Update / Southern x/c report

Hi all hope you are all good and running going well

Been pretty much a quite week this one just come down a little this week as we had the Southern X/C on Sat a nice 15 k so coach decided just to do one session this week and a tempo run to keep things ticking over, as you have to respect 15 k at parliament hill.

And as we had a very hard week last week session wise I was happy with the decision.

As I said last week that I felt I was only 90 per cent were I wanted to be at the moment as I always like to be in best shape for the Nationals and Trails, I was fairly happy going into the Southern with the form I was in knowing that I am getting in to shape were I can do myself justice by the time I get the Nationals, the thing is you never no who is going to turn up at the Southern but you no you will get a good race ,I have quite a good record in this race finishing 4^th in the last 5 yrs but always just missing out on a medals I was hoping for better this time.

Race Report

As always you no that you are going to be hurting the next day after racing 15 k at parliament hill it is one of the only courses that you have to respect and this time was no different.

The course as usual was muddy but in some places the ground was hard from the zero temp the night before but we knew once it started to warm up the course would get worse and being the last race of the day.

Felt the normal when was warming up that means feeling crap so that was nothing knew ,got to the start I knew my Team mate Neilson Hall was racing and Pepper and Kevin Haywood were also there and some very other good Athletes so I knew it was going to be a tough race.

Gun went off a as usual you get the normal heroes who go off for there 2 min glory and never see them again once you get to the top of the hill first lap there were the four off us pushing the pace along on the first lap with Pepper putting a few surges in, felt pretty good and strong was just covering some of the moves no and again.

Going onto the Second lap still the same four Me, Hall/Pepper/Haywood half way round the second lap Hall put a surge in which broke up the group with Pepper trying to go with Hall they got a gap on me and Haywood and got away so me and Haywood was battling it out for 3^rd place ,I have known Kevin Haywood for a while now and he is a nice guy and a very good Athlete we always seem to have battles on the X/C he will beat me and I will beat him so it is always close so we never no what is going to happen in till we race and how good you feel on the day.

Anyway back to the race for the 2^nd and 3^rd lap we were battling away for the last medal I mentioned that I still only 90 per cent were I want to be I could have done with the 10 per cent  in the last mile , going into the last mile we were lapping back markers and Haywood managed to get past the 3 of them I got slowed down only for a couple of seconds but that is all it takes when you’re legs are tied and he got a gap and it stayed there in till the finish but fair play to him he took the chance and got it ,so I ended up 4^th for about the 4^th time in 5 yrs which I was gutted about but I will take the disappointment and move on to the Nationals were I will hopefully be in my best shape and get in the top ten again.

We won the Team event which was good to get are title back and I must congratulate my team mate Neilson Hall for winning the race.

Next race for me is Barcelona half were I want to run quick and beat are club record of 64min 45 secs which I think I am in shape to do,  this week coming get back into sessions and keep the mileage high and keep focused on the races coming up .

Hope every one training and racing is going well and if it isn’t just remember to keep positive work hard and eventually it will come good that why we love this sport because you never no what is going to happen.