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Jan 2018
11:22am, 10 Jan 2018
3,220 posts
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Curly45
We dont have many who come from parkrun to the club who go to XC on the men's side. Partly because of the distances and partly because of the way scoring works which doesnt reward turning out a big team/rewards turning out 10 super fast men. A sub 20 parkrun will probably get you 175 out of 200 men in Div 1 men. I think it can be a bit of a shock.
On the women's side starts are an issue, as are finishing. I havent seen it much this year as I am little faster so have a bit more space, but the 50-100's positions can be a bunfight. There have been falls in the past.
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Jan 2018
1:21pm, 10 Jan 2018
11,711 posts
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Autumnleaves
I think those that graduate to our league races from parkrun get quite a shock! The distances are usually 7km but the terrain is way more challenging. A lot of our races are a couple of laps and the first one can be very congested for the mid-pack runners.
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Jan 2018
1:27pm, 10 Jan 2018
3,678 posts
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larkim
Which league do you run in AL? I'm doing the Manchester League for the first time (as in my first ever XC league season) and the mix of courses is quite good - flattish in Wythenshawe, muddy at Boggart, hilly at Stockport. Ostensibly 8.4k for women races there, though I've known the men's to measure quite short of the advertised 10.4k so I don't really trust their measurements!!
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Jan 2018
1:36pm, 10 Jan 2018
25,438 posts
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SPR
I've always thought that the training benefit of XC is different due to the lengths.
I'd be better at 6km but the training benefit of 10km racing is exactly what I need over the winter.
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Jan 2018
1:43pm, 10 Jan 2018
11,713 posts
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Autumnleaves
We are in NWCCL - although the races are mostly in Merseyside, apart from our club hosted one (Birchwood Park in Warrington). Most seem to like the fact that the races are the same length for all and run together. It shortens the day - we finish with lunch from the club hosting the race (although I usually head straight home to get rid of the mud!)
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Jan 2018
1:56pm, 10 Jan 2018
3,679 posts
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larkim
LOL @ finish with lunch! The joys of having kids racing too means I arrive at each MACCL XC for 11am, walk the course with the U11s / U13s, and hang around until my U20 son and I run the final race of the day at 1:45 I think, leaving about 2:45.
Mind you, XC champs at the weekend were even longer!
NWCCL is seniors only isn't it?
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Jan 2018
2:06pm, 10 Jan 2018
11,714 posts
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Autumnleaves
Yes it is - which is a pity - there are a few teens that you spot. When we host our xc league race we do a mini 'fun run' for under 10s that is quite popular.
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Jan 2018
7:55am, 11 Jan 2018
3,488 posts
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57.5 Degrees of Pain
In Scotland's North District we always have a full slate of age group races to fit in. So we sometimes have the men's race overtaking the slower women on narrow, slippery, hilly paths which must be a real disincentive to slower women. With limited winter daylight in these parts, you'd probably need a mixed race to facilitate both running the same distance, which would then make starts trickier. I'm sure it could be done, and in the end the volunteers would have a shorter day which can't hurt.
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Jan 2018
12:04pm, 11 Jan 2018
3,439 posts
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ndellar
I think I’d fare better on a longer course most of ours are 6K and 8 for Champs (men are 10 and 12) as my endurance usually allows me to pick off a few who have blown up. But I think it would put a lot of newbie women off. I used to count it as a plus if I’d finished before the mens race started I’m usually back to the tent and changed these days.
Talking of put off... When I was running last Sat some of the men were warming up inside the course tape on the course whilst we were still running. There was plenty of space on the course by then, but also space elsewhere. I appreciate wanting to see the conditions and they didn’t get directly in the way but it annoyed me. Is this bad manners or should I get a grip! 
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Jan 2018
12:25pm, 11 Jan 2018
3,690 posts
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larkim
I'd say that was off limits - once the runners are on the course others should be off it, especially if there are runners on the section concerned (clearly it might not be a problem if you're 1 mile further down or further back up the route).
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