Saturday November 13th
parkrun
This week Witney Roadrunners were represented at Oxford, Bath Skyline, Abingdon, Colney Lane, Cheltenham, Fountains Abbey, Harcourt Hill, Woolacombe Dunes, Mount Stuart, Chipping Norton School, Horspath & Witney.
Notable Results –
| Lisa Kay | 2nd F @ Chippy | |
| Chris Colbeck | 3rd @ Mount Stuart | |
| Jane Colbeck-McKinnon | 3rd F @ Mount Stuart |
Sunday November 7th
Oxfordshire XC Round 1 Bicester
Women
Team A – 4th in division 1
Team B – 8th in division 3
| Frankie Tyrell | 34.08 | |
| Anna Scrivens | 36.28 | |
| Lisa Kay | 37.44 | |
| Margaret Mason | 40.18 | |
| Jess Wright | 43.02 | |
| Michele Hustler | 43.06 | |
| Lisa Holland | 43.16 | |
| Kirsty Webb | 44.23 | |
| Anne Rouget | 44.45 | |
| Louise Rhodes | 47.03 | |
| Susan Brant | 47.16 | |
| Regina Johnys | 52.18 |
Men
Team A – 2nd in division 1
Team B – 6th in division 2
Team C – 11th in division 3
Team D – 22nd in division 3
| Tegs Jones | 29.17 | |
| Matt Lock | 29.40 | |
| Sam Upton | 30.14 | |
| Jack Gavin | 30.46 | |
| Gareth Petts | 31.31 | |
| Luke Edwards | 32.26 | |
| Paul Taylor | 33.36 | |
| Tom Grantham | 34.36 | |
| Graham Ferris | 35.08 | |
| Chris Colbeck | 35.10 | |
| Nick Dalton | 35.53 | |
| Tony Lock | 36.00 | |
| Kevin Hennessy | 36.12 | |
| Ben Godwood | 36.14 | |
| Andy Green | 36.22 | |
| Dan Wymer | 37.15 | |
| Paul Sherwood | 37.19 | |
| Brian Moore | 37.21 | |
| James Hackney | 39.06 | |
| Simon Arnold | 39.57 | |
| Conrad Bailey | 40.42 | |
| David Rouget | 41.16 | |
| Alexander Harris | 41.50 | |
| Rob Green | 42.33 | |
| David Johnys | 44.05 | |
| Stephen Roberts | 44.56 | |
| Simon Rhodes | 46.03 | |
| David Geary | 46.56 | |
| John Green | 47.13 |
The WRR Cross Country campaign has become something of a machine and this year has seen a record gaggle of teamsters signing up for the pain. For sheer turnout alone, Witney is hard to surpass. Helped by the fragmentation of Oxford clubs due to global warming, Witney is the welcoming club that runs on an ethos of inclusivity. At least seventy avid players replied to the Spond invitation thanks to the excellent administering of the administrators.
Imagine then the responsibility of being tasked with writing the official WRR post X Country report. That accolade would be hard to live up to and the ramifications of getting it wrong could be catastrophic. For such reasons, I can assure you this isn’t the official WRR cross country report. I can only attempt to convey the events on the ground as they unfolded and if you were there you know what happened anyway and if you weren’t what can you have been doing that was so important?
In a dramatic development, Oxfordshire Cross Country has severed ties with their previous sponsor The Daily Telegraph and the new sponsor is up and running; It is Fit Two Run. OCC has also developed a new strategy to align itself with political correctness. To extinguish the controversy over the issue of equality, women and men now run the same distance over the same course but on separate occasions. This has been an ongoing bugbear and both types of people are glad to have drawn a line under it.
Prior to race day, Spond messaging regarding post- race cake had become rampant and this can only have served to create cake expectations. Not an insignificant matter considering the precedent set in previous years. Where did it all start? Who knows but it may have been the kindness of spectators offering jelly babies and other assorted sweet treats to flagging competitors in earlier seasons. The current situation is volatile such is the proliferation of post race energy. At the last meeting a scientist suggested there were enough calories in the cake count to power a space shuttle to Didcot Park Run two or three times.
It isn’t just Cross country that has seen a penchant for these Joule enhanced gatherings. The Witney Park Run celebrated its hundredth anniversary recently and such was the contribution of sugary thrills, it seemed rude not to eat them. One particularly tasty looking Fudge covered example was so intimidating, no one dared tackle it. At the eleventh hour David Rouget was seen wielding a cake slice with such abandon, it opened the floodgates and everyone piled in for a slab.
What of the race however? This second excursion to the Bicester ghetto promised ominous things. The previous outing was soon followed by a countrywide shut down, I don’t remember it being that bad. A flat course with the majority of ground covered in chewy grass, it’s an energy sapping experience on a good day. The panoramic views add to a sense of demoralisation as the front runners, constantly visible seem to ebb further ahead at a rate defying justice. No matter how hard you try they can’t be caught unless you are one of the increasing elite relegating us mere mortals to the lower divisions. It’s certainly no cakewalk despite its apparent run in the park credentials. As we stoke the steam engine, results are yet to be determined and in the bedlam of conflict I fail to describe the outcome of the men’s race. From a privileged view watching the ladies however, Frankie produced a storming result with second place and a strong assembly of other Witney ladies not too far behind. Cirencester next, hope you’ve got your climbing gear!
Chris Colbeck
Broadway Marathon
| Grant Hunter | 4.39.09 |
Broadway Half Marathon
| Fraser Howard | 1.57.44 | |
| Sally Howard | 2.14.04 |
Marlow Half Marathon
| Freda Ford | 2.38.27 | |
| Sally Howard | 2.14.04 |
Guy Fawkes 5
| Will Downey | 31.58 |
parkrun
This week Witney Roadrunners were represented at Oxford, Bath Skyline, Abingdon, Colney Lane, Thetford, Lanhydrock, Lyme Park, Dunfermline, Grove Fields, Dallas Burston Polo Club & Witney parkruns.
Notable Results –
| Sam Upton | 1st @ Witney | |
| Joe Godwood | 1st @ Lyme Park | |
| Callum Hodnet | 3rd @ Grove Fields |