PECO # 4 – Golden Graham Park, race 4 of 5
The penultimate cross country race of the series provided a surprising navigational issue from the off just to find the start area hidden away at the far side of the woods.
Upon a final tot up of those that had made it, it appeared the challenge had been too much for some, as numbers were down on the last few races, including the ladies’ current star Alex Bell who was running for England in Cardiff.
Graham negotiates the mole field (Photo by Gillian Jones)
But P & B always rely on quality over quantity so spirits were up. Speedy Graham Pilling was there to provide the quality and in fact we had quantity too in the glorious form of Mick Hill in some inadvisably very skin tight shorts.
Mick is on a secret come back trial and has apparently entered the English Fell Running Championship race, Up the Nab, so keep that to yourselves. Although I think the online entry list may give it away.
The course itself was a single lap for the juniors and 2 for the seniors, the men and women running separately. This produced much whooping and hollering as the runners looped passed the start and finish area on multiple occasions.
Charlie enjoying a woodland canter, Ed drafting (Photo by Ian Watson)
Colin ‘the cross country king‘ Walker says this is one of his least favourite courses but I quite enjoyed it. There is a bit of everything including the lower fields mud bath, straight out of the Somme, and then later, the tree roots of doom through the forest.
At the finish for the senior men, the Wharfedale crack squad took the honours on the day. They had turned up mob handed including plenty of their top fell runners.
Golden Graham was first back for us, then me, Ed Barber, Neil Wallace and a resurgent Mick Hill.
The flying Scotsman (pretty sure I am not the first to ever use this in a photo description of Mr Wallace) with Mr Hill not too far behind (Photo by Ian Watson)
For the ladies, a great run by Rachel Pilling for seventh, with a speedy Belinda not far behind.
In the juniors, Natasha Robinson ran in the 1 mile race, whilst in the 2 mile race Mitchell Boocock was 22nd followed in by Kiernan Kennedy.
Overall results are available here & we need all on board for the next and final race on February 14th.
What more could you ask for on Valentine’s Day after all, than a muddy run in a park?
Men: Graham Pilling 66th 30:42. Charlie McIntosh 80th 31:34. Ed Barber 92nd 32:19. Neil Wallace 183rd 35:36. Mick Hill 187th 35:49.
Ladies: Rachel Pilling 7th 31:51. Belinda Baquero 31st 35:23.
Juniors: Natasha Robinson (1 mile) 36th. Mitchell Boocock (2 miles) 22nd. Kiernan Kennedy 49th.