Its been a really tough few weeks for me and I have had to nurse my leg back into a reasonable shape good enough to take my place in the Bels team for the road relays.  Since finishing the Southerns in lots of pain, I had about 5 days off whilst at the same time some heavy anti-inflamatories to help (although not helping the stomach!!).  There is not much you can do fitness wise in a week, other than make sure you don´t make things worse, so in order to get to the start line this last weekend, I tended to do a run then day off for a week up till Saturday last week and James Wedding.  I was running without pain for a few steady runs but needed to see if there would be any reaction to something harder so Tuesday I tried 3 x mile off 30 seconds and ran 4.56, 4.46, 4.34 which although not quick felt pretty good and then on Thursday I did 5 x 800 30 secs rest 200. Steady as the weather was rubbish 2.16/27.  It was enough that I knew I would get through the weekend.  

After a good team performance at the Southern we knew we had some great guys to come into the team and so we all headed up to the hotel on the Friday.  Started with a bit of a disaster as my car broke down at work, but fortunately James Kelly was picking me up, so we left the car and headed up to meet the rest of the boys.  The biggest contingent of athletes and supporters I have seen were there at the hotel which is great to see, not bad for a team that supposedly has no team spirit, no local lads and no banter.  I would argue with anybody that we have as good or if not better team spirit than anybody around.  People forget that there are other forms of communication and as a team we spend lots of time chatting online and keeping in touch, not just rocking up at an event having to introduce yourself to 11 other guys, which is what most people believe!  After a run, and the worst service on a meal in history, it was time to retire before the big day.  Had a terrible nights sleep, so slept in for an hour extra in the morning before getting up, a quick run and down to breakfast just in time for Sharpy´s last speech as team captain.  To be fair I wish I had stayed in bed!

Only joking, it has been a great team this last year and the hard work Alan Mead and Steve have put in showed in the class of guys we had out running this year.  My tenancy is going to be tough, and will have much to live up to!

Sp8y