NYSD Cross Country Acklam Grange School 12th January 2003

Over the Christmas break there was rain, early in January it snowed and froze over and then it rained again - perfect weather for cross-country runners! Richmond and Zetland Harriers took part in the third NYSD League X-C fixture at Acklam Grange School, Middlesbrough on Sunday 12th January. The course at Acklam is always muddy; the introduction of “Safety Audits” some years ago put paid to crossing the stream and despite this year’s changes, designed to make it “more runable”, it was a quagmire in places. No matter the nature of things, organisers Middlesbrough & Cleveland AC and friends made a first-class job of marking and marshalling the course, timing and recording the runners, and providing the post-race cuppas and more.

There were just 21 finishers in the opening race for under 13 boys against 45 under 13 girls in race two - evidence that football played on Sunday afternoons plays havoc with numbers. There were eight Harriers in the girls race and, despite Abbie Johnson and Alex Wheatman of Scarborough filling the first two places, their intelligent running saw them win the team race. Scarlett and Jessica Gray were 3rd and 4th, Jo Adams was 6th and Sophie Broadway made a super effort on the run-in to overhaul a Billingham runner and finish 8th. The total of 21 points was level with Scarborough but Sophie was the higher placed fourth counter which gave the Club victory on countback. Behind them, Katie Roberts and Rosie Adams had their own race with Katie just shading it into 13th place although both girls had the same finishing time. Leanne Shaw and Francesca Fowden also braved the conditions to finish in 30th and 33rd places respectively - solid reinforcement to the leading team.

Chris Andrade was the only Harrier in the under 15 boys race, one of only fifteen finishers - another competitor losing his team to football fever. Chris ran the 2 miles in determined but lonely fashion and finished halfway down the field.

The under 15 girls lined-up for their 2½ mile race, having seen their younger teammates “produce the goods”, and were equally determined. Jessica Roberts was imperious - she turned the tables on Scarborough by winning the individual race ahead of Tori Wheatman and then watched as Leah Jackson, Ashleigh Robinson and Jade Cawthray finished one behind another in 11th, 12th and 13th places to pick up team first.

The Club had their best result for a long time in the Ladies race to finish second behind Host Club M&C. LMU student Louise Jackson possibly had thoughts of revision for final year exams in her head when she was out-paced by Carolyn Summersgill to finish second but is still atop the individual cumulative. Rachel Robinson made light work of the heavy going to finish 9th, followed by first-year under 17 girl Amy Baines in 24th and Club Coach Fiona Hughes chasing hard in 29th. Lianne Broadfoot and Sadie Potter, two more first-year under 17s in 35th and 39th places plus Judith Fowden in 42nd (but more importantly, with nine behind her) made up a magnificent seven.

The Men’s race was last on the card and, by then, the course was not for the faint-hearted. In the absence of three of the Club’s top six runners, responsibility fell to John Aspell, who responded with 5th place and is now second in the individual cumulative. Ken Harker finished 18th and Karl Povey 33rd but Nestle Rowntree were in dominant form with six in twenty. Shaun Purkiss, Jim Robinson, Chris Peacock and Taff Rogers were the next four counters for the Club, evenly spaced in 42nd, 53rd, 64th and 75th places. The team was beaten into fourth place and are now level on 32 points with Nestle Rowntree but in number one place by virtue of two wins to one. Jim Robinson was 53rd overall and was 2nd M50 and leads the individual ranking ahead of Neil Scruton of Scarborough and fellow Harrier Mike Brooks who finished 80th overall, 7 minutes behind the winner, Paul Welham of New Marske Harriers, and 5th M50 on the day. Neil Piper finished 113th with the last man 24 places and another 7 minutes behind him.

The Club now have eleven confirmed runners in this year’s London Marathon with several running for Charity and one, Jon Orange, with his sights set on the $1,000 first prize for Veterans. Club training nights in winter are on Tuesdays at Le Cateau Gymnasium and on Thursdays at the Athletics Stadium, both from 6 pm, although the Marathon runners often train 7 days a week, in groups of similar ability, both on and off road.