After weeks of doing basically bugger all, I finally got off my behind and went out on the track on Thursday. The session was 10 x 600m, but I managed six with my bad chest before calling it a day. I'm pretty sure that this wasn't the level of training required before doing the Northeasterns, but hey, beggars can't be choosers, so you have to work with what you've got.
As it happens I was asked to help out with the results, so at least I was inside in the warm for the majority of the day, and it was a damn sight less hectic than a regular harrier league meeting. So what is normally a frantic dash to the start between results sheets pouring in was actually a leisurely meander over to the race start.
Actually that just about sums up my race strategy on the one, a leisurely meander ;)
I knew I wasn't going to set the world on fire with my speed, so I didn't bother with the spikes and ran in my fell shoes. This was a good plan, as there were few really hilly points, and the sections on the flat were very comfortable in the innov8s. I did get pretty soggy along the really swampy sections, but hey, that's what its all about right!
Once I'd settled into a canny pace it was just a case of trying to maintain my position (nearish the back) and try not to let too many go past. Towards the end of lap one Lyn from Tynedale, a girl from Low Fell and another from Saltwell came past, so I tried to stick with them. The Low Fell girl flew off into the distance, but I could see Lyn & the Saltwell girl just ahead for most of lap two. This is when I started a came of cat & mouse with someone from Durham City. She past me, then I'd pass by her. I know I wasn't going to win the war, but it's the little battles you can try and win which makes it worthwhile racing.
I chased the Durham girl through the first half of lap two, then caught her on the hill rising up from the stream with the railway sleepers, then it was a case of her catching me then me getting away again as we travelled along the path behind the fire station. Now we both had Lyn & the Saltwell girl in our sights, I caught Lyn on the last hill by all the spectators, with the Durham Girl got on my heels. I could hear folks shouting for all three of us as we got towards the turn at the top.
It was a pretty distant hope to catch the girl from Saltwell now, but I knew the Durham girl was just behind me as we turned onto the playing fields and the last six or seven hundred metres. Her team were shouting her on, but I plucked out a last bit of effort and made it across the line. Great effort by the two of us!
Then it was a quick dash back to race hq, to finish off the results with the rest of the team.
Job's a good 'un
Results will be published on the Northern Athletics website when they're available: here
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