This is a very low key event, and not knowing this, but just seeing the words "summer x country" on our club website, I thought it would be a competitive xcountry race, and so approached it like that. It was the day after running the Elmton Chase, but I felt good so looked forward to running fast.
Unfortunately not many people turned up - I would estimate around 20. We did a steady lap of the Retford Rugby pitch then went out through the woods across trails and fields. There were just enough marshalls along the way to stop you from getting lost, and also some arrows and ticker tape.
Three runners got away fairly early on - the eventual "winner" Carl Thackeray, and Steve Battle running for Clowne as well as one runner from Killamarsh - and there was a group of us behind them. I made an effort to leave the others behind and opened up a gap (not sure how large because I was focussed on making efforts to catch the three at the front; I could see them most of the way, but didn't catch them.)
Towards the end we went into a field, the marshall said follow the arrow, I ploughed into the field running across plants etc, and said "where's the arrow?" The Killamarsh runner said "it's over here". He was quite a way to the right on the correct path. I rejoined the path, but he had a lead now, and as we went over the hills towards the Rugby club he gained a bit more of a lead, and even though I was working hard I couldn't catch him.
He didn't finish that far in front though!
Anyway, it was a fun event and I thoroughly enjoyed it. No, it wasn't a race, but I'll beat him next time!
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