Lesley Pymm reports: This is the first time that the relays have taken place for a number of years, and I am not sure if we have ever had a women’s team in the Masters XC Relays before.
Well, we did this year and our three runners did really well. Unfortunately, this date either clashed with a number of other social events that ‘older’ members of the club had arranged, or they were injured. I had hoped to be able to get more than one team out and in different categories.
As it was, we had one team in the W45 category. We walked the course before the start and it was a funny little course, but fairly interesting and tough.
Mel was the first to go, eventually. The briefing took forever, and Mel’s body language said it all! She had a brilliant run and completed the slightly more than 3k in 12.07. Jude was next and again ran really well.
This was Jude’s second XC appearance for the club and she ran her heart out! She finished in a fantastic 15.09. Sarah was our final runner and she completed the course in 13.09. Overall, we were 5th. There was a bit of a delay getting our results onto the website, but they are there now.
The next Masters XC events are the Midland Masters XC on 20 January 2013 at Aldersely Stadium, Wolverhampton at 11.30. This is a closed event – you have to be a member of MMAC. The other event is the National Masters XC on 16 March at Herrington Country Park in Sunderland.
Please put these dates in your diary, and contact me (you can do this via Nicola Cumley), if you can do them or if you need details of how to join MMAC. You do not need to be a member of MMAC to do the National event, you just need to be over 35! It would be absolutely fantastic to have a team there. I was the only female member from BvH at the National event last year.
Well done to our ladies team, you all ran strong and dug deep, it was a joy to support….and indulge in Jude’s fantastic banana cake….
Many thanks Lesley for most efficiently, enthusiastically and graciously organising and leading the ladies team. As a complete novice at XC can I add to Barrie and Lesley’s encouragement to ‘give it a go’? With times ranging from a super speedy 11.35 to a more sedate 23.13 and ages from V35 to V65 taking part on this occasion it definitely felt like an inclusive and friendly event. There was quite a nice cafe for those of us feeling in need of a sit down with a hot drink and a piece of cake afterwards too 🙂
I agree Barrie, and hope that we can field more runners (male and female) next year and in the other Masters XC events this season. We did, of course, consider running a W45 team, but I was very reluctant to enter a team with no reserve. With only the 4 of us available, I could be a reserve for the W35 team, but Sarah could not have run as a W45. I did not want to risk not having a complete team. I think the team we had was great and want to thank Mel, Jude and Sarah for running. Also, I hope all the other Masters have already got the dates above in their diaries and that the injuries are sorting themselves out.
Congratulations to the BvH Ladies Team/Squad on their presence and participation in the BMAF Cross Country Relay Championships, which took place in Derby on 17th November,2012.I am pleased,and relieved,that Bournville Harriers are now recorded in the official BMAF Results.The 3.1k Course(2 laps) was excellent for XC Relays,with sufficient variety such as eg.inclines(up and down),tight turns,adverse cambers,slippery slopes and tree roots in the wooded area; and it was very good from a spectators point of view.
I hope that next year,with appropriate forward planning,BvH will field more teams —– And Mel James (Sec XC BMAF- not our Mel!) assures me that the XC Relays will be in Derby again next year.ie.accessible for `us.`
5th Team place in the W35 ACat is a promising start,and everyone ran well.If we had been in the M45 ACat,and Lesley P had run ,then it is highly likely that `we` would have come away with the W 45 ACat Team Silver Medal.
I anticipate that next year there will a much larger field,in all age categories,but I still think that Bournville Harriers can come away with a clutch of medals.
Barrie Roberts