Farringdon Open X-C Races 2011

[Mon 12th Sep 2011]

As usual the first Cross Country fixture of the season was held at Farringdon on Saturday 10th September and it doesn’t bode too well for the forth coming Harrier League. We only had one Senior men’s team, no veteran men’s team and not one lady runner. Actually, until Ian Baxter turned up it looked as though we wouldn’t have a full men’s team! Conditions on the day were quite good and Farringdon is a testing cross country course – even the ditch was full of water! The actual events got off to a good start, with one of Blyths youngsters Connor Marshall winning the U11 boys race in 4:24, with Taylor Glover 12th in 4:52, while Jessica was ninth in the Girls race with 5:08. The it was the U13’s turn and its probably fair some of the newer girls may have found it a bit of a shock, but they all stuck gamely to the task and finished with Lauren Robson (19th, 14;17), Alice Gittens (24th,15.24) Alice Dungworth (25th ,15.31) Erin Scott (26th 16.25) Natalya Locker (27th 17.02). Although some said never again, by the time they were heading for home they were asking when the next one was. For the boys, Harry McCabe was first Blyth boy in 13th 11:56, Adam Tweddle 30th, 14:37 and Elliot Tayler 32nd 15:49.

Charley Hedley was the only U15 Girl and she finished in 10th position with a time of 12:27, some 2:30 faster than the last time she ran this course. Joseph Woods was first Blyth boy in 20th position, 11:35, James Young 21st 11:43 and Joseph Dungworth 24th 12:39. There were only two U17 men, with Chris Lillico finishing in 7th with 10:07, Scott Povey 12th in 10:33.

For the Senior Mens relay, Graeme Stewart ran the first leg passing onto Ian Baxter in 18th position with a time of 11:09, Ian managed to improved the position by one as he passed onto Steve Cairns with a time of 12:45. Steve ran a solid third leg producing a time of 11:28 passing onto Robbie in 17th position. Robbie ran the fastest time by a Blyth runner, returning 10:38 for the 1.8 mile lap and finishing in 13th position.

Apart from the U11’s all the races were held on the same 1.8 mile lap.