Midland ladies league race 2, Aldridge airport – 30.11.24

Captains report by Joy Woolass

Midlands‬‭ Women’s‬‭ Cross‬‭ Country‬‭ League‬‭ -Division‬‭ 3‬‭ – Aldridge‬‭ Airport‬ 30th‬‭ November‬‭ 2024.‬

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‭The‬‭ ladies‬‭ were‬‭ back‬‭ at‬‭ the‬‭ scenic‬‭ Aldridge‬‭ Airport‬‭ in‬‭ Walsall‬‭ for‬‭ Race‬‭ 2‬‭ of‬‭ the‬ Midlands‬‭ Division‬‭ 1‬‭ League.‬‭ It‬‭ was‬‭ a‬‭ fantastic‬‭ turnout,‬‭ with‬‭ 12‬‭ ladies‬ representing‬‭ the‬‭ team.‬

‭The‬‭ conditions‬‭ were‬‭ mild,‬‭ but‬‭ the‬‭ site‬‭ was‬‭ very‬‭ windy.‬‭ Lynnie‬‭ stepped‬‭ up‬‭ as‬‭ a‬ last-minute‬‭ marshal,‬‭ providing‬‭ much-needed‬‭ encouragement‬‭ throughout‬‭ the‬ race‬‭ (we‬‭ missed‬‭ the‬‭ part‬‭ where‬‭ each‬‭ club‬‭ was‬‭ supposed‬‭ to‬‭ provide‬‭ a‬‭ marshal).‬

‭For‬‭ those‬‭ familiar‬‭ with‬‭ the‬‭ Aldridge‬‭ course,‬‭ you’ll‬‭ know‬‭ the‬‭ challenge‬‭ posed‬‭ by‬ the‬‭ muddy‬‭ wooded‬‭ section‬‭ halfway‬‭ through‬‭ the‬‭ lap.‬‭ Though‬‭ the‬‭ course‬‭ was‬ slightly‬‭ altered‬‭ this‬‭ year,‬‭ the‬‭ muddy‬‭ section‬‭ still‬‭ proved‬‭ to‬‭ be‬‭ a‬‭ “mini‬‭ hell‬‭ hole” for‬ the‬‭ runners,‬‭ especially‬‭ on‬‭ the‬‭ second‬‭ lap.‬‭ Despite‬‭ last-minute‬‭ changes‬‭ to‬‭ the‬ route,‬‭ it‬‭ didn’t‬‭ get‬‭ any‬‭ easier!‬

‭But‬‭ we‬‭ gave‬‭ it‬‭ our‬‭ all.‬‭ Everyone‬‭ stayed‬‭ upright,‬‭ and‬‭ we‬‭ showed‬‭ the‬‭ usual‬ Massey‬‭ grit‬‭ and‬‭ determination.‬

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‭Leading‬‭ the‬‭ charge‬‭ as‬‭ our‬‭ first‬‭ counter‬‭ was‬‭ Zoe‬‭ Moore,‬‭ who‬‭ delivered‬‭ an‬ impressive‬‭ performance.‬‭ There‬‭ was‬‭ a‬‭ fierce‬‭ battle‬‭ for‬‭ second‬‭ place‬‭ between‬ Joy‬‭ Woolass‬‭ and‬‭ Sue‬‭ Leonard.‬‭ The‬‭ two‬‭ pushed‬‭ each‬‭ other‬‭ throughout‬‭ the‬‭ race,‬ with‬‭ Joy‬‭ crossing‬‭ the‬‭ line‬‭ just‬‭ ahead‬‭ in‬‭ second,‬‭ followed‬‭ closely‬‭ by‬‭ Sue‬‭ in‬‭ third.‬ Lizzie‬‭ Watts‬‭ rounded‬‭ out‬‭ our‬‭ top‬‭ four‬‭ counters‬‭ with‬‭ another‬‭ strong‬‭ performance.‬

‭In‬‭ the‬‭ team‬‭ results,‬‭ we‬‭ finished‬‭ 6th‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ Masters‬‭ category‬‭ and‬‭ 12th‬‭ overall‬‭ – a‬ fantastic‬‭ outcome‬‭ for‬‭ the‬‭ team!‬

‭We‬‭ crossed‬‭ the‬‭ line‬‭ with‬‭ mud‬‭ on‬‭ our‬‭ shoes‬‭ (and‬‭ legs)‬‭ but‬‭ pride‬‭ in‬‭ our‬‭ hearts‬‭ – and,‬‭ of‬‭ course,‬‭ cake‬‭ in‬‭ our‬‭ bellies.‬‭ An‬‭ excellent‬‭ day‬‭ and‬‭ a‬‭ brilliant‬‭ team‬‭ effort‬‭ all‬