Sunday 15/02/26. Race report by Phil Stevens
This was the 2nd race for the Club Champs and 15 of us braved the elements and were on the start line.
I’d been checking the weather forecast over the weekend and it was not ‘Scorchio’!!
They forecast, blustery 30mph winds, -4 wind chill and heavy rain. Sadly for once they were right.
We managed to get a few of us together for a team photo at the start but most of us were just jogging around trying to stay warm.
It was a relief when 1030 came and we were off.
For anyone who knows/has completed this course before, it’s quite a hilly challenging route on a good day.
The direction of the course meant we were in for a headwind and horizontal rain for the 1st half.
Within 15 minutes we were all soaked through and it was just a case of trying to keep the body temperature up.
The roads were running rivers of cold water and I have to say the 1st half was probably right up there with one of the worst running condition races ever!
Deal Tri marshalls were amazing. They were out in it longer than us and even though cold and wet their encouragement was brilliant and gave us all a boost.
Finally around half way, it was a left turn towards East Langdon and the wind was on our side.
Coming back towards Northbourne I saw a runner in just a vest and shorts, he was walking drunk and thankfully a marshal was running towards him to give him assistance.
It’s quite a fast downhill finish and we were rewarded with a Deal Tri boot back + either a slate medal or slate coaster commemorating the nearby ex colliery at Betteshanger (a stone throw away from the race start and now a new housing estate in the making).
Afterwards I could see everyone jogging/running to their cars to get out of the elements.
Good character-building stuff? Great training? Or just crazy mad? I’ll let you decide.
I live nearby, so ran back and jumped straight in a hot shower, then sat shivering in front of a fire with a blanket over me and Andrea doing her Florence Nightingale bit..
I’ve had an update on Dave Winch and he safely made it back to the start. Phew!
I hope everyone else made it back safely and I have to say the last XC at Mote Park next Sunday should literally be a stroll in the park compared to that!?!
Finishing positions today:
Well done everyone who turned up today and got some well-deserved club champ points.
Club Champ positions have been updated, see below:
2026 Club Championships – Ladies
The next Club Champ Race is the Smugglers 10k (Minnis Bay) on 15th March.
Please, please come and support the XC team for the last fixture at Mote Park, Maidstone on Sunday 22nd Feb (next Sunday). The club are currently sitting in 2nd place for two categories and it’s everything to play for.
