National cross country relays

Race Report

National x/c relays report

If you would have said to me that we would have won this race again I would have bitten you’re hand off the reason why is because this has to be the hardest of the relay’s to win because most of the top teams have four very strong runner’s and only being 5k and the course not too difficult makes it more of a track runners course than a cross county race unless you make it 10k per leg which would suit me more any way to the race.

Turned up and was welcomed by Matt, Neilson, Draper and Coach Tony who was looking quite worried, first words he said to me is I don’t like being favourites, now that’s not us being cocky but we had a very strong team with four Internationals in the team that’s not bad going, but you are never given anything in life with out working hard for it and we knew this.

1^ST Leg Mark got us of to a solid start coming home in fourth in 15:01 which always helps to be near the front who was handing over to Matt Janes, Matt had a solid run but I know Matt was still tied from his marathon but he kept us right up there coming home in second place.

My leg now I am not afraid to admit that I was bricking it usually in these relays iam always chasing people which I prefer, with Norwich just ahead by 10 secs I set of in 2^nd place with Derby going of at the same time so we were chasing good  ,soon I started running I knew my legs were still tied from the Great South Run 10 miler and plus the last 3 previous races but I had to do what I could for the team and to keep us in with a shot of the title.

The first lap I had to sit on the Derby guy shoulder as I wasn’t feeling my normal self and I could see were catching the Norwich guy quite quickly,

We past him in the woods and we kept pushing all the way to the start/finish area, on to the 2^nd lap I started to push on into the woods and went away from the Derby guy and just kept working to get a nice gap for Neilson to defend ended of coming home with a 15 sec lead for Neilson, my time was 15:20 which I was happy with as the course was running slower by a good 10/15 secs and considering how crap I felt, if it was 10k a lap I would run better it is just to short for me.

Handed on to Neilson who was never going to throw away a lead and he didn’t   Neilson just had to keep going to bring the goods home which he did he had a very solid run of 15:13 well done Neilson.

Overall very happy to win this National title again still can’t believe it.

But I no one thing which I can say is that this team hurts for each other and wont let each other down I am very proud to be a part of this team which by the way all my team mates are from Bedfordshire which not many teams can say there runners are from there region of the club