Thames Valley Cross Country 2011/12

ironically, for how it felt longer and harder this year, i read 5.70 as opposed to slightly longer last year.

All depends on the racing line I guess.

My legs show that I take a tight line...only problem is 30mins after the race your legs BURN

The beauty of XC versus road racing, is that it's not so black and white, it's always a slightly different course, distance, conditions, and you can race in peace without thinking i did xx.xx for 10k or so last week..

Hi guys - what a beautiful course - they seem to keep on getting better and better! We timed it well for the weather.  Ben's just gone out for another hour and it's hail-stoning - ha ha!

Lovely to meet you Richard - we came to look for you once we'd gotten a cup of tea but you'd vanished - Ben says hi anyway!  Likewise Ian - vamoushed!

I managed my hat-trick today - 3rd race of being 3rd lady counter!  Woner if I can hold onto my spot next year! That drag at the end was cruel as pre-warned - I didn't have the legs for it today but my heels remained taped and were made no worse so happy days. Plus, they had Bakewell tarts left by the time I got there - absolute heaven!

Happy Christmas from all of us - we'll see you in the new year! 

whoops sorry...i did hang about a bit, but I guess when you've had a great race you have to be force removed, whereas today i wasn't worried about scuttling away  Also doesn't help that my lot had their camp below the main level, at the foot  of the steps.

ps pass my apologies to Ben for saying it was a left at the bottom of the starting hill...i always forget that tiny little lap that takes a tight hand turn. seems a pointless loop!

ps who is that in between Debra/identical sister, and Sue Bell? Can't make the face out.

If you're not quite in top form, this one can be a hell of a drag...those fields take so long, and then you know you're doing them twice!

I for one am glad that the next one is 3 weeks away!

LOL - that'll be me! Note the matching hat and tutu!

No worries! We know what it's like at the end of a race - you're all so warm and then suddenly you're frozen!  Don't worry about the little loop either - I don't think Ben even realised it wasn't where you meant! Beautiful venue eh!

Not doing Clivedon? 

Any tips for the Tadley course?

whoops, of course it's you, I feel a right clown!!

Never done Cliveden to be honest, is a race that has cult following sells out really early, but has been cancelled the last 2 years due to the weather. Outside chance of doing the Aylesbury 5k on Boxing day, that's a race of such standard that Ben might be pushed out of the top 2 or 3. Low 15s have won it before... I did it once in about 2008, and came 25th in 17.57 or so i think.

I'll try and make it to the club a couple of times, definitely for the next social and the predictor event.

Tadley is the most varied course...a few years ago on a particularly cold day they took the decision to switch the course around, so now it runs a lot better as there's no bottlenecks.

Basically first half, lush forest, mildly undulating
2nd half, tough, 2 or 3 ( i can never remember) stream crosses, with the do you leap it, or do you step in and wade through condundrum, then a mile or so of hilly boggy muddy ploughed fields. The hills are nothing compared to handy cross or even today, but the sheer boggy nature makes it a right faff.

Then a half mile to end on the path you start on, where you keep thinking the next turn will be the finish. It's probably one of the biggest "hallucinating" points of the series, as you're so sure someone is right on your shoulder!

reading all that...can't wait!!

Tadley:

1. Take waterwings

2. Tape shoes on to feet/legs. Do anything to keep them on your feet in the deep mud.

Shame I missed today. I really enjoyed it last year.

having lost my shoes just in a training run yesterday cat....i'll take heed of number 2!!

I'm in a situation of base training thus keeping the mileage reasonably up, yet wanting to maintain good performance in these races...how greedy of me

5mins! You smashed it Claire.

 Also you ran 0.3miles further than me! I have certainly created a penchant for taking the short way through courses, even if it leaves me cut to billyo afterwards!

Morning!

Hope you're feeling better today Cat5.  I'll get the gaffer tape ready!

Hi Claire - oh yeah - most definitely - it was a great spread! Glad you had such a good run! 

SG - Entered Cliveden ages ago cos the Striders told me to - only found out about "the steps "last week - bad, bad clubmates LOL (There were some nasty snaggy brambly bits - I noticed them too - hope you heal quick). We're at home (in Yorkshire) on boxing day so we'll have to give that one a miss - we'll be back sometime before New Year.

Sam - we only took ones of the Marlow fairies but I'll have another look through and check if there are any Metros runners in the background.  A link to them should appear on the Marlow Striders website sometime in the near future.

SFTL - oooh are the results up....

37.44 yesterday, compared to 36.05 last year...but 4th was 36.00 this year, so clearly it was a tougher course yesterday.

Sleepy, must be disappointed with Marlow in 9th even fielding the winner! That was always my frustration, we did have a run of 7ths a few years ago, when i was say 20s, and had a couple more 40-50s. However, last year when i was 8th-12ths, and we were coming 8/9ths I'd had enough

Hope Cliveden is on for you this year...although they do have a reserve date if postponed! However, this time last year we'd had at least one set of snow already, so let's hope we see none this year