Relay's are here......................

So 3 days to go until Milton Keynes is a wash with hundreds of runners pounding the road for there teams. From a personal point I'm not a lover of running at Milton Keynes, it always seems windy and a part from 1 year I have never really run that well, although I think I still am the 3rd fastest on a short leg just behind Keith Cullen and Dave Anderson - fellow Belgravian. I ran a long leg just year which was pretty harsh and again will be doing long this year for the team. Preparation has been hindered by a nasty insect bite on my knee cap, now I here you laughing at such a small problem, but I have a really bad reaction to bites as some of you saw at Solihull GP when I was stung on my finger by a wasp the day before racing - my hand was huge. My knee swelled up and it became almost impossible to bend my leg, at first I thought I had injured my cartilage as it was so bad, but then the hive came up and on closer inspection I could see the sting the nasty bugger left in me. Thankfully 10 days has passed and I'm almost pain free, apart from a little niggle after running.

As I mentioned training has been effected for me, but me, Nick and Phil managed a pretty good session on Tuesday - 9*400 with 90 lap float after the first 3, 85 float lap for the next 3, and 80 float lap for the last 3. We ran 65,65,66,67,66,66,66,67,66, with 66/67 being the aim. It was pretty windy so I was really pleased with the session. The others where pleased too, so everyone went home happy. Its a great little group we have, no racing, plenty of encouragement, and no messing around.

Another thing which has been on my mind is the few people who questioned why Goolab didn't make the team for the World Cross. He should go for the experience, first senior GB vest etc......... The way I look at it would be its another 2 hard races which Nick does not need at this stage, also going and getting smashed to bits, is that really a good experience? or could it be one that ruins a athlete? Fair play to the lads who are going and I hope they all run great, but I feel for Hinchy & Walsh who should have really been selected.

After the relay's it will be a few hard weeks in sunny Droitwich before heading off to Portugal for 10 days training - can't wait. It will be great to train hard, eat loads, watch Lindsay Dunn smash out track sessions, but the most important thing I'm looking forward to is seeing Maria in a Bikini again - yum yum.

Run happy

Sharpy

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