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The XC thread

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larkim 2 Feb 7:42pm, 2 Feb 2025 26,529 posts	Quote Pin larkim Tree down in the interesting bit of the Liverpool and District XC course today meant 4.5 miles of grass running in trail shoes today. Didn't even feel really like XC, especially not needing to scrub off even a spec of mud in the shower afterwards.
rhb 9 Feb 2:45pm, 9 Feb 2025 2,524 posts	Quote Pin rhb I ran maccl yesterday, same course as Nov and similar conditions (dry underfoot) and was 6 mins slower than then, which was pre a Covid/Flu double whammy that has wiped me out for the best part 3 months. I missed Northerns and no National entry as not in any shape to justify the trip. I think I saw the distinctive red cap of @allmatthew in the distance off the start line, hope you had a good run out?
allmatthew 9 Feb 4:41pm, 9 Feb 2025 205 posts	Quote Pin allmatthew Thank you - that was me in the red cap, always making sure I'm in the club's colours! Yesterday was fine. I like the course, even if the two laps around the football fields are forgettable, and I was about a minute slower than November. I can't really complain though as I ran 5 miles to the venue (and then home again afterwards) to turn Saturday into my long run day. I'll be running Woodbank Park at the beginning of March. As much as I generally dislike bad weather, I hope that next season can be a bit more classic XC and less, well, dry.
rhb 9 Feb 11:26pm, 9 Feb 2025 2,525 posts	Quote Pin rhb allmatthew wrote: I ran 5 miles to the venue (and then home again afterwards) to turn Saturday into my long run day. Impressive! Woodbank clashes with family event for me. I'm with you on some proper XC conditions being needed next year, I haven't brought any mud home at all.
Curly45 10 Feb 7:36am, 10 Feb 2025 4,978 posts	Quote Pin Curly45 We've had some dry courses due to snow and ice, but lots of mud at times. Got our wettest course to come on Sunday. Last year was half a foot of standing water and I'm expecting similar this year 😂 Running to and from XC is dedication @allmatthew
larkim 10 Feb 8:24am, 10 Feb 2025 26,595 posts	Quote Pin larkim The course yesterday at Croxteth was deliberately routed through a bog, as apparently is the tradition. Some years it is full of water, this year not so bad but still shiny deep and very muddy. Rest of the course was pretty runnable though. XC spikes hung up for the year now for me (well, sent to the bin actually as they are falling apart). I've run more XC than usual this year, glad to have done them too.
Alun 23 Feb 10:37pm, 23 Feb 2025 220 posts	Quote Pin Alun Horrifically muddy at the English Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill, brutal conditions from part way up the first hill until the very end. Very happy to finish just inside the top half of the field
Dustin 24 Feb 12:05pm, 24 Feb 2025 206 posts	Quote Pin Dustin That's a strong run Alun, well done. Reckon that's the muddiest I've seen it, but on the plus side, it didn't rain! I was happy to survive, but managed to beat about 250 others... I even managed to be 5th scorer for the team!
Curly45 24 Feb 12:40pm, 24 Feb 2025 4,996 posts	Quote Pin Curly45 Well done guys. Pics looked disgusting 😂 Our last XC was awful and I ran very badly. Only just managed third in my age cat over the series which is disappointing as I was 1st going into the last race.
Alun 24 Feb 11:19pm, 24 Feb 2025 221 posts	Quote Pin Alun Curly45 wrote:Well done guys. Pics looked disgusting 😂 Our last XC was awful and I ran very badly. Only just managed third in my age cat over the series which is disappointing as I was 1st going into the last race. I run in two leagues, the main county league and a second where anyone who's too fast (sub 34:00 men or sub 38:00 women and equivalent times over other distances) is banned. The lower league awards a prize to 1st place in each 5 year age category whereas the county league awards the top 3 in each 10 year age category. I managed to hold onto the bronze medal position for the final two races in the M50-59 competition despite approaching my 59th birthday... Dustin wrote:That's a strong run Alun, well done. Reckon that's the muddiest I've seen it, but on the plus side, it didn't rain! I was happy to survive, but managed to beat about 250 others... I even managed to be 5th scorer for the team! I worked out that I was 41 seconds per mile slower than in the 2022 race, Saturday was by far the worst cross country that I've ever done (and I raced in the National at Woolaton Park in February 2020). I tried the pins that Nike supply with the Dragonfly XCs, they provided far more grip than the traditional 15mm pyramid pins but my 4th pair of Dragonfly XCs in 16 months (including the 6 months when there's no cross country) expired after 2 races and 12 miles after the heel pad separated (I suspect that somebody behind me caught my heel), it seems that my 5th pair will be on their way to me shortly. It's great that Nike warranty them for 2 years but I wish that they were more robust as they're excellent shoes that are simply too fragile for the sport that they're designed for.