County Cross Country Championships

I have taken part in many county cross championships, they’ve been an important part of my build up to bigger championships, they’re always tough, being generally longer than the local league races and they usually bring out the best athletes that county has to offer, in one race. It’s also a good opportunity to pick up important medals and gain selection to represent your county in the forthcoming inter-counties cross country championships. What I also like about them is that you get a chance to race against athletes you don’t necessarily get a chance to in local league races.

I’ve had mixed results in the county champs but I’ve not allowed those days when I’ve finished well down the field to affect my belief in my own ability, which after nearly 23 years of running I’ve got a fairly good idea of what it is. Through perseverance I’ve picked myself up from the defeats and worked hard to bring future success.

My first shot at the championship was in December 1990, in those days the championships were held prior to Xmas, nowadays they’re held the first weekend of the year. Still fairly fresh into my running, having started less than 2 years earlier, the championships were run on one of my least favourite courses at Coulsdon. There were two reasons I disliked the course, it had a path with stones poking through it and a section where you ran on a camber. After many years of running Surrey Leagues, Surrey Champs and South of the Thames Champs I managed to adapt to the course, gaining some good results on occasions, but I never liked it. This particular year I managed 98^th position. I didn’t expect any better and despite the course I enjoyed the competition, having my own race with the guys around me.

It was December 1992 before I took part again, where else but Coulsdon. By now I’d settled down into my running but I was far from the finished article. I was impressed by Bob Treadwell who was over 40 and won his 7^th Surrey cross country, but then Bob was a class athlete over the country. My own position of 43^rd was nothing to get excited about but I was at least placed around the same position as a host of athletes who would feature in my races for the next few years, the likes of; Jim Estall in 40^th, Peter Groves 41^st, one of the two Robbies (James in this case) in 45^th and Vic Maughn in 48^th. If you’d seen me run that day and looked at the results I doubt anyone would have put money on me being a Surrey Champion and ranked in the top 50 in the UK within the next 6 months, but such is progress and good coaching.

The 1993 Championships were held at Frimley, a venue I’d never visited before. It was a good course going through the woods with a long finish on the fields. Terry Booth was the victor on this occasion, Terry a fine runner and on his day unbeatable. Geoff Hill was 2^nd with Hugh Brasher, of  Sweatshop fame, in 3^rd. I was running with more confidence but still only managed 14^th, just behind 1992 runner up and New Zealand dentist, Alistair Miller. Just behind me were the two Robbies, James and Phillips, and following in my wake were some very good local athletes; Tony Bignell, Dave Robinson, Jerome Brooks, Jerry Weightman, Gary McIllroy, Mark Duncan, Jim Estall and Andy Weir. It was this run that earned me my first representation for Surrey.

Back at Frimley in 1995, having missed the previous year’s Championship, I could only manage 27^th as Belgrave colleague, Chris Sweeney took the title. There were a lot of great runners in the race so Robbie Phillips 12^th position was a great effort. Just ahead of me were many Surrey regulars; Jim Estall, Andy Thomas, Barry Attwell, Stuart Major, Geoff Jerwood (I didn’t quite get close enough for him to push me off the course this time), Karl Corpes, Ian Lamplough and Ian Munt, with Robbie James, again, one place behind me, followed by Bob Treadwell.

In 1996 the event was again held at Coulsdon. This was the year I ran with the cold that was to prove my undoing. I thought I was recovered enough but any weakness will be found out by cross country, particularly on this course and even more so when you have Commonwealth athletes; Gary Staines and Jon Solly competing. I’d been in such good form coming into the race and was looking at this event for me to gain my first individual cross country medal. There were again some great runners in the race but I feared nobody, unfortunately I didn’t see the virtual brick wall that I ran into about a mile into the race. Had I known that I would come out of this race with a strained heart I would have stopped right there but I was fighting for my place in the Belgrave 6 man team so pushed through the next 6 and a half miles of pain until I reached the end in 19^th place. As Gary went on to win the race from Jon, I was 4^th Belgravian in, for a momentous team victory, the first in 30 years. At last Robbie James got the better of me, finishing two places higher but I managed to keep Bob Treadwell behind me.

The 1997 championship was back at Frimley and I finished in my highest position to date, 10^th. Team mate Kassa Tadesse was champion, ahead of Solly, but we only managed bronze team this year. Dave Robinson got the better of me but I finished back in my customary position, one place higher than Robbie James, with Karl Corpes and Paul Haywood following him home.

1998 was back at Coulsdon. By rights I shouldn’t have run, I’d had my last race in June and had been sidelined for about 5 months. I started running again in the last week in November so the obvious advice would be to miss this tough 7 and a half mile race. But I don’t do obvious or easy, my summer injury was indirectly linked to the run at Coulsdon, two years previous and I was out to extradite my demons. With lashing rain and the muddiest course I’d seen in a long time, it was understandably my worst championship position for 8 years as I finished down with the old men in 66^th place. But it was a comeback and was the first step towards much future success. And to be perfectly frank, 3 months earlier I’d thought my athletic life was over so I was as happy as Larry to get through such a tough re-introduction to racing.

The winter of 99/00 saw the championships move to the New Year, which was good for me as I was home from my work in Germany. The race was held at Lloyd Park, notoriously wet at times but I was in pretty good form, finishing 7^th, top Belgravian, just ahead of my future best man, Al Stewart. Sadly we lacked a team with Will Cockerell next man in 37^th and Don Anderson in 78^th. But it was always good to beat Al and at least I saw my future wife finish 8^th and lead home the Belles to a team bronze.

It was Lloyd Park again in 2001 but I wasn’t in the same kind of shape this year and could only manage 21^st.

I missed the 2002 race but took part again in 2003 at a new venue, Banstead. Slightly better than my previous attempt, due to the high mileage I was doing for my marathon debut. I was 16^th. Again I was 1^st Belgravian, one place ahead of Richard Ward, with Will Cockerell in 77^th being the only other Belgravian to finish, so once again no team. I didn’t know it at the time but this was to be my last Surrey Senior event as other events took over.

In 2005 I turned 40, which at the time was the opening age to become a Master’s athlete, now it’s 35. I’d had a good start to the year and then tore my hamstring, but come October I was regaining my form, just in time for the Surrey Veterans cross country champs (the title Veteran or Master is used dependent on how you feel about the wording, at this time we were all called veterans, now we’re called masters. I have no personal preference, it’s too insignificant a difference to lose sleep over, but it is confusing for those not involved). For years I’d had a desire to win the Surrey cross country title but I was never close, perhaps my closest opportunity to get a medal was lost in the cold of 1996. However, now as a Master I had regained the desire. The championships took place in Richmond Park, one of my favourite venues, it was sunny and the going was firm, my favourite conditions. I was full of confidence, my favourite feeling. I set off steady, wanting to see who would put their head above the parapet. Nobody did and I quickly found myself at the front, then we were going downhill and I wasn’t going to waste the downhill so I let myself go at full flow. I had some competition for a while but was always confident it was going to be my race. Half way around the 2^nd lap I put my foot down and pulled away from the rest of the field to win my 3^rd cross country race and first county cross country championship. I was now running for Herne Hill Harriers and I also picked up a team bronze. Soon after this I moved to Edinburgh so had no further involvement in Surrey championships.

It was 2008 before I competed in another county type championship, this time it was the East District cross country champs at Cupar. It was an icy day and I made the mistake of leaving my spikes at my front door. Perhaps it was the shift work but I was pretty annoyed with myself for this stupid mistake. I contemplated not starting but found the ground was quite firm. I’d brought an old pair of racing flats to drive home in so decided to wear those. They almost came off on one occasion but I had a good solid run for 31^st. I was 7^th over 35 but had they not changed the age limit would have been bronze medallist in the over 40s, still Edinburgh AC, my Scottish club, won the Masters team race and we also got bronze in the senior event. Not a bad day considering I nearly didn’t start.

By the end of 2009 I was back in England, Cheshire. I hadn’t been here long enough to qualify for the Cheshire champs in early 2010, which is a shame because I was about to find some very good form. In 2011 I was injured.

So this year I made my Cheshire cross country champs debut and it was close to home at Winsford. I popped down to the course last Thursday, to take a look at it, it was a very windy day and the course was boggy, my feet were soaked in seconds and it was a most unpleasant run. Two days later, on race day, I decided not to jog around the course, after seeing the churned up finish area, because I didn’t want to get my feet wet before the race, I wish I had because I would have found that the soggy areas had dried up and, whilst still offering challenging terrain, the course was firm enough to get a reasonable purchase in spikes. Instead I warmed up on the road and spent time talking to those locals I knew. One non local was Martin Jones, former commonwealth games representative and a great athlete in his time. I met Martin when we both worked at adidas, in Germany. When we raced he left me for dead, even though I was coming into some of the best form of my life, when we drank it was the same story. Martin’s daughter had just come 3^rd in her race. I chatted to one of my local rivals, Rob Tudor, who told me who my chief rivals were. They generally came from his training group, but not Rob who had a chest infection. Then there was M50 British marathon champion Mike Hatton, who offered me the use of the South Cheshire Harriers tent, I’d already put my stuff in the Vale Royal AC tent. I caught up with Stu Doyle, who has been one of my most memorable opponents since I arrived in Cheshire, he gave me further advice about my rivals. Then just before the start I caught up with Belgravian Sarah Murphy, who gave me some good advice on a line to take after the steps. What steps? I hadn’t seen any steps on my reconnaissance, what an idiot I’d taken a wrong turn on my reconnaissance. Oh well it’s all grass and mud, and some additional steps.

12 minutes before the start and I was putting my spikes on, snap, one of my laces went. I couldn’t believe it, who brings spare laces to a cross country race. A quick problem solving session, using all the methodologies I’d learnt during my years in IT and I ruled out using one of my trainer laces and decided to tie the two ends of my lace together instead. It took a few minutes, and I wasn’t at all confident it would stay together, but time to stop any negative thoughts. It was off to the loo and then to the start. On the way I decided my shoes were too loose so I retied my laces, much happier now and off to the start. It was there that Julian Spencer of Spectrum Striders started speaking to me and telling me I ought to hook up with Graham Houghton to train with, as we were about the same standard, well I wasn’t about to go seek him out now but he was right, he beat me.

Then the guns went off, for some reason the starter was holding two, probably couldn’t decide which one to use so brought them both. I set off cautiously, I wanted to find my way round on the first lap of four. Perhaps I was too cautious as my main rival for the M45 title, Ian Wetherall, shot off with the leaders. Coming to the steps I saw that my mate Dave Gough was marshalling there, he told us to be careful but I wasn’t quite expecting to go down 4 uneven steps after picking up speed on a firm, slightly downhill, part of the course. It was the only bit of the course I did not like, the rest was flat and fairly firm, or at least by the 4^th lap I’d found the firm line. In fact, apart from the steps, the only other downer for me was that there weren’t any tough hills. I had some good race long battles, most of which I won but some I lost, particularly with Dave Alexander, James Wood and Rob Grantham. Every time I came to the end of the lap there was a switch back and I could see 3^rd place M45, Graham MacNeill, was only about 20 metres back, so come the forth lap I just put my head down and pushed all the way round.

I finished in 17^th, 4^th over 40 and 2^nd over 45. I was disappointed when Adrian Thiemicke told me there was only a medal for first M45, but that’s life and I’ll have to try better next time. I’ll admit to being a little disappointed at first with 17^th, but I know I’m better than that and one race does not a season make. I also know that, and so will you if you’ve read more of my blogs, I’ve had some pretty uninspiring county champs in the past and achieved greater things in the spring. So here’s to the spring, for which I’m working on my training and racing strategy.