After midweek rain (and wind), 95% of the course (all 7.2 miles of it!) was surprisingly good: the remaining 5% was gooey, slippery mud, making the climb up through the woods particularly tough, leaving legs heavy and shoes weighed down with mud. Nevertheless the women’s team battled through heroically, leaving them in 3rd place overall, but only 2 points behind the leaders – a win perfectly achievable with a stronger presence at Presteigne. Sue finished a fine 3rd (58.12), Jo battled well to get round in 12th (66.37) and to overtake 2 on the final run-in, with Liza just behind in 15th (67.17). Charlotte, whose Junior race at the racecourse was postponed, ran the one-lap permitted the junior competitors and apparently enjoyed the baptism of mud! Stacey was again (but after enforced absence through injury) our first man home, a fine 4th place (48.45), but Simon also stuck well to his task in 9th (51.46). Dave G (20th, 53.44) and Stuart (21st, 54.24) completed the A team, leaving us 2nd overall, but under threat from 3rd placed Couriers, 1 point behind. Dave A, perhaps not fully fit, was 25th (55.16) with Mark a minute behind in 30th. Then a gap before I crossed the line in 47th (61.01) followed by Neil T (52nd, 61.55), to make up a slightly weaker than usual B team. Gary, re-adapting to UK running conditions, was 56th (63.03) with newcomer Angus Holmes only just behind in 58th (63.27), no doubt handicapped by lack of studs. Tom ran well, even overtaking two in the final straight, and finishing just ahead of Frank and Daren. Ashley ran gamely in only his second cross country, completing the course in 67.07. Full results on Results page to follow (go to Events, then click on Results)
