Bosworth XC and Retford HM

Consolidation is the name of the game!!!
26 runners from the Club made their way to the Bosworth Battlefield site for the final race in this year’s Derby Runner XC Series. While injuries, illness and competing priorities meant that a number of the Club’s highest finishers were missing it was the strength in depth that looks like it consolidated the mixed and men’s team in 4^th place in Division 1 and the women’s team in a superb 2^nd place in the 2^nd Division of the women’s league. The promising James Farmer was first back for the Club in 17^th place. Unfortunately, because his transfer from his current first claim club hadn’t been fully finalised he didn’t count in the team standings. For the second race running it was birthday boy Mark Harriott who led the team home in 51^st to complete a really solid season of effort. Jerome Jones was close behind in an excellent 52^nd place with Andy Windle and Chris Gunstone, who have also had good solid campaigns, scoring valuable points in 54^th and 61^st. Chris Hanman and Tom Eyre raced well for 63^rd and 74^th before stalwarts of this year’s cross country season Simon Reynolds, Andy Orme and Matt Long, raced home in 81^st, 105^th and 107^th. Another who loves the mud is Adrian Middleton and he gave his usual 100% in finishing in 116^th before a close inter club battle saw Glenn Smith in 131^st and Steve Leafe in 132^nd. Paul Glover, Gary Price and Tony Richards performed well to finish in 147^th, 163^rd & 171^st respectively. Mark Nixon finished in 191^st with Robin Thorne close behind in 195^th before the injury hampered Ray Udall in 204^th completed the Club’s finishers in the men’s race. Ray had the satisfaction of knowing he’d secured the series MV70 prize after a terrific season’s effort.
Like the Club’s men the Club’s women were without regular scorers such as Jenny Laing, who was 3^rd SW across the series and Nikki Reeves who was 2^nd in her age category. However, those who ran more than compensated for these absences not least with the welcome return to racing of Christina Hawtin who finished in an excellent 20^th place. The battling Tracey Glover was close behind in 21^st place with Ellie-May Evans and Lisa Wright completing a solid team performance in 33^rd and 47^th places respectively. Good support was provided by Becki Atkins, Rebecca Moult and Hannah Wintrip as they finished in 71^st, 79^th and 88^th to conclude a good series for the Club.
Colin Mee was in action in the Retford Half Marathon where he recorded a very creditable 1:34:11 for 2^nd place in his age category.