Old Gits Varsity Match

Today was the day of the Oxford vs Cambridge Varsity Match: a race that seems like the most important thing in the world when you're at uni but once you're from the outside looking back in, it seems so inconsequential! I do love the tradition of the event, and that's what gives it its magic. Watching 16 guys set off along Wimbledon Common, all fired up, just as has happened for over 100 years, is pretty awesome. The pavilion nearby shows photos and drawings of the race from years gone by, with runners wearing knee-length shorts and polo neck tops, all tucked in. The beauty of races that call on such a small field is when they've been graced by such huge legends: Roger Bannister, Chris Chataway, Chris Brasher, Richard Nerurkar amongst so many others, probably some from Cambridge too although that seems unlikely.

Anyway, before the main races start, spectators and anyone else (mainly ex students from the universities involved) can partake in the 'Old Gits' race, which follows the women's course around the Common, including the water jump across the river. I fancied a low-key race to break up the training and so this seemed a good fit. It was only 4 miles but I probably got more out of it than another tempo session. The field is mixed between people who used ot run and now really do not, and those who still do. You usually get a fairly good quality of recent students who haven't lost the enthusiasm for athletics completely quite yet! This select band included Ian Kimpton and James Kelly, who both only left a year or two ago. I set off in the lead, and got through the water splash at about half a mile, although I nearly did fall back into the river when I tried to scramble out the other side. I was only a few seconds ahead and could hear footstes behind me, which eventually went past me when I turned the wrong way at an intersection (the course is marked with white flags - not great in the snow!). The going was pretty soft and the stretches that usually contain fast running were frozen and even in spikes I wasn't getting much traction. After my direction mishap, I decided to sit behind Ian who had a much better idea of the course than me and leave any thoughts of victory until I knew where we were! I stayed behind Ian until the last 600m, when we emerged nto the snowy playing fields again and the ground was at least partially firm (I hadn't been enjoying the muddy sections much!). I kicked past Ian and won by 5 seconds or so.

I wouldn't say I had a brilliant run, but it broke up the training at least, and my XC skills have certainly regressed since I used to do it regularly! In fact, I worked out that it was my first XC race with actual mud in for about 2 years!