And so it begins.

West Midlands Young Athlete Cross Country League at Walsall Arboretum.

Sunday 13 October.  

Report – Angela Williamson.

It was a fine, bright and dry day for the opening fixture of this season’s Junior XC League.

Top of the programme was U17 Women, racing over approximately 4000m.  For those of us less familiar, a chance to get reacquainted with the course, flat and surprisingly open for an Arboretum, run mainly over two large fields.  Chasing a quick pace set by the front runners, SUUAC’s Annie Silvers made a strong, assured start, with all our women looking relaxed and running well, digging in and asserting their positions.  A good crowd had turned out to support the racers.  Annie Silvers had a super race, finishing as strongly as she started, overtaking in the finishing stretch to place 24^th in a time of 15:57.  Brooke Rossney and Hannah Wilkinson showed grit and determination on energy sapping ground to finish 42^ndand 51^st in 17:35 and 20:31 respectively.

Next were the U11 Boys, a fast and furious race where we had such strength in depth in was hard to keep track!  A large field of 105 runners resulted in some jostling for position along the way, particularly when bunching at the slower corners.  Albert Moore looked very strong and was SUAAC’s first finisher, 25th in a pleasing time of 6:00, followed by Rafe White who worked his way through the field, gaining several places to finish 44^th in 6:18.  Rafe was followed in very quick succession by Dexter Sharpe (46^th/ 6:19) and Dylan Turner (52^nd/ 6:22), with Reuben Wheeler (79^th/ 6:48) holding on well, followed by Luca Armstrong (81^st/ 6:51) and Simon Zawada (95^th/ 7:09).

To the longest race of the day, approximately 4800m, and the U17 Men.  A very quick start by the Lambert brothers, with Sam at the front in his League U17 debut, followed closely by Zak.  Settling into their running, all the SUAAC vests looked to be going smoothly, in excellent positions, getting great support from the crowd.  By the start of the third of three tough laps, the eventual winner Archie Lane (Leamington C & AC) started to pull away from the field, but our men were resilient and showed their experience and stamina.   Sustaining an excellent pace throughout, Sam looked delighted to take a fabulous and assured 2^nd in a time of 14:33.  Zak finished strongly on his 17th birthday and held off his closest rival to finish 6^thin 15:02.  The next SUAAC vest belonged to Will Mayes, an excellent 11^th in a time of 15:19, closely followed by Tom Fisher, finishing strongly to finish 12^th in 15:23.  James Day put in a great effort (22^nd/ 16:02), followed by James Mayes, who dug deep to make up ground during the race (29^th/ 16:31) and complete an excellent race for the club. These outstanding performances ensured that our U17 men finished the day in first place out of 19 clubs competing. Particularly impressive given that, along with many of the Stratford athletes, they had raced the day before!

Next up U11 Girls and another super six SUAAC team.  The lead racers set a very stiff pace and the field strung out as the race developed.  Running strongly throughout was Elsie Pipitone, finishing in 11^th with a cracking time of 6:03, followed by Saskia Atkins (58^th/ 6:59), Marnie Short (61^st/ 7:02), Poppy West (63^rd/ 7:06), Indigo Storm Ogilvie-Putt  (78^th/ 7:30) and Imogen Jolly (79^th 7:36).  

Conditions underfoot for the U15 Boys race had started to get a bit sticky.  Unfazed, the boys took off with a characteristically fast charge.  Our small but quality SUUAC contingent of three settled down into strong positions in the first third with Joel Ledgard, in fine form, ahead of Will Hovell and Arthur Williamson.  The front runners opened some space but our boys dug in, with Joel looking particularly assured and relaxed in the chasing pack, finishing an impressive 6^th in 10:08.  Will finished very strongly to resist pressure from a chasing rival, holding on to a very good 7^th in 10:11 and Arthur Williamson, returning after missing last season, improved his position during the final lap to finish 19^th in 10:40.

With no time for a breather, on to the U13 Girls and the largest field of the day, with 110 athletes, and the ground going from sticky to chewed up.  A fabulous show of strength and stamina from the SUUAC girls, with excellent races and very strong finishes from Amelie Marshall (14^th/ 9:31) and Maggie Silvers (19^th/ 9:34).  Lyla Turner moved through the field to take 32^nd in 9:55 and Jasmine Mothershaw dug deep for 47^th in 10:15.

The penultimate race of the day was the U13 Boys.  The ground now at the point where it was eating shoes, one lad losing his and only managing to put the front half on before somehow continuing!  Robin Gallagher ran an assured race, taking a very creditable 10^th place in his U13 League debut, in an excellent time of 8:33, followed by Charlie-Jay Cassells (42^nd/ 9:14) and Toby Wilkinson (46^th/ 9:24).

Last to race were the U15 Girls, the crowd had started to thin slightly but the weather remained fine and dry.  Another very fast start didn’t faze the SUUAC girls, and they settled quickly into their stride.  Marijke Tear-Verweij acquitted herself characteristically well to finish a strong 7^th, in 11:25.  Elle Weir ran well (34^th/ 12:51) followed by a determined Lois Ford (37^th/ 12:54) and Rachel Sparrow (59^th/ 13:37).

Oxford Half Marathon.

Report – Jill Wilson

Back in the spring there had been talk of a charabanc outing for the Snails WhatsApp group members to last Sunday’s Oxford Half Marathon. In the end just six of us took part – on a perfect dry, bright and still, if rather chilly day. 

Jan Turner, Abby Stewart and I travelled together, braving the massive Pear Tree Park & Ride queues where some folks were shivering dressed in little more than a running vest and bin bag for nearly an hour.

Thanks to Jan’s advice (hat, gloves, jacket) we stayed warm. Lisa Lambourn, Lesley Hay, Angela McLean and Renata Boreham travelled independently. 

On arrival to the event village we met up briefly with Angela and Lisa. Lisa was soon off to her start pen, and we didn’t see her or Lesley again until we gave them a cheery wave as they ran past us the other way on one of those loop-back sections of the route, both on their way to great finishes – Lisa in 2:08 and Lesley running a superb PB of 2:22.42 

My last half was Rutland Water which was very different – beautiful scenery with only a handful of marshalls and few spectators – lovely in its own way but this was so much more fun. Not just because Angela, Jan, Abby and I started together, but also because of the cheering crowds, bagpipes, rock band and choirs along the way.

Best of all, Abby and I were in sight of each other for most of the way, but by the time we got to 16km ‘only a parkrun left’ I was doubting that my legs would last. Maybe that single long training run just two weeks earlier wasn’t sufficient? Maybe the beach holiday the week leading up to the race with the inevitable weight gain wasn’t a great idea either. Only two bags of sugar, but still.

But we kept each other going – even picking up the pace for the last 2km. Abby finished ahead of me, both of us at 2:30 and a few seconds. I was delighted to run a PB of 2:30.25. A better result than expected! Jan and Angela both had good finishes – so all in all – a very satisfactory day out!!

Go Super Snails!!

It’s a pretty route – incorporating some dreaming spires, the lovely university parks (must return for that parkrun), and passing the Red Lion pub in Old Marston and a few steady slight inclines, but no real hills. Great organisation too. 

Now I’m not doing any more half marathons. The decision is made. However at the physio on Monday it was suggested to me – ‘of course you can get under two and a half hours – just choose the right course. In fact – you’ve done Oxford – so obviously Cambridge is the one to do’. Oh dear.