available here.<\/a><\/p>\n******************************<\/h1>\n
The emphasis post race was expected to be on the \u2018stagger\u2019 as Adrian, Steve and Gary headed along the M6 towards an area known as \u2018The Black Country\u2019.It got its name from the dirty heavy industry that once dominated the area, but we questioned whether the colour of the mud had more to do with it.\u00a0 We discussed tactics, target times and speculated on the state of the course like a group of excited kids on a school trip to Alton Towers and soon enough we\u2019d arrived.\u00a0 Time for a quick walk round, assess the start and finish areas, warm up and then ladies and gentlemen take your places please.\u00a0 We were off! \u00a0A quick lap of the park with a cheeky little steep climb and downhill then headed out across a golf course and finally onto some trails.
\nThe evergreen Steve Fowler was leading the South Derby charge, although we were all quite closely grouped, often catching up with each other & chatting to keep spirits high.\u00a0 There were some tough sections in the first half and the uphill trails were more like gullies with high sides, a little too narrow to easily pass and ankle deep in black mud. For some less professional \u00a0runners in road running shoes \u2018Bambi on Ice\u2019 is the best way to describe their running style.\u00a0 Other parts were wide muddy sections followed by fairly dry hard gradual downhills.
\nOn we ran in the open now as momentum was stalled as we met a stile and turned up a very steep hill.\u00a0 Not many managed to run completely to the top but once there the sun was out and the views took your mind off your throbbing legs.\u00a0 \u2018Well done South Derby, keep a going\u2019 says a marshal to Ade.\u00a0 \u2018Thanks very much\u2019 he replies, looking back he sees Steve reach the top and the same marshal.\u00a0 \u2018Well done South Derby, hurry up your mates only just up there\u2019 and this is how the South Derby contingent was warmly welcomed and encouraged around the course.
\nTowards the 6th<\/sup> mile we ran through a small village and headed up the last uphill slog.\u00a0 This again was a gulley deep in mud, but wide enough to pass other runners, all runners shouted out encouragement to \u2018Keep going, don\u2019t stop!\u00a0\u00a0 Many a shoe must have been left in there and as the hill progressed the strength sapping mud took its toll, as some runners had given in to just walking\u00a0 to the top, but not us.\u00a0 This was it though; the hardest part done and near enough downhill all the way back.\u00a0 You could see the golf course and some houses so we knew that we were getting near.\u00a0 We upped the tempo for the last mile and a half and then you could hear the cheering.
\nAde crossed the road with a sharp right through the park gates, quick check over his shoulder, no one catching him then sprinted in, focused on the race clock and across the line.\u00a0 Watch time of 1:28:22 (target sub 1hour 30mins).\u00a0 He collected his embroided towel and then straight back to watch for the others.\u00a0 Then into the finishing straight came Steve, \u2018Go Steve, nearly there. Come on!\u2019 Ade shouted.\u00a0 His legs were completely covered in mud as if he had waded through a bog, but he gritted his teeth and drove himself on.\u00a0\u00a0 Another \u2018minty\u2019performance of 1:29:04.\u00a0 Both met up as Gary came sprinting round the corner like a man possessed with a steely look of determination in his face. \u00a0Encouragement to the end is what we pride ourselves on and that is what we did.\u00a0 30 metres to go \u2018Come on Gary, go, go, go, he\u2019s catching you.\u2019 20 metres \u2018 Faster he\u2019s on your shoulder, go, go, go!\u2019 we both shouted with anxious voices, he was level with us now and just 10 metres to the line \u2018Faster keep going, go on, go!\u2019.\u00a0 As he passed us by our heads turned and followed him to the line in perfect synchronization.\u00a0 He crossed the line, his place safe in a time of 1:32:24.\u00a0 The spectators next to us laughed as they knew as well as us that the closest runner to him was about 20metres behind.\u00a0 We gathered up with smiles and congratulatory handshakes, as we had all run our best and another great XC adventure was over. \u00a0\u00a0The three black mud stained folk from South Derbyshire then made their way back across Mary Stevens Park to the car knowing they would return again.
\nThis was an enjoyable event longer than most cross country races which we all recorded as 10.2 miles, with great support all the way round the course.\u00a0 Facilities were good, water stations, lots of parking and even a shower block!\u00a0 Sorry if the times are not 100% accurate its best I could remember because as of 05\/02\/2014 there still are no official times or race positions available.\u00a0 Well done to Gary and Steve, hopefully we can repeat this again next year and maybe bring along a couple more of you!
\nWritten by Adrian Middleton\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"********* UPDATE\u00a0********* Photos and results now available here. ****************************** The emphasis post race was expected to be on the \u2018stagger\u2019 as Adrian, Steve and Gary headed along the M6 towards an area known as \u2018The Black Country\u2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-race-reports","no-thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdrr.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdrr.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdrr.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdrr.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdrr.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sdrr.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1271\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdrr.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdrr.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdrr.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}