Cross Country Challenge Going Well

3CXC Standalone Farm

This week a large number of squirrels were out and about on various runs using up some of those pesky calories, to make more room for extra ones over the festive season.

Sunday saw the NHRR host their home cross country race at Standalone farm.  Once again the club proved just what great race hosts they are.

As well as providing all the race officials and catering the club was also able to field an impressive 41 out of the 400 runners.  The men and women both came in second giving a combined top billing for the club.  With 3 races complete the overall positions are tight with just a point or twos difference but the men and women both showing in second position leaving them in a combined top spot overall with just two more races to go in the series.

In 4th place overall Tom Webb was the top placed male squirrel and Natalie Lawrence the first lady to cross the line.

Four squirrels ran the Waterside 10k at Grafham Water. It was a chilly start but the sun shone but the last couple of kilometres along the dam and back seemed to go on forever but the excellent cake afterwards in the visitors Centre had a positive restorative effect, and lets face it after a 10K run who’s worrying about calorie counting? As one runner in the Standalone 10k once told me I eat cake therefore I run!!!

The runners/cake eaters were Helen Govey 0:58:43, Carina Quayle 1:02:28 (coming first in the Female over 55 category in full fancy dress), Ali Mottram 1:10:45 and Jim Marvell 1:15:38.

With eyes on the cross country on Sunday there were a limited number of squirrels running in Park Runs this week, it was also bitterly cold, dull and threatening to rain!  Jodie Brumhead made the greatest journey running in, in Edinburgh in 28:03.  Next most distant park run completed was in Kettering with Steven Williamson finishing in 22:48.

In Luton’s Wardown park Stephen Lummis and Chris Poole completed the course in 23:03 and 24:54 respectively.  The Letchworth Park Run attracted 5 of our runners with Helen Wilson coming in in the fastest time of 29:32 she was followed by Adam Wilson, Naomi Parkinson, Lucy Hurley and Patrick Norris in 29:34, 30:50, 30:51 & 33:48 respectively.
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Stevenage saw NHRR’s best result with Eva McCabe the first lady home in just 23:06.  James Dalton finished in 7th place overall ahead of her though in 20:19.  Phil Hunt finished in 25:02 and Jennie Fraser in 27:42.
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