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Success at the BMAF XC Relay Championships 2016 at Long Eaton Sat 19 Nov.

British Championship success for the Bingley ladies at British Masters Athletics Federation Cross Country Relay Championships at Long Eaton (Sat 19 Nov 2016).  Sue Becconsall, Becky Weight & Mary Green made it the relay double for 2016 having won the V55 BMAF road relay championship earlier in the year.  Burnden Road Runners were our main competition again; Sue got us off to a strong start with fastest FV55 leg (~3km) in 12.24.    Becky held the V55 position with 13.48 (6th fastest FV55),  and Mary had a strong run in 12.59  (3rd fastest FV55), giving us a total time of 39.11, 1.18 ahead of Burnden.   Some M&S gluten free cakes (a couple of the runners are gluten free) were part of the encouragement for the event especially for Sue whose key focus for some months had been the British & Irish Masters Home International XC championships, the previous weekend in Glasgow.  Sue had been selected for England, had a great run and was pleased to come home with a silver medal.  Mary was pleased that joining the Tuesday evening interval and hill training sessions recently had paid dividends.

There were 2  V65 gents teams also – unfortunately I didn’t get their results on the day and they are not on the BMAF website yet (I will add them as soon as they are available).

The pictures below describe the day : 

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Leg 1 runners ready to go – Fred Gibbs, Sue Becconsall, Stuart Thompson  – on a firm, flat course with a few flood banks and muddy spots in the woods.  Bright and cool with a light breeze.

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The start of the Ladies and Men 65+ race with Sue getting a good start.

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Mike Smith, waiting in the handover pen  setting his watch ready to go off on Leg 3 for Team 132

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Tony Kingham finishing Leg 2 for Team 132

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Leg 3 runners – Mary Green tackling the ‘hill’ just in front of Les Haynes

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Les Haynes checking his finish time, just in front of Mary Green. 

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One of Bingley’s V65 teams – Stuart Thompson, Bryan Parkinson, Les Haynes

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Becky, Mary & Sue recovered and enjoying the post run ‘bounce’ as British Champions.