At first glance, Croyland Park looks a very innocent venue for a cross-country race, but looks in this case are very deceptive. With a couple of steep switchbacks on the valley-side, a new extended section around playing-fields (including a steep bank), the infamous stream-crossings and the 3-lap structure (familiarity breeds despairing anticipation) this race adds up to - arguably - the toughest challenge in the Three Counties League now. Add in the strong winds and you had a mean little 5-mile ordeal on your hands!I was fairly happy with my 25th place out of nearly 400 and 1st MV50 position. This was my highest XCL-placing since 2010. I may have set off a little too fast and had a pretty grim 2nd lap, but I managed to rally for the final lap and make up quite a few places, including 2 in the last 100m.
NHRR men were 3rd and the ladies 6th, giving us 4th position overall of the 13 competing teams. We had almost our strongest teams out, so we couldn't have done much more. A couple of teams seemed to have raised their game a bit this season too. In previous years, I think we'd have finished 2nd or 3rd with a similar performance.
Once more into the stream dear friend...
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