12th January: Surrey League Richmond Park

1st

Race Report:

With my legs a little jaded from the week's training I decided not to employ the tactics that worked so well in the county championships. Instead of making a long run for it I decided to sit back and let the field dictate how fast we went. I was happily sitting in a group of four at the head of the field for the first mile, then my club mate decided that he wanted to make me work for it. Having missed the race the weekend before - he was sunning himself in Portugal - he came into the race fresh and raring to go. Having trained a lot with him I knew what I was in for so I sat on his shoulder for the first lap. Towards the end of the lap I pulled a small gap through a tricky section of the course and as my legs were feeling ok I made a break from him down a steep hill. If it had been a competitor from another club I would have sat back for longer, but I feel with a team mate to sprint finish at the end is somehow not the done thing! Plus if I'd managed to out kick him in the last hundred yards I know he'd make me pay for it on our long Sunday run! So I hit the front and managed to pull a gap which allowed me to relax and get into a rhythm that I maintained to the end.

All in all a satisfactory race, it's always nice to see an Epsom and Ewell one two.