NEHL 4 : Wrekenton xc 2010

Afternoon folks

I've just got time (between coming from and going back to work), to do my race report from yesterday cross country, and a quick catch up on how the training is going.

Saturday 13th

I had to dash back from work to get over to Wrekenton before the juniors started (which also meant I had to give the parkrun in Sunderland a miss), but managed to get there in time to set up shop with Simon and Alan at registration. We had very few entries on the day compared to previous meetings, so the day was a little more relaxed than normal.

Once the under 13s and under 15s results were sorted, there's a little bit of a gap as the senior mens race takes place. This gave me the opportunity to get changed into my xc gear and take a warm up jog over to the course.

Despite the sun trying to get out, the wind was still bitterly cold, but you do warm up once you get going. The course itself is an interesting one with a few hills (well one hill you have to go up and down a few times), and plenty of mud This is what cross country is all about!

I'd opted for my new fell shoes (so I could run back to HQ after the race to do the senior ladies results with Alan) and I was really pleased with how they performed. Very lightweight, the let the water and mud back out when I went plodging, and they were good on the hard ground too - very happy.

They did look like this:

and then like this once I'd finished

My leggings were in a much worse state than normal, but they're easier to clean

Anyways...the race...

I set off with the plan of just bimbling round at a steady pace and hoping not to drop right back down the field. I had an idea that I'd like to finish somewhere around 50th (which is what I did at Farringdon), so when I saw I was around the same position as Helen from Blyth after the first mile I was quite happy to try and stick with her for as long as possible. I seemed to do well on the muddy bits opting for the "plow straight through the middle" approach, and not too bad on the hills, but was losing ground on the flat as I slowed a bit to try and recover.

Lisa from Wallsend caught and overtook me about halfway round lap 2, I was pleased I'd lasted as long without dropping back too far, but I couldn't catch her or Helen as we came round to the final hill. A lady from Elvet caught me on the hill and sped off down the other side (maybe shes a fell runner or something 'cause she was bloody quick on the way back down) and I kind of bimble round to the finish in the not too bad time of 33:16. The last time I did it in 2008 I got round in 30:17, but to be fair I was a lot fitter and had a really good season that year.

I hung about for a few minutes to congratulate some people, then sped back off down to race hq with some results!

Talking of which - you can see all of the results on Sport softs race results page: here

Many grats to Kelly on 21st place - cracking running, and to Helen & Lisa (my main running vet's rivals ), and a big thank you to all of the marshals, officials and folks from Saltwell Harriers who made the day possible!

Thursday

Evil mastermind coach Jim set a fairly easy session by his standards (which makes me wonder if he was lulling us into a false sense of security for this weeks upcoming torture), of 8 x 500 - 50 walk, 50 jog recovery

I couldn't seem to get my pace correct for this one, so my times were all over the place, which is a shame cause I've been pretty good recently

2:07, 2:08, 2:09, 2:00, 2:10, 2:07, 2:07, 2:02

I've got no idea what happened with rep number 4 - must have had a sugar rush or something

Wednesday

Bimbled round the usual Wednesday Hebburn Tech >Victoria Road > York Avenue >Mill Lane route with Jim. It was really nice to set off when it was light outside for a change.

Tuesday

A new session devised by the resident evil genius (I'm getting visions of him sitting stroking a white fluffy cat here now in a Blofeld stylie)

I digress...where was I?

Oh yes evil genius

A new session on Leam Lane involving 6 x 1300m reps. It's tough enough doing 3 or 4 never mind 6, but I gave it a good shot and was pleasantly surprised that I managed ok and didn't collapse into a heap afterward.

times were: 5:29, 5:38, 5:47, 5:37, 5:47, 5:37

Pretty consistent after the first one where I tried (and failed) to keep up with Peter. A canny 10 second difference on the up hill vs downhill reps too.

So all in all not a bad weeks running. I missed my long run (again) today, but I had to work and something's got to keep me in race entry fees

Happy running folks!