Sussex Athletics Masters Cross Country Championship

THE SUSSEX Athletics Masters Cross Country Championships took place on Saturday the 22nd January 2022. The location was Coombe Farm, Lancing at a natural forming bowl on the downlands. Under the Sussex Athletics banner the event was attended by athletics clubs from across Sussex.

 There were three planned races starting with the Masters Men over 50, over 60 and over 70 at 13:00. Followed by the Masters Women, over 35, over 45, over 55 and over 65 at 13:40. The final race of the day was the Masters men – over 40 at 14:25. All races were made up of two 2.5 mile loops with a five mile course overall.

This is a beautiful course in the East Sussex downland countryside. The race starts on a short flat course before rising slowing over the course of a mile to the top of the bowl with an accent of approximately. 400 feet.   To the side of a cattle grid, it then starts to go downhill and turns right around the bottom of a field before starting to rise again arcing back to the cattle grid. At the grid you begin an amazing long swooping down hill section that takes back to either the second lap or the finish.

Harrier’s Emma Singer had an amazing run in the vet women’s over 35’s race to finish in second place and winning a silver medal.   She also finished third overall in the whole race!  It was Emma’s first cross country race for the Harriers club.   The over 35’s women’s team also won the gold medal in the team event. The team comprising of Emma Singer, Gemma Morgan and Carys Hind.

In the over 45 women’s race the Harrier ladies finished fourth in the team event, led home by Lins Blain in eleventh place.   Marion Hemsworth also won an individual medal when she came a super second place in the women’s over 65’s race.

 In the men’s race, Jamie Topping finished in seventh place overall.   A super result as it was also Jamie’s first ever cross country race.   The over 40’s men finished in fourth place.   In the over 50’s, the Harrier men finished in eighth place overall led home by Tim Miller in twelfth place.   A big congratulations to the Harrier’s over 60’s men who won Bronze, with Tim Hicks, Carl Bicknell and Mark Sykes.

100th parkrun at Aberdare

I COMPLETED my 99th parkrun at Clair park, Haywards Heath two weeks before Christmas.   Knowing that I couldn't run the following week due to work it meant that my 100th was going to be on Christmas Day, but where?

Working within the emergency services means that I cannot guarantee that you will be off at Christmas, but this year I was and we were going to be in South Wales with family to celebrate.   I had checked out the local parkruns and there were two to choose from either Pontypridd, which I have run on a number of occassions or Aberdare, which I have run once.

We were staying at the Aberdare Premier Inn and my wife volunteered to come with me and help marshal the event.   This was the first time for her and the first time she has seen me at a parkrun!   So, it was decided that the small but beautiful park in Aberdare would be the venue for my 100th parkrun.

We woke up on Christmas morning and got ready for the run.   Staff at the Premier Inn has spayed snowy boot prints along all the corridors in the night, so it felt very Christmassy already.   As we stept out on that morning South Wales was raining, and I mean it was raining.   But we got the park in plenty of time and Mrs. 50+ was given her marshal point for the morning.   I found the big hill (that you have to run three times) and the start line.

It was then that we set off with me passing Mrs. 50+ three times, waving cheerfully through the rain each time.   The email results came in which were pretty good, I made good time around the course and came 1st in my age group.   Very happy with the run and Aberdare parkrun.   Now looking to going back again in the future.

The following day I set off for a 10km run across the main Brecon Beacons, just to celebrate the success of Aberdate.

WSFRL - Hangover 5 miles

DESPITE COVID restrictions being re introduced in Wales from Christmas Day and outdoor events ceasing, including parkrun, England was allowed to continue with planned events.

On Saturday 1^st January Goring Road Runners held their annual opening ceremony for the West Sussex Fun Run League (WSFRL) at Worthing. This was with the Hangover 5 miles cross country event. After the last year it was good to see the league restart, especially with this customary anticipated race.

The fields of Worthing Collage saw the 18 affiliated athletics clubs come together, raising their standards as they welcomed the return of the league. Due to COVID all the race numbers had been sent out in advance and athletes were soon ready for the start at 11:00 a.m.

This was a run in two parts, after circumnavigating the running field the course entered the local lanes and started the ascent towards Cissbury Ring. This was a long hard hill that wanted to just keep giving, pulling your resolve down through the mud and chalk. But, what goes up must come down.

Then came the long descent taking you back towards the finish line, going into lanes on the flats covered in mud and water, with no way round the only option was to plough through it.

Worthing hosted a great opening ceremony for the WSFRL and their 18 affiliated clubs giving hope for the running community in 2022.