)