Borders X/C Series Round 2: Lauder
November 30th, 2009The Borders Winter Cross Country series moved to Lauder for Round 2 on Sunday, with conditions underfoot and overhead making it a real test of character, pure guts and stamina. Raw biting winds, driving rain and treacherous mud have become the hallmarks of the winter series and the hilly course around the Royal Burgh was no exception.
Numbers have steadily risen each year for this popular programme of events in both the junior and senior categories and 75 intrepid youngsters started the race, with Gala Harriers well represented. Easing into 4th position in a comfortable 11 minutes 59 seconds was Rowan Marr and in very close order in 8th, replicating the same place as he did in the first race of the season was Paul Henney, running an impressive time of 12.05 seconds. The first Gala girl was Lucy Henderson-Morris in a fine 12.46, with Kerry Sandilands in the younger girls’ age group just 5 places below her in a strongly contested 13.15, just in front of Hannah Jones in 13.38. Emily Jones and Martha Douglas weren’t far behind and finished well in 14.13 and 14.25 respectively. All the Harriers juniors have scored well in their age categories, with all placing 5th or above.
20 Gala seniors also made their way over the Langshaw hill for the noonday start alongside 177 other runners and they were led home by Fergus Johnston who came 10th overall in exactly 28 minutes. Alan Goodson was second home for the club in 30.38, with Gregor McAneny 3rd in 30.57. Sterling performances in tricky conditions also came from: Martin Clarke (30.59) Tony Lunn (31.32) Alastair Lawrie (31.56) Malky Gowans (33.10) Billy McCulloch (34.26) Dave Nightingale (34.54) winter series first-timer Scott Forsyth (35.00) David Hunter (35.01) and Gerry Moss (37.54).
Gala women dug in well in the increasingly muddy conditions with Fiona Shepherd first over the line for Gala in 37.46, closely followed by Jackie Law in 37.48 and Nicola Porterfield in 39.37. Pauline Ballantyne (40.11) Gina Allen (40.21) Dawn Grant (41.30) Shelagh King (43.24) and Anne Purves (47.28) all ran competitively and deserved their post-race hot baths.
The next outing for the Harriers is the East District cross country championships in Livingston on Saturday 5 December.
