November 5 fireworks from the Belles at National XC Relays
The Belles finished in an excellent 8th place in the National 3-Stage Cross Country Relay at Mansfield. This was only the second time a Belgrave women's team has competed in this event, the first being in 2013 when the team finished in 33rd.
Despite heavy rain all week, the conditions in Berry Hill Park were surprisingly good, with the grass quite firm underfoot and far less mud in the woods than expected.
Sarah Astin got the Belles off to the best possible start coming home in a very close 3rd place on the first leg. Sarah is aiming to run in the UK trial in Liverpool at the end of the month and wanted a hard run. She got just that, and was only beaten to the line by a couple of seconds, posting a very close fifth fastest leg of the day - finishing just four seconds off the leading time.
Sarah Astin explodes out of the blocks
Naomi Lenane had the unenviable task of taking over from Sarah. After taking a break from running in September, Naomi has slowly built back her fitness with a good race in the SEAA 3-stage last month and some excellent sessions since. She ran a very strong leg bringing the team home just outside the top ten proving she is back to her best form.
New Belle, Kristina Popadich only arrived in England from Canada in early October but has already been training hard and mixing with the Battersea Park group. She found the tight turns rather different from the wide-open courses she had experienced in her own country but managed very well running very strongly to move the team up to the 8th place finish at the end.
To put this performance in perspective, there were 139 teams from all over the country competing in this classic event.
RESULTS.
Teams. 1. Charnwood AC 29:33, 2. Lincoln Wellington AC 30:08, 3. AFD 30:12, ....8. Belgrave Harriers 31:22
(Sarah Astin 9:45, Naomi Lenane 10:49, Kristina Popadich 10:48).
Individual. 1. Hannah Nuttall (Charnwood) 9:41, 2. Khahisa Mhlanga (Herts Phoenix) 9:41, 3. Abie Donnelly (Lincoln Wellington) 9:43, 4. Sophie Tarver (Wirral) 9:43, 5. Sarah Astin (Belgrave Harriers) 9:45.