Date : 7th February 2026
Location : Coombe Abbey, Coventry
After what felt like a very long wait since the last fixture — largely due to the January event being cancelled — the team were finally back together on Saturday for the third and final race of the Midland Women’s Cross Country League at Coombe Abbey.
It was especially pleasing to see a strong turnout from the club, despite a few unavoidable last-minute withdrawals through illness. The team was represented by Sophie, Kristina, Margaret, Laura, Leanne, Joan and Abbie.
Following the recent spell of rain, the course delivered exactly what cross country is all about — flat but extremely muddy and wet underfoot. Any hopes of fast running quickly disappeared as soon as the race began, with large sections of the course churned up and slippery. Even spikes struggled to find grip in places and several runners across the field were caught out by the conditions, with a few unavoidable slips and tumbles along the way!
All seven runners battled the testing conditions brilliantly. The course demanded constant concentration just to stay upright, and it quickly became less about pace and more about determination and perseverance.
A special mention goes to Sophie, who is only two months postpartum and still came out to take on the course and put in a fantastic run — a brilliant effort and a real example of determination. Sophie was also first home for the team, finishing in 35:53.
She was followed home by Abbie in 36:47, with Laura next back in 39:03. Close behind was Kristina in 39:51, then Leanne in 41:52, Joan in 42:30, and Margaret completed the team effort in 45:56.
Despite the challenging ground, the team worked hard throughout the race, encouraging each other around the laps and digging in over the closing stages when tired legs met heavy mud. It was a true cross-country effort, where simply reaching the finish line felt like an achievement in itself.
A huge well done to everyone who ran — races like this are never about times or PBs, but about grit, resilience and team spirit, and all seven runners showed plenty of that.
Thank you as always to the marshals and organisers who made the event possible in such difficult conditions, and well done to the 14 runners who have represented the club across the league fixtures this season.
