It has taken every ounce of restraint I have to not start this report with every swear word known to man plus some additional ones I have made up for the occasion. I'm not alone is saying what a absolute @@## @@@79 UY_@) F@@^............ and ~@+__ ==et &&kk0.
Apart from that it was lovely to see everyone on a fairly mild November morning ready for the second instalment of the CC6s, and as always there was some lovely cake on offer at the end.
CC6s or Cross Country 6's for those new to the club and competition are a group of races organised between local running clubs and held in the winter. Each club will have one week where they are the dropout club and its their turn to host, with so many clubs now in league these a shared responsibility. They are free for club members to run with the only rule being you must be wearing a club tops to run. Being held in the winter they were traditionally true cross country races with mud baths galore along the way, in recent years with the forestry commission banning running anywhere but the gravel paths they have lost this charm and we are slowly being forced out of the forest.
This event was hosted by Hamwic Harriers, Netley Abbey Runners and Stubbington Green Runners and held at Itchen Valley Country Park. So the elephant in the room for those that weren't there, there was one pivotal marshal point on the course where they put 1 solitary marshal and didn't explain the course effectively (this is the polite version). So at the integral point where runners should have gone to their right they were directed to their left and instead of continuing the first of the large loops they ended up doing an extra unplanned small loop adding 1k to the distance. If only this is where the balls up ended .... sadly what happened next was the very front 5 runners after doing the extra loop were again sent left! At which point the next marshal along sent them back. Now we all make mistakes and I think its unfair to blame the marshal, we could have all struggled on with the extra loop and finished with no harm done. However rather than allowing the entire field to run the same altered route the organisers decided to start sending people the correct way once 3/4 had run the incorrect route. Que absolute chaos and a lot of pissed off worn out runners, there were runners being lapped and jumping out the way of front runners in sections where they should not have had to worry. Everyone had mentally planned for a shorter distance that left them exhausted when they had to go further. And no-one was happy. I think Dean sums it up nicely in pictures.
Ignoring the massive mess up it was (when on the correct route) a true cross country run with fields, trail and the along waited for mud, its not true XC if you're still clean afterwards. We had a great turnout as a team with 39 runners taking part, Dave Ullet completed his first ever CC6 and there were some long missed faces returning to the love of muddy running. It was great to see everyone!
There was a lot of discussion held by the powers that be (not us but the people in charge of the CC6) and the decision was taken to allow the results of the day to stand regardless of the mix up. The season is already minus one race this year so losing another set of results was not thought to be possible. In the CC6 its individual scores and only one team (top3 of male or female) that score and it was felt that these results were relatively untroubled as everyone in the top third (approx.) of the results ran the further length.
Apologies I have not included everyone's photos, my laptop is having a special moment - fortunately they are all on the TRC running club chat page.
The next CC6 is out drop out race on 11/12/2022 for which we have an events page and you can sign up to help out.... by help I mean we WILL send people the right way.
Results
Women Helen Herman-Bonaer 4 Patricia Spodzieja 19 Kirsty Macbeth 36 Sophie Coady 37 Lena Roger 43 Lizzy White 56 Mandy Jones 68 Dot Kennard 86 Priscilla Cook 90 Ann-Marie Vanderplank 106 Samantha Bowyer 109 Teresa Dodkin 111 Donna Pike 113 Lyn Hatchett 116 Tina Mills 121 Maria Whitlock 123 Caroline Irwin 124
Men David Ullett 28 Neil White 53 Paul Bullen 66 Graham Bungay 68 Robbie Barlow 78 Mark Jones 80 Jon Marsden 84 Dan Burgess 93 Keith Whitten 105 Peter Ellis 116 Andrew Warren 119 Luke Mills 127 Dean Lucas 132 Neil Cameron 152 Mike Gordon 155 Craig Taylor 162 Harvey Hiscock 163 Mark Whitlock 166 Denis Coady 179 Mike Mills 184 Dave Murray 187
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