It was cold but bright and sunny as the Roadhoggs gathered together at our mobile event centre (tent) for the 4th race in this season’s xc league at the Mallory Park racetrack. The race was to be run not on the track itself but around the land which surrounds it. There was the usual jolly chat as our guys and girls prepared to run. Sadly our ladies team was depleted once again as only Helen and Charlotte came along, but we did have a full mens team including Neil who was back running his first xc this season. Our leader Dave Lod was unable to run as he is suffering a calf injury, so he became our official action photographer instead.
In the junior race Gurtej was our sole runner as brother Ashveer was playing football. Gurtej ran a good race. The Mallory Park course is mainly grassland but does include several steep mounds to break your stride, so he had to work hard to hold his position and once again gain one or two more places at the run in with his sprint speed.
Then the men and ladies all set off together for 6 miles over 2 laps. The start of each lap disappeared into a woodland but soon came out onto the grassland and the short but steep ups and downs. You can see just about all of the course from the centre of the race which is on higher ground, so you could see the runners snaking back and forth in all directions as the race stretched out. The mounds, at the beginning and at the end of each lap, made everyone work extra hard and getting your pace right became very important, especially second time around. Both Daniel and Helen struggled around their second laps but did not quit and dug deep to hang on to the end.
Gurmit ran one of his best xc race for us yet, up from 11th at half way to 8th at the finish … super pacing. Daniel was next in, though Neil was making ground in the last couple of miles and almost caught him at the line. John Drake was solid as usual, then came Nigel, Steve, John Davies and Marcus all chasing each other round and packing well at the finish. Lee was not far behind, having a good run and completing the team. For the ladies Helen was first home, determined as always, and then Charlotte who just kept to her steady pace all the way round.
Afterwards we enjoyed coffee and cakes and cookies from the Lodwicks and from Helen, which were much appreciated by all as they recovered. The mens team held onto their 4th place overall, but our poor lonely ladies need a few Hoggettes there at the last race in March to get a placing. A final mention for young Gurtej … he is 5th in his age-group (year 7/8) with 1 more race left – go Gurtej !
RESULTS:
JUNIORS: 18th Gurtej Garcha 16.08.
MEN: 8th Gurmit Singh (V40) 33.42, 86th Daniel del Greco 42.26, 87th Neil Humpage 42.36, 105th John Drake 43.41, 119th Nigel Maddern (V50) 46.20, 122nd Steve Wheeler (V50) 46.33, 128th John Davies (V55) 47.55, 132nd Marcus Shaikh (V45) 47.19, 152nd Lee Fairclough (V40) 50.15, 186 finished.
LADIES: 64th Helen Arthur (V50) 52.09, 100th Charlotte Tew 62.12, 112 finished.
TEAMS (all division 2): Men 4th, Ladies and Combined teams unplaced.
TEAMS AFTER 4 RACES: Men 4th, Ladies 11th, Combined 7th.
The final race in the xc league this season will be at Bosworth Battlefield on Sunday 6th March. This is always a mudfest and a true cross country challenge – put the date in your diary, watch out for the event details nearer the date and come along and run for Roadhoggs around the lovely countryside.
