Cross Country
2019/20 Review From the highest peak in England through to logging runs on Strava, 2019-2020 has been an unusual year for Cross Country REME. Maj Mike Lovell shares the highlights of this year’s competitions, both on-location and virtual. President: Brig A Stuart MBE (Late REME). Chairman: Col P J McArthur (Late REME). Secretary and Scribe: Maj Mike Lovell REME
Exercise Craftsman Runner 5 What is Ex Craftsman Runner?
T
he Annual REME Corps Cross Country Short Distance Running Championships (Ex Craftsman Runner), took place between 8 and 14 September, in the heart of the Lake District. The exercise starts from Keswick, which incorporates a BUILD and DEVELOP week, prior to the race at Wasdale, taking on Scafell Pike! The Championship meeting is for the benefit of all cross country and running athletes, Regular and Reserve, from novice through to experienced Corps representative level.
What are the aims? To contest the Corps Short Course Running Championship and confirm current and identify potential runners for the Corps representative male and female teams. It provides concentrated training prior to Divisional, Army and Inter-Corps level competitions, and an annual focus to promote team cohesion. Ex Craftsman Runner also maintains the professional status of the sport and further promotes cross country running within the Corps.
2019 report On 8 September, forty Corps personnel ranging from Army representatives to complete novices descended on Keswick for the ‘Sport for All’ Training and Development camp. Now into its fifth year and fully established, it has become an integral event on the calendar and signals the commencement of the cross-country season. The exercise was delivered in a relaxed, but totally focused environment that was yet again a huge success. The ‘DS’ this year included Maj Mike Lovell, Capt Chris Eastman, WO2 Tony Jarvis, SSgt Okie Oke and finally SSgt Ben Leach RAPTCI (ex-REME), as the subject matter expert, giving all lessons real credibility. The week was broken down into two phases. Phase one - Monday to Friday in Keswick: the exercise resides at Denton House, a hostel that has become our ‘home of The Lakes’. We conduct a 5km TT to set ability groups, which ensures each entrant receives the level of training appropriate to their current fitness and ability, a couple of
Theory lessons during Ex Craftsman Runner challenging running sessions to test the anaerobic capacity and longer runs for recovery and aerobic gains. Additionally, there is a series of strength and conditioning lessons (theory and practical), stretching techniques, nutritional advice and a raft of theoretical lessons to arm any standard of runner for future success in the sport. Deploying with two fantastic military chefs (thank you 47 Regt RA and 29 (EOD) Regt), the menu delivered throughout the week is tailored to meet the demands of the exercise programme – so I guess a few missed their daily fry-ups and chips! This year the attendance was a mix of a few seasoned Corps athletes, but more importantly a large crop of fresh faces to the sport. Phase Two commenced with the departure from Keswick, including an overnight stay at the Drigg & Carleton village hall in readiness for the Championship race at Scafell Pike the following day. It was also at this point of the week that the President (Brig A Stuart) and Chairman (Col P McArthur) REME Cross Country joined us, and in good time, as WO2 Tony Jarvis appointed himself Head Chef and ensured all sufficiently ‘carb loaded’ on pizza and cake!
Ex Craftsman Runner - Keswick training
34 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk
