Race Report: Datchet Cross Country

Sunday saw the first event of this year's cross country season, held on a grey, wet and misty Remembrance Sunday in Windsor.

The misty view in Windsor

About Cross Country
My club competes in the Thames Valley Cross Country League (TVXC) where 13 clubs run at 8 events (each event is hosted by one of the clubs). Cross country results are a bit different to normal races - you are given points based on your finishing position (first place = 1 point and so on) and the first 7 men and 3 ladies score points for their club, the team with the lowest score wins that event. But as scores are position based, if the 4th female runner for one club overtook the 2nd female runner from another club, although the first lady wouldn't score points for her club, she would add a point to the second lady's club total, moving them further down the ranking list. Confused?! All the event scores are added together to find the season winner, which last year was Sandhurst Joggers! Not that I contribute in any way, as I'm too far down the rankings to be of any help! :D

The Course
The first event, hosted by the Datchet Dashers takes place in Windsor. This is the longest of the cross country courses (6 miles), but is also 100% flat! Rain the day before meant that all the fields were suitably muddy for a cross country event.

Just before crossing the finish line

The Race
The race started at 11:02 after a two minute silence. The race wasn't great for me, a niggly/tight calf was causing me come pain and I considered dropping out at more than one point, but once I got to half way, I figured I might as well finish and that the quickest way back to the start was to run the rest of the course! I was a bit disappointed to finish about 3 minutes slower than last year (official times haven't been released yet)[edit: times have now been released, and I was only 1:20 slower than last year!], but glad I got through it.

The Castle

The host club put on a great spread - the hot drinks were most welcome! Along with cakes, crisps, scones, sandwiches and lots of other food that was quickly gobbled up!

The next event (in just under two weeks), is my club's home events, so I shall be marshalling rather than running. All the marshalls were great yesterday - cheering on everyone as they went past - even in the rain.

5.9 Miles - TVXC: Datchet Cross Country

I showed up for this, my first cross country event, to find the field packed with 'proper' runners. I glanced down at my Sandhurst vest and realised I was one of them! Why else was I in a muddy field on a cold Sunday morning?!

Although it was the first cross country event of the season, in reality, it was more 'off-road' as although it was muddy it was completly flat! I started at the back of the group with a couple of other runners from my club - we'd decided to run at a steady pace and not worry about coming last (its only the first 10 people or so that actually score points for the club, the rest of the runners are just there for fun). After a lap of the field, we were off. It was pretty muddy and slippery in places, but not too bad. I kept my pace steady, and am pretty sure I ran a negative split race. I managed to over-take 3 people in the last mile and even managed a little spurt at the end! :)

The marshalls were amazing and every single one of them (and there were a fair few on the way round) clapped and cheered me on as I ran past - it was a really nice atmosphere and there was cake a refreshments after the run.

I was really pleased as my pace for this race was 10:43 - my quickest pace ever and first one under 11:00 per mile. My pace for my previous off road race was 11:32, so it would seem that although I haven't noticed it, I am finally getting faster :D