A powerful squad of six represented A&D at the English Cross Country National Championships at Wollaton Park, Nottingham, on Saturday. The scenic course around the lakes and grounds of Wollaton House was described as “one of the toughest” Men’s Captain Scotty Lynch had ever run. Waterlogged ground, with knee-high mud at points, made the races a true test of mettle and strength against thousands of the nation’s finest.
Despite the soggy conditions underfoot, ladies Massah Cooper (633rd; 52min 19sec) and Lucy Johnstone (860th; 1.03.57) ran their 8K race with aplomb. With ground and groundwater freshly churned by the ladies, A&D’s men finished their “cruel” 12K course in quick succession. Andrew Noble (929th) lead the men home in 1.01.25, followed by Tom Preece (987th; 1.02.13) in his best run of the season. Scotty Lynch (1053rd) was next home for the club in 1.03.21, followed by Adrian Moody (1087th) in 1.03.55.
Sunday saw Ingvild Drake hit the trails for the Lenham Cross Winter Marathon. Starting and finishing in Detling, the course featured treacherous descents and steps. Drake finished 4th lady, with a time of 5.27.00.
Three A&D runners contended with Sunday’s strong winds to represent the club at the Brighton Half Marathon. Marking a five-year PB streak on the course, James Booth achieved a PB of 1.27.00, more than 27 minutes faster than his time in 2016. Gill O’Connor placed 212nd in a field of 3431 women, with a time of 1.46.16. Reaping the benefits of focused and disciplined training, Julie Foster crossed the finish line in 3.03.20. Meanwhile, James Phillips flew the A&D flag down under at the Melbourne Half Marathon; in scorching 30C heat, Phillips crossed the finish line in 1.51.37.
Back on the trails, A&D duo Rhian Shrimplin and Anthony Brown took on the Trosley Park 10k, near Rochester. The pair showed their trail-running prowess along the muddy woodland course, as well as nimbly climbing a total of 174 steps during the race. Shrimplin was 4th lady over the finish line, with a time of 54.34; Brown finished in 57.11.
Fresh from an impressive performance at the Cross Country Nationals, Andrew Noble rounded off the weekend in the East Midlands by racing the Stilton 7 alongside Lesley Taylor.
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