The English National XC 2007
By Andrew Duncan
The National moved up North this year, and Sunderland proved to be a distant enough location to deter the majority of the H&H left down in flat, southern Cambridge. But two intrepid Hareys - Si Rutherford and Andy Duncan - took the train to do battle with the rest of England's XC runners and see the season to its proper end. Having eaten well in Darlington at ex-Cap'n Rutherford's home, and a dry (but windy) race day developing, the scene was set for this year's fixture.
The start of the National is an immense feeling, over 1,000 senior men charging up the hill towards the narrow first turn. Both Rutherford and Duncan set off fast, winding up in the top 150-200 for the first lap. Andy Duncan, still recovering from a pint blood-donation began to drop down the field winding up in 348th. Si claimed his best ever National position in 299th, 48 seconds ahead of Andy.
Frank Tickner was upto his usual tricks with a dazzling run over the mud and hills to become Champion. Such was Tickner's lead that Huw Lobb was 40 secs behind in second place.
And so the day ended, and with Andy on the train back down to Cam to write his last essay of term, and Si a day or two later to write up that PhD.