BAL 3k - Lee Valley

I will leave the weekend adventure with the soon to be Commonwealth hammer thrower, Matthew Richards for the blog and keep this to just the race (and maybe the little time around it).

I will start when I woke up in the car after a nap and walked over to the stand to put my bag down and then started taping up my foot. I am still having slight trouble with the right foot since the week leading up to the Stretford 5k (opposite foot to the one that kept me out for 7months). So I tapped it up nice and tight and then went for a jog, now since Thursday session I have had a bad toe which I will also explain in the blog but it was a little sore but nothing to bad, I just ran around the big car park and headed over to the start after some drills and strides. It wasn't hot just warm if that makes sense, sort of muggy but I was more worried about my tired little legs, foot and big toe!

George and I decided to do a bit of a harder week this week and sacrifice going for a quick time but I still wanted to challenge my pb but within a lap I knew that wasn't on the cards! We went through 400m in 68 and I was about 4^th in the line and thinking this could be my limit here already, it then got a little scrappy over the next few laps with a few elbows and spikes being thrown around before Rory decided to get up to the front with a few more following.

Lap 4 and I was about 7^th in the pack and still in touch with the leaders but knowing if they kicked it up a notch I could struggle, and pretty much as I thought it they kicked on at the front. My big toe was a bit sore on the bends when it felt like it was working that little bit more but not slowing my down just painful.

2 laps to go and I went around 3 runners and tried to make a push and get working but by 400m to go one had come back past me. I kept the legs going and the shouts from the stand (not sure who you were but thanks) and the throwers over the far side (Matthew Richards & Bret Morse) helped me push once more into the wind on the home straight to hold on to 2^nd place in the 'B's.

To be fair to Rory he has already run the 1500m before taking me down and my goal of around 8.20 wasn't to be. I wouldn't say I am disappointed as with the weeks training it just wasn't to be although of course I would have liked to go faster and help the team.

So back to Division 1 although I think for distance runners it is not really that important, it's more for the throwers and sprinters.

It was good to see a few faces I haven't seen for a while, catch up with the likes of Steve Davies and Matthew in the hotel and it was a good session if nothing else!

Simx