Crocodile 8 – Rachel N

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Twelve Croft runners all brought the blazing sun for the Crocodile 8 2009. It was great to have Mike, Nikki, families and others to cheer us en route. Other surprises included a welcome spray from a hose-pipe, six drummers drumming us off the hill and slick organisation at the finish where runners heard their name bellowed out on the PA before they even rounded the final corner!
It was a longer leg to the famous wood than I expected, with a fair amount of road. The notorious steps are more a ladder to the sky than a staircase! In a queue of runners to the summit there was silence apart from a mass gasping for breath and the occasional whimper!
Once at the top what a beautiful route through the woods, thick with wild garlic and views all round. It was still pretty sticky coming downhill (but no-one lost a shoe) and the second water station was very welcome for the last leg across the common and final roads.
Croft runners managed all that and then emerged looking cool or glamorous (if you ignored muddy shins and feet!) to party at the pub. Total admiration from here – me, I had to go and lie down!

Out of a total 72 women running the race:
4th was Suzanne coming back from injury with 01:08:52
23rd was Rachel with 01:24:32 (138th overall)
70th was Catherine, having run 13 miles the previous day, with 01:53:11 (211 overall)
(1st was Lisa Quinn with 01:02:03. The total field was 214 runners)

Out of a total 142 men running:
2nd Stacey Morgan 00 53:18
16th Dave Rouse jnr. 00 59:27
20th David Ameghino 1:00:55
39th Simon Powney with 01:04:39 (41st overall)
51st Jon Utley 01:06:30 (53rd overall)
60th and 3rd MV60, Bryan Davies 01:08:43 (63rd overall)
83rd and 4th MV50, Frank Lyscett 01:13:50 (88th overall)
89th Dave Rouse snr. 01:15:02 (96th overall)
(winner Matt James : 00 52:04)

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