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Tom Durance reports…

Myself and Elaine were in Chesham for a 10k XC 3 weeks ago and decided to sign up to another race in the same town – The Pednor International 10 mile race.  With ‘International’ being in the title and a very professional pre race programme, we expected a large field with some serious athletes from overseas.  As it turned out there were no more than 150 entrants and the post race goody bag was presented before(!) the race containing a can of pop and a cake voucher!?!  However, we’re not knocking it as it was a friendly, intimate, scenic race of 2 laps.  With the previous 48 hours’ rain and 2 major hills it seemed more like a tough cross country!  For me it was a test of the ankles.  I was happy with a painless 7 miles and a final time of 1.16.10.  For Elaine, it was the distraction of the many horses that enjoyed charging round the field when we ran past, that made her exactly a minute behind me.  10

A wild and windy night was not conducive to fast times, but still some good performances tonight given the conditions.

2nd highest turnout ever at Black Park this weekend, and 7 Dashers. Billy maintained her 100% attendance record and now has a substantial points lead, whilst Jenny put in a good run to be 3rd lady home. Well done

If you look in the OED, I’m sure that “Sandhurst” must mean “rain” in some regional dialect, because yet again the weekend was anything but dry, and the conditions underfoot were a little soft in places.

Results to come (see www.tvxc.org.uk for all the results), but in the meantime here are some photos (click the thumbnails to go to the large images).

Sandhurst XC 2009

Bella Shah reports:

Just a note to say that I entered a 10k race in Hyde Park last Sunday 15th November. The charity was After Adoption and they had their first annual event with around 500 runners.

We were blessed with perfect weather and the run was very flat for most of the race and very scenic. It was nice to do a run with not huge numbers of runners.

I really enjoyed the run and it is only my second ever 10k race. The last one I did was in July 2008 - the BUPA CAPITAL run also in Hyde park which was my first race so it was nice to go back there just over a year on. My time last year was 1 hour and 15 seconds so I was pleased with my time of 57 minutes and 43 seconds - a PB.

Will definitely do this one again.

Full results

Tom Durance reports:

For those of us not willing / able / man enough to do The Hell runner, The Herbert Hole 10k (and a bit) was a suitable substitute.

Held in The Chilterns, The ‘Herbert Hole’ is a picturesque valley in Chesham.  The distance was 10k and a bit and the relaxed attitude to the distance was reflected in the race - perfect for those of us coming back from injury.

The weather was horrific for 2 days leading up to the event but glorious on the day itself.

The route was hilly and very, very muddy ensuring by the end of it you were head to toe in mud.  Lovely!  Times were irrelevant, it was not a measured distance and half the time was spent on hands and knees crawling up hills or stuck in mud.  But recommended all the same…. 

DD runners were; Tom Durance, Elaine Culverwell and Julie Humphries.

The terrible overnight weather gave way to a stunning autumn morning, and with a course to match, the consensus was that this was one of the best, most enjoyable runs that anyone had done!

8 miles of up-and-down cross-country running, the infamous “Bog of Doom” (a 4ft-something deep, very smelly bog, lined with spectators), yet more hills, a couple more bogs, and then a few more steep hills, this time on sand. What more could one want from a Sunday morning?

Some photos will be available shortly.

Clean sweep for the Dashers this week – Chris in first place and Billy maintaining her comfortable lead in the points table.

ETA: Oops! Can my excuse be that I’m used to seeing Chris in first place..?

Brent says: A PW but given that the winner took 1.50 it gives you some idea of how tough this wonderful event was. My first proper experience of trail racing and I loved it. For those of you that know the South Coast it started in Charmouth and took in StoneyBarrow Hill, Seatown and Golden Cap. I’m hooked and have another 3 Coastal half Marathons booked this winter. Check out the great company that puts them on. http://www.endurancelife.com/

Simon Black reports from Barcelona:

7 euros… for a race, chip start and finish timing, a wicking t-shirt, hot chocolate, piece of cake, and closed road… The Cros Popular de Sants is an undulating 2 lap race around Barcelona which was in its 31^st running with 1400 entrants and a lot of fit looking people around

Kathryn sped to a magnificent PB by over 1 ½ minutes and a first ever sub 50 10k. It just goes to show what the hill and mountains of Barcelona can do given zero speedwork and long runs over the past 4 months due to the heat. A particularly good run given it was very windy and a negative split by over 45 seconds.

Seems like the younger members of the Dashers are also getting quicker