Update/Race report Nationals x/c

Hi all sorry I didn’t get a chance to write my blog last week it has been a very busy few weeks ,hope all you’re training and race plans are going in the right direction.

I have never spent so much time as of recently at the hospital with Nicola who lets say is not having the easiest of pregnancies, we were supposed to have are tour of the maternity unit this week but because we have spent so much time there we didn’t need too , and I think I  know it better than the midwifes themselves.

But all is well with Nicola and the Baby thank god ,I don’t know who said it is a great time being pregnant but I think Nicola would like a chat with them I a locked room.

I don’t want to bore you with that stuff so let’s get back to the running

After the disappointment of missing Barcelona I was looking forward to racing the Nationals as I felt I was in pretty good shape, the week leading up to it was pretty low key one hill session and then a tempo run and then just running so I could go into the race fresh, but I have had the most annoying head cold and sore throat but it didn’t  bother me too much my heart rate was a bit high normally it is about 38 bpm but it was around the mid forties so I just backed of the gas in the sessions and rested the best I could.

Going into the Nationals  I was looking for a top 10 finish  which I thought I was in that shape but just failed to get in the top ten ,but I feel that by the Inter counties I shall be in top shape and ready for a top ten there ,but looking back over the last five Nationals apart from last year I have always been in the top 15 which I think is pretty consent form but I always seem to have my best race at the inter counties don’t ask why I have no idea.

Race Report Nationals

The Trip started not in the best way with a 4 and a half hour drive to Leeds because of the Friday traffic, and a pregnant women in the car moaning at every moment going about the baby kicking and the same old speech you don’t know what it is like (and to be honest I don’t wont to thanks).

Got to the hotel at 7pm which I must say thanks to Tony/Frank for sorting out

There was a Tesco across the road so decided to stock up on the food I would be lying if I said it was healthy food and it got worse Me Owain and partners’ decided to get pizza sent to the hotel not the best meal before a race but we were all tied and went with that because it was and we could chill out in are rooms,

The race day itself woke up still feeling bunged up but legs didn’t feel to bad had Breakfast with Levitt/Owain/which was good sat there for nearly 2 hrs going over old times racing/women/ drunken nights which was good help take mind off the race.

Warm up felt my normal self which is crap so nothing new there then it was quite a cold day warming up just couldn’t get warm any way stretched then made way over to the start line which was a nightmare getting though the tent which was water logged so feet were numb before I even started, we were looking to win the team prize but like other teams lost some of are best runners the day before e.g. Dalmedio /Janes/ lobb so we new it was going to be difficult to medal so fair play to the guys who stepped up to the plate and got us a bronze medal, still think we could have won with are best team out but a big mention to Matt Janes who only 2 weeks earlier had a hernia op and still turned out I take my hat of to you Janes but congrats to A.F.D who done really well.

The gun went and I got a reasonable start in the 2nd pack for the first lap with the likes of Walsh/Bowser/Norman/Buckley/Hinch so we had a good group chasing the likes of Riley/Hall/Vernon’s the course was pretty muddy in places but a new my strong points would be the hills which I felt very strong on going onto the second lap there still was Me /Hinch/Norman /Bowser/Buckley all trying to break each other and get some gaps on this lap which is strange for me I got a stitch I cant remember the last time I had one in a race and for the whole of that lap it would not shift but I just kept my head down and worked on trying to break this group, onto the last lap my stitch finally went and I could try and push on but the others had the same idea Buckley got a gap and kept it so me Bowser/Hinch were battling it to the finish I managed to get a gap on Hinch up the last hill and Bowser managed to hold me off in till the finish were I finished 13^th .

I was fairly happy with my performance still haven’t had my best race yet when I was running I knew there is more in me to come which is good hopefully that will come out in the Inter Counties in 2 weeks time but I am sure everyone could say that so we will wait and see but I do believe in that though, it was nice to get the bronze team medal as well which ended a fairly good race day, also well done to my team mate Hall for a great run in fourth place 

I will tell you about are night out in Leeds in my next blog which involves a certain chant at a certain club!!!!!

Have a good week and keep training hard