Abbey national!!!
It was the morning after the Club’s Annual Presentation Night but it didn’t stop 16 hardy members lining up on the start line at Groby for the latest leg in this year’s Derby Runner XC League. In the more competitive Leicestershire division of the league Abbey Van Dijk showed what a quality runner she is by storming home in 1st place in the women’s race. This was eight days after Abbey finished 5th in a tight race over a tough 8km course at Shipley Park in the Derbyshire Cross Country Championship. This performance secured a county vest and well-earned selection in the Inter County Championship at nearby Prestwold Hall in March. Great team support was provided in the women’s race by Club Captain, Lisa Wright in 40th, Nikki Reeves in 42nd and a determined Becky Lenaghan in 112th. Emma Sharp, who the night before was deservedly a division winner, was next home with the redoubtable Pauline Cooper completing the Club’s finishers in the women’s race in 250th.
Club Chairman and Men’s Club Champion for the second year, Andy Hawtin led the Club’s men home in a solid 18th place with two of the area’s best MV50 runners, Rich Miller and Mark Harriott, performing with distinction in 51st and 84th places respectively. Men’s Club Captain, Andy Orme set his usual good example as he finished in 139th with Steve Leafe, easing his way back after injury, in 165th. Ross Ballinger, who had a running year to remember in 2019, also started this year in great style in 193rd place with Adrian Middleton not far behind in 212th and Joe Baldwin, had the distinction of completing the team’s scorers in the men’s race, in 225th. Lewis Cotton was close behind in 232nd with MV60 Mitch Timms completing the Club’s finishers in the men’s race in 261st.
