The first part of a bumper weekend for the club began with three cars leaving the golf club car park with the destination of Berry Hill Park in Mansfield programmed into their sat navs. The reason for the trip was three men’s teams had been entered to participate in the 27th English Cross Country Relay Championships. This year the event doubled as a selection race for the European Cross Country Championships in December which ensured a top quality domestic field.

Unfortunately we didn’t field a ladies team on this occasion, presumably due to other race options in Barton and Ripley (near Harrogate) just twenty four hours later. Anyway, each of our competing teams consisted of four runners which were tasked with completing a 5km course over two laps of a meticulously prepared route taking in both parkland and wooded sections with lots of undulations. Pleasingly, the weather was very pleasant for the last day of October and the course was relatively firm and dry underfoot.

The event which started at 2:40pm hosted over 200 teams and saw Alec Gibson representing the “A” team, ultimately Alex who ran the first leg proved to be the fastest red vested Harrier of the day completing the course in a swift 16:38 and a highly creditable 60th position. Steve Coates making a rare appearance over a “short” distance and Tony Cross also ran strong first legs for the “B” and “C” teams respectively.

The “A” teams progress was then cared for by Nigel Sisson and Matty Hayes before Chris Adams ran an excellent anchor leg making up 10 positions allowing the team to finish in 63rd position overall. After Steve’s first leg the “B” teams’ progress continued with Darren White, Phil McCoy and Mike Peterson who all ran well, each making up positions during their respective legs which concluded with an overall position of 123rd. Not far behind was the “C” team with Graham Wilkinson and Paul Nippress competing to finish in 137th place.

Phil McCoy