South West Vets Cross Country Championships – report by David Millen, photo – Kit Woodcock

Five members of Sidmouth Running Club took part in the South West Veterans Cross Country Championships held at Sidford on Sunday 28th January. The race, which was hotly contested by a strong field of 50 runners all aged over 35, was over a 6km course comprising 3.5 laps around the rugby field, football fields, alongside the river and through a small section of woodland. With the recent rains parts of the course were very muddy, as befits a cross country course, with a number of twists and turns.

The start

First Sidmouth runner to finish was Naomi Garrick in a time of 32:39. Naomi was closely followed by Rob Edwards in 33.04. Next to cross the line for Sidmouth was Christine Farnham who picked up the prize for third lady in her age category finishing in a time of 35:00. Completing the Sidmouth contingent were David Millen in 35:39 and Karen Farnham in 35:48.

Sidmouth show of strength at the Devon Schools’ Cross Country

Some of the town’s younger runners, including some from the junior section of Sidmouth Running Club, were in action at the Devon Schools’ Cross Country event last Saturday at an exceptionally muddy Stover School. Brilliantly organised, the course was set-up to provide race distances ranging from 2.2 km to 6.5 km. The course map included a lap of what was affectionately titled ‘Torture Field’ where the energy-sapping mud was arguably at its worst!

To even make it to the start line the athletes had already come through two rounds of selection; firstly at Bicton for East Devon then at Blundells for the joint Exeter and East Devon team. All the runners did the town proud in very difficult conditions.

From the Running Club, Joe Ashby, Josh Miller, Kate Marriott, Toby Garrick, Will Ashby and Tommy Reardon swapped green vests for blue to take on the challenge. This was ‘proper’ cross country with all runners having to run laps of a brutal course which started very muddy and quickly deteriorated through the day! All runners can be extremely proud of themselves for digging deep and producing inspiring performances. Excellent Sidmouth performances were delivered by Tara Darlami (Minor Girls), Kate Marriott (Inter Girls), Joe Ashby and Ollie Beech (Junior Boys), Josh Miller and Will Bond (Inter Boys), Rory Morgan and Will Ashby (Senior Boys). Particular congratulations were due to Josh Miller (9th) and Toby Garrick who had a storming run to make it onto the podium in 3rd position. Both have qualified for the next round – the South West Championships.

Justin Ashby, a coach with Sidmouth Running Club said, ‘With talented runners such as these, the future is bright for Sidmouth Running Club. Ben Chesters and I look forward to nurturing the talent in our Wednesday night intervals session at the club!’

Toby at the South West X-Country Championships

On Sunday 8th January I took part in the South West Cross Country Championships taking place in Aldon Park, Yeovil. This competition consists of teams of the best eight runners from each county including Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire and Avon. The course was a typical cross country course with hills, mud, wind and for once sunshine! The temperature felt a mere 3 degrees as every spectator was wrapped in an uncountable amount of layers.

On Sunday 8^th January I took part in the South West Cross Country Championships taking place in Aldon Park, Yeovil. This competition consists of teams of the best eight runners from each county including Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire and Avon. The course was a typical cross country course with hills, mud, wind and for once sunshine! The temperature felt a mere 3 degrees as every spectator was wrapped in an uncountable amount of layers.

The Devon Team

My race commenced at 13:55 so after a thorough warm up to get a slight feeling in my toes I was ready to race. The gun goes and it’s a sprint to see who can take the lead of the hungry pack charging behind them. A 500m straight is what we face with a sharp right turn into a fierce headwind. Constant to and fro between race positions kept all on their toes, prepared for an early surge form the leaders at any time. As the mud got thinner and wind reduced, everyone knew what was coming: The hill! The thoughts are ticking ‘do I attack up it?’ ‘do I save energy and cruise, but loose some race places?’ it’s a risk but you’ve got to decide in that split-second. Now onto me. I attacked that hill, surging up it taking 2, 3, 4, 5 places from an average 20th place of a field of 50 moving to a more promising 15th.

The second lap provided pain and a lot of mental strain. It was now turning into a mental test rather than physical. Keep your legs moving, stay with the runner in front of you, and don’t get overtaken. Simple right? I wish. My race tactic changed, I was determined to move up the field to put me in the best position in preparation for the hill. Attacking down steep inclines and gaining momentum I was moving nicely with less pain than before, I had never been this high up in a race as prestigious as this so was out of my comfort zone. Adrenaline kicked in at the right time, fuelling me up the hill taking over three runners. I now knew I was at least 3rd in my team, far better than the expectations I gave myself prior to the event. All I had to do now was secure this place and stay strong, digging deep and keeping technique sound, for the final 200 metres. One competitor rushed by me, sprinting at an unimaginable speed to contrast my race tactics of give all in the race, cruise the end but just hold my place. At this point I had nothing left and was fearing the worst, dreading who else could muster up that final kick to overtake me. Luckily before I knew it I was over the line and was immediately handed a letter with the title ‘London Marathon 2018’.

I am delighted to say I finished 8th in the South West by far my highest achievement, 2nd in the Devon team and am now a reserve for The London Mini Marathon in May 2018, something I could never have imagined even being close to.