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January 2016
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Billy Bland 2016
Anyone up for a bit of fellrunning this year? We are organising another Billy Bland Challenge - the relay version of the Bob Graham Round, traversing 42 peaks in a circuit around the Lake District, covering around 70 miles and 27,000ft vertical. Honestly, it's a lot more fun than it sounds!
Dates are as follows:
Recce 1: 25-28 March (Easter), based in Keswick, to recce legs 1, 2 and 5.
Recce 2: 22-24 April (unfortunately same weekend as London Marathon), based in Wasdale, to recce legs 3 and 4.
Recce 3: 3-5 June (end of half term), based in Keswick, recces TBD.
Challenge: 25 June (Saturday).
It's not important whether you're a fast runner - the terrain is such that it tends to even out normal differences in speed. However for safety reasons it is important that anyone wanted to join the challenge team attends at least one of the recces (or can otherwise provide proof of competence on the fells) - so please contact me if you're interested (email scott@redcountry.net)
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Ely New Year's Eve 10k
I know, I know - it's soooo last year. But we need to sing the praises of some quality athletes (that's you, that is) in what may well be the highlight of the road season. We turned out 34 runners (including second-claimers) for the annual Hogmanay thirst-builder, and I urge you to take a look at the full results. But in brief, Chris Darling was completely brilliant, finishing second in 33:27 - congratulations, Chris. Paul Makowski was brilliant too, snaffling seventh place in 35:32, ahead of a pack of sub-40 heroes, Al Pritchard (12th in 36:39), Andrew Shields (24th, 37:55), John Ferguson (32nd, 38:46) and Ian Richardson (38th, 39:30). Katie Samuelson was our best female, an excellent ninth in 42:00, but was pushed hard for the honour by Mary Twitchett, just eight seconds back and Sam Lewsey, five more seconds on.
Thee New Year's cheers for our category winners too - rasie a glass to Makka (V40), Andrew (V50), Mary (V55) and the legendary Glyn Smith, who will be sweeping the silverware as a very new V70.
Have a beautiful and injury-free 2016, all.
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Cambridgeshire Cross-Country Championships
Apologies for the late news, and thanks to the valiant anonymous results updater (a particularly difficult task for this one).
Priory Park in St Neots is the Wembley of Cambs cross-country, these days at least, and there was the traditional epic set of races and a hatful of wins and podiums for C&C in the county champs. I assume it was good and slippery underfoot, and so on and so forth.
With no further ado - the roll-call of champs and top-threes. First, our new county champions; congratulations Tommy Bridger (U13), Thomas Keen (U15), Belinda Dow (U17), Ashley Brown (U17), Kieran Wood (U20), Claire Wilson (U20), Victoria Knight (Senior and V35), Ian Richardson (V50), Glyn Smith (V70) and Mary Twitchett (V55). You are all legends.
Kieran also finished second in the combined U20/senior/vet men's race, Claire was third in the women's equivalent; other second- and third-placers were George Keen (2nd U11), Hugh Dow (3rd U13), Beth Wilson (3rd U15), David Dow (2nd U15), Alice Newcombe (2nd U17), Rob Huckle (2nd U17), Oliver Sewell (3rd U17 - we took the top four places in that one), Claire Somerton (2nd Senior), Carla Brown (3rd senior), Joan Lasenby (2nd V55) and Helen Grant (2nd V45).
Not bad, eh?
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Frostbite League - March
With half the country under water, it's not surprising that it was a rather mucky one at March. But the sun shone as always, and a pretty sizeable C&C squad made it out to the Fens. The beauty of the Twenty Foot Drain, decked in rushes and low sunlight, coupled with some hypoxia-induced hallucination, made the heavy going a joy for all twenty-six of us. Probably. Epic-est of the seniors were Alex Eggeman (17th) and particularly the brilliant Claire Somerton (first female), and fifth place in the match was the excellent outcome. Juniors were led in by eighth-placed Miles Benyan, but with no girls, their twelfth-place team result was scant reward. Completely awesome, and a neat summary of why we go running.
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Ryston Grand Prix races are C & C's best kept secret!
I think the Ryston Grand Prix races are C & C's best kept secret. Admittedly who would want to drive an hour to do a 5km race? Well me, David, Michael and Sue did! And well worth it. If only to say I was the first C & C women home. A lovely bright morning for a friendly cross country. An undulating course with a few muddy puddles and a couple of tree roots to jump over. It's an amazingly friendly group of people who turn up and everyone is welcome to run whatever their age and ability. I spend most of my race running from one conversation to another and I did run up the the steep sandy hill. There's another 2 more races 7th February (9km) and 11th March (6.5km).
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Christof talks at Wolfson College, fri 15 Jan, 1800 - 19.00 about the science for running success
All, Christof Schwiening is giving a talk for the Wolfson College Science Society on Fri 15th Jan, 18.00-1900, everyone is welcome and there are generous nibbles provided (olives, crisps, orange juice, wine, and nuts). No need to book - just turn up - preferably at about 17.45. An opportunity to hear Christof's theories and experiments about running. Wolfson is on the Barton Road - cb3 9bb. Any queries please get back to me. Mary
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