Minnis Bay KFL News.
The fourth cross country in the Kent fitness league saw our team of 18 competing at the local home leg on Sunday. Weather conditions were eventually fine after many weeks of rain with only a south westerly breeze. However, the 6-mile Plum pudding course conditions underfoot were very wet and muddy and that was before the infamous plunging into the field dykes to negotiate after the first 4 miles and this year they were fairly full with deep stinky water.
Our team included 1 new debutant to this season’s racing Charlotte Hadden choosing the local race for the initiation to cross country.
Charlotte was also our first lady home in 29th followed by Jo Kemp in (31st) and Claire Greenaway in (36th). Jude Wood led our men’s team in a creditable 10th overall with our senior men Jordan Gilbert (33rd) and Jamie Jordan (37th) Our complement of veteran athletes also digging deep to add to the important overall team scoring on an event where many traccies are on marshalling duties.
The Course had a record 475 enthusiastic runners despite using the field dykes as scare tactics, they still came! The leaders started fast towards the very wet and muddy sections, with some of our senior runners in the mix. The long track west towards Reculver had a steady headwind to battle, as we found our positions. The easterly track known locally as the long road gave us a reprieve, if only we didn’t all have the technical dyke sections on our minds. Carnage then begins as runners launched in various ways to avoid the inevitable plunging, whilst spectators and paparazzi enjoy this section just for laughs, as some runners feel they need to completely submerge themselves in a full body mud pack.
Today saw another great performance this season with a 9th place for Team TRAC remaining in our league position. The ladies held onto 6th in their individual league. We finished the morning with our usual hot drinks sharing our stories of the great team Trac performance again.
This home fixture meant TRAC organised and marshalled this very large event and we couldn’t host this without our fantastic crew of helpers, both before the event clearing dykes and setting up signs, during the race marshalling and tail running and generally being at hand and for those clearing up afterwards. You can all be very proud to be part of our running club. Thank you on behalf of the committee.
There’s some great pics on social media by our many photographers.
Next round is another local event at Deal 15th January.
Chris Brenchley and Nikki Boyes team Captains.