The New Cross Country Season
The dates for the forth coming Hampshire Cross Country League are now known.
The races are against many of the clubs that we have run against in the RR10 races and the Today’s Runner leagues. These races are ideal for building stamina over the winter months for the half marathons and marathons the next year, along with the Today’s Runner there will be 2 cross country races a month if not more.
Unlike the Today’s Runner league which are out and back courses the Hampshire League have to accommodate younger runners and therefore will be lap races which for the spectator will mean plenty of cheering on!!
The first race is at Farley Mount near Winchester and will be basically a 2 lap circuit which will include an up hill and obviously down the other end. This race is usually done in warm weather!!
The second race is at Goodwood race course and will include a lap of the car park used for the horse racing before going off into the woods, the men’s race usually does two laps of this loop.
The course at Popham replaces the Overton race. It is at the side of the airfield and is a flat fast race.
The Reading race is at Prospect Park and is an old course used for many years and will include a very steep hill that will be negotiated on each lap twice, the second time going over the hill. There is a long flat back straight to get the legs moving and gain some places.
The last race at Salisbury is also the same course as used in the Wessex League, it’s on a slope near to Old Sarum. This course has you running up hill then a fast, not too steep down hill to the finish.
The Women’s races start at 13:35 and the races are approximately 6k and will include Vets and U20 women.
The Men’s races start at 14:30 and also will include vets and U20 men and will be up to 10k.
Vet Men Age Criteria
It is proposed that athletes will compete for the season in the age category (Snr/Vet/V50) at the age category attained on the first meeting of the season to qualify in the individual championship.
The South of England Championships are at Parliament Hill Fields and we will require 12 runners to battle out the Hampshire Trophy for teams in Hampshire.
The National Cross Country Championships are at Alton Towers 19th February 2011. We will be hoping to send a team of men and women to this event by Minibus and will be a long day so let Phil know if you would like to compete as with the other Championships.
So if you fancy running against Andy Vernon and Steph Twell and a few other international athletes then these are your races.
More details will be published about the Southern and the Hampshire championships when known. Phil May.