The Women’s Team at the Druridge Bay Cross Country

Jesmond’s local running club, the Jesmond Joggers, are teetering on the edge of relegation after two disappointing results in the north east cross-country league at the end of November.

The intrepid runners braved the elements to compete at Aykely Heads in Durham, which men’s captain Simon Wells described as the “muddiest race I’ve run in a long time”, before heading to Druridge Bay the following weekend.

At both races the runners were battered by the weather, and jogger Scott Armstrong said that both teams did “brilliantly well” considering the conditions.

Despite some praiseworthy individual efforts in the two races, both the Men’s and Women’s teams now find themselves in the bottom two places of Division Two after the first three rounds of the cross-country league.

They therefore have to perform well in the next three rounds, which will take place in the New Year, in order to avoid a double relegation in March.

Neither the weather nor the results seemed to have dampened the Joggers’ spirits, however. Women’s captain Kate Black told JesmondLocal that “the important thing is that we enjoy it; that’s more important than the competition”, an opinion echoed by Wells who added “we just want to have a bit of fun and a run on a Saturday afternoon”.

The teams also remain confident of their chances of avoiding relegation. The Women’s team in particular are only a single point behind Crook AC, a point that they believe can be easily made up over the course of the next races.

Before they turn their minds to the upcoming relegation battle, however, the Jesmond Joggers have the somewhat more light-hearted prospect of their annual Christmas Run to look forward to. This run, which will take place on December 14th, will see both teams don festive hats and run to Fenwick’s Window in the city centre for a club photo.