NECAA & NEMAA Cross Country Relay Champs, Birtley Relays – 12th January 2025
by Brad Wight
We’ve only had a couple of teams here in previous years but this year we had SEVEN teams of three on the start-line. I think the surge in popularity may have been driven by Spond. Perhaps people missed the relay posts on Facebook over the busy Christmas period in previous years? Either way, it was yet another fantastic turnout for our little club.
The two lap course is a twisty, windy 3K route with a couple of short steep hills on each lap. They’ve actually done a great job of squeezing such a challenging route on to a school field. Top marks to Birtley AC for the event organisation and marshalling. Conditions on the day were good; sub zero temperatures but bone dry with no wind and the grass was quite long and crunchy so the ground wasn’t too hard. Many of us chose to wear ordinary trail shoes rather than spikes.
The first race of the day was for Veteran Men aged 35 and upwards. Crook entered two teams, Gerry stepped in at the last minute to replace an ill runner in the V65 team which also featured Geoff and Andy T. Despite not firing on all cylinders the guys came away with a NEMAA silver medal for coming 2nd in the V65+ category!
I ran with Matty and Peter Coser in a V35 team. For the first time ever I turned up to a race without my watch and had to try and run to feel. It didn’t go well. After half a lap I looked around and realised I was running with lads who are in a totally different league to me. I felt good relaxed and confident though, and it was too late to slow down, so thought I’d just roll with it and see what happens… a world of pain is what happened. Not good at all! I’ll not forget my watch again!
Race two was the ladies race, seniors and veterans all ran together. It would’ve been good if they had different colour numbers so we knew who was in which category. We entered three teams; Lisa, Laura and Amy in a Senior Team, Jillian, Clare Rose and Patricia in one Vets team and Jo Raine, Kimberley and Sarah Attwood in another.
Jo headed out on the first leg and stormed round the course in typical fashion, really forcing herself on the uphills, and clipping all the corners like a downhill skier, she handed over to Kimberley who was off like a rocket looking very aggressive and determined and not letting anyone past her without a fight, Kimberly gained 4 places on her leg. Sarah took the last leg and in stark contrast to Jo and Kimberley, looked like she was just floating around the course enjoying a nice trot out. Very deceptive running style as she cut her way through the field! Sarah ran the fastest veteran leg of the day, 8th fastest female overall, and brought the team home to win North East Counties and NEMAA gold! Great job girls!
The Senior Mens race was last up, Sam, Andy Simpson, and Dan Staples in one team and George Rose, Andrew Dolan and Chris Dobson in the other. Andy is in great form at the minute and ran the fastest leg of any Crook runner by quite a distance, well done!
The day is always going to be remembered for George’s debut though… with little over 1km of the course gone, and just as he was passing the Crook contingent on the infield, George shifted in to a full on sprint finish, thinking he only had a lap of a football pitch to go. Cries of “what’s he doing?” and “does he know it’s a two lap race?” rang out before Clare sent brother Harry to catch up with him and break the bad news’ After he’d completed the race and finished dying, George saw the funny side so all was well!
Overall a really fun day out, a challenging course, but only 3km so the pain wasn’t prolonged, I think everyone enjoyed it and the club returned home with a handful of medals for the ladies and V65 men! I look forward to next year’s race.
Brad
