RAF Runners Take On Cross Country Championships

The RAF have staged their cross country championships hard on the heels of the Army earlier in the week.

A biting wind flowing across the Chilterns saw challenging conditions for the men and women who both started their races at the same time, for the men a 10-kilometre course and 6 k for the women.

Straight away as expected Mike Kallenberg, James Bellwood and Luke Pollard taking their positions at the front.  

The women’s race would be a battle between Tamsin Rutter, a proven RAF athlete and Lucy Nell, who’s just won RAF elite sports status for the triathlon.  

It was Tamsin who took the RAF title in 23 minutes 47 seconds, pleased that it was a strong field and also happy she was running amongst the men.

The men’s race with two full laps of the Halton course quickly turned into a three horse race. Mike Kallenberg out front where he likes to be, but his two challengers in close attendance.
 
By the time  they emerged from the trees for the first time, Kallenberg and Bellwood had created a gap to Luke Pollard in third, but just as he went into the second lap Kellenberg who’s been doing a 100 miles a week training for the London Marathon, pulled up  which  left a chance for James Bellwood to take full advantage. 

Try as he might Pollard was unable to close down; The Corporal from RAF Chicksands won by just under a minute.

SAC Will Gardner took the junior title and the RAF could have Ben Livesey back for the Inter-services to defend their title they have plenty of strength in depth.

More: May The Course Be With You: Cross Country Championships At Sandhurst