The weather forecast didn’t look too bad for Saturday, but when I arrived at Broxburn Academy it was cold, overcast and drizzling. judged how much clothing to take up to the start (lots) and started to jog out of the car park. Ah good, two more Harriers – Chris and Gordon – a better turnout than last year. We managed to locate Dave in the gloom to collect our numbers and started to warm up. Although ‘warm up’ was not an accurate description as the rain got heavier. At the last minute I reluctantly shed longs and Harriers top and huddled amongst 200-odd other runners. The time-keeper was also apparently unimpressed with the conditions and had to be called a couple of times.
We were off! Oh, what’s this? A path!!! It didn’t quite feel right for cross country and I avoided it and ran on the grass for a bit. Not quite back to full fitness after a cold, I ran quite steadily with no heroics – which was slightly depressing with seemingly hundreds of runners in front. The course was 3 x 3km laps of path, grass and only a little bit of mud (how disappointing). There was also a short lung-bursting hill which was good for dropping people.
Due to the lack of ice and snow, and a new path, times were quicker than last year and I finished in 34:21 (87th out of 228). Gordon finished in 40:49 (181st) and Chris in 42:23 (195th). Well it wetted the appetite for the Border XC Series (probably with more mud). The EDL #3 race is on the 15th January at Livingston – not Dunfermline like last year (probably with more snow!).
Thanks to Dave for entering the team and for standing around for hours in the cold refereeing.
Duncan Ball
We were off! Oh, what’s this? A path!!! It didn’t quite feel right
for cross country and I avoided it and ran on the grass for a bit.
Not quite back to full fitness after a cold, I ran quite steadily
with no heroics – which was slightly depressing with seemingly
hundreds of runners in front. The course was 3 x 3km laps of path,
grass and only a little bit of mud (how disappointing). There was
also a short lung-bursting hill which was good for dropping people.
Due to the lack of ice and snow, and a new path, times were
quicker than last year and I finished in 34:21 (87th out of 228).
Gordon finished in 40:49 (181st) and Chris in 42:23 (195th). Well it
wetted the appetite for the Border XC Series (probably with more
mud). The EDL #3 race is on the 15th January at Livingston – not
Dunfermline like last year (probably with more snow!).
Thanks to Dave for entering the team and for standing around
for hours in the cold refereeing.
Duncan Ball.