Over the last few years, the MVAC have had the confidence in Birchfield Harriers Road Running section to entrust them with the organisation of this event, which is their main winter fixture. Perry Barr is central to our region and is always a popular venue with the runners. The problem for us has always been how do you provide adequate marshals for the event and field decent teams in the race itself? I hope this year we managed to at least partly solve this issue.
With the introduction of new distances for cross-country by the World Masters, we had to find new a new course for this year. The odd distances of 8k for the M40+ and 6k for women and M70+ all run together meant that a lap course of a decent length was quite difficult to obtain. I think what we achieved was as near as we could get. The course was measured by bicycle computer and by a GPS system and was just over 8k with 3 laps and just under 6k with 2 laps. A Risk Assessment had to be carried out beforehand and new maps produced, marshals recruited and their instructions written. All that was left was on the day pulling it all together!
In the 8k; M40 to M69; race, Tipton who packed 5 runners in the first 10 dominated the team races winning gold medals both in the M40 and M50 categories. In addition they actually finished a ‘B’ Team in third place but in accordance with the rules the bronze medals went to 4th place Dudley & Kingswinford. Tipton didn’t have it all their own way as we managed to pull off first place in the M60 Team race; Gold medals to Gordon, Alex and Barry and first place in the M70 Team; Gold medals to Brian, Wilf and John. In addition, Alex won Gold in the individual M65 class, Ken won Silver in the M75 with Bronze going to Gordon and Brian in the M60 and M70 respectively. This was a haul of 10 medals from 16 runners who started. Mention must be made of the ‘youngest’ M40 category where Gerry was our first man home in 18th place overall followed by Michael three places behind. Unfortunately for us Paul had to pull out on the third lap with an injury when we just may have been in a possible medal position. Martin, also carrying an injury, gallantly closed out the team in 46th spot with the team grabbing 4th place.
For full results and photos see http://www.dk10k.co.uk
Masters Road & XC Team Manager
| Race Pos. | Time | Runner | Age |
Age Pos. |
| 18 | 0:29:55 | TIMMINS, Gerry | M40 | 11 |
| 21 | 0:30:26 | MORLEY, Michael | M40 | 12 |
| 51 | 0:35:34 | HOLDEN, Tom | M55 | 14 |
| 52 | 0:35:35 | ELLIOTT, Alexander | M65 | 1 |
| 56 | 0:38:18 | ADAMS, John | M55 | 16 |
| 57 | 0:38:42 | DAVIES, Robin | M55 | 17 |
| 59 | 0:39:38 | ROBERTS, Barry | M65 | 4 |
| 60 | 0:39:47 | DAVIES, Pete | M60 | 4 |
| 61 | 0:40:13 | FRAIN, Tony | M60 | 5 |
| 20 | 0:27:30 | WEBSTER, Brian | M70 | 3 |
| 23 | 0:29:13 | MORGAN, Wilfred | M70 | 6 |
| 26 | 0:31:37 | SUMMERTON, John | M70 | 9 |
| 28 | 0:33:26 | PARRY, Ken | M75 | 2 |