Recent race report is by Dot Kennard - team manager and ultimate scorer for champs of TRC. Thank you Dot for providing a great report.
River Hamble Country Park (aka Manor Farm) is one of my favourite locations for the cross country races – being alongside a tidal river is the next best thing to being by the seaside. There is always a big turnout from all the clubs for this one too. Thanks to Hedge End and Netley Abbey runners for organizing.
Seeing the weather forecast (yellow thunderstorm warning and heavy rain at 7pm) I packed my bag to cover all eventualities but luckily both held off until later that evening. We headed to the start area after the now very punctual team photo, wave and bit of a leg stretch; it dawned on me rather alarmingly that we appeared to be waiting at the front of the pack so we joined the penguin shuffle of other runners to rotate further back.
The race started slightly uphill, taking us round some bushes and then generally down along winding tracks though the woods with glimpses of the river. I knew sooner or later we would have to go back up and after a sharp bend we did – well done to anyone who ran up the hill! After the woods we followed gravel tracks towards the farm before turning right for a loop of the field down to the river where it was nice to see a posse of Totton runners incl Pete and Kirsty coming back up on the other side. More gravel tracks took us past the farm and back down for another loop of the woods. I had spent much of the race “yo yo ing” with a Romsey Road runner up and down the inclines but by this time Rob had caught me up and kept me going for the last mile – it is tough when you can hear the cheers of the finish line through the trees but have another 10 minutes or so to go. An extra well done to anyone who ran up the hill a second time!
The bonus was that the finish was only about 200m or so from the top of the hill so just enough to catch your breath before a final sprint and a wave for the line of TRC support which had formed at the finish. Lindsay mentioned that whilst standing round the corner, he could predict a Totton runner approaching from the volume of the roar! It was also great to give support to other runners finishing after me (and the sponge cake with sprinkles was rather good too)
72 TRC members have taken part in the league so far this season which is a fantastic turnout after just 2 races – it is good fun, free and open to all paces.
A collage of runners experiencing their first RR10:
Please see individual results below from RR10 race #3, 51 runners for Totton (27 women, 24 men)
Women Jo Haley 10 Kelly Kendall 19 Sophie Coady 21 Jacquie Barlow 24 Patricia Spodzieja 25 Lucy Jones 27 Lizzy White 34 Kirsty Macbeth 50 Nikki Gowers 53 Kylie Nugus 67 Mandy Jones 76 Sara Parry 90 Zea Brenchley 97 Donna Pike 102 Louise Ashmore 103 Rachael Gardner 110 Priscilla Cook 111 Vicky Couzens 113 Teresa Dodkin 128 Samantha Bowyer 132 Ann-Marie Vanderplank 140 Dot Kennard 142 Tina Mills 153 Lyn Hatchett 156 Natasha Foster 160 Rebecca Chambers 163 Helena Shaw 178
Men Stuart Booth 34 Will Greenway 49 Simon King 52 Neil White 62 John Curry 100 James Nugus 107 Dean Lucas 109 Eamonn Rivers 127 Graeme Browning-Martin 131 Tony Lees 138 Andrew Warren 140 Stuart Foster 157 Peter Ellis 176 Kevin Gardener 179 Neil Cameron 182 Mike Gordon 185 Craig Taylor 199 Martin Nugus 200 Dave Murray 217 Denis Coady 219 Kirk Jenkins 223 Rob Barlow 236 Simon Mason 241 Paul Gale 242
Regards with Men's A team they are currently Joint 8th. Ladies A team they are joint 5th with the ladies B team holding their own too (in top 10). Well done Team Totton!
