Sunday 13th October 2024

The eagerly awaited Sunday cross country season has finally begun 🙌 yipppeee we hear you cry 😂

Race one of six, on Sunday 13th October, organised by Crowborough Runners, took on a brand new location at Eridge Park with a whopping turnout of 326 Senior runners and close to 50 junior runners🏃🏽‍♀️

As a club 🖤❤️we were delighted to field a junior team of six hardy Harriers along with a senior team of 23 mighty Harriers (the rest were galivanting around Budapest 🇭🇺)

Our mighty band of junior Harriers set the ball rolling at 10am with first to race in the Under 11 boys, John Gilkes (6th) 11:28 and Ollie Hobdon (7th) 11:34 both having sensational performances.  In the Under 13 boys race Zach McPherson (8th) 13:59 and Oscar Croucher (9th) 14:22 both ran super strong performances, with Poppy Croucher braving the mud for our HH girls in the under 13 race, finishing 12th in 13:09, whilst Ryan Pocknell ran his heart out in the Under 15 boys race finishing 6th in a magnificent time of 10:52.  What a team we have 😍!!!

The Senior route (a 5.3 mile, one lapper) began in a field with mounds of dirt and clumps of grass which made ‘staying upright’ a challenge and that was before the onslaught of the mud which Captain Bartz 👨🏻‍✈️ had found on his warm up lap!!

Grass, gravel paths, hills, mud, bridges, streams, and muddy puddles made for an interesting run along with the added surprise of a stunning lake.

From the woods 🌳 into bright sunshine heralded the finish line as the sight of our black and red Harriers flag 🖤❤️ (thank you Jayne) welcomed a tough team home.

Victoria 👮🏻‍♀️ had this to say ‘ I have a new favourite XC route (sorry Snape Wood 😥) The fact this was one lap (slightly over – 5.3 miles) made a huge difference….at least we only went up the hills once! Short and steep is how some of them can be described!

The scenery was stunning and looking around certainly made the course fly by.

XC isn’t always my favourite season (gloves 🧤 out, feet 👣 wet, mud and more mud) but this was quite possibly the most enjoyable XC I’ve done!

I of course credit that to running with the best lover of XC we have……Hannah 🏕️ on her comeback run 👊

Why run over the bridge when we could go ankle deep through the stream 🤦‍♀️ what looked like a slurry pit ahead….yep no fear….we charged through that as well 🤣

Same time next year 👌’

Senior race results: First male Harrier home and third overall – Chris Doherty 👁️ (3rd) 34:10 followed by Linford Crusty 🍪(16th) 36:58 and Captain Bartz 👨🏻‍✈️(30th) 38:36.  Alice 🐈(36th) placed second female over the line in 39:16, followed by Scott 🏃🏽(45th) 40:16, Los Jellybaby 👶🏼(61st) 41:33, Claire Keith 🍒(73rd) 42:24, Shipo 🚢 (76th) 42:55, Maria Smith 💆🏼‍♀️(85th) 43:46, Jenny 🌱(142nd) 47:35, Popey 🙌 (149th) 48:22, Andrew Moore 🏃🏻‍♂️(180th) 51:49, Abi 🌷(191st) 53:26, Felicity 💐 (209th) 55:09, Julie Chicken 🐓(232nd) 57:13, Julie Deakin 🍌(257th) 1:01:47, Kevin 💪🏼(258th) 1:01:55, Andrea 🇭🇺(267th) 1:03:57, Jayne 🦸🏻‍♀️(268th) 1:04:06, Victoria 👮🏻‍♀️(274th) 1:05:07, Hannah 🏕️ (278th) 1:05:08, Karen 🇮🇪(292nd) 1:09:14, and Penfold 🐭(325th) 1:34:15 completing our Harriers team.

Congratulations to all our Juniors and Seniors that braved the elements and especially to all those taking part for the first time 👏🏻.  We currently sit in 5th place with five races to go!

Hugest thanks to Diane Pearson 🧶, Steph🧁 , Robin 🏄🏼‍♀️ and baby Oscar 👶🏼 for cheering everyone around the course and our wonderful Morris family for the carry & setup of the flag and tent 😍

The next cross country race in this league will be held at Snape Wood on *Sunday November 24th *but if you fancy getting down and dirty before that, race two in the Sussex Athletics Saturday League 💙 💛 takes place on our doorstep at Glyndebourne on *Saturday November 9th* This event welcomes both Junior and Senior runners but please check the listing on the website for timings.  Entries and info can be found online at sussex-athletics.net