UK Inter-Counties XC, 11 Mar 2023

This week I was in Loughborough for the UK inter counties XC race - probably the most competitive race in the UK XC calendar with the likes of Alex Yee and Kat Matthews showing up to spectate! I had no idea how I would fare in such a competitive field, this was my first Cambridgeshire vest and qualifying at the Cambridgeshire champs had been a complete surprise. Only the top 9 in each county were selected to run, so this race was the best of the amateurs and even some elite athletes running. But I was ready to see what the legs could do and following a week of heavy rain/snow, I was hopeful for a good muddy course for my final XC race of the season.

The mud was definitely there; the thick clay, energy sapping/shoe sucking-off kind. In fact, that's exactly what happened in the first 500m. I lost my spike in the first patch of mud, although thankfully it stayed on at the toes. It had been a fast start to the race and at only 500m in, it was very difficult to find somewhere to stop to pull it back on at the heel. I eventually managed after a bit of hobbling though and thankfully it stayed on for the rest of the race. It was cool to be running in such a fast field, all the women were so strong and I felt super proud to be in amongst them.

The course was exhausting, quite hilly which we're not used to in Cambs and you couldn't even get up speed on the downhills with the mud being so thick. I had some good spectators on the course to motivate me though - my parents are local so they'd come along for their first mad XC experience! Much needed as I was getting very tired, working hard but felt like I was getting nowhere. Everyone else was in the same boat though and I put in one last push in up the final hill, overtaking a few women, much to my spectators delight! I got to the top expecting to see the finish line - oops might have pushed too soon, still 600m to go. I persevered and crossed the line in 180th place out of 264. Nothing too fancy but proud to have been selected to run and to have kept up with the field!

Emily Young