Manchester Cross Country League

I wasn't sure whether to run this race.  I'd only been back running 10 days after my injury layoff and hadn't done anything hard until that week when I did a 6 mile tempo on Tuesday and 10x400m on Thursday in 68s. 

I knew that a placing in the first few would secure me the overall league title for the second year in a row which might not seem a big thing, but in a year without PBs that has been blighted with injury and disappointment anything tangible is worthwhile.  I also wanted to test my fitness to see where I was at.  This may not be pretty!  I haven't dared weigh myself after being out of action over Christmas and had been feelin horrendous throughout the whole of New Years Day!  Not as a result of too much alcohol as by the time midnight struck, I was stone cold sober.  But more than two litres of Monster Energy and Redbull caffeinated energy drinks throughout New Years Eve had seen my body crash in the following 24 hours!

I still felt groggy on race day and didn't wake up until 10:30am.  Even then it was a struggle to get out of bed.  I had no food in the house after being away for New Year and had to resort to a couple of 'bake in the oven' baguettes which I had stashed away for emergency.  Not the ideal breakfast but hey ho...

On arrival, I spotted Gareth Raven who I knew was in very good shape from his month in Kenya on the UK:A camp.  He hadn't had the chance to capitalise on that training as he had a cold at Liverpool and races since had fallen foul to the weather.  Then the usual suspects from Trafford AC, Sale Harriers, Salford Harriers, Stockport Harriers and Altrincham were all there.  Anything could happen today.  I would just be happy to finish high enough to wrap up the league.  All being well I want to crack on with some marathon training now and the last league cross country match doesnt really fit in with that!

The course is an interesting one.  200m on the flat before a 400m very fast downhill swoop onto some playing fields.  I remember last year the first mile being absolutely rapid and I got caught out, being left way down the field on the first lap.  Before going on to win by over a minute.  This must have stuck in my mind as when the gun went, I went out pretty hard, with all respect for the time off I'd had going out of the window.  I was going to run this race hard and see where I was at.

As we began the long downhill, two Trafford runners Ian Salisbury and Owen Greene had stormed off, clearly wanting to take advantage of the fast start to gain an early advantage over the rest.  I was settled in behind them but their descending speed was crazy and I stayed in 3rd place throughout the downhill as they stretched away side by side.  As we hit the fields at the bottom of the course, I put my foot down in a bid to close the gap.  As I made my way onto their shoulders, Raven inevitably came alongside me.  I'd already made it a hard race for myself with a fast start and now it was going to get harder.

We started the brutal climb through the woods up to the running track.  Bear in mind they are using this park for the British trials for the World Mountain Running Championships this year that gives you some idea of the severity of the hills.  I just concentrated on Gaz and I felt us pulling away from the exuberant Trafford duo.  The rest of the field were some way back with just a mile on the clock (the first mile incidentally was 5:04).  It was starting to get hard towards the top of the hill but some encouragement from the crowd "don't let him go" and I made sure I stayed with him, if I could get to the downhill with him, there would be a chance to recuperate.  Over the second lap, we continued to extend our advantage over the rest and as I got into a rhythm, it was getting easier and I started to wonder whether I might be in with a chance here.  I wasn't expecting to be running as well as this so soon after my layoff.  The hill was much the same as the first lap - challenging towards the top but I managed to just about stay in touch and as we went around the back of the track and past the starting area, there was a small gap - maybe only 5 metres but I wasn't able to close it. 

Starting the final lap seemed to galvanise Gaz and he visibly moved up a gear.  With the downhill pending, I moved up a gear myself but it wasn't enough, as we began the long sweeping downhill, we were now 10 metres apart.  This extended slightly further on the downhill, but then I got it back down to 10 metres on the first football field.  With a mile to go, I was still in with a shout, and loving it!  There was no danger from behind - all I needed to do was finish and I had successfully defended my overall league title.

With no danger from behind, I gave it one last push to try to get back to Gaz before the hill.  Unfortunately, he was pushing harder and harder with every step himself and as we started the final climb, the gap was up to 80 metres.  Not huge but he was going away with every stride.  The last hill really found my lack of race fitness out and I paid a little bit for my earlier efforts, with a laboured sluggish climb to the track.  Gaz was now out of sight.  I continued to push but I was fatigued and the finish couldnt come soon enough.  The gap really widened considering we were together with a mile to go - the final margin was 38secs.  This didn't surprise me - I'd seen that I had averaged 6:32 per mile pace for the final mile whereas the second mile of the first two laps were more like 5:50 pace.

Overall, really pleased to have held Gaz for 80% of the race and to have won the league title again!  When Gaz got away, he really extended the gap quite quickly but that's partly the way Gaz races and partly me not being totally race fit and the nature of the last mile of the course.  I was surprised to see that my time margin over most of the regulars in the top 10 was actually bigger than it had been all season so I don't think I have lost that much fitness at all - a couple more sessions and some hill work and I think my race fitness will be pretty good.

Results: 

       1  231  Gareth Raven                 Sale H Manchester                 32:28
       2  138  David Norman                 Altrincham & Distict AC           33:06
       3  561  Owen Greene                  Trafford AC                       33:58
       4  306  Damian Nicholls              Wilmslow RC                       34:03
       5  193  James Bailey                 Sale H Manchester                 34:32
       6  271  Jack Morris          U20   1 Stockport H&ac                    34:44
       7  544  Stuart Doyle                 Vale Royal AC                     34:49
       8  473  Ian Salisbury                Trafford AC                       34:54
       9  524  Gavin Tomlinson              Trafford AC                       34:56
      10   42  Robert Hughes                Salford H&ac                      35:12