George Skeates Stockbridge XC

Third race of the weekend! 

There was a good RRR crowd in Stockbridge town hall.  Outside it was a cool 5 degrees but very calm.  It was a very laid-back start - with just a few words we were ushered on to the high street and given the nod.

The Romsey gang

I found the first four hundred metres tough going with heavy legs.  We went up the hill past Test Valley school and then on to trails.... and I relaxed into it as we continued uphill, enjoying the sensation of the open air and the chalk landscape.  Neil Jennings was already well ahead by now. 

Parts of the course were familiar but much of it was new.  It was wonderfully peaceful, and the course was superbly signposted.  We went through a wood with twisty turns everywhere which was a lot of fun.  It was dry underfoot and good firm going - a bit of a novelty.

At 8km I crested the biggest hill (112m), after which it was a long downhill and almost dead flat for the final 3k.  A dash down the high street, and I finished in third place, two and a half minutes behind Neil.  Here are my stats.

This is a fabulous local event - informal, low-key but really well thought through.  We'll be back for sure!