Storm clouds were gathering but the first runners went off in sunshine which at first made the digital clock (thanks Roger) difficult to read. That soon changed as the squall moved through and temperatures dropped. Dawn, in difficulties again with her back injury, had brought her folding chair, but didn’t get much chance to use it before the seat was soaked and she was called upon for the vital job of giving out the finishing discs. Fred called out the times and I wrote them down, enabling the following results to go down in history:
………………………….Finishing time………Actual time……Points
1st Tony B………….. 7.05.57pm……………..23m27……………1
2nd Anwen…………..7.06.06………………….28m06…………..2
3rd Kate W……………..06.09………………….27m09…………..3
4th Huw…………………06.15…………………..22m45…………..4
5th Vic……………………06.18…………………..21m18……………5
6th Phil…………………..06.32………………….23m02…………..6
7th Sioned……………….06.41………………….26m41……………7
8th Emma……………….06.44………………….24m14……………8
9th Tony W……………..06.49………………….19m49……………9
10th Sali………………….06.55…………………..26m55………….10
11th Steve………………..07.09…………………..21m39…………..11
12th Mat………………….08.13…………………..24m43…………..12
13th Paul G………………08.28…………………..26m28………….13
14th Ruth…………………08.33…………………..38m33………….14
15th Sharon……………..08.46…………………..36m46………….15
16th Bob………………….09.00…………………..28m30………….16
17th Diane……………….09.23……………………39m23………….17
18th Katy B……………..09.30…………………….27m30…………18
19th David Sp………….10.08…………………….30m38………….19
20th Mari………………..12.57……………………..42m57………….20
Ian J pulled out injured.
The very heavy conditions in this race favoured the fitter people but Anwen and Kate W are back from injury and have lacked any recent form. Clearly they have retained more resilience for tough cross country than I expected. More predictable was Vic powering through, along with recent recruits Huw and Phil, but only just getting in front of Sioned and Sali, who are fast becoming dependably competent at this game. Welcome to Steve, Sharon, and Mari, and welcome back to Ruth and Diane. Perhaps I should feel obliged to say something good about Tony B and Tony W, but as it might be embarrassing for them I won’t sentimentalise about their moderately reasonable performances.
Next race in this series is the first Tuesday in May – same time, same place. Handicaps will be published shortly.
