Liverpool European Trials

The plan was simple, come back from altitude and have a good race. Things like that are never easy though and there's always complications. First up I had to deal with 20 hours of travelling, a night flight and the awful weather conditions back in the UK!

I took a sleeping tablet for the flight and slept the whole way home which was great as i'm not normally great on flights overnight. I got home and out came the warm clothes for the bus journey back from London to Loughborough. 

On race day I would have liked to have ran in the morning but we got a covering of snow on Saturday so I didn't bother going out as knowing me I would have fell over or something. I got the Liverpool and for the first time in as long as I can remember the ground was solid all the way round with only 1 corner that was a bit soft. This was a dream for me as all week I was preparing myself for mud and although I don't favour the soft stuff I knew I was in good shape so it would just be a case of finding my feet and ploughing through it. 

When I had a look at the course I went back and changed my spikes to smaller pins... I say that, but I really sent my brother back as I was off warming up.

I found it tough to get warmed through and ended up running for 30mins or so with some 1 minute reps to get moving and loosened throughout. That works well for me, so if you ever seem me legging it on my warm up thats's what i'm up to. I finished and began to take layer by layer off for the race and it was freezing! 

The race started just after 2 and I knew it would be a fast start then I thought it would settle down into a group for the middle lap then I thought someone would make a break for it on the final lap of 3. That wasn't the case, from the off Andy Vernon hit the front and pushed on. I'm guessing he thought he was going to make it as hard as possible for everyone. That's great though, then you get an honest race and a real test of strength.

I was about 20th or so going round the first half of the first lap then moved through onto the back of the lead group as we hit a 1/3 into the race. I think that was the best place to be as I knew had I sat back I would have found it tough to move through because the pace wasn't dropping. 

Vernon was pushing hard with Draper right behind and I was on the back of them. I didn't look around but I assume everyone was queuing up behind following the pace. On the 2nd lap I heard someone move next to me breathing so heavy, it sounded like they were ready to drop down! It was Wilko, he moved up next to me but seemed to be running in control.

Vernon pushed on once again on the undulating parts of the course. I didn't notice a massive difference in pace, I just wanted to stay in contact. At the end of the 2nd lap I sensed there was gaps behind so it was just a case of sticking with these guys and seeing if I had anything in the last half mile to try and win the race. As I came into the final mile I sensed I was getting pretty tired as I got that feeling where a gap would open and I'd have to surge to close it. I felt ok closing them down but my legs were just slightly beginning to slow down. Humphries had joined up and he got on the back of the group too and with about half a mile to go the 4 of them slowly got away. I knew I was within touching distance of the finish and all I kept my head down and kept pushing. 

Coming into the finish U-Turn I glanced round for the first time in the race and Frank was right on my tail. He got good momentum off the turn and away he went but we were given the same time in the end. To tell you the truth I don't even remember the last 100m, I had my eyes shut and I just pumped my arms as hard as I could to get to that line.

I was delighted crossing the line, I couldn't help but give a shout. I thought I had done enough, it was just a case of waiting to see. 

Results:

Also, 6 under 23's in the top 16... that's just mental! I feel sorry for Hickey & Rossco who've just missed out and are in great shape and on another day would have been in that team. Great lads who will get their chance again soon i'm sure. Any other year a top 20 finish would get you in that team. Those boys should run away with the team title.