Leighton Buzzard Athletic Club

Last Saturday, while most of us were trooping around Watford, Gail Duckworth was over in Dublin waving the English flag in the British & Irish Masters International Cross-country.

The women's event is run all together with the F35's running alongside all the others up to F65 on a 6K course around Santry Park. Each of the home nations selects a team of four in each age group and then there are both individual and team awards presentedin five year age categories.

These days Gail competes in the F55 and seems to be jetting all round Europe representing the country. On this occasion she arrived to find a twisty and muddy course set-up in Santry Park with four 1500m laps to take on! Early in the race Gail was lying in 5^th, out of the sixteen F55's taking part, but by the end of the first lap had managed to work her way through into 2^nd place. From there on, despite the sapping conditions she managed to retain her silver medal position and was over a minute in front of third. read more

The second league fixture of the season took place at Cassiobury Park in Watford this weekend with 34 runners from the club taking part in the age groups ranging from U11 to V60.

The mission for the season is to establish the club in division one of the Chiltern League, having been something of a "yo-yo" club for a number of years. Following the first fixture at Oxford, the club lay in 12^th place out of 14 and one above the relegation zone, but only 43 points behind 11^th.

At Watford, there were 16 junior athletes representing LBAC which is the best turn-out in many years and huge credit goes to all the juniors and their coaches and parents for bringing them along on a chilly Saturday afternoon. The points scored by the junior runners makes a huge difference to the overall scores and the more that run the better, so long may it continue. The U11 girls were first off the blocks, and two out of three were making their debuts. Mathilde Sammons was first home, just one second ahead of Jade Landers in 64^th and 65^th respectively. Sadie Towell was grateful for the morning off school to come home 73^rd in her first ever event and contributed really well to the team. read more

Last Saturday seven club members made the trip up to Berry Hill Park in Mansfield for the English National Cross-Country Relays. Having taken part for the first time last year in the mens race, three of that team made the return trip and took a team of three ladies with them for the first time ever.

The event is extremely well organised and offers athletes of all ages and abilities the opportunity to race against some of the top runners in the country over relatively short distances. From the U13's upwards, the event attracts clubs from all over to compete in teams of three and four. read more

A mild November evening saw the second race of the winter Stag Trophy season starting from Parsons Close. Twenty-four people turned up for the race as well as a couple of hangers-on and those that did were rewarded by a tail wind down Grovebury Road that lead to 11 out of the first 12 people all recording personal bests.

First home on the night, and beating last months time by 47 seconds was the fast improving Steve Orlando. His 25 points gained on the night, combined with the 21 from october have give him an early lead in one of the club's most presitigous events. Nearly all the way he was accompanied by Lynne Grimshaw who will undoubtedly be looking to duck under 18 minutes in December to continue her improvement. read more

As some of you will know, since the dawn of time the club has been allocated two places each year in the London Marathon. These have been given to club members on a fairly specific basis of criteria. However, it was based on members being rejected from the ballot, but with the advent of online entries the ballot is often closed before some members have had the chance to enter so the criteria for 2011 and onwards has been changed;

1. You must have been a member of LBAC before the marathon of the previous year. Ie. Anyone wanting a 2011 place must have been a member since last April at least. read more