Well Done Team Panthers/Skem. We had 4 runners today, 2 Panthers (Yvonne and Catriona) and 2 Skemmers (Kate and Jane)

Finshed 2nd Ladies team gain and we are still 2nd ladies team overall in the series with just 2 more races to go. We need to pull out all the stops to have a chance of winning, so the more the merrier – next race 5th Feb -Walton hall Park – nice and flat- honestly!

Well done all you brilliant Panthers who pounded the streets of Liverpool last week

The conditions were wet and windy and there was an hours delay before the start – as if doing a marathon isn’t hard enough, without all that to cope with!

We had an amazing 11 Panthers finishing this epic event and I’m very proud of you all. see results page for times and positions.

Here are the dates for the XC races 2011/2012

ARE YOU READY TO HAVE SOME FUN IN THE MUD,

PLEASE EMAIL ME IF YOU ARE DEF INTERESTED IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING RACES

30 Oct 2011  Clarke Gardens 10am
6 Nov 2011    Beacon Park     10am
4 Dec 2011    Arrow Park       11.30am
15 Jan 2012  Runcorn Town Park 10am
5 Feb 2012    Walton Park     11am
4 March 2012 Birchwood Forest Park 10am

Well I can honestly say that this was the hardest thing I’ve ever done and I am DEFINATELY NOT doing it again!

It was probably ideal conditions for this event, clear blue skies but with a very strong cold breeze which kept the temp. down and even helped to blow me up one of the hills! However the wind did become a bit of a challenge at the top as I felt like I needed some weights to hold me down, and the last 5 miles were straight into it which made progress a real challenge.

(Me and Andy  – I’m scared stiff and we haven’t even started)

It is classed as the Marathon with Mountains and they’re not kidding! For those of you brave soles who have done the 3 peaks walk you will know that Whernside and Ingleborough are totally unrunnable, being very, very steep. The race is all off road and the surface basically varied from slightly rough track to very bouldery track to bog and then more bouldery track! Now anyone that knows

(Pic above – steep ascent of Ingleborugh)

me will know that I’m scared of heights and not very steady on my feet ( I can even fall off the edge of the pavement, and quite frequently do – much to the amusement of my kids!) Needless to say I fell twice and now have the cuts and bruises to show for it. I also had a few wobbles with the heights BUT I just kept thinking of the reason why I was doing it , and that was enough to keep me going. Thanks to all the sponsorship so far, if anyone still wants to add their sponsorship please see www.justgiving.com/Yvonne-Wyke

Inc are some photos of my epic journey -

Well done to Nicky G. and Rosin for completing their first Marathons in 4hr 59m, and 4hr 15m respectively.

They both did the London Marathon this year, it was very hot conditions, lovely for sunbathing but not very nice for running in.

So has the curse of the Clubs marathon place finally been lifted, we now have two people to complete the marathon the year they were supposed to!

I know they both trained very hard, Nicky having been plagued with injury for the last couple of years started her Marathon training on about 6 miles a week in November building up to the 21 mile muddy beacon bash in Feb and the 18mile muddy bottoms race in March. Rosin was unlucky with injuries later on in her training. But both went on to complete this unforgiving distance  A fantastic achievment, well done.