Purple Running Wales: GLCL Winter Cross Country

Yesterday saw the first of the Gwent Leisure Centre League winter cross country races, hosted by Parc Bryn Bach running club.

The turn out from Caerleon was pretty good, although nowhere near as many people as the road race series, and overall there were several hundred competitors taking part from the local clubs within the old Gwent county area, and, this was going to be my very first cross country run.

Caerleon XC team

There I stood on the start line, next to fellow club mate and fellow XC virgin Suzanne, wearing our brand new, untarnished trail running shoes, and off we went, the men having to run four laps of the course whilst the ladies only run three laps. Why that is I don't know, it seems to be a bit odd in these days of sexual equality.

The course began easily enough for the first 200m and then a slow climb began, but through ankle deep, sloppy mud. The mud gave way to a harder, steeper track heading up through the forest to the top of the hill. At the top of the hill the zig zag course was a lot easier to run on the open ground with short grass and only patches of mud. It then headed back towards and into the forest where there was a lot more of the mud to contend with.

I was probably being a little cautious running through the mud as I was unsure of my foothold, whereas some of the experienced runners were absolutely flying through it, and I was certainly a lot slower as by lap three I was being lapped by the guys whilst the ladies were then heading towards the finish line.

I began my fourth and final lap and the mud by this time was even worse. After the forest section, and at the top of the hill, I looked behind me and there were very few guys following me, and they all appeared to be older guys like myself.

I did manage to stop myself from losing any more places, and actually I did overtake a couple of people on the muddy downhill section.

Approaching the finish line all my club mates were there clapping and cheering me on to the finish line. Phew, I was glad that was over. It was very tough but, I did enjoy it.