A Wreake Runners Parent’s Guide to Surviving the Derby Cross Country League 2012/13
With thanks to Karen Scott for producing it!
There are six events between 18/11/12 and 03/03/13, these are all listed below with postcodes. All of the events are well signposted and take you to a variety of venues across Leicestershire and just over the Derbyshire border.
All of the events are on a Sunday morning with the junior races setting off between 10.20am and 10.30am, followed by the adult’s races at around 11am.
The entrance fee is £1 for juniors and £3 for adults - payable on the day when you register, please try to have the correct change.
You are not committed to run every race but to qualify for prizes you will need to do 5 from 6 of the races. Your positions are collated and averaged for every race you run giving you an overall position at the end of the series. Prizes/trophies are awarded for the best times for male/females/age groups/clubs at the end of the series.
Tips for juniors/parents new to cross country:
· Make sure you have change for the car park fee (if there is a fee – mosy don’t)
· Arrive at least 45m before your race to register and walk your course
· Register as soon as you arrive and then find the Wreake Runners tent/flag to let John/Jen know you are there
· You will need to be member of Wreake Runners and should wear a club vest or T shirt as you are representing the club.
· These races are for club runners of all ages and can be higher standard than the primary xc series, attracting runners from several bordering counties. There is a place for everyone though
· Walk the course with your friends/parents so you know where the hazards/difficulties (hills, mud, water, trees, bottlenecks) are and to help you set your pace. Under 11s usually run about 1 mile – 11+ run two miles.
· Take all of your running shoes/spikes/waffles and decide on the type of footwear to use when you have walked the course. Some courses are all fields/grass - others a mixture of paths, woodland, hard surfaces and grass
· It will probably be wet and cold – take wellies/boots for pre- race walking about as they are easy to slip off and then get your running shoes on
· Some runners stand on a bin bag to change then use the bag for all of their wet/dirty kit after the race
· You will need warm clothes to take off and then put back on after the race
· Lots of runners wear hats/gloves and many girls wear long fluorescent/fun socks, runners generally wear shorts, ¾ or full length leggings – not tracksuit bottoms as these get heavy when wet!
· There are usually limited facilities (if any) – so make sure you go to the toilet before you leave home
· There are rarely any refreshments available so take your own (flask of hot chocolate always goes down well post-race)
You might appreciate a blanket post- race for the trip home, you might also need a towel – either for the runner or for the car seat
· After your race shake hands with the finishers around you and then let John/Jen know where you came. MAKE SURE THAT YOU RETURN YOUR NUMBER BEFORE LEAVING – THERE IS A FINE FOR NOT DOING SO
· Cheer on your team mates who might be later finishing - then you are good to go
· Times and positions are available online a few days after the race on the Wreake Runners website.
· Remember you are racing your own time each race- but you will see the same faces and can use faster runners to help you with your pace
· Whilst these are races and very competitive, they are a lot of fun and there is generally a good camaraderie
· Parents please note that these races have been running for years and are very well run and marshalled, there is always first aid on site and officials available for information.
· The races are popular and can get very busy. Parents need to be aware that the adults are arriving or getting ready to run as you are leaving so there can be a bit of congestion. Likewise if there is marshalling for parking make sure you aren’t told to park where you may get blocked in by an adult runner
· It’s unlikely that these races get cancelled due to the weather – the weather is part of the challenge!
18.11.12 South Charnwood High School, MarkfieldLE67 9TB0
2.12.12 Sinai Park, Burton-upon-Trent DE14 2BB
16.12.12 Allestree Park, Derby DE22 2EU
13.01.13 Bagworth Heath LE67 1DL
17.02.13 Fosse Meadows Sharnford LE10 3AB0
3.03.13 Holly Hayes Wood, Whitwick LE67 5GP
HAVE FUN!