THE STINGER 2009!

Newham Park was the venue for the annual "Stinger." Last Sunday saw an overall field of 90 competitors turn up to battle their way around an off-road duathlon course taking in parts of the famous National Points and soggy bottom trails.

Considering the extreme wintery weather we have all had recently, Sunday was a pleasant and mild day, just right for plugging your way through knee-deep mud on foot, then clambouring on your bike to get your face and bum plastered before returning to your now soggy, smelly running shoes for a final lap on foot !

Our two brave warriors were Mike Garrett and Jodi Vickery. They both entered the over 18's category (despite Mike being 16,... oh and Vodi 21!). It was a tough race, with Jodi using her weight to her advantage on the first run and then her technical skills on the five laps of biking, and Mike his power on the climbs and flat sections and of course the endless energy we all had at 16.

At one point Jodi thought she was going to have to hop the last lap when she lost her shoe in the mud, but after digging down a yard or so she found it, emptied it, sucked it back onto her foot and finished on both legs!

Well done to both.......full race results are available on the organisers website, www.xcracer.com, but to summarise, Jodi was 2nd in the womens event and Mike 8th in the mens.