… I found myself being sued, by the firm More O’Ferrall - I’d sprayed a graffito onto one of their hoardings…it was for Monsters of Rock and I’d sprayed “In Church Hall if wet”
Well, I’d hoped for something different, both from myself and more importantly team PLS but it didn’t quite go to plan. The weather was glorious, Beacon Park was bathed in morning dew and Winter sunshine. A quick warm up and scout of the course, I felt confident as it didn’t seem as muddy as last time I’d run it. The course itself is actually shorter than Clarkes Gardens by near ½ mile but what it lacks in distance it makes up for in toughness, in top trumps, Beacon would defo have 100 out of 100 toughness on mud, hills and finish (about 200 metres up a hill).
I dispensed with the watch, deciding to start off slow and try to work my way through the field. I was going pretty well, the usual suspects bolted off, I settled behind Adair Broughton who told me he always starts off easy for the x-country and manages to finish top 10 (not necessarily down to the slow start, just the fact he’s good on the hills and mud). For about 3k I was doing fine, actually passing through the field but then I just ran out of breath. My legs felt ok but there was just no go in my lungs. Like Clarkes, because it was dry, the deep mud was like glue and there was plenty of it. I lost a few places and it stayed like that until about a mile to go.
I reckoned I was around 20th and was passed by a group of three runners. Then another three passed me but I got a second wind I caught back up with them just before the final hill but the hill killed me. I pushed on the downhill and started to reel a few of them in but at the turn into the home straight I was well and truly spent – I even had a stitch and despite the encouragement from Ian Lawton (churn then legs!) and John Kelly, couldn’t find anymore.
I finished 27th, disappointed, but to be honest not too surprised. It was an improvement on 2009 but underlines what I kinda already know – I’m rubbish on mud and hills! Team PLS finished 4th again, Martin finished 3rd which on this ground just goes to show how strong he is, next was Neil who loves these conditions in 11th with James Mac who finished 4th last week finished one place behind in 12th. I was 27th with debutante Bob Barrow running an excellent 29th and Captain Mal rolling back the years to pitch in as 6th counter in 46th.
Although I struggled, I enjoyed the race, mainly thanks to Skem and Parbold providing a great course, stewarding and after race buffet. The camaraderie between teams is great at these events, Ian Magill from LRC giving great insight and tips (after the race!) on where Beacon and xcountries races in general are won and lost. LRC pipped the Bugs for first so they are tied after two races. To make the impossible possible we have to win at Arrowe Park in December. Bob Burrows looks like being a great asset to the team and hopefully we’ll have a few more contenders out.
Training Week 31st Oct - 6th Nov
MONDAY 7 miles - 2 mile warm they 6:42 x 5 am - 4 miles easy pm 11
TUESDAY 4 miles am - track session warm up then 3mins 2mins 1min x 5 80 second laps warm down 12
WEDNESDAY 10 miles - 8 at 6:41 pace - circuit class pm with 2 miles 12
THURSDAY warm up/down 4 mile tempo 5:54 average - 8 miles hills steady pm 15
FRIDAY 6.5 miles off road easy 6.5
SATURDAY REST 0
SUNDAY xc country race with warm/up down 7
TOTAL 63.5 |