Harrier League - Farringdon 13.01.07

If you require race results please click here.

Hope I don't miss anyone out this week!!!! By now you know what a busy little Bee I am. Once again an athletics event clashed with football. Luckily we know someone who thinks our Ade is dead canny, and didn't mind taking him to the race for us, while we had to take Mark to Pelton for his footy.

As it was, we managed to get to the race in plenty of time, which meant we could get Mark registered, and his number so he could run. This also meant that the under 13's still managed to field a full team, in the absence of Robbie (running at Edinburgh….did you see him on the telly??) and Kieron also absent. Well done to the lads who ran, Ade, Adam and Mark. Adrian was 4th in from the fast pack, finishing 10th, Adam finished strongly, and poor Mark was obviously hurting, but then had only just finished an hours football, an hour before the race

. The under 13 girlies race went after the boys, had run. Again the girls managed a full team of three managing to field a team of 4. The team came in second place, only one point behind Sunderland. Sophie Taylor was running well from the fast pack, starting to pick her way through the field when she dropped her Asthma inhaler, and had to stop to pick it up. This gave Paige Howell the opportunity to pass her. Sophie also had a fall, which just added to her misery, but she picked herself up and pushed on to the end. Then off to the first aiders to get her ankle strapped up. (If it had been me I would have put it in a sling, but they just seemed to think a bandage would have been enough).

A special mention to Bethan Oakes, obviously going to follow in her father's footsteps, for now anyway because soon he will be having to follow hers!! Not only did Bethan run into the fast pack, but she ran from the front at the very start and maintained it through the whole race, and finished a super second place overall in the race!! That is another medal to put in the box Bethan well done!! Chelsea, who seems to be enjoying the harrier leagues nowadays, supported the three lasses. Well done team!!

The under 15's only had Sam Hogarth running, from the fast pack, Sam had a good race also, looking very good as he came over the finish line.

Moving on…..no under 15 lasses, Oops sorry, just been reminded Sophie Robinson was a lone standard bearer for the under 15 lasses. Steph was at Edinburgh with little Bruv. Robbie, so the next race that involved Birtley would have been the main event!!! I had been quite looking forward to this week's race, I have always liked this course at Farringdon, and it is a field smaller to what it was when I started these hard race leagues. Also I had stayed off the wine and curry the night before so felt quite good standing on the line. The thing is, as I looked around me at the start it looked like everybody else had stayed off the wine and curries last night as well…. just my luck!!

The race started ok, a nice amble following the starters orders, then at the bottom of the first hill, I heard it…..Go on Uncle Brian….Go on Young Bri…. followed by everyone within a 10 yard radius (I think that is about 8.5metres to those who went to school after 1980) started a chorus of ~~Uncle Brian ~~ and it got so much that even my mate Davey Ransen had a go as well!! There had been a lot of runners gone before me, but nobody had said that at the bottom of the first hill, where we turned, that it was slippy and geet deep mud. So anyway I picked myself up and started running again….I found the first hill quite ok actually, and then down the bank, and took the water jump in my stride, I must have looked so majestic as I clumped on both flat feet together on the other side. The good news was though, nothing broken, and Zak and Lee hadn't caught me yet. I didn't like that 20yard (17metres) bit where you had to run along the side of a bank. But the rest of the course was OK.

On the second lap, when we reached the water jump, there were a group of about 6 arrived all together. The lad at the front hesitated, and I just ran in to the back of them (well I didn't expect them to stop) and how we didn't all land one on top of the other I will never know, but nobody cleared it that time.

The third lap was even worse, (I have to say that in case the man this happened to reads the article!!) I had a clear run to the water jump and glided over the top of it, again landing two footed (600mm) on the other side. The thing is the way I landed sent like a wave of mud flying. I actually stopped and apologised to the man as he was wiping the mud off his face and nice beige overcoat. He was very OK about it and I carried on. I must say that by this point I had passed Adam Greenwood, and I am 12 years older than him, pretty good eh??

I had loads of support from the younguns of the club, and a family from Chester running club, Amanda Watt and family, and our Trace kept giving me a cheer as well and that gave me the lift I needed, and I finished 22 places up on last weeks harrier league at Consett.

Monique Howell was running again after last weeks scare at Consett. Well done Monique it is nice to see you are OK again.

Richard Hopkins was running with David Barraclough also, but by then I was on my way for the results.

No Maggie running today, as she would have been at Edinburgh with her bairns running.

I did forget to mention our favourite non-Birtley runner last week. She did point out to me that I really should have mentioned her because she won her race at Consett, by loads and loads. Sorry Trace, hope you didn't "not run" this week because you were upset I hadn't mentioned you. Tracy, Tracy, Tracy, Tracy, Tracy, Tracy. There, there are a few spare ones in case I miss you out again in the future!!