Page 34 - eclipse - Autumn 2018

STUDENT NEWS
Hawkshead Hobble 2018
By Ben Smith, RVC Triathlon Club
The Hawkshead Hobble cross- country race was held in May 2018. The race saw 71 runners from
the RVC and local running clubs complete the 5km and 10km course. The event raised funds for two charities as well as raising funds (match funded by the RVC Alumni Fund) for the Triathlon Club itself.
As well as fundraising for the charities The Rainforest Trust & Nowsad, it
was the organiser’s intention to host
a primarily enjoyable event. We wanted the Hawkshead Hobble to celebrate the beautiful countryside that can often go unnoticed and be both competitive and engaging to all abilities. By using a multi-lap route, two route lengths were on offer, opening up this opportunity to people of varying fitness levels. Thanks go to the race sponsors - local businesses, Orbital Climate Solutions and Sainsbury’s Potters Bar.
Preparation for the Hawkshead Hobble began three months in advance. Research, acquiring permissions
and advertising race entries all took considerable effort from the race directors.
The day began for the race directors at 6:30am. It was dark, drizzling and an eerie mist enveloped the course. We spent the early-morning hours putting in the final touches to the course directions and preparing the race HQ.
We set up the race HQ in the RVC’s Sports and Wellbeing Centre (SAWC). The excellent facilities allowed us to provide an organised race number collection, refreshments and changing facilities to the runners. Our marshals were volunteers from both the RVC Triathlon Club and RVC Zoological Society, and we were grateful for their enthusiasm and incredible hard work.
When the race started, runners ran through the Hawkshead Campus, from the SAWC to the QMHA before taking a footpath north. The runners, directed at every turn by a strategically placed marshal, snaked through the fields of Boltons Park Farm. They returned to
campus to complete the 5km lap.
The 10km runners had the opportunity to collect water before beginning their second lap.
A cow-bell medal was awarded to all finishers. The fastest men’s 10k runner completed the course in under 37 minutes (from St Albans Striders) and the women’s 10k was won by RVC resident Hannah Darcy in 40 minutes. The fastest men’s 5k runner completed the course in 20 minutes (from Imperial College Cross Country & AC) and the women’s 5k completed in just under 24 minutes.
The race directors and marshals were commended for the professionally organised race. Some runners contacted us to leave their thanks: “Just wanted to thank you. Super run, had such a lovely vibe. Please repeat next year”.
Find out more about how the RVC’s Alumni Fund and your generous donations have helped the RVC’s Triathlon Club and others on page 70.
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