Sunday 15 May 2016

Great Comeback by Scout at Inter-Counties

Scout Adkin, now based in York, had shown her well-being in recent weeks with a couple of course records in low-key hill races in Yorkshire and a Parkrun PB, but the Inter-Counties Championship (see post below) on Saturday was her first real hill test having missed the summer 2015 season with injury and illness. And boy did she bounce back well. She said she surprised herself, as well as probably the rest of the good quality field, by being first woman at the top of the first climb ahead of the likes of GB Internationalists Heidi Dent, Annie Conway and Katie Walshaw and ex-Moorfoot and training partner Sarah MacCormack, now racing for Ambleside.

As usual she lost some ground on the rough, steep descents, some of which involved some off-path route choice, and she finished 4th in the end in 72.45 for the 12.8k/915m course. Dent ran out a clear winner in 68.42 but Scout was within 30 seconds of 2nd and 3rd, and was over two minutes ahead of Sarah who was 6th in 74.58 with Walshaw 7th in 75.17.

Lucas Cheskin has been struggling with a double-dose cold since April so maybe wasn't on top form in finishing 68th (13th U23) in 76.18 but said he thoroughly enjoyed it even though he didn't realise quite how far it was when he agreed to do it!

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