136th
Race Report:
Myself and seven other intrepid Epsom & Ewell Harriers met at seven thirty to enjoy a three hour mini bus ride up to Alton Towers on Saturday morning for a quick race around a field! I was a little concerned as to how my legs would be after three hours sitting down, but I needn't have worried. With eight athletes all getting well hydrated the stops were plentiful! Which gave me time to stretch my legs and stop them from stiffening up.
The National is a great occasion. Club runners of all shapes, sizes and ages from all over the country meeting to participate in the biggest club cross country race of the season. I'm not sure what the families that had gone to Alton Towers to enjoy the rollercoaster's made of eight thousand runners, but I bet they cursed their luck when it came to sitting in massive queues to get out of the car parks!
For me the race was frustrating to say the least. With four weeks of mediocre/rubbish training behind me I knew It would be a big test. And the challenging course with its undulations and one killer near vertical hill, that was run up three blooming times, soon found my fitness wanting. Due to my lack of fitness I had wanted to come in the top one hundred. If i'd been fit I wanted the top fifty at least. But I found the going hard, my legs felt like jelly after every climb, and to make matters even better for me my lower back really stiffened up and became quite painful, and altered how I was able to run, at least it made my forget the pain in my foot!
I finished a tired 136, not that good really. But considering only two years ago I was finishing in the top 300 in just the southern championships, I know progress is being made.
One of these days I'll run well, to the best of my abilities, with no illness or injury to contend with, and I'll give a true representation of where I am, and how much I've improved. I hope it's soon, like in three weeks at the inter counties, the race I've been looking forward to all season long. Fingers crossed.
Friday 29 February 2008
Sunday 17th - Friday 22nd February
Training Report:
After my week of stationary cycling I was eager to get back to my running. By Sunday I felt no discomfort in my foot, and felt ready to try it out. A very gentle forty five minutes was the plan to ease my foot back into weight bearing exercise. I felt a little discomfort towards the end of the run, but no major relapse and was pleased with how things went. But not wanting to push things I continued to use the bike for my second cardio session of the day.
On Monday I was keen to go a bit further and push the pace a bit more. Firstly to test how the foot would respond, but secondly to see how my fitness was doing. After three weeks of severely interrupted training due to my injury and illness I was keen to find out where I stood. The run was great I felt strong throughout and I didn't feel I'd lost too much fitness. Perhaps the run had felt it had gone so well because my legs were well rested and my enthusiasm for pushing myself on was greater than normal for a Monday morning ten miler. The foot had stood up to the challenge quite well, until after eight miles I had to run down an uneven pathway for half a mile. The foot didn't take to well to it. Fortunately it was a slow progression of pain rather than a sudden hit. I was able to carry on and complete the run.
Once I'd taken my trainer off the pain eased considerably. I believe that most of the pain was caused by the expansion of my foot in the shoe. The foot expands as we walk around every day and then shrinks back as we rest at night. The act of running heightens the expansion process because of the greater and more frequent levels of impact. Add to this a slight injury in which the foot swells slightly in order to protect the foot, and the pressure in the shoe grows. It was good to have something of an explanation for the pain, but rather than push it again I hit the bike on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
Tuesday evening was a track session of 8 x 600 metres. I was unsure how my foot would cope with the extra strain of running faster but I was keen to find out with a big race on Saturday. On the warm up things didn't feel good, and I was not very optimistic for the session. But strangely as soon as I upped the pace during the reps the pain subsided, which I was obviously pleased with! Half way through the session a dull ache began to occur, but it was only when I ran round the bends. I'm guessing that the additional pressure and an unnatural inverted foot placement were the cause, but nothing major.
For the rest of the week I was unsure how to go about my training. On one hand I was desperate to get my fitness back and start improving again, but on the other I had my injury to consider as well as the National Cross Country Championships on Saturday. I knew I wasn't going to be at my best and that I wouldn't show my abilities as I had hoped, but I didn't want to arrive on the start line exhausted and do even worse. So I stuck with my one run and one bike session plan. It worked ok, but during a slow run back to my club house after a fartlek session the pain slowly but surly got quite bad. Half a mile from home I had to stop. The pressure was way too much. My shoe had become something of a corset for my foot, and my ample ankle was bursting out!! As soon as I untied the shoe, the pain stopped and I quite happily trotted back. The whole shoe lace thing is quite annoying. I can't start out with it too loose for fear of injuring something else but after half an hour's run the pain starts. Not too bad whilst training, but in the race on Saturday I don't want to stop to sort my shoe out. For one you'll easily lose a hundred plus places in the time it takes to do your shoe, plus the course is packed solid with 1500 runners who will trample you into the mud rather than stop! So I rested on Friday in the hope that it would help the foot recover more and prevent any perilous shoe tying occurring on race day.
After my week of stationary cycling I was eager to get back to my running. By Sunday I felt no discomfort in my foot, and felt ready to try it out. A very gentle forty five minutes was the plan to ease my foot back into weight bearing exercise. I felt a little discomfort towards the end of the run, but no major relapse and was pleased with how things went. But not wanting to push things I continued to use the bike for my second cardio session of the day.
On Monday I was keen to go a bit further and push the pace a bit more. Firstly to test how the foot would respond, but secondly to see how my fitness was doing. After three weeks of severely interrupted training due to my injury and illness I was keen to find out where I stood. The run was great I felt strong throughout and I didn't feel I'd lost too much fitness. Perhaps the run had felt it had gone so well because my legs were well rested and my enthusiasm for pushing myself on was greater than normal for a Monday morning ten miler. The foot had stood up to the challenge quite well, until after eight miles I had to run down an uneven pathway for half a mile. The foot didn't take to well to it. Fortunately it was a slow progression of pain rather than a sudden hit. I was able to carry on and complete the run.
Once I'd taken my trainer off the pain eased considerably. I believe that most of the pain was caused by the expansion of my foot in the shoe. The foot expands as we walk around every day and then shrinks back as we rest at night. The act of running heightens the expansion process because of the greater and more frequent levels of impact. Add to this a slight injury in which the foot swells slightly in order to protect the foot, and the pressure in the shoe grows. It was good to have something of an explanation for the pain, but rather than push it again I hit the bike on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
Tuesday evening was a track session of 8 x 600 metres. I was unsure how my foot would cope with the extra strain of running faster but I was keen to find out with a big race on Saturday. On the warm up things didn't feel good, and I was not very optimistic for the session. But strangely as soon as I upped the pace during the reps the pain subsided, which I was obviously pleased with! Half way through the session a dull ache began to occur, but it was only when I ran round the bends. I'm guessing that the additional pressure and an unnatural inverted foot placement were the cause, but nothing major.
For the rest of the week I was unsure how to go about my training. On one hand I was desperate to get my fitness back and start improving again, but on the other I had my injury to consider as well as the National Cross Country Championships on Saturday. I knew I wasn't going to be at my best and that I wouldn't show my abilities as I had hoped, but I didn't want to arrive on the start line exhausted and do even worse. So I stuck with my one run and one bike session plan. It worked ok, but during a slow run back to my club house after a fartlek session the pain slowly but surly got quite bad. Half a mile from home I had to stop. The pressure was way too much. My shoe had become something of a corset for my foot, and my ample ankle was bursting out!! As soon as I untied the shoe, the pain stopped and I quite happily trotted back. The whole shoe lace thing is quite annoying. I can't start out with it too loose for fear of injuring something else but after half an hour's run the pain starts. Not too bad whilst training, but in the race on Saturday I don't want to stop to sort my shoe out. For one you'll easily lose a hundred plus places in the time it takes to do your shoe, plus the course is packed solid with 1500 runners who will trample you into the mud rather than stop! So I rested on Friday in the hope that it would help the foot recover more and prevent any perilous shoe tying occurring on race day.
Wednesday 20 February 2008
Sunday 10th -Saturday 16th February
Training Report:
Having finally got over my man flu, I was ready to hit the training with a vengeance. Nearly two weeks of relative inactivity had really got my juices flowing for some good quality training sessions. I decided to consider the two weeks off as a good rest period. My legs were refreshed and ready to tackle the final and most important phase of the cross country season. But - and we knew there was going to be a but! - things didn't go to plan.
After my long Sunday run I felt quite good. The hour and three quarters had flown by, and having not done a long run for a while due to the illness I was pleased with my speed throughout the run. However once I'd had my shower my foot began to ache a lot. It became quite painful along the top of the foot. The pain eased when I didn't put any weight on it, however walking was a bit uncomfortable which didn't bode well for running on it. I rested for the rest of the day and hoped that by Monday morning everything would have mended it's self.
I managed both my runs Monday, but the pain worsened after each one. I was icing it and manipulating it, rubbing in potions and lotions, which eased the pain whilst I wasn't running, which is fine if you're not a runner, but I am! And as soon as I took to the streets in my trainers the pain was back. Again I took to my bed Monday night hoping to wake Tuesday to a miracle cure. Sadly miracles seemed in short supply and Tuesdays easy twenty minute morning run was not a lot of fun. The whole way only one thing was on my mind, the pain in my bloody foot!
Tuesday night I gamely turned up at the track ready to do my session of 6 x 1 mile. But I didn't even get as far as the first rep. During my warm up strides, the additional pressure created by moving faster and pushing off the foot harder made my decision to call a holt to my session easy. I went home and again iced and rubbed it, I'm unsure weather it was doing much but it made me feel better, it made me feel as if I was doing something useful.
On Wednesday I had an appointment with my masseur, and looked to him for a diagnosis and treatment advice. He felt around my foot, I'd washed it twice for him!! and he said the pain was coming from the tendon that goes down the front of the foot at a point where it comes close to the surface as it passes over a bone in the foot. He felt I must have tweaked or bruised the tendon at some point. I lay there as he sorted out my legs racking my brain for when I'd hurt my foot in some way, as I had no recollection of a moment when I did the damage to my foot causing all this bother. Finally I remembered as he found a particularly tight part of my hamstring, I'd turned my ankle on my Sunday run. I'm very good at reacting to and stumble or twist the body goes through whilst running on the often very unstable surfaces encountered whilst training off road. I think it's this sense of balance which makes me so suited to cross country running. And because this sort of thing happens all the time, and because the pain didn't hit me straight away I'd forgotten about it as a probable cause for the pain.
The recommendation was cross training, time on the bike or the cross trainer was the order of the day. Non impact training is what I needed, so I headed straight down the gym. And after discovering that I don't much care for the cross trainer it was in the saddle that I spent the rest of the week. I would have loved to have got out on my proper bike, but due to the tight, rigid shoes that numb my feet at the best of times that I'd have to use as I'd cleverly changed my pedals to clip on's to make me faster, I had to use the stationary bikes in the gym.
So for the rest of the week I went absolutely nowhere. I watched 'Bargain Hunt' and Neighbours, which interestingly is now on channel Five! I sweated like I've never sweated before. I'm use to the cooling effect of cold air blowing over my face as I run gracefully down a deserted country path, not a hot, airconditioned, magnolia walled place for muscle worship. Not that I dont like the gym, but spending four hours a day in there will drive anybody mad let alone me!
So that's all I can say about my training on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I hope to be running soon or I will definitely be forced to make a sign for all the guys with arms much bigger than my legs. 'Hi I'm Will, I'm a long distance runner, and big muscles would slow me down. Which is the only reason I don't have them, if I didn't run my arms would obviously be as big if not bigger than yours'!
Having finally got over my man flu, I was ready to hit the training with a vengeance. Nearly two weeks of relative inactivity had really got my juices flowing for some good quality training sessions. I decided to consider the two weeks off as a good rest period. My legs were refreshed and ready to tackle the final and most important phase of the cross country season. But - and we knew there was going to be a but! - things didn't go to plan.
After my long Sunday run I felt quite good. The hour and three quarters had flown by, and having not done a long run for a while due to the illness I was pleased with my speed throughout the run. However once I'd had my shower my foot began to ache a lot. It became quite painful along the top of the foot. The pain eased when I didn't put any weight on it, however walking was a bit uncomfortable which didn't bode well for running on it. I rested for the rest of the day and hoped that by Monday morning everything would have mended it's self.
I managed both my runs Monday, but the pain worsened after each one. I was icing it and manipulating it, rubbing in potions and lotions, which eased the pain whilst I wasn't running, which is fine if you're not a runner, but I am! And as soon as I took to the streets in my trainers the pain was back. Again I took to my bed Monday night hoping to wake Tuesday to a miracle cure. Sadly miracles seemed in short supply and Tuesdays easy twenty minute morning run was not a lot of fun. The whole way only one thing was on my mind, the pain in my bloody foot!
Tuesday night I gamely turned up at the track ready to do my session of 6 x 1 mile. But I didn't even get as far as the first rep. During my warm up strides, the additional pressure created by moving faster and pushing off the foot harder made my decision to call a holt to my session easy. I went home and again iced and rubbed it, I'm unsure weather it was doing much but it made me feel better, it made me feel as if I was doing something useful.
On Wednesday I had an appointment with my masseur, and looked to him for a diagnosis and treatment advice. He felt around my foot, I'd washed it twice for him!! and he said the pain was coming from the tendon that goes down the front of the foot at a point where it comes close to the surface as it passes over a bone in the foot. He felt I must have tweaked or bruised the tendon at some point. I lay there as he sorted out my legs racking my brain for when I'd hurt my foot in some way, as I had no recollection of a moment when I did the damage to my foot causing all this bother. Finally I remembered as he found a particularly tight part of my hamstring, I'd turned my ankle on my Sunday run. I'm very good at reacting to and stumble or twist the body goes through whilst running on the often very unstable surfaces encountered whilst training off road. I think it's this sense of balance which makes me so suited to cross country running. And because this sort of thing happens all the time, and because the pain didn't hit me straight away I'd forgotten about it as a probable cause for the pain.
The recommendation was cross training, time on the bike or the cross trainer was the order of the day. Non impact training is what I needed, so I headed straight down the gym. And after discovering that I don't much care for the cross trainer it was in the saddle that I spent the rest of the week. I would have loved to have got out on my proper bike, but due to the tight, rigid shoes that numb my feet at the best of times that I'd have to use as I'd cleverly changed my pedals to clip on's to make me faster, I had to use the stationary bikes in the gym.
So for the rest of the week I went absolutely nowhere. I watched 'Bargain Hunt' and Neighbours, which interestingly is now on channel Five! I sweated like I've never sweated before. I'm use to the cooling effect of cold air blowing over my face as I run gracefully down a deserted country path, not a hot, airconditioned, magnolia walled place for muscle worship. Not that I dont like the gym, but spending four hours a day in there will drive anybody mad let alone me!
So that's all I can say about my training on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I hope to be running soon or I will definitely be forced to make a sign for all the guys with arms much bigger than my legs. 'Hi I'm Will, I'm a long distance runner, and big muscles would slow me down. Which is the only reason I don't have them, if I didn't run my arms would obviously be as big if not bigger than yours'!
Monday 11 February 2008
Sunday 10th February - Lloyd Park League Cross Country
3rd
Race Report:
I was a bit lacklustre before the race. Knowing I wasn't in the shape I have been and that I wasn't going to be racing at the new levels I've reached so far this season, I wasn't really in a racey frame of mind. I was more content to do a bit of sunbathing than get myself ready. I did warm up eventually but it didn't fill me with confidence. I felt ok but that extra 10% was missing.
I was hoping that the pace would not be too hot to start with, but given that my team mate Phil was in good shape and in the race I didn't hold out much hope. He always hits the front hard at the start; he just can't seem to stop himself! Thankfully I was pleasantly surprised as he went off steadily for once in his life which made things a lot better for me. I was able to get myself together, get into a decent rhythm and sit in behind the leaders. I knew that I was going to struggle to get the victory, my main aim was to be as close to the winner as I could be.
Before the start of the second and final lap my team mate hit the front, I slotted into third and it pretty much stayed like that to the end. I had a good rhythm which is what got me round, but I just didn't have enough gas in the tank to make any more of an impression on the leaders.
I was actually quite satisfied with my performance. I was less than 10 seconds behind the winner, which considering I was far from 100% was pleasing. I can now be reasonably competitive in races when my fitness levels are down which shows me how much my overall fitness has improved.
Race Report:
I was a bit lacklustre before the race. Knowing I wasn't in the shape I have been and that I wasn't going to be racing at the new levels I've reached so far this season, I wasn't really in a racey frame of mind. I was more content to do a bit of sunbathing than get myself ready. I did warm up eventually but it didn't fill me with confidence. I felt ok but that extra 10% was missing.
I was hoping that the pace would not be too hot to start with, but given that my team mate Phil was in good shape and in the race I didn't hold out much hope. He always hits the front hard at the start; he just can't seem to stop himself! Thankfully I was pleasantly surprised as he went off steadily for once in his life which made things a lot better for me. I was able to get myself together, get into a decent rhythm and sit in behind the leaders. I knew that I was going to struggle to get the victory, my main aim was to be as close to the winner as I could be.
Before the start of the second and final lap my team mate hit the front, I slotted into third and it pretty much stayed like that to the end. I had a good rhythm which is what got me round, but I just didn't have enough gas in the tank to make any more of an impression on the leaders.
I was actually quite satisfied with my performance. I was less than 10 seconds behind the winner, which considering I was far from 100% was pleasing. I can now be reasonably competitive in races when my fitness levels are down which shows me how much my overall fitness has improved.
Sunday 3rd - Saturday 9th February
Training Report:
This week's training was a case of slowly but surely wins the day. I felt I'd recovered enough from my severe man flu to start running again. But it was key that I didn't do too much to soon, a virus can really lower your immune system and it's important that the body recovers properly. I'd learnt my lesson in the summer on trying to push on with an intense level of training during an illness and it just doesn't work.
I was careful to make sure I was fully recovered from each session before commencing with the next. If that meant doing less than planned, fine. It's best to let you body recover and do a decent session and help your progression than do a poor session just for the sake of doing a run, that ultimately will not help your fitness in any way. So I missed out sessions when I felt I needed to and did a lot of stretching and mobility exercises. I also made sure when I did run I didn't push myself to the limit. I wanted to finish each session feeling strong, leaving something in the tank. To finish every session dead on your feet having given everything is never a good thing. This is especially so when you are getting back your fitness after an illness. This was sometimes quite hard to do because due to all the rest I've had my legs felt really fresh and were desperate for me to use them to the max. Occasionally I'd lapse and my pace would quicken, but it wouldn't last too long as the additional strain on my lungs and heart, which have been affected during my illness, would quickly let me know that the pace had to slow or I'd pay big time a bit later!
With my final league match of the season on Sunday I had to decide whether to take part. It's easy to stop yourself pushing it in training, much less so in a race, when you know where you should come and who you should be beating on a normal day. But by Friday I was confident enough that I could push myself a bit more and not knock myself back.
This week's training was a case of slowly but surely wins the day. I felt I'd recovered enough from my severe man flu to start running again. But it was key that I didn't do too much to soon, a virus can really lower your immune system and it's important that the body recovers properly. I'd learnt my lesson in the summer on trying to push on with an intense level of training during an illness and it just doesn't work.
I was careful to make sure I was fully recovered from each session before commencing with the next. If that meant doing less than planned, fine. It's best to let you body recover and do a decent session and help your progression than do a poor session just for the sake of doing a run, that ultimately will not help your fitness in any way. So I missed out sessions when I felt I needed to and did a lot of stretching and mobility exercises. I also made sure when I did run I didn't push myself to the limit. I wanted to finish each session feeling strong, leaving something in the tank. To finish every session dead on your feet having given everything is never a good thing. This is especially so when you are getting back your fitness after an illness. This was sometimes quite hard to do because due to all the rest I've had my legs felt really fresh and were desperate for me to use them to the max. Occasionally I'd lapse and my pace would quicken, but it wouldn't last too long as the additional strain on my lungs and heart, which have been affected during my illness, would quickly let me know that the pace had to slow or I'd pay big time a bit later!
With my final league match of the season on Sunday I had to decide whether to take part. It's easy to stop yourself pushing it in training, much less so in a race, when you know where you should come and who you should be beating on a normal day. But by Friday I was confident enough that I could push myself a bit more and not knock myself back.
Monday 4 February 2008
28th January - 2nd February
Training Report:
Having felt completely drained from my Parliament Hill excursion I gave myself the day off. I knew it would do me no harm and my legs were shot from running three quarters of a race without all the oxygen they required. By Monday they had recovered but I took things a little easier than normal as a precaution. But on Monday evening I started to feel a bit under the weather. Tuesday morning I woke early to do a short run and I felt a bit groggy throughout. I then headed off to London to see my Glassworks posse and make sure they knew I was running and not just kicking back every day watching the TV and eating pizza, which is what a few of them think I do! By the time I got back home I developed a full on head cold, and I was hoping and praying it wouldn't develop into a major case of man flu! I don't think it fully developed into man flu but it did knock me out for a good few days, and I didn't even attempt a run until Saturday which was very frustrating. You think it's just a sore throat and a snotty nose but I knew if I ran it would add an extra day to my recovery, and the actual run would be a load of rubbish anyway, so it would have no positive effect on my progress what so ever! Saturdays run was not fun at all, and was possibly half a day early, but I'm hoping by Monday to be fully fit and raring to go again.
Having felt completely drained from my Parliament Hill excursion I gave myself the day off. I knew it would do me no harm and my legs were shot from running three quarters of a race without all the oxygen they required. By Monday they had recovered but I took things a little easier than normal as a precaution. But on Monday evening I started to feel a bit under the weather. Tuesday morning I woke early to do a short run and I felt a bit groggy throughout. I then headed off to London to see my Glassworks posse and make sure they knew I was running and not just kicking back every day watching the TV and eating pizza, which is what a few of them think I do! By the time I got back home I developed a full on head cold, and I was hoping and praying it wouldn't develop into a major case of man flu! I don't think it fully developed into man flu but it did knock me out for a good few days, and I didn't even attempt a run until Saturday which was very frustrating. You think it's just a sore throat and a snotty nose but I knew if I ran it would add an extra day to my recovery, and the actual run would be a load of rubbish anyway, so it would have no positive effect on my progress what so ever! Saturdays run was not fun at all, and was possibly half a day early, but I'm hoping by Monday to be fully fit and raring to go again.
21st-25th January
Training Report:
With 9 miles of parliment hill beckoning on Saturday It was going to be an easier weeks training. To get to that race with tired legs is madness. So after a relaxed Tuesdays 4 x 1000 metres round the track, steady sedate running was the order of the day. As it had worked so well at the county champs I felt more confident in keeping things slow, even though your head tells you to work hard in order to instil the psyche with positive vibes. I resisted the temptation and just used my Friday pre-race leg turn over as the confidence booster. Three thirty second all out sprints down a slight incline does nothing but put you in a racey frame of mind!
With 9 miles of parliment hill beckoning on Saturday It was going to be an easier weeks training. To get to that race with tired legs is madness. So after a relaxed Tuesdays 4 x 1000 metres round the track, steady sedate running was the order of the day. As it had worked so well at the county champs I felt more confident in keeping things slow, even though your head tells you to work hard in order to instil the psyche with positive vibes. I resisted the temptation and just used my Friday pre-race leg turn over as the confidence booster. Three thirty second all out sprints down a slight incline does nothing but put you in a racey frame of mind!
Southern Cross Country Championships
30th
Race Report:
You're not a real cross country runner until you've tackled the undulating muddy bog that is Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath. Nine not so glorious miles of mud, mud and more mud. You know its going to be soggy going when you find abandoned running spikes embedded in the deep sticky mud. The officials have to be very careful to count in all the under thirteens at the finish, for fear they have sunk beneath the surface never to be seen again!
I'd been looking forward to this race. I like to think of myself as a bit of a scrapper, I keep on going regardless of what I'm running on, which comes in handy on Parliament Hill. I also wanted to put to bed my own personal hoo doo I have for the place. I must have raced there nearly ten times and I've yet to have a good run, I've run well for parts of races but never have I been anywhere near satisfied with my complete race. Sadly today was no exception!
I managed to get an amazing start up the long first hill. I'd placed myself to the far right of the course, and the going must have been a lot better than on the far side as I reached the top in third surrounded by international standard athletes. But I didn't feel as though I'd worked too hard to get into that position so I ploughed on. Things got ugly just half a mile further on. A stitch in the middle of my diaphragm hit me, and my stomach sounded as though I was running with a hot water bottle strapped to me! The stitch meant I had to take short shallow breaths, not what you want when your legs are demanding as much oxygen as you can get to them as possible. My legs soon became heavy, and the course takes no prisoners when the going gets tough. I knew I couldn't stop, I hate to DNF so I kept going. After two of the three laps I'd fallen back to about 50th position, when finally the stitch began to fade and I could breathe again. But it only gave me three miles to bring my legs back to life and make my way back through the field.
I eventually finished 30th, shattered and disappointed at what could have been. But to take a politically positive spin on things I'd finished over 50 places higher than last year and over 150 on the year before that. So to be disappointed with 30th shows me I'm moving in the right direction.
Race Report:
You're not a real cross country runner until you've tackled the undulating muddy bog that is Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath. Nine not so glorious miles of mud, mud and more mud. You know its going to be soggy going when you find abandoned running spikes embedded in the deep sticky mud. The officials have to be very careful to count in all the under thirteens at the finish, for fear they have sunk beneath the surface never to be seen again!
I'd been looking forward to this race. I like to think of myself as a bit of a scrapper, I keep on going regardless of what I'm running on, which comes in handy on Parliament Hill. I also wanted to put to bed my own personal hoo doo I have for the place. I must have raced there nearly ten times and I've yet to have a good run, I've run well for parts of races but never have I been anywhere near satisfied with my complete race. Sadly today was no exception!
I managed to get an amazing start up the long first hill. I'd placed myself to the far right of the course, and the going must have been a lot better than on the far side as I reached the top in third surrounded by international standard athletes. But I didn't feel as though I'd worked too hard to get into that position so I ploughed on. Things got ugly just half a mile further on. A stitch in the middle of my diaphragm hit me, and my stomach sounded as though I was running with a hot water bottle strapped to me! The stitch meant I had to take short shallow breaths, not what you want when your legs are demanding as much oxygen as you can get to them as possible. My legs soon became heavy, and the course takes no prisoners when the going gets tough. I knew I couldn't stop, I hate to DNF so I kept going. After two of the three laps I'd fallen back to about 50th position, when finally the stitch began to fade and I could breathe again. But it only gave me three miles to bring my legs back to life and make my way back through the field.
I eventually finished 30th, shattered and disappointed at what could have been. But to take a politically positive spin on things I'd finished over 50 places higher than last year and over 150 on the year before that. So to be disappointed with 30th shows me I'm moving in the right direction.
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