Serpie Planner - event reports
Sunday League 6M (08 Feb 2009)
Race distance reported to be c. 6.1 miles.
Sunday League 6M (13 Dec 2009)
Race held in Trent Park, Cockfosters. Distance reported to be 6.1 miles.
Serpentine won the men's team competition, with Nick being the race winner. Full results on www.runherts.com
Sunday League 6M (21 Feb 2010)
Venue - Cassiobury Park, Watford. Race distance c.6.9 miles.
Sunday League 6M (12 Dec 2010)
The venue was Tewin (Digswell), near Welwyn Garden City.
Full results on Run Herts
Sunday League 6M (11 Dec 2011)
Venue: Cassiobury Park, Watford.
Race distance c.5.7 / 5.8 miles
Congratulations to Hendrik, who won the race and to Ebrima, who came third.
Full results are on www.runherts.com
We had a great turnout to race at Cassiobury Park, Watford on Sunday. We
maintained this season's numbers despite all the opportunities to run
cross county for the club the previous day.
It's been good to attract many runners to try out Sunday League racing
this season. On Sunday, three new men joined our merry band. New
Sunday-Leaguer Hendrik won the men's race, reaching the finish line over a
minute before the second man. New Serpie Richard Mathie came to give his
brand new vest a run, and placed 5th. That's even better than when he ran
as a guest at Cheshunt. We also welcomed, with by now customary cake,
Lawrence Gatens. This was Lawrence's first cross country for several
years, and he scored well, at 27th.
Congratulations to Wendy on leapfrogging from 13th (last race) to third
place on Sunday, and to Ebrima who came third again. We were also pleased
to see Jo Conn, Gary Hymns and Martin Garrett return for their first
Sunday race this season.
Much of the leg-work of course came from our body of regulars, several of
whom have run all three races this season. Our consistency in numbers
enabled our ladies 'B' team to finish third on Sunday, and second in the
league to date. The men's masters team placed third on Sunday.
Keep up the good work!
- Report by Cheryl Sacks
Sunday League 6M (15 Jan 2012)
Venue: Tewin, nr Welwyn Garden City, Herts.
Full results are on www.runherts.com
The final Sunday League race for this season will be on 19 February from The Heath Sports Centre, Baldock Road, Royston, Herts, SG8 5BG, starting at the usual time of 10.30am.
On a cold and frosty morning, fifteen brave Serpies struggled out of our
warm beds and travelled to distant Tewin, North Welwyn, for this season's
fourth Sunday League race.
We managed to field a complete men's 'A' team, and more than enough
runners for the ladies 'A' team. This was really pleasing when compared to
the very low numbers of Serpies running this race in previous years.
Unfortunately we lost several of our Sunday League regulars to runners'
afflictions, from knee down to toes. On the plus side, my shameless
publicity persuaded many to try this race for the first time. They were
not disappointed.
Those who travelled by train completed the long trek across the frosted
vegetable fields from Digswell to the start, near to Tewin. I think we all
warmed up once the race started, and the morning became slightly brighter
during the race.
A feature of this race is the 'reverse etiquette' that takes place at the
kissing gates, of which there are several. No such thing as 'ladies
first', and the men would happily shove the runner ahead through the gates
if they thought they would gain a fraction of a second.
After negotiating the first gate, we started the promised 'agricultural
tour'. We ran the edge of the cabbage fields, mainly on a narrow bank.
Thanks to the frost, this was less slippery than in previous years. We
faced a long and arduous ascent, short downhill interlude, then a
punishing steep hill to take us the furthest point of the course.
We turned a sharp corner, then it was plain sailing homewards; gently
downhill, through the wooded section and straight across a final cabbage
field. The Sunday League management like to offer us 'value' in terms of
distance and difficulty, so we all ran (most of) a second lap of the
above. The hill was definitely steeper second time around, with several
runners walking part of it.
The church bells rang out across the fields at 11 o'clock. We were
accompanied at other times by sounds of gun-shots and quad bikes, and
incessantly by the heavy breathing of 304 cross county runners.
Wendy led our ladies team home for the second time this season. Sarah,
Caroline and I took the next places. I was pleased to see Carole complete
our 'A' team, having fairly recently returned to cross country. Val
finished only six seconds later, and Sally came in not long after.
For the second time this season a Serpie man took first place, again
significantly ahead of his closest rival. Congratulations Dave! Ebrima
finished fourth, Richard Mathie 10th and Lawrence jumped up to 19th.
Richard Taylor, Fraser, Alex and George were not far behind, and completed
the magical eight runners required for a men's 'A' team.
Our ladies 'B' team is now third in the League to date. But Sunday League
for us is all about participation, and I am very pleased with the record
turnouts this season.
Cheryl - your Sunday League organiser
Sunday League 6M (17 Feb 2013)
Venue - Cassiobury Park, Watford
Race distance c.6.1 miles
Full results and some race photos will be www.runherts.com
Sunday League 6M (07 Dec 2014)
Venue: Cassiobury Park, Watford
Congratulations to Sarah Pemberton and Andy Reeves who won their respective sections of the race.
More photos on https://www.facebook.com/Runherts
Sunday League 6M (17 Jan 2016)
Venue - Watford
Matthias was the race winner.
There are lots of very atmospheric photos on Keith Perry's Facebook page.
Full results will be on runherts.com
Sunday League 6M (14 Jan 2018)
Venue, Cassiobury Park, Watford.
Sunday League 6M (13 Jan 2019)
Venue: Cassiobury Park, Watford.
Full results are on www.runherts.com
The next race will be at Royston on Sunday, 10 February starting at 10.30am.
Sunday League 6M (12 Jan 2020)
Venue: Cassiobury Park, Watford
The next race will be at Royston on Sunday, 9 February starting at 10.30am.
Sunday League 6M (16 Jan 2022)
Venue: Cassiobury Park, Watford
Sunday League 6M (19 Feb 2023)
Venue: Cassiobury Park, Watford
Sunday League 6M (29 Oct 2023)
Cassiobury Park, Watford