TVXC Thread

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  • Missing it unfortunately - visiting my mother up in Shropshire. And doesn't look like too many Dashers will be there either - quite a few doing The Hellrunner instead.
  • We'll at least have a ladies' team, and possibly a men's team too.
  • I'm off to Derby, so not for me sadly, we've got a couple of our fast-ies out too.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    just me and Margarita then! Well..and another 200+ people from the series.

    I wish I could say we had a couple of fasties, let alone a couple of fasties out image

    Being a typical runner I've got sunday's half marathon as an excuse if I don't do well image

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    yep. so looking forward to the relatively close 35ish mile drive to Sandhurst this week!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    a good race, for once not pouring with rain. Nice varied course, albeit just freezing cold with no mud.

    Another good turnout, 282 at this one.

    My lot came 10th..really poor..but managed to sneak 6th place, beating a guy who beat me by 4mins over half marathon distance at Gosport the week before image

  • Hiya, quick question although may sound dumb to you but I'm new to all this XC running. I belong officially to Purple Patch running club and they send me emails about these xc races on Saturdays, the next one this Saturday in Stowe. I dind't do any yet due to recovering from injury but yesterday I plucked up the courage and went for a run with Abingdon Amblers with view to joining their club. I need a club with access to track and coaches. They mentioned a local xc run this coming Sunday in Culham and I'm trying to find info on it, they said I had to belong to their club to run it. Are these xc runs club specific, do you need to belong to a club to enter one, they obviously are area specific as far as I can see.  How do I find out xc races for Abingdon and area? I won't be seeing the club people next week due to my kids' nativity at school but maybe you could help. Sorry to butt into this thread like that.
  • The series linked to this thread is the Thames Valley League, and it is indeed for club athletes from the competing clubs (although clubs are allowed to bring a few guests if they wish, but they don't count in the results). There are leagues like this all over the country, and the winners of the various leagues will go on to compete in the national championships. I'd have thought the best way to find out about events in your area would be to look at the websites of the clubs involved, and looking at the Abingdon Amblers site it would appear they compete in the Oxford Mail Series - http://www.oxonxc.org/. Looks a bit more of a track club type league this one, with all sorts of age group races etc. Ours is predominantly road running (and tri) clubs so we just have one race for everybody.
  • BTW there are clubs that hold open XC races. They tend to advertise them in the same way they'd advertise a road race, so the events section on here would be a good start, local running shops, fliers handed out after races etc.
  • Oh great, thanks for the info, I shall maybe email them, maybe I could run this Culham race after all. Thanks again.
  • Handley Cross approaching, had my first run yesterday in 2 weeks! and the legs seem much better, so looking forwards to racing again - I've heard this will be a bit of a tough one
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    first run in 2 weeks? Injury, weather or just relaxing?

    Handy Cross is the toughest of the xc courses. Depends how muddy it is whether it's tough or very tough.

    Second time round I found it easier, as I knew where the hills came.

    A gentle guide...

    Start...downhill for about 300metres, so DON'T steam off...as then there's a v steep 200metre hill, that carries on a bit after the grassy bank.

    Midway, a fairly steep climb.

    This then flattens, and you have epic views from the highest point of the woods and a lovely few hundred metre descent. Some of the spectators, can cheer you on here...and you can see the finish.

    BUT...the course then turns round a corner and a bit of a climb, just when you have tired legs. This stretch of woods seems to go on forever, but then you have the same downhill as you started on 5 1/2miles before which leads to the finish...

    and imageimageimage

  • Injury mate, ruined my left calf at Marlow, ran 2 track sessions and the 1st cross country till I folded and had a break, and after the sunday run the pain's back again, touch and go for this Sunday image
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Come along. Just prepare yourself for DOMS City afterwards image
  • I'll have to see mate, the leg's not feeling too good - missing club training tonight..
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    hopefully it'll be warmer sunday morning! Otherwise I'll lend you some deep heat!

    Did a session up the track myself tonight, 3 x 1mile, in 5.37, 5.36 and 5.34 and then 2 x800m at 2.38 and 2.40. Should be a nice sharpener for Handy X.

  • Ha, I envy you! did some stretching and a few bits on the wii to do something at all!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    feel obliterated today tho...and have to get througha  4m and an 8m today...easy pace tho.

    Tomorrow is a rest day..that's the target!

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    hilly Handy X tomorrow.

    Been a weird week, got the key sessions in, but also felt pretty terrible for a couple of days near the end of the week.

    Tonight, feel ok, but have the tight back of a 70year old...probably the last remnant of the cold leaving the system!

    Still...a good end to the 2010 Xc series image

  • Stevie, might see you there - just got in from seeing Status Quo in London !
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    good to meet you...albiet it briefly...and in those few mins before a race you don't want some fool like me in your face with the jibber jabber  image

    Was probably 90% today, top end taken off by the mid week cold...but pleased to get round for one thing..and 12th will do nicely today.

    Dribbled up the hills, got back to an even keel on the flat, and then fast down hill.

    3 weeks until the next one, then I think it's likely they'll be 4 races in 5 weeks as they're moving the Bracknell one.

  • We moving ours? Interesting...

    Good to meet you too mate - Glad you recognised me!

    Few of those hills killed me but rolled in with 43.08 line to line.. calf's hurting but foam rollered it and resting up now

    Nice work with 12th mate.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Yeah yours was the March 6th one...which I thought at the time was a bit out of synch, coming a whole month after Metros.

    But it turns out that your venue, Lightwater? has some breeding of rare species....from March to Sep and can't host the race then!

    So you either swap with another club (which is unfair on them and risks a big drop off that far into the year), find another venue (impossible as too expensive), or move to Jan.

    Therefore, only debate is whether 16th or 30th Jan.

    30th Jan hopefully as otherwise it'll be 4 races in 4 weeks image

    Reading about your niggle, just realised, first time I've done Handy Cross without any kind of aches after. That means I wasn't working hard enough, or am fitter now/ actually cooled down this time image

  • Sadly our usual forest charges £3 per person whatever race... ridiculous...
  • I'd forgotten just how hilly the HX race is!!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Didn't like the Lookout for racing anyway. For training yes,..racing no!

    Sure is Margarita...although the more years that go by the easier that last hill becomes. So much so i wonder why i had to walk a bit of it in 06!

    How did you do today?

    Prepared for the 4 races in Jan!!

  • It is pretty sandy for racing - where do you lot have yours ?
  • I did OK - enjoyed it, which is my main objective at the minute!  Pretty pleased I managed to keep running up all the hills, and had a good finish. 

    We had a ladies team, but ony 3 men turned up - so I think we'll be tumbling from 5th place after today!

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