Cross Country season is upon us and the opening fixture of the Red Rose League saw a top Toddie turnout!
A couple of days of rain prior to Saturday’s cross country made for closer to traditional conditions although more experienced cross country runners insisted that it wasn’t nearly cold or mudddy enough to really be a cross country race. The ladies race at around 4km was fast and furious enough to churn up the ground nicely for the men who had 4 laps of centre vale park (8km) straight after. Great results all around for Tod with the ladies taking 2nd place in the overall team prize and 1st vet team. In the vets they romped home to victory taking positions 3,4,5 and 6.
Similarly the men took the vet team prize and 4th team overall after a particularly commanding performance from Doni Clarke who was the outright winner of the mens race.
Another notable performance was from Ash Wright who finished a very respectable 53rd position after only coming back to running in the last few months. Further to this he was also the 3rd member of his family competing with his parents Bev and John both running on the day.
Summer Wine Trail Series
Saturday 1st October, Mark Tempest, Sam Lund and his wife Lisa headed to Summer Wine Country for the 4th and final race of the 2022 Summer Wine Trail series. Sam and Lisa were already nicely ahead in their age categories with more or less just a finish required to win. Lisa also 4th overall and in with a chance of gaining a podium 3rd place. Mark in 2nd place in age category and 4th overall but realistically too far behind to improve these positions.
Race name was “Stairway to Heaven”, there’s no actual stairway and definitely no heaven, just a rough, rocky and uneven climb near the start which you then descend to the finish. Plus, a long upward climb through the forest halfway round.
Mark finished 1st in age category and 5th on the day but stayed in 2nd / 4th overall. Sam claimed his age category prize no problem. Despite a fall with 3km to go, with a cut head and bruises all over, Lisa battled on with the race, winning age category and sneaking onto the podium for a 3rd overall.