NEMAA Open Cross-Country Championships, 5th February 2022

Although run by the North East Masters Athletic Association (NEMAA), this cross-country event is open to all veterans living or born in the North East, not just members of the NEMAA. I ran it for the first time two years, just before the pandemic shut everything down. I found it to be a really nice event, a bit like a smaller, more laid back Harrier League race. As such, I had been looking forward to this year’s race, but this time the pandemic closed me down!

I must admit that my disappointment was tinged with relief as I sat at Home listening to a howling gale and the occasional squalls of rain hammering on the windows. So well done to the four sky blues who did run.

This year’s race took place on an undulating course at the Rising Sun Country Park. As with the Harrier League, the first race is for ladies and over 65 men who compete over 2 laps. The 35-64 year old men run second to allow the ladies to cut up the course – and still have to do an extra lap!

Nina Jensen, Allie Wilson Craw and Julie Cross formed a very close group with just 18 seconds and 4 places between them. This was good enough to place them in a very creditable 6th place in the team competition.

After my withdrawal, Laurie Johnson was our only representative in the 2nd race. Having only just qualified as a veteran, Laurie must have been the baby in the field and will have found that some of these “old” folk are quite competitive!