Southern 6 Stage
The keen-eyed amongst you will have noted that I was supposed to be racing the Windsor Half today. Contrary to rumour I did not bail because of Martin McWilliams' presence in the field, and was not scared that the peglegged 'Scot' was going to kick my arse. I simply got stuck in traffic and so missed the race and instead legged it down to the 6 stage to help AFD out. I felt bad for demoting Steve Connor down to the B team but he was good about it and didn't direct any evil vibes in my direction!
I was on 4th leg, by which time we had 2nd place and an epic chase between housemates Mat Ashton and Tom Bedford had resulted in me starting about 12 seconds behind Shaftesbury Barnet. Mat had clawed back some of the lead they had over us but Tom was never going to let Mat get too close so there was still work to do. Belgrave and Newham didn't seem too much of a threat and so the aim was to push AFD into a healthy lead. I set off fairly hard, eager to get past Glen Watts of Shaftesbury and then push on in the 2nd half. I was also mindful of going off way too hard as is so easy on this course and was trying to remain patient, making sure the gap gradually closed. My legs actually felt pretty good and not too heavy from the week's training, nor the 5k the day before. I caught Glen on the long downhill just before the halfway point, and he was working hard not to let me pass, and then opted to let me pass and latch onto me. I didn't want this and so kicked on a bit, knowing that once I had a gap I would be able to pull away. I think I passed halfway (3k) in around 8.50 but didn't know this at the time. My PB on this course is 18.07 and sub 18 is one of those landmarks I've wanted to tick off the list for a few years now.
I ran the 2nd lap alone, but trying to stay focussed on keeping the pace strong. I really wanted a good race as this was a useful gauge of fitness against everyone else. If I could run well here I knew I was fit, and to be strong over 6k off pure marathon training, whilst not to be read into a great deal, is still good for the confidence. I tried to push hard up the hills, and the long gradual stretch of road that is slightly uphill and so easy to lose concentration on. Once this is out of the way, you turn into the arena and down a long hill before reaching the finish. With about 200m to go, Mick Woods shouted in his unmistakeable manner 'Go for sub 18 now Ben!' so I went for it along the finishing straight. My watch said 17.58 once I had passed over to Paul Rodgers, but the timekeepers got me at 18.00. This is slightly irritating, and also to be 1 second behind Frank Tickner who was the quickest leg of the day at the time was also annoying but I brushed that aside and was pleased to run a PB off hard week and know I was in good shape. As it was, Dan Mulhare ran 17.53 on the last leg for Belgrave, so quibbling over seconds here and there made no difference. This made me 3rd quickest on the day, joint with Dave Mitchinson.
AFD got gold easily in the end so that was great. I ran the 5th leg for the D team too, to try and get some more tempo miles in. I pretty much just ran all the time I was there, interspersed with some racing when a number and a vest came my way!
Comments On "Southern 6 Stage"
southern relays
I think that there is a creeping democracy in running that means that some people forget that a competition is just that - an opportunity to compete. It sounds to me as though the team manager made a decision about team selection based on who was available (Ben at the last minute being one of those available) in order to secure the win. No one would have been impressed if the manager had decided to stick with the team that was chosen before Ben became available and then came second. Whilst I love the fact that running is an inclusive sport and I applaud clubs where teams are chosen based on a first-come basis, etc I also think it should be recognised that in certain circumstances the A team should include the best runners available irrespective of when they become available. Oh and well run by the way Ben!
Simon Freeman Posted on October 1st, 2010Arrogance?
I would still argue my performance helped the team. I think that is pretty hard to dispute. Yes, Windsor suited my plans more than this, but I could have recreated 13 miles of marathon pace in a park (as I was only doing Windsor at marathon pace), but I thought that I could help the team who WANTED me to run and still get something useful for a marathon out of it. When I phoned the team manager, he was PLEASED I said I could run. I didn't demand anything and if he had said there was only a leg for the D team, I would have taken that. The manager demoted Steve, not me. I was not to know the team would have won anyway. No-one was to know that.
Ben M Posted on September 30th, 2010I would say the Commonwealths were different. Declines are final. But if it happened I would only think if it was arrogant if the person who took my place expected they could do what they liked. Like I said, I'd have run for the D team if that's all there was.
Ben has always been a diva! I heard he rang up the team manager and demanded an 'A' team spot or threatened to leave the club. Sharpy regularly does the same....
simx Posted on September 30th, 2010Arrogance
Ben,thanks for your comment however you had made your choice not to be part of the relays so this HELP you talk about was more for yourself if not you would have chosen to run for the team in the first place,as it was the team would have won with steve in the team.how would you feel to get bumped off the startline at the commonwealths should a faster runner become available?
fred Posted on September 30th, 2010Arrogance?
Fred,
Ben M Posted on September 30th, 2010Correct - I could not get to my first choice race, and so I decided to HELP my club in the relays and adapt my training session around whatever they wanted me to do. I would have happily raced in the B team. I didn't demand an A team spot. But the team manager wanted me in the A team and just as you have last minute dropouts and people get promoted, you also have it vice versa. Steve Connor was demoted and I chatted to him and he didn't mind whatsoever. He recognised that I would run faster and so should be in the A team. As it was, I ran the quickest on my team so it did make sense. I also ran a 2nd leg for the D team to help them out with an incomplete team.
I'm sorry you think this is arrogant, I'm not sure I see it the same way, nor do AFD....
southern relays
what a arrogant comment you cant get to your first choice race so you decide to 'leg" it down to the relays, as a result one of the "a" team gets put down into the"b" team,not sure what message this gives to the rest of the team?think you should have requested to be in "b" team and left "a" team as it was.
fred Posted on September 30th, 2010