Scottish East District Cross Country League
Meeting 1:
Broxburn 20/10/07
There seems to be so many different formats for the cross country that I'm going to take a moment and explain this one in the hope that more people will understand the process and come along. The Scottish East District Cross Country League consists of 3 meetings per season by member clubs. Any member of a participant club can go along and participate. You wear a number which signifies which club you run for, which you supply yourself and to which you also add “L” for lady and “V” for vet as appropriate. Before the race a member of your team needs to collect a card to record the order of finishing of the members of the team. This gets filled out afterwards, obviously, and handed in. There is no pre-registering and the clubs pay for the members that ran at any of the meetings at the end of the season. Read all about it here; http://www.eastleague.freeserve.co.uk/
the girls warm upThree ladies count as a team. Six men are needed for a senior team, but only 3 for a vet team. Another thing worth pointing out is you need to run in your club vest. You don't have to have a full team to run. You still get your individual result if you don't - but you miss out on seeing where your team came.
Women and u/17 boysThe Broxburn course was used as the final meeting of the EDCCL for last winter, in January, so some of us were familiar with it. In January there was a full complement of men, but only Amanda and I representing the Portobello Ladies. It was a cold, blustery day, the course was muddy, many fell and half way through the men's race some horizontal sleet swept in to cheer them on their way.
In contrast, this time it was a soft October day. The course was in prime condition. It looked like it might rain but never did. It was a perfect day for running.
In the women's team we've won back Janet from City of Edinburgh and she says as long as we have a team she'll run for Portobello. Also running in the women's team was newcomer to Portobello Sarah Laing, coach Lynn Hanley and myself. We had a good warm-up as its such a short distance (3.6 miles for the ladies) that you need to be ready to run from the start.
We were set off promptly (with the U17 boys - I don't know what they make of this practice!) And the first stretch was down hill. Sadly, this is where I spent my entire store of energy. Too many missed interval sessions with Bert told quickly and my pacing was all to pot. I arrived at the bottom of the downhill stretch feeling that someone had poisoned me and never recovered. This was a bit of a shame as it was a nice course. I had the indignity of going backwards through the field. Ladies passing me and I couldn't respond. Rather cheekily I thought, Sarah sat on my shoulder for 2/3rds of the first lap and then passed me. At the age of 24 she should know to treat her elders with more respect. However, we'll overlook it.
eyes...
...wide...
...shutCoach Lynn was making a comeback from a frustrating year of injury so her goal was to get round without further injury which she accomplished. Results are not up yet* but I heard a rumour that Janet was 4th lady, Sarah came in ahead of me and Lynn came in shortly behind, still in one piece. Lynn and I compared notes and we agreed that the 2 lap course was at least a lap too long and we had felt really quite sick for most of our run with the effort. “You're not selling it to us” I hear you say. Hmmm I know.
Results up now and Janet had a belter of a race coming fourth in a very strong field - not bad after doing a half day's work immediately before.
Next we got to watch the men run. This time 3 laps. For some reason cross country always draws a quality field and its worth going just to watch the young bucks flying along. As Peter was running I carried the heavy responsibility of trying to get pictures of everyone. The Broxburn course particularly facilitates this as it makes roughly 3 loops per lap returning to centre for each loop. (You get me?)
Peter was first of the Portobellos to appear and seemed to be going strong - however it is not unusual for him to go off fast so this did not mean a lot as yet. Next came Willie, closely followed by Gerry, then Ian, Scott, Graham Henry (who arrived at the last minute, having cycled all the way to the course), Frank (also newcomer) and Richard who was smiling a bit too widely to make a convincing show of busting a gut.
As the laps passed Lynn shouted encouragement and I struggled with the camera trying to get a decent pic of everyone. I kept missing Gerry as he came so close on Willie's heels that the camera kept taking a wee rest as Gerry passed. So instead of encouraging him I may have muttered “damn” a few times. Sorry Gerry.
Anyway - Peter's lead increased each lap and he had a particularly good run. It was nice timing as he's had a few results he wasn't pleased with in a row and had been muttering despairingly about old age catching up with him and the inevitability of decline.
Willie finished next, Gerry still close behind, then I think Ian, Scott, Frank, Graham and Richard, still in a similar order they started in. So it was all over. Graham got on his bike, and the rest of us left in dribs and drabs. Sadly the cafeteria at the school wasn't open this time so we missed out on a cup of tea.“So why do we want to go to the cross country, then?” you ask. Well, its like this. Its so short that pretty soon the pain is over. Usually I find the actual running quite pleasurable though hard and although this time I overcooked it and felt awful, usually its much better than running on tarmac and as the course keeps changing it keeps your interest and keeps you focused. After a while of going you start recognising people and it becomes more sociable and you do start to feel a part of a wider running community, which I find really nice.
There are Scottish legends living amongst us, like George Armstrong, who is over 60 and still turns out regularly to race. (You'll have seen him in his tartan shorts and blue hat.)
Unlike hill-running, you're not expected to navigate and the courses are always really well marked so you know exactly where to go. Its an awesome speed session and it will make you stronger. Running over rougher ground is really good strengthening for stabilising muscles etc. which also makes you a better runner. Because the ground is softer you recover really fast, so for instance today myself, Peter and Richard went out a 15 mile run and I don't think I felt any ill-effects from yesterday apart from the beers I drank later.
I'm away for the next meeting on November 25th which is in Beveridge Park in Kirkcaldy but go on ladies (and gentlemen) put a team in! Lets have a Porty result at the end of the season.
Report Mary Hunter
Photos Mary and PeterResults here
