Lace Up for Cross Country Fun! 🏃♀️🏃♂️🍂
Hi all,
Now the summer’s out of the way, we can concentrate on cross country season!
The deadline for putting your name down to sign up for cross country this season is Tuesday 15th October.
You’ll also need to make the payment of £20 which covers your entry fee and parking (You won’t be asked for any additional payment to park when you arrive). Please pay your fee to the usual club account – mark it “x ctry25 surname”
• Alchester Running Club
• Sort code: 30-90-77
• Account number: 00792184
Link to excel sign up sheet:-
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10zIVMnpaCZILKuSzWTSCyclPaLXSYct2TT-IepvheIg/edit?usp=sharing
Please add your name, age and England Athletic (EA) number (as shown in the example line on the excel). If you haven’t got your EA number, still add your details, we’ll find your number if needed.
What is it?
If you’ve never done cross country before it’s a great morning out, meeting lots of club members and enjoying cakes and hot drinks (after you’ve finished😉).
Yes, it’s competitive, but you’re running as part of a team (7 in a team for men & 4 for ladies). We want as many as possible to run! Points are awarded based on your position and your challenge is just to beat the person in front of you or the person you beat last time. The fastest runners in each race count for Alchester A, the next group for Alchester B, and so on. We had 48 entries from Alchester last year, so plenty of people to run with.
When?
Races are always on a Sunday morning on the first Sunday of each month (first one is 3rd of November). We may have to provide a marshal or 2 at a couple of venues & there are separate races for men & ladies. We now run over the same distance of about 8k / 5 miles.
Men’s races start at 11:20 and Ladies’ races start at 12:00.
Where are they?
We try and coordinate lift-sharing for each race as much as possible – it’s fun to chat through the spills and thrills on the way home! For details and news and results through the cross country season visit https://oxonxc.org.uk
The fun bit
It is nothing like the days of school cross country and is very much an opportunity to help maintain fitness and focus over the winter as well as providing some fun.
The club tent will be setup for somewhere to meet your teammates, stash your bag & enjoy the warmth. Invariably there’s hot flasks & cakes (we have some excellent bakers in the club).
Every race has at least one hill, and most of the courses have laps so you run the hills more than once. Don’t worry if you need to walk up the hills, you certainly won’t be the only runner doing so.
This season we’re hoping to arrange pub lunch / meet ups after the race when we can, so keep an eye out.
What kit do I need?
Firstly, you’ll need a club vest or T-shirt as this is one of the requirements (base layer optional). John Nelson is able to help you out with providing kit & we have plenty in stock.
We also recommend buying a pair of cross-country spikes (12-15 mm). These don’t need to be expensive as they will soon get covered in mud. Also bring warm clothes for before and after the event – see the Kit page on the Alchester website for details of our club hoodies.
What if I can’t do November or all of them?
Panic not! If you enter from December onwards it’s £16 & then £12 from January, £8 from Feb, £4 from March.
Once you’ve entered you’ve entered for the series.
Any questions please ask (Spond is a good place to ask general questions). For info Alasdair Kerr & Simon Worfolk are team managers again this year.
Thanks all – please add your names as soon as possible and see you there!
Thanks
Alasdair and Simon