Mansfield XC Relays

Leg 2 - 15:17

The day didn't get off to the best of starts with me forgetting my vest and having to borrow one off one of the u17s, hence why I looked like I was wearing a Liverpool Harriers compression top.  Then just as I'm stripping off ready to go Dave comes running over to inform me that there's a problem with JMac our leg 1 runner, saying he's just come through in about 8:30, way down on where he should be appearing to be limping.  I carried on getting ready and headed over to the change over point and waited in line, I didn't have a clue where John would be and I even thought he had dropped out as everyone seemed to be flying off leaving me in the pen, eventually I caught sight of John hobbling over the hill into view and was relieved to see he had got round.  He did a massive job for us on leg1 risking making his injury worse so deserves a lot of respect for getting round.  A lot of people would of just given up in the same situation. He couldn't walk heading back to the car and I have spoke to him yesterday and he's still really bad and had to make a trip to a&e.  Hopefully it's not too serious and he's back running soon.  From a personal point of view I was frustrated with my run,  I took over in 116 and brought Liverpool back into 52^nd place so I was happy with that however I have now ran the same time more or less 3 years on the run which is obviously disappointing as you always want to improve as a runner.   Its difficult to judge times on that course though and on any XC course as conditions are always different so you can only do your best on the day.  I ran 15:14 last year and went on to run 29:14 at Leeds a few weeks later so hopefully I can repeat that.  I handed over to Harry Harper on leg 3 and he moved us on a further 10places into 42nd and after Jay Russells anchor leg we finished in 43^rd.  In the circumstances though it can't be helped. We gave Scott Overall a lift back to Liverpool after the race, and if he was smug in the car for running 3^rd fastest leg of the day and moving Blackheath into silver medal position Nando certainly wiped that smile off his face yesterday!