The Belgrave Harriers women’s team is days away from beginning its defence of the Surrey Cross Country League. A team bronze at the Surrey Cross Country Relays, a highest-ever team finish at the National Cross Country Championships and a solid outing at National Road Relays all raise the group’s prospects of another successful season.

Belles fourth at Nationals

The 2024 National Cross-Country Championships was rearranged and held in September after the February race was cancelled due to heavy rain and a waterlogged field. The Belles had just four runners but did remarkably well finishing 4th out of 32 teams. They were led home by terrific runs from Emma Gordon in 5th and Mimi Corden-Lloyd in 13th , they were followed by Sarah Riceman in 48th and Sara Ridmy in 74th. 

The race was held in the beautiful grounds of Weston Park Staffs, the course undulating grassland. Runners were treated to a warm sunny day and there were excellent facilities. However, because of the September date, the fields in all races were less than half the normal, more resembling the size of a Surrey League race with just 266 finishers in the Senior Women's race.

Emma Gordon, a very talented cross-country athlete, started fast and was able to hold her position all the way through the race. At the finish she was closing fast on the fourth placed runner and was only 16 seconds from a medal. 

Mimi Corden-Lloyd has had an excellent summer with personal bests in all distances from 1500m up to the half marathon. For her to finish well inside the top 15 was a real breakthrough, and should give her massive confidence for the winter ahead. 

Just under a year ago, Sarah Riceman broke the three hour barrier for the first time in the marathon. Although often trouble by niggling injuries, she shower her strength on this course finishing inside the top fifty.

Thankfully, Sara Ridmy managed to swop her work hours to come to the race and complete the scoring four. Hers was a strong run and enabled the club to finish with four runners. Fourth place is the best ever result ever for the women's team. 

Individual results

1. N. Brown (AFD) 29:53,  2. H. Dixon (Cambridge) 30:11,  3. G. Steel (Charnwood) 30:43, 4. J. Walsh (Leeds) 30:50, 5. E. Gordon 30:59

      13. M. Corden LLoyd 32:33, 48. S. Riceman 35:56, 74. S. Ridmy 38:24.

Team standings

1. AFD 68, 2. THH 88, 3. Leeds 120, 4. Belgrave 140, 5. Charnwood 141. 32 teams completed the race.

Belles place eighth National 4-Stage Road Relays

Two very strong Belgrave women's teams took part in the National Road-Relay at Sutton Park finishing in 8th and 17th place out of the 62 teams who completed the race. The Belles 'B' team finished just behind Aldershot to be the second 'B' team in the country. Sarah Astin ran the 4th fastest leg of the day and all eight Belles ran under 16 minutes for the hilly 4.3km course, showing the strength in depth of this team.

On leg 1, the Belles were led off by Sarah Astin and Imogen Wolsey. It was so good to see Sarah back to her best, although she got swamped in a frenetic start and had to work her way through the field. A strong finish brought her home in a very close second place.  Imogen had an outstanding run for the 'B' team with the second fastest Belgrave leg of the day finishing in 25th .

Emily Bradley took over on leg 2 for the 'A' team and at one point was leading the race. Emily has made massive progress over the last six months and her excellent run took over a minute off her time from a year ago with the team now 3rd. Sam Munday brought the 'B' team up four places with a very solid run.

The 'A 'team maintained their strong race with Kristina Popadich running almost the same time as Emily, just losing one place at the end of stage three. Mimi Corden-Lloyd had perhaps her strongest relay leg ever for the 'B' team judging her pace expertly in what is often an isolated leg. The 'B' team were now up to 19th.

Steph Hewitt had the difficult job of running against some very quick athletes from the other teams. Although she was passed by a few teams she managed to finish strongly up the final hill to ensure 8th place at the end. Penny Oliver proved her fitness had improved since the Aldershot relay two weeks before when she had only just returned form injury. She gained another two places for the 'B' team, now up to 17th.  

RESULTS.

1. Herne Hill Harriers  56:12,  2. Vale Royal 58:36,  3. Thames valley harriers 58:42, ... 8. Belgrave Harriers 'A' 59:54, (S. Astin 14:12, E. Bradley 15:02, K. Popadich 15:01, S. Hewitt 15:39)...17. Belgrave Harriers 'B' ( I. Wolsey 14:56, S. Munday 15:44, M. Corden-Lloyd 15:13, P. Oliver 15:58)

Belles bag bronze at Surrey 4-Stage Cross-Country Relay Championships

The traditional Surrey Road-Relay Championships were moved to an off road course at Nonsuch Park because of safety concerns with park users at Wimbledon Park.

The Belgrave women fielded just one team who came away with very well deserved bronze medals maintaining the club's recent success at these championships.

Ella-May Hards led the team off on leg 1 coming home in second place. Lydia Gallyer-Barnett took over on leg two maintaining the teams position with another strong run. Ella and Lydia's were the 10th and 11th fastest legs of the day.

The final two legs were taken by the twins; Lara and Chloe Mangan. Lara has made tremendous progress since joining the club earlier in the year and her leg was the fastest of the Belles and 6th fastest of the day. Chloe had joined more recently and managed to bring the team home in third to secure their very pleasing bronze medals. 

RESULT.

1. Woking 1:15;41,  2. Epsom and Ewell 1:19:14,  3. Belgrave Harriers 1:20:14, (E-M. Hard 19:35, L. Gallyer-Barnett 19:41, L. Mangan 19:14, C. Mangan 21:46).