KFL Betteshanger Park Cross Country

Report: Phil Stevens

Another local race for Thanet saw a great turn out in very cold conditions.

Not quite as cold as Minnis the previous weekend but with the temperature hovering around freezing and the wind chill colder still it was another character-building race.

A big thanks to Deal Tri who once again organised a superb race and who’s Marshalls braved the elements and provided great support.

Betteshanger with its mainly gravel paths is one of the faster fixtures and on a dog walk the day before I’d already decided to wear an old pair of carbon road shoes as there was no ice and just a few puddles to contend with. This advice I handed out to everyone – SORRY!! I should have checked out the entire course yesterday, in particular the south side which was a muddy mix of iced puddles and slippery mud. TRACies huddled inside the team gazebo waiting for the 11am start, leaving it to the last minute to strip off their layers.

The start is on a soft grass section just above the visitor centre. From there it’s down to the perimeter track (around coned off iced puddles) and crowded runners were trying to make progress before the pinch point which is about 1k into the race and is a short stretch of one of the mountain bike routes. Deal Tri did a great job of clearing the fallen branches and marking tree roots. This wasn’t too bad on the first loop but I thought this would only get worse for the 2nd. It’s difficult to overtake on this section so it’s just a case of following the runner in front until you come out of it near the back entrance to the park. One runner was flying by everyone overtaking until a marshall shouted out ‘NO OVERTAKING’. I jokingly told him he needed to drop back 10 places but he just shouted out ‘WHOOPS’.

A lumpy bumpy bit and then up a short sharp hill and left over a wooden bridge which usually has a lake before it (not so bad today). After the bridge it usually is a nice fast flat gravel section for a good mile, HOWEVER to my horror it was a mile of slippery mud and icy puddles. It was eventually past the visitor centre below us on our left and then it’s the start of loop 2. 

By this time, you’ve got a lot more room to move/overtake and it’s a case of digging deep and getting to the finish. The 2nd time on the mountain bike section I was causing a traffic jam with my Adidas Adiero Adios Pro 3s (lol). I was like Bambi on ice.

The finish line often catches people out, as it’s a bit further up from the start line. There are usually sprint finishes and I gave it my all to catch Andy Jones but he was too strong today. Well done mate.

Quickly time to put on layers then after cheering home some fellow TRACies it was time for a warm down.
What a wonderful display of home baked goodies today. Wow, well done, absolutely loved Julie’s sausage rolls, Chris’s lemon madeleines and Anna’s biscuits. I was cowering behind my 2nd sausage roll as I was getting abuse (editor: thoroughly deserved) for my road shoe recommendations.

With the Kent XC Champs yesterday at Brands Hatch + some of our quick men returning to Uni, the men’s team still were incredible to take 2nd place today.

The ladies team turned out in force again and finished a brilliant 4th place.

This meant the combined team result today was 2nd (amazing).

Overall team results after 5 races (remember its medals for 1st and 2nd only):

Combined – 2nd (2 points ahead of 3rd place Sevenoaks)
Mens – 2nd (7 points ahead of 3rd place Medway & Maidstone)
Ladies – 4th (4 points behind 3rd place Petts Wood)

I was asked earlier how many races count towards the winning score.
If the last two races go ahead at Allhallows and Maidstone, there would have been 7 races in total. All clubs can drop 1 race score (their worst obviously). Therefore, results are based on our best 6 races.

Well done everyone!! What a season!!

Each and every runners position count as we push down the scoring runners from other clubs. Also a number of you were/are suffering with the lurgy, so big kudos for turning up today.

Special mentions to Adam Weymouth who made a fine XC debut, Isobel Tyler who put in a great performance for the ladies team and super well done to Elly Maggs who has been putting in superb performances for the ladies team and is currently sitting in 1st position for the ladies V45 competition.

It’s a few weeks rest now from XC with the next race being Allhallows on 8th Feb.However, don’t forget the first race in the TRAC Club Championships is at the Canterbury 10 mile on Sunday 25th Jan (more info on the Club Championships pages). 

Todays TRAC results:

Full results of today’s KFL XC.