Christmas 2010-11:

As the BUCS Cross Country and Indoor season draws ever closer, DUAXC athletes saw off the nutritional excesses of Christmas and the alcaholic excesses of New Year with a veriety of strong performances, which bode well for the New Term. With some of our top athletes  not competing (namely Alex Robinson (injured), Owen Walpole (ill) and Mike Grimes (skiing)) the results show the huge depth that the club has this season. A particulalar good effort from Ollie and Yvonne who each managed a stunning three races over the holidays!

Ending 2010 on a high was cross-country starlet Josh Cole, who made up for missing the Leeds Relays by taking his second successive victory in the Red Rose Cross-Country League and with it taking a comfortable series victory. Josh won the final leg in Blackburn by 31 seconds to show what a prospect he is for a top 30 finish at BUCS.

Also competing pre-christmas was Ollie Cook who ran just 17 seconds shy of a 10km PB, clocking 40:10 at the Saltwell 10km, to continue his good form, before being the DUAXC member to brave a New Years Day Race, as he came 10th at the Resolution run.

2011 began with a flurry of County championship cross-country races, and it was great to see so many athletes competing. These included Pat Vis (4th Under 20 in Merseyside), Yvonne Farrell (3rd Under 20 in Hampshire) Chris Lowe (5th Under 20 in Oxfordshire) Josh Cole (5th overall in the highly competitive Greater Manchester region,) Jack Hillier (12th in Buckinghamshire) Ed Newbould (27th in Yorkshire), Ciaren Costello (14th Under 20 in Surrey), Louisa Monk (4th Under 20 in Leicestershire) Helena French (7th Under 20 in Middlesex) and Rory Johnson (4th Under 20 in Herefordshire) Special congratulations are in order for Pat, Yvonne, Chris, Josh, Jack, Louisa and Rory who have all (I think) qualified for the Inter-county cross-country championships next month.

Elsewhere, cross country captain Jack Hillier came a solid 53rd (out of almost 300) in the Chiltern League to lay his credentials for a BUCS 'A' Team slot. Sophie Smith and Yvonne Farrell (who has entered the New Year in particularly strong form) did likewise by competing well in two Hampshire League Cross-country races, as did Louisa Monk in the North Midlands League,  while Ollie Cook ran yet another Newcastle Parkrun, coming 10th in the events one-year anniversary race in 19:02.

Finally, Athletics co-captain Gareth Phillips showed that cross-country was not the the only dish on the Christmas menu as he set two strong times at the Northern Indoor Championships. After placing 7th in his 60m heat in a season's best 7.56 he came 3rd over 200m, clocking an Indoor PB of 24.12 and just mssing out on the Semi-Finals.

And for anyone who was wondering why I was not competing in the Gloucestershire championships, I (along with at least 3 other club members!) was in Val d'isere on the ski trip, which was awesome!

18th December:

Red Rose League XC (Blackburn): 1st: Josh Cole. 33:53.

Saltwell 10km (Gateshead): 27th: Ollie Cook. 40:10

1st January:

New Year Resolution Run (8.5km) 10th: Ollie Cook. 37:22

2nd January:

Oxford Mail League (inc. Oxfordshire XC Championships) (Horspath) Senior Men 34th: Chris Lowe 34:38 (8th under 20)

Runners Winter League (Wandsworth College) Senior Women: 5th Sophie Smith (no time)

21st Yvonne Farrell (although she was called Yvonne Farah in the official results which could be a sign of things to come!)

8th January:

Buckinghamshire XC Championships (High Wycombe): Senior Men: 12th Jack Hillier 45.32.(4th Under 23)

Great Manchester XC Championships (Stockport): Senior Men: 6th Josh Cole 41:55 (1st Under 23)

Merseyside XC Championsips (Knowlesy): Junior Men: 4th Pat Vis 29:12

Middlesex XC Championships (Trent Park) Junior Women: 7th: Helena French 32:08

Surrey County XC Championships (Lloyd Park) Junior Men: 14th: Ciaren Costello 32.36.

Leicestershire County XC Championships (Bosworth) Senior Women: 14th: Louisa Monk 29:24 (4th Under 20)

9th January:

Herefordshire League (inc. Herefordshire XC Championships) Junior Men: 4th Rory Johnson (no time)

Yorkshire and Humberside Championships (Doncaster): Junior Men: 27th Ed Newbould. 38:23

15th January:

Newcastle Parkrun 5km: 10: Ollie Cook, 19: 07 (PB)

Chiltern League XC (Luton) 53rd: Jack Hillier 32:58.

North Midlands League XC (Nottingham) 28th Louisa Monk 26:23 (3rd Under 20)

Northern Athletics Indoor Championships (Sheffield) Senior Men 60m: Heat 1: 7th Gareth Phillips 7.56s (SB)

Hampshire XC League (Reading) Senior Women: 25th Sophie Smith 24:47 (6th Under 20)

44th Yvonne Farrell 26:28 (11th Under 20)

16th January:

Northern Athletics Indoor Championships (Sheffield) Senior Men 200m: Heat 3: 3rd: Gareth Phillips 24.12s (SB, Indoor PB)

South Yorkshire Cross Country League (inc. South Yorkshire XC County Championships) (Winterhill) 64th: Pete Davison. 40:09