Monday 15th - Sunday 21st of December

This week I was focusing all my efforts on the weekend's race, the South of the Thames Senior Cross Country.
I was looking forward to testing myself against good opposition and racing over seven and a half miles, which is what I would face at the County Champs in the New Year. It would be good preparation for me pre Christmas, as post Christmas the important races come thick and fast.

What I took away from the race was slightly different to what I had expected. The lesson that thorough pre-race preparation is key and that silly, little problems can become bigger problems quite easily, was really drummed home.

I still had a full week's training planned; the first half would follow my normal programme with the second half of the week being more 'easy state' running, so as to be slightly fresher by race day.

Monday was my now 'set in stone', 40 and 30 minute runs and I felt quite relaxed and flowing (my race the day before had obviously
blown away the cobwebs!)

Tuesday was my usual easy run before the evening’s group session.
For our speed session, we headed back to Ham Gate in Richmond Park.
I was looking forward to this long, hard session. I had eased myself into it when I first took it on a month ago. This time I was confident I could complete it and I knew I was running well, so a good blow out was in the offing. During the session we alternated between full laps of 1700 metres and broken laps of 800 and 1200 metres with 100 metres recovery. We would run each twice.
I was feeling good and was at the front helping set the pace. The first set was no problem. I much preferred the full loop and feel happier the further we go, but I gained some enjoyment from getting my legs turning over during the 800's. The faster you can run over shorter distances, the faster you can run over longer ones!
As we finished the first set I was aware that I could feel the beginnings of a dreaded stitch coming on. I decided to play dumb and ignore it, setting the same pace as before. Half way round, I was in a lot of discomfort but decided to try and stick it out. I was having trouble breathing which is not what you want when you’re working hard.
I nearly made it to the end of the rep, but I had to stop. I couldn't hold my normal running form and was getting slower. I decided to cut my losses on this rep and recuperated for the final split lap. That
decision paid off, as by the time we set off, it had all but cleared. I was a bit cagey during the first of the final reps, allowing the stitch to clear fully, but then finished the session strongly.
I went away satisfied that I was in good shape. Stitches happen and I wasn't unduly worried about Saturday's race.

For the rest of the week it was just easy running. Just 40 and 20 minutes on Wednesday, which gave me more time to recover from Tuesday's session.

Thursday was a 45 and 50 minute run, with a final 20 minute trot on Friday with my pre race strides included. I started to get excited about how I might run in the race. I was a little fatigued and didn't want to be as rested as I would be come the County Champs, but I knew a good performance was in the offing. I just had to do it!

My lesson was learnt and my problems all started during my warm up. Usually I'll jog round the course. It allows me to take a look at the underfoot conditions and terrain. It's a bit like a formula one driver's warm up lap. They check the circuit conditions and make any changes that are needed to their set up. However, for some reason I decided not to run the course. I took my own route away from the course and found the conditions to be a little muddy and wet and hence assumed the race conditions would be the same.
I was wrong. As a result of my warm up, I changed my shoe set up. I placed six, shinny, new 12-millimetre spikelets into my running spikes. They would surely see me fly through the mud unscathed. I had noticed that there was a stony patch just after the start, but I knew that we quickly turned off it so there would be little damage done.

I got off to a good start, was in the lead group and I was right, we soon turned of the path and onto a soft grass field. I was feeling comfortable. I knew the pace was quick but it wasn't too quick for me to handle.
We were soon heading downhill through large muddy patches. I felt I'd made the right choice of footwear and was slipping about much less than my rivals. I sat in the pack and waited.

My joy was short lived as we turned off the muddy track onto another stony path. Unlike the first path, which lasted a little over a hundred metres, this one went on for the rest of the lap - well over a mile. The extra grip I hoped to gain with my long spikes was useless on the hard ground. I was the one slipping as my spikes stood proud unable to press into the surface. I started to slip back from the leaders. As we came to the end of the first lap I was still hanging onto a top ten position but I could feel that my left foot wasn't happy - the early pain signals that a blister was forming.
I carried on but the pain quickly got worse, even when the terrain was in my favour. It felt as if something was in my shoe. Not only did I have the wrong spikes in, I also had a massive blister to deal with.

When we hit the stony path again every step was agony.
I thought I'd just try to make it back to the start and see if I could make the final lap but on the hard ground the pain was much worse. I knew I had to stop and see what was happening in my shoe. As we turned the corner I saw my chance, a park bench.
People streamed past as I took my shoe off, finding no stone or dirt. I took my sock off finding nothing but a big blister down the middle of the sole of my foot. Then it hit me! My spikes were pushing through the bottom of my shoe causing the blister. I looked at my spikes and sure enough they were all bent in various directions, indicating they were pushing through. It's amazing how something so pathetic can cause such pain. I walked and jogged back, falling, like the non-existent stone in my shoe, back through the field. I managed to jog a little, very slowly in my spikes, so decided I could change into my trainers and complete the race.

With more cushioning and no spikes pushing through the pain was greatly eased. I got back into something resembling race pace, and was soon re over taking, finishing somewhere mid field.
Frustrated is an understatement! I was annoyed I'd made such a stupid mistake and that something so minor had snowballed. Not only was
it going to affect this race but it was likely to affect the amount and quality of my running next week.

A lesson that I already knew was well and truly re-learned, namely “Don't take things for granted. Check everything for yourself, leave no stone unturned” (Even if they’re not in your shoe!).
But I'd shown myself I had a high pain threshold - a two inch blister proved this.

By finishing the race, my team of twelve finished third (in the twelve to score) event.
All that's left is to deal with the fluid filled blister. I just hope that once I pop, I don't stop!