English Cross Country Relays

On paper we had what looked like a team that could challenge for medals. The thing about relays and cross country is the race is never run on paper. Instead we ran around a muddy field in Mansfield.

After landing in Heathrow at 7.05am, I was collected by fellow Belgravian Will Cockerell. Will brought me to St. Pancreas International Train station where I caught a train to Mansfield.

I got off the train at Mansfield to wet and miserable conditions, after spending 10 weeks at altitude mostly in the sunshine it didn't feel good to be back in Britain.

I called a local cab company. When they arrive Ben had already beaten me to into the cab, this was to be the order of the day I'm afraid.  Our ever present Team Manager Alan Mead met me on arrival. I sat in Alans' car for an hour or so waiting for the weather to calm down a bit to begin the runners ritual or walking/jogging/running the course. I'd never been to Mansfield before so was curious to see what the conditions were like.

When I got the go ahead we were in 14^th. I went off way too hard to try catch Ben, who had just started a few seconds before me. After I caught him I should have took a breather for a minute, but instead I tried to go past him and gain a few more places.

I never got away from Ben, and but was working my way through the field nicely. It was difficult to tell which teams I was catching and which teams we were lapping. On a number of occasions I thought I was going to fall such was the underfoot conditions. Going through the forest for the second time, Jonny caught me. At that point I was running flat out and was beginning to feel the effects of my over-exuberant first lap.  

Although the times were a hell of a lot slower than usually, I'm not going to read too much into them as apparently the weather was also a lot worst that it usually is. I know I'm in decent shape, and hopefully a lot better than my run suggest. I think the 26 hours of travel before the race took its toll.

Thanks for reading