Some of you will have run Cross Countries when you were at school all those years ago, this is just the same, or is it?? You get muddy, you slip and slide, you get wet, then you remember what it was like at school and you were probably made to do it. The good thing about this one is you volunteer and yes you do enjoy it!!!
Liverpool Running Club is in the North West Sunday Cross Country League and for a number of years now we have won this league. Yes it’s true, have a look in the trophy cabinet.
We compete against ten other clubs around the North West. There are six races altogether - Clarke Gardens hosted by Penny Lane Striders, Beacon Park hosted by Skelmersdale BH, Arrow Park hosted by Pensby Running Club, Runcorn Town Park hosted by Warrington Road Runners, Birchwood Forest Park hosted by Spectrum Striders and, of course, our own race which is held at Walton Park. These races are ran between October and February. There is a male team and a female team for each club involved, with the male team the first six men are the ‘counters’ and one of these has to be a vet runner (male over 40) for each club. For the female team the first 3 ladies count and one of these has to be a vet runner (female over 35). However, every person who runs is important because the idea is to run past a member of another club and finish in front of other club runners!
At the end of the race each person is handed a raffle ticket and that ticket tells you the position you have finished in the race. You then pass the ticket to your club official (Lil and Dave) who put the number against your name. When the last member of your club has finished everyone makes their way to the host club’s venue where there are showers and refreshments including hot drinks laid on. While you are having your refreshments it gives you a chance to meet other members from your own club and other clubs.
Having arrived at the host club Lil and Dave will then sort out our own results (this is done by adding together all the raffle ticket numbers) and we pass the team results to the group officials. When each club has given their results in, we then get told the position where the teams have finished.
Our first race this year was at Clarke Gardens on 28th October, it had rained heavily through the night and early morning, in fact the sun didn’t come out until the race started at 11 o’clock so you can imagine how muddy it was and how slippery for the runners. Our first six men came in 1st 2nd 4th 5th 6th and 8th giving us a total of 26 points and our first ladies came in 5th 9th and 25th given us a total of 39 points. Our men were 1st overall and our ladies were 2nd overall. We had 28 men and 6 ladies run for the club.
We need more runners, especially ladies, so if you are interested in running at the Cross Country races you are more than welcome. You will need a club vest to wear. The club vest is very important because you will not be counted without one, you also need spikes for running on grass and undulating ground.
By Lil Park
Click here to go back to the Cross Country Running Events page.
