The Northerns' Manchester - Heaton Park

If you require race results please click here.

This is getting difficult! Can you believe, not only have I received complaints from big girls, as opposed to the little'uns, for not mentioning them, now I have had a complaint lodged because I only have a favourite none Birtley runner, and not a favourite Birtley runner.

So the parameters have been set, and here I go with the event write up whilst trying to offend everyone on the same scale, oops I mean trying not to offend any one.

It seems that recently, cross-country has become a spectator sport, as the bus left Birtley. You would have thought there had been a sale of buy one get one free (except the bus was provided free by the club) that is to say there was one person for every two seats, and even then there were more spectators than competitors. Out of a club of, I don't know …150 people; we managed an all time low of 12 athletes in a championship event. Anyway that is enough lecturing,

I have to say the people who did compete all gave excellent performances, and should be proud of themselves. Even to the point of good behaviour, as nobody left their rubbish in the tents.

I bet I could surprise a few people who know the quiet one in Trevor's' group. I took the car down, because I had an appointment at the Moulders at 7:15 so needed to get back quick, and so took Janet and Sophie down with us, so the lads had someone to talk to. I don't know if anyone else in Marks age group has noticed, but the kids don't seem to want to talk to us auld fellas when you are as grown up as 13. The surprise is, Janet brought some cd's to listen to in the car, and we head banged all the way down with Deep Purple, and T Rex. It was like being 15 over again.

The head banging seemed to have a great effect with Sophie, who is gradually getting over the poorly chest, and starting to get back to her better form. Sophie and Bethan were both relaxed and happy at the starting pen, supported by family and friends. Even Chelsea had travelled down to support her two mates even though an admin error by her pappy, Peter, meant she did not get entered for the race. Sophie and Bethan both seemed to start the race at the back, as they were swallowed up in the stampede, but when they came out of the first bit of mud, quickly started to move through the pack. It would have been a steep learning curve for both the young lassies, because this race is nothing like the Harrier league races. It is harder and there were about five times as many athletes running, but the girls both ran well and were a credit to themselves and their club

. This article will be disjointed, as I cannot remember the order of events.

Richard Hopkins was the first from the club to put his toe on the line. It was lucky for him, as he started to make all the mud for us poor people who had to follow. Straight after Richard ran, the young girlies ran, so we were busy preparing them when Richard ran, but I have checked the results, and well done Richard!

Steph was the only runner for the club in the under 15's finishing in the middle of the pack. She finished with two four-inch scars (four inch long not deep) on her ankle, war wounds from a tough race.

Maggie ran as a lone senior lady. This could be a good time to point out that of the 13 runners, 6 came from two families…Lorraine' and Bailes' where would the club be without us???? Maggie had an excellent run, the first of the club to do a large lap. After her race she told me about the parts of the course I hadn't seen, and it scared me. At least I knew about the hills and mud "round the corner" now.

The next race was Mark, Ade and Robbie, still not a full team yet as we needed a fourth runner. Adrian and Robbie did their usual trick, trying to fool the other runners by heading off in the wrong direction when the starter set them away. Mark wasn't pleased with his run, he had enjoyed the course but wanted to come in the top 100 but finished 101st. Adrian was disappointed with his run, he thought that as he had been 10th in the North Easterns he should have been 20th in the Northerns, doesn't quite work like that son…you have to run faster to be 20th, but 30th is still good you know!!

Next was the "dads" race. Karl, myself, Dave and Pat, almost a team, just two people short. I loved the race, great course. I remember running through the gate Maggie had told me and thought a Pot bellied pig would not have been conspicuous there. I honestly think that the course was so muddy in places, yet firm in other places, that it was manufactured mud produced by liberal use of a garden hose. There was a place on the course looked like they had shipped in some of the magnetic mud from Newark….remember those days Tommy??(Nationals at Newark were great in the 90s')

Zak had the last race for the club, as we were leaving to make that appointment at the Moulders. I saw your result Zak, 31st out of 95, excellent, and only 2 ½ mins behind the winner. I think I was about 15 minutes behind the winner in my race.

The event T-shirts were nice as well, but a bit more expensive at £10, but you have to have one don't you.

We set off at 4:15 and head banged home arriving home at 6:20, which was just time enough for 3 showers and then out for tea. It was a great day, and most of you missed it. (Sigh)

Apology: - Schools counties race error. I said that Sophie had been pipped into second place, that was at Haydon Bridge, but the qualifier, she had actually won by lots…..can't remember how much she actually said. Sorry, but the record is now straight.