SPIRIT of Monmouth Running Club members were busy last weekend, including the final round of the GLCL Cross Country season.

On Saturday 10th March, 11 members from Spirit of Monmouth Running Club travelled over the Severn to take part in Rogue Runs 20/20 Fission race. The option for the race was either 20 miles or 20 kilometres, it was a great opportunity to go for a PB on a fast flat 20 mile course and also a test to give you a good indication of how well your Spring Marathon training is going. The 20 mile option is a two-lap flat course in lovely countryside close to the river Severn. The 20 km option takes in one lap of pretty much the same course. There was a cut-off time for the 20 mile route of four hours. 

All of the Spirits enjoyed the course although the roads were flooded in parts giving the runners a good opportunity to clean their shoes. First to finish for Spirit of Monmouth was Rob Nicholls in 2.19:36 followed by Rich Rawlings in 2.39:23, Martin Blakebrough in 2.42:47, Luke Felton and Paul McAfee in 2.50:29, Emily Harrison in 2.54:03, Vicky Roberts in 3.20:08, Jane Powell in 3.30:22, Madeleine Newcomb in 3.34:22 and David Rutter in 3.47:07. Jeremy Creasey competed in the 20k race and finished with a time of 1:42:39.

Elsewhere on Saturday, in the Cross Country Inter Counties Championships, Spirit of Monmouth runner Rich Foster represented East Wales at Prestwold Hall, Loughborough in the British Inter Counties Cross Country event on a very muddy 12k course. Rich was the second East Wales runner home in a time of 52 minutes. Rich said: “I felt incredibly proud and pleased with my run.” 

Then on Sunday 11th March, 14 Spirit of Monmouth runners took part in the fifth and final GLCL Cross Country race of the season that was held at Glebelands, Newport. The race was hosted by Caerleon Running Club. The course was a good mixture of flat, parkland, wood and muddy terrain. 

First home for the Spirit of Monmouth Ladies was Alex Wilson who was ninth overall and second in her age category followed by Laura Grey, Emma King, Lucy MacDonald, Emma Davies, Sophie Williams, Rebecca Foster, Linsey Holt and Leah Morris. First home for the men was Julian Howe followed by Brian Evans, Ben Burnett, Robert Nelson and Jeremy Creasey.