Injuries, colds and flu depleted the Belles team a little for the third Surrey League match at Beckenham Place Park on January 14. Nevertheless, the team showed its tremendous strength in depth by managing to come a close third to Kent and Herne Hill on the day.

This is illustrated by the fact that none of the scoring five had scored for the 'A' team in the previous match at Wimbledon. The Belles 'B' team easily beat their closest rivals, Herne Hill and extended their lead in that competition to over 120 points. 

By the time the senior runners arrived at the start line, a once-pristine grassy path had turned to sludge. All this combined with the Runners battled mud, undulating terrain and a gravely woodland stretch made for a tough course. 

Georgia Curry only joined the training group in November. Before the race she said that she would be happy to run but was not fit. She started perhaps a little too fast up with the leaders but then sensibly dropped back but then managed to maintain her position throughout the race to finish a tremendous seventh. One wonders what she will do when she is fit!

It's wonderful to see Olivia Papaioannou back to her strongest and best form. She was next to finish in 13th. Liv is now piling in the mileage in preparation for running the London Marathon in April. The high mileage seems to suit her.

 Next was a truly amazing run by captain Mhairi Hall finishing in 19th. Mhairi too is running London and she only really started consistent training just before Christmas. Mhairi always leads by example and ran herself to a standstill at the finish having to be helped by the First Aid attendant and her friends. 

Natalie Beadle, who is having such a fine cross-country season finished just behind Mhairi, and then in 23rd,  Anna Sharp completed the scoring ‘A’ team. Anna joined the club in September but after running in the Autumn relays suffered an injury which kept her out of competition until this race. She is a fine asset for the club and her steeplechase personal best is quicker than the club record. 

The next five to finish were the 'B' team scorers led by an excellent run by Samantha Munday in 25th and immediately behind her, Lydia Gallyer-Barnett in her best ever Surrey League position.  Then another close group in the forties led with a very strong run by Clemmie Cooper in 43rd, just ahead of cross-country specialists Ella-May Hards in 46th and the ever-reliable Mimi Corden-Lloyd in 49th. 

Finally, all still easily in the first half of the field of 192 runners came Flora Whyte in 63rd and then Bethan Goddard, thankfully recovered from her toe operation just edging ahead of Sarah Dewhirst, who hardly ever misses a cross country race. They finished 71st and 72nd. 

The Belles have a tough job if they are to retain their league win of last year. They are currently lying third in the league, 49 points behind Herne Hill Harriers and 36 points behind second place Kent AC. They will need their very strongest team out for the final match at Lloyd Park on February 11th. 

RESULTS

Individual; 1. G. Grgec (HHH) 28:50, 2. A. Petit (Kent) 29:12, 3. G. Bruinvels (SLH) 29:25,....7. G. Curry 31;03, 13. O. Papaioannou 31;51, 19. M. Hall 32;21, 20. N. Beadle 32;27, 23. A. Sharp 32;32, 25. S. Munday 32:38, 26. L. Gallyer-Barnett 32;43, 43. C. Cooper 33:48, 46. E-M. Hards 33:53, 49. M. Corden-Lloyd 33:56, 63. F. Whyte 34:34, 71. B. Goddard 35:03, 72. S. Dewhirst 35;11. 192 Finished.

Teams. 1.Kent AC 66, 2. HHH 73, 3. Belgrave 82. ... Belgrave 'B' 189, HHH 'B' 217.

Overall, after three matches; 1. HHH, 224, 2. Kent AC 237, 3. Belgrave 273. .... Belgrave 'B' 540, HHH 'B' 668. 

Men’s report to follow