Chiltern League

The Chiltern Cross-Country League AGM was held last week and there were a couple of things to take note of. Firstly, the dates for next year have been published as the 9th October at Oxford, 13th November, 4th December, 15th January & 12th February. They are all Saturday afternoons.

These are the main focus of the winter running for the club please put them all in your diaries NOW. The final one, on the 12th February is highly likely to be our home fixture at Cottesloe School in Wing where we will not only need runners but everyone else to help out on the day too. read more

Greensand Ridge Relay

LBAC's four teams in the Greensand Ridge Relay ran very well on the traditionally hot day as the counties club's raced cross-country from Leighton Buzzard to Sandy in teams of six.

Leighton entered two men's teams, a ladies team and one mixed team, made up of six Inchleys. The event is based on age and gender related hadicapping where each team adds up their "predicted" times from a table and work back from 5pm to get a start time. The four trophies that are competed for are, fastest overall team, fastest ladies, fastest mixed (3 men and 3 women) and first across the line which corresponds to the team who beat their handicap by the most.

The six legs make a 33 mile route and go from Waterside Park in Linslade, through Stockgrove, then Woburn, Millbrook, Haynes, Ampthill, Deadmans Cross and finally to the quaint village of Northill near Sandy. Everyone then piles into the pub, where a barbeque is put on and trophies are dispensed.

Way Out West

The West Country was yet again the destination of two LBAC members, with Joby Hobbs and Jill Richardson running the Warminster Forest 10 mile race on Sunday 20th June. With a field of 134 runners the race took a very scenic route around the Wiltshire Forest, taking in the Shearwater Lake, although running the course made taking in the views something of a challenge!

The first 5 miles went uphill. So much so that Joby ran the second half four minutes quicker than the first with his quickest mile between 7 and 8. he finished the course in 68:37, crossing the finish line in 6th place. Jill battled round the "undulating" course to come home with a smile in 82:26 and 50th position. read more

British Masters 5K

Whilst some of us were enjoying the vast quantity of sport on TV over the weekend and recceing our relay legs for next week, gail decided to go all the way to Horwich in Lancashire for the British Masters 5K Road Championship. The road runs are part of the Horwich Carnival Races that also include cycling and walking on the same day.

The 5K was a mixed event with the men and women competing alongside each other across all the age groups. The course produces some good races, although not great times due to some sharp bends and an incline that you hit four times! This year, there was a strong wind against you going up the hill as well but it was positions that were crucial as the race counts towards England selection for the Home International in November. read more

Marston Forest 5K

Three members of the club took a brief respite from the world cup by heading over to Marston Mortaine on Friday night for the Marston Forest 5K organised by Ampthill & Flitwick. Those who watched the football probably wish they'd had the same foresight as Tim Bacon, Finoa Towell & John Adam who started off at exactly the same time as England in Cape Town.

The race had 313 competitors varying in time from Matt Janes from Bedford winning in 15:03 to the final finisher coming home in 43 minutes. Our three representatives were all nearer the winning time than the slowest with Tim Bacon first home in 21:04. Fiona Towell was delighted with getting very close to 25 minutes, just eleven seconds over, and John Adam completed our representation with 26:06 in 192nd place. read more

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