Midland Women’s Xc League Race 4 Stafford Common Sat. 17^th Feb 2007

Gosh we were nearly late! Actually I never say gosh in real life, but this is a story. You know how it is when you have loads of time, you start messing about and before you know it you’re late. First I realised the van was sucking diesel fumes so it was up to the filling station, something I hate doing on a weekend almost as much as driving through Sutton, where dwells the worst/oldest drivers in the world.

On to the Wem 6, this it what Daniel my new sat nav. calls the motorway; before you mock, it says in the instructions; “do you want Daniel or Emily to talk to you” Pat prefers Daniel. He was remiss though, we sailed into a traffic jam. Panicking mildly, I phoned Louise, Claire, and Rachel, I didn’t bother Cath as she’s probably lost her phone again. No response from anyone--- there’s a shock. Fortunately the jam soon resolved itself and we arrived only a little late. The route from registration to the race was via an assault course which we survived to pitch the tent; this tent is becoming my Albatross, we pitch it, it gets covered in mud; we take it home; pitch it, hose it down; take it to a race; it gets covered in mud “ad nauseum”.

The girls are there “bless ‘em” slightly less in number as the season wears on, nothing changes there then. Anyway, I digress.

The race.

The course had been revamped that morning to avoid the worst of the bog;

Amanda Dalkins made light work of it to lead the scoring finishing 7^th to equal her best position in this competition.

Super Cath Mijovic was second scorer having had a fine season, she finished 18^th.

Also scoring second vet award for the season.

Young Emma Lines completed the scoring in 42^nd; she’s ever so clever you know she can speak in foreign tongues. And she runs in long trousers!

The supporting cast were Louise “the lip” Harman, who after running hand in hand with Claire for a bit, gave it a go to finish 45^th.

Now Claire Beaumont had a nasty fall skiing last week, well not exactly skiing,

She fell off the ski lift! “nuff said” you should have seen the bruises, they were worse than the ones she got pole dancing, and when she fell asleep on one of the road  relays a couple of years ago. She finished 52^nd.

Dreamy young Sarah Capewell completed the squad in 61^st. I say to her “are you doing such and such a race” and she says, “I don’t know, am I?

Thank you to all the ladies who have competed for me over the season, you have helped to the keep the Club’s name on the map yet again, we finished 4^th on the day but took the Bronze position overall.

Eddie Cockayne.

Senior Women’s team manager,

Road & XC.