Three Stilton Striders – Rob Beers, Greg Pettingill and Steve Dewick – made the trip to Bagworth for the second of this season`s Derby Runner XC league races.
A very cold morning, leaving the warmth of Greg`s car was hard enough, Steve estimates around 550 runners at the start line, very big attendances for the series this year. A vested and bare armed Rob and Greg hit the start line, perhaps the minimalist shorts weren’t the smartest move at first but Greg`s extended warm up has us quite toasty pre-race briefing.
We have started quite high up and flying elbows are minimal, I nudge in front of Greg and make a positive (Split?) start, it’s certainly undulating and I recall feeling a bit worn, looking at my watch and had only been running ten minutes!
Nice and muddy course within Bagworth Heath woods with sections of technical and the odd surprising incline, quite a few ending up on their backsides also. It is tough as I’m sure most groaned after the first lap knowing they had to do it again, the second lap for me went faster although my legs felt a little bit slower. Spend the race chasing Barrow Runners shirts, also weirdly I never saw any ladies running near me after the first 400m of the race??? Stilton crew had all gone for rubber studs though many went for spikes and just were sliding everywhere; it was slippy rather than deep mud today.
Completed the race with a smile, Rob Beers (97th), Greg Pettingill (102nd) and Steve Dewick (300 and something, he said!). Really nice warm down mile round the park also taking in some of the trails and slopes we didn’t do in the race, cracking area to do a few miles round.
Bradgate Park is the next race of the series on December 6th, a 5.25 mile two lap course with like the other races of this series a very well thought out course with a bit of everything. We`d ideally like to triple the attendance of Stilton Striders for this one, race usually costs a mere £3.00 (may be £4.00 at Bradgate but will inc parking at Newton Linford gates) and we usually go and get warm in a local pub after so please give it some consideration. [Rob]