Last week’s race in Stockport was one I’d rather have
forgotten as soon as it was over, but of course that doesn’t happen, the
results are out there for everybody to see. So instead I’ll embrace the fact
that I sometimes have bad runs, after all it makes the good times more special.
Of course mid-week that result got even worse as I was demoted to 72nd
position, as three runners appeared Mr. Benn like ahead of me in the final
results.
It was always my intention to race again the following
Saturday, and the fact that I’d had a bad run wasn’t going to reflect on that
decision. My body felt weary from the race but I felt I had something to prove,
if not to anybody else then at least to myself, my training had been going well
so surely I was better than the results indicated. I had a decision to make,
did I ease off my training to ensure I was fresh for the race or did I continue
my hard training regime focusing on getting fit for future championships. It
was an easy decision to make, nothing was going to make a dramatic improvement
in one week but the hard work put in now would pay dividends later in the
season. So I put myself through a tough week of training, made even tougher by
the gale force winds on Thursday.
Saturday approached and it was a nice dry day, a bit chilly
but it is November. I managed to persuade Carole to come with me, I won’t take
her along if I think the course isn’t spectator friendly but it does make that
little bit of a difference having somebody there rooting for you. We arrived at
the course in plenty of time, I picked up my number and went for a walk around
the course, with Carole. I used to run a lap before and after the race but
these days it’s hard enough racing 6 miles I can’t be bothered to add an extra
4 miles to the total, I’m not a mileage junkie, and at least this way I could
spend time with Carole, she was going to have to spend long enough on her own
while I raced. The course was mainly firm going, with small pockets of mud,
much more to my liking than last week.
As we got back towards the start the ladies were already on
their way, only three from Salford but they were running prominently and took
first team. Compared to last week it was a low key turn out for the men, only
four of us, more supporters than runners. Not enough for a team, it takes six,
and we didn’t think we had enough for a Masters team, we thought it was four to
score and although we all qualify as Masters, nationally, in this league it’s
M40+ and Billy’s a mere youngster. As it turned out we only needed three so we
did finish a team, coming second in that category.
After a team pic, courtesy of Sid Sacks, we were off.
Normally Billy’s a fast starter so I expected to see him ahead of me, along
with Paul, who’s running so confidently at the moment. But I was surprised to
find myself leading the Salford Harriers. Last year I briefly led the whole
race but no chance of that today, running with dented confidence and the
presence of Dave Norman in the field, I was back somewhere around 20th
position. All I was interested in was having a better race than last week,
finishing closer to Paul (he was 51 seconds ahead of me last week) and
finishing 2nd Salford.
I put in a solid first lap, but even so I was surprised I
was still the leading Salford runner, at the turnaround point, as you start the
next lap, I had a quick look across the field and saw Paul not far behind, only
a matter of time before he caught me, I was already starting to feel I little
tired. Billy was a little further back, I hoped that was a big enough gap for
me. My mindset was now fixed on retaining my position as Salford leader to the
end of the second lap and I ran the lap as though it was my last, with the
exception of my storming finish (I’m not that daft).
I managed it but as I started the third, and final, lap Paul
had closed right up on me to within 5 seconds. Billy had fallen back further so
it was all about Paul and me. Clearly Paul was going to beat me, I was feeling
really tired and he looked fresh and determined, still I decided that the
longer I could hold him off the closer I could finish behind him. I pushed down
the hill for a breathing space and even ran confidently through the muddy
patch. Then we hit the open field and the wind was hitting me hard. I pushed
through it but I was really beginning to feel tired now. Onto the next field
and I pushed hard, trying to hold off the inevitable. Further and further into
the lap and still Paul hadn’t come past me. I was getting close to the end and
pushing as hard as I thought I could. Then it was onto the tricky bit through
the wood, I could hear somebody catching me but I thought it was probably the
young runner I’d passed earlier. As we hit the mud I heard a voice and looked
around to see Paul on my shoulder. I had position so took the best line, whilst
being fair and leaving space for Paul to come around me, if he wanted to. It
was a tricky place and I did accelerate so we emerged from the woods still in
the positions we’d entered and now we didn’t have far to go to the end, two
straights and a hill to the finish. I pushed and got a little gap, I pushed
again and hitting the hill I put in my final effort at the start of the hill.
It was a long hill but I could sense I was going to hold off Paul, with relief
and thinking we didn’t have a team I allowed a Leigh Harrier to sprint past me
at the end, only to find out later that had cost me 1st M45
position. Numpty.
I was really tired afterwards, I felt quite weak on the way
home, but I was much happier with my performance and I’m heading in the right
direction. Plus that’s two cross country races on consecutive weekends and not
a trace of a problem where my injuries had been. It was good to see my old
fighting spirit showing itself and now I’ve remembered what it’s like to fight
for position I’m hoping it will help me next time out.
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| The Four Salfordeers - Paul, me, Billy and Albert (or Andrew as known in some circles) |
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| Running confidently through the woods |
The following day I’d arranged to meet my mate Rob Tudor for
a long run. I wasn’t sure if I’d be up to it but no harm in trying. We had a
good run around Northwich and the woodlands, I was surprisingly springy for the
first 5 miles, but I was tiring towards the end. Another week now and back to
the hard work.
Written by Roger Alsop (with thanks to Sid Sacks for the pictures)
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