Category: Race Report

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The 13th Edition Houghton Hall Cross Country

Well, they tagline this event with the simple phrase ‘mud, sweat and holes’, and to be honest, and think that sums it up just right!

For the 20 RntS who attended, this was all our first time at the Houghton XC and I think we all enjoyed it. Yes it was muddy (luckily not too much cow bum mud, even in Cow Pat Corner), there were holes (we’re not talking little holes, we’re talking holes that they call Pit and Pit 2, each one being a 3 or 4 meter drop and then climb back out again – with nightmare muddy feet on the steps of Pit 2) and there was sweat – 3 laps around that and it was time to fun for the finish line, which luckily had a burger and chip wagon parked behind it!

It was the first in the Norfolk Athletics Team Cross Country League – the next race being on the 8th December in Shouldham Wrren.

I think a few of us would definitely do it again, it was a friendly and well marshaled event, less than a tenner and very close to home!

Official Times:
Ant – 34:21
Glyn – 37:47
Shane – 38:38
Cam – 39:23 – 2nd in class
Rob J – 39:17
Paul – 40:21
Steve – 40:51
Amanda Ma – 41:19
Lorraine – 41:34
Stu – 46:15
Cat – 48:06
Mark – 48:12
Susie – 48:49
Hayley J – 50:11
Chris – 53:02
Anita – 53:42
Ceri – 53:43
Lisa – 53:47
Sophie – 54:42
Lynne – 1:00:36

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Steeplechase

Sunday 27th October: On a sunny but chilly morning Libby and Cam took part in the 5k Steeplechase at Blackwater farm. The route set off basically around the car park down a lane and then into the river. Once in the river it was a case of wading along it for several meters in waist deep water passing under a bridge. After leaving the river the route took them around part of the equestrian course of undulating grass fields, added to this one or two (or maybe more) obstacles to negotiate in the form of wooden fences. Towards the end of the course they were rewarded with carrying a pumpkin over fences and under a cargo net before depositing the pumpkin with a short sprint to the finish. Cam 14th place, Libby 17th place.

Official Times:
Cam – 38:27
Libby – 38:49

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Norfolk Gazelles Championship Relay

It’s the first time this 5k relay race has been run but, as you can expect from Norfolk Gazelles, it was really well done.  Each team comprises of 4 runners, who run the same 5k loop and come back to the finish line before their next team runner goes. Our team was me, Cat, Paul and Rob J.

Once the race got going (well done to Cat btw for going 1st!) it was pretty quick and well organised. I was particularly impressed with Gazelles marshals who stood on the start/finish line calling out team numbers of runners on the home stretch so your next runner could get to the front, ready to go.

It was a nice course on closed roads, lovely downhill to start but, as we all know with a downhill comes an uphill/mound of opportunity! This one came at 3-4K and very sorry to Kevin, I completely ignored your training and didn’t look up as I couldn’t face looking at it!

Looking at the results I think we came 29th overall and 3rd in our category (mixed masters) so big pat on the back Gin Runners – that deserves a gin or two!! ?

Paula (23C)

Official Times:
Cat – 24:25
Paul – 22:28
Paula – 23:39
Rob – 21:54
Total – 1:32:28 (3rd in category)

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East Coast 10k

An early start from Wells and it was pouring down all the way there – not an auspicious start. Also we were still a bit bleary from flying into Heathrow on Wednesday and I still had the remains of a cold and a growling voice to prove it. Nevertheless, when we arrived in a Great Yarmouth, the rain stopped although the winds continued.

We found the car park, put our Great Yarmouth Road Runners logo in the window so parking would be free, and set of to find the school that was Race HQ for the day. That was easy – we just followed everyone else. Registration was similarly easy – lots of people on iPads. You  told them your month an date of birth and were given the next available number – very efficient! We pinned on our numbers at the usual less than perfect angle, visited the pupils’ toilets and set off to find the start which was on a running track just off the promenade.

Before long it was line up time – we could see the Mayor in his regalia but couldn’t hear a word that was said. And then we were off on the more or less two loop course along the promenade with the sea on one side and hotels well past their glory days on the other. Before long, there was local Wells runner James O’Neill on his way back – in third place.  It was dry, but it wasn’t until you turned on the first return loop that you realised it was windy and the return part was into a strong head wind. So turning to start the second lap was something of a relief, although running with the wind behind you made breathing harder work. Nevertheless, my pacing was going well and I was on target with about 5 minute kilometres to finish in just under an hour. Then I heard Amberley call my name and just managed to wave and call back – she was on the final return loop.

But by now the wind had got up more, my knee was hurting (as usual!) and I slipped back to just over 6 minute kilometres for the last couple of kilometres. And then it was turning onto the race track for the last 300 metres and crossing the finishing line just a few seconds slower than my target. A medal, water, banana and a T-shirt and then just a short wait for Ceri.

On the way out we bumped in to James O’Neill again, waiting to pick up his prize for his third place finish in 34:35. And his first words were, “That wind! Wasn’t it dreadful on the way back?” We couldn’t have agreed with him more.

But a good well organised run on a flat seaside course – we’d do it again!

Chris (659)

Official Times:
Ambie – 48:05.0
Chris P – 1:00:29.7
Ceri – 1:06:24.2

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John Barrow Invitational Relay

A great day at Whitwell Station for the four RntS teams (and Time Keeper Lucy H) at the John Barrow Relay.

An invite only event, we took part along with the Reepham Runners and the North Norfolk Beach Runners. Each team having four runners, two runners ran one lap, two ran two laps (each lap being about 1.8km – or 1.1 miles in old measurements).

The teams could run in any order they wanted, but the runners doing two laps had to do them consecutively, they couldn’t run one, then let another runner go, then do their second. Of the four RntS teams it was interesting to see three different orders of runners (2, 1, 1, 2 – 2, 2, 1, 1 – 2, 1, 2, 1).

Official Times:
Black RntS (Ant, Bob, Mark, Shane) – 49:48
Blue RntS ( Cam, Chris, Keith, Kevin) – 54:13
Red RntS (Ceri, Amanda, Lorraine, Susie) – 55:39
Silver RntS (Allison, Evette, Kirsty, Paul) – 57:29

Race Results from the event organiser:
TEAM
1st place 49:48 Runners-next-the-Sea (Shane, Bob, Mark & Ant)
2nd place 52:01 Reepham Runners (Jenni, Pete, Rory & Julian)
3rd place 52:06 Reepham Runners (Sarah, Sam, Tim & Nigel)
LADY – 1 lap 7:37 Amy Clarke, Reepham Runners
LADY – 2 laps 17:24 Chloe Monsey, Reepham Runners
MEN – 1 lap 8:15 Julian Clarke, Reepham Runners
MEN – 2 laps 14:53 Ant Cude, Runners-next-the-Sea