CROSS COUNTRY SEASON 2010 -2011

 

 

No sooner have the spikes cooled down from the successful track and field league – than it is back to the fast approaching cross country season. Ask any good coach – and he’ll tell you cross country is a must to get those performances in the summer. Alternatively you just might enjoy grass, mud and water more than tarmac.

 

This is the low down: 

 

Late Summer Cross Country Relays

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Wed  25th August       Durham Summer XC Relays , Durham

Sat     11th Sept           Sunderland XC relays, Farringdon course

 

Vaughan has already got the details on the notice board and is looking for ‘volunteers’. We always do reasonably well at both events – and so as Capt V would say ‘Get your name down!’

 

 

Start Fitness - North East Harrier League

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The Poly compete in the North East Harrier League. Our teams need as many runners to come forward as possible to present a strong effort in all competitions.

 

In last season’s Harrier League, the Club Capt led the men’s team to promotion to division 1 for the forthcoming season. This was after a storming finish in the final race at Prudhoe – with one of our best team performance in the league in recent history (all counters were home within the first 60 places). Over the season, it was a fantastic effort by the 30 or so runners (itself probably a record for us) who turned out for our team last season. We are now on for an even bigger fight – and so need to get our forces out again.

 

The ladies were a strong 4th last year in their league – having vied closely with Heaton and Wallsend during the season. With Ron Stewart’s great coaching support for the harrier league we saw almost 20 different runners out for the Poly. Lucy has become an unofficial (but influential) ladies’ captain. So get in touch with either Ron or Lucy for your detailed tactical information.

 

There are also events for juniors – and we had some great individual performances during  last season – with our under 13 boys team just missing out on 3rd place in their league. It is just great to see our youngsters competing in the Harrier League.

 

Overall a quick calculation by Lucy revealed we had 45 males and 36 females (in all classes) that ran for us last year in all xc events. A great turn out!

 

The final report for last season’s Prudhoe race should appear soon!

 

The format of the Harrier League works on the basis of  streaming – in the case of the men,  runners who finish in the top 30 being allocated to a medium and (thereafter for a top 20 finish ) into the fast group. In the case of the girls – for obvious reasons (at least for most of us) – there is only one ‘faster’ group.

 

The streaming means that medium and fast people are handicapped by a delayed start to the race.

 

Scoring points is easy: the first 6 runners home will score – the exact total is dependant on the position you finish the race in relative to other competitors from other Clubs competing in our league.

 

So, get your race number from Ian Woodward and get along and enjoy the fun.

 

The Fixtures for the Harrier League:

 

Sat 23rd October 2010- East Cramlington

Sat 30th October 2010– Farringdon, Sunderland

Sun 27th November 2010- Blaydon course

Sat 8th January  2011- Town Moor, Newcastle upon Tyne

Sat 26th February  2011– Edmund Campion School, Wrekenton,

Sat 12th March  2011-  The Sherman Cup Temple Park, South Shields*

Sat 26th March  2011– Prudhoe

 

( * Not  part of the League – and so this is a ‘no handicap’  race )

 

 

Other Cross Country Events

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Aside from the Harrier League, the following events are also in the season’s calendar :

 

Sat  11 December 2010 : North East XC Championships , Temple Park South Shields.

Sun 16 January 2011     : Durham Cross Country Relays.

Sat  22 January 2011     : North of England XC Championships, Herrington, Sunderland

TBA                               : North East Veterans XC Championships

Sat  19 February 2011   : English National XC Champs, Alton Towers,Staffs

 

 

For fell running – we have quite a few runners at the Club (some of whom run for Northumberland Fell Runners – others run as Poly) . Check this sitewww.northumberlandfellrunners.org.uk

 

For orienteering  check www.northern-navigators.org.uk or www.clok.org.uk