National Cross Country Championships

My last blog was written two days before this race, and the subject was that I needed to pay more attention to my lifestyle.  I'd come down with a horrendous cold on Monday and I knew that I only had myself to blame after subjecting myself to an appalling sleeping routine at the end of last week. 

I made sure I looked after myself this week with a regular amount of good quality sleep and healthy eating.  But the cold got worse and worse throughout the week with Thursday being the worst - my eyes were bloodshot, my head was so bunged up and my legs felt heavy when I tried to run.  I did keep training as usual but my Tuesday session was poor and my Wednesday steady 15 miler was hard work.

I went to bed on Friday night having spent an hour constantly blowing my nose, eventually conceding it was just a repetitive cycle.  I woke on race day, spent another hour blowing my nose.  Should I really be racing today?  Not running was not an option.  This would be my 14th National in a row and I want to keep that streak going.  I will be going out for a run today so let's head down there and just run.

There were rumours of a delayed start time, but it was also suggested the meeting was getting back on schedule so as usual I warmed up 45mins before the advertised start time of 3pm.  The whole venue was just caked in thick gloopy mud so I warmed up on the road.  I wrapped up with an extra layer on top and bottom and warmed up a bit quicker than I normally might.  I got back to the tent at 2:40pm and threw my spikes on.  I always take an energy gel before I race but I decided to take two because I was worried that I had felt so weak and lethargic all week.

I could see the start line at 2:50pm and there wasn't much activity so I took my time getting my race kit on and at 3pm, I ventured outside for some strides.  This was very difficult as there wasn't any grass anywhere it was just gloopy mud everywhere you looked.  I walked about 150 metres and found a 100m stretch of land I could do something that resembled a stride out but they weren't quick.

I was on the line with 5mins to spare and before I knew it, we were off!  There really is nothing like the start of the senior mens National, over 1000 bodies stampeding in a herd, the ground shaking and an intermittent sound, thud, thud, thud, thud...

I had a lot of respect for this course having tried to mix it with Andy Vernon and Keith Gerrard here last time and blowing up awfully on the last lap dropping from a top 20 place to a final finish of 27th.  Given my illness and the conditions today, I decided to set off conservatively, after 300m, I noticed I had Gareth Raven alongside me who notoriously starts steadily and attains a top 20 finish so I knew that even though I felt so easy, I hadn't gone off too easily.

As expected we picked quite a few places up over the next few hundred metres but I was feeling very good, so picked up a little bit and moved away from Gareth slightly.  I've seen a video taken halfway round the small lap (we ran one small and two large laps) and I counted myself through in 49th.

I continued to feel good and was concentrating on running tall and running strong.  I'd seen a video of me running at the Northerns and it didn't look efficient so I was consciously trying to run a bit more energy efficiently.  I was moving through and started to go past a few more people who had beaten me in the Northerns: Kimpton, O'Gorman, Heyes.  Then a few names started to appear in my line of vision.  Ben Tickner, Luke Gunn, James Wilkinson, Matt O'Dowd.  The more people I overtook, I would turn the screw ever so slightly, still a little worried about completely crashing with the illness still lingering.

I was now into the top 20.  My best ever finish was 18th and I started to think in terms of that.  Another couple of places needed!  We were now into the last lap, I was working harder but still felt great and there was a line of runners ahead for me to go at.  I went past all four guys mentioned above and set about the next little group of Andy Wiles, Jonny Gilby and Phil Hinch.  We didn't have far to go but these guys were in 12th, 13th and 14th and I was feeling good enough to have a crack at them.  I caught them and then we were stride for stride up the hill for the last time, I'm not renowned for my finish speed but had been strong enough to move away from Simon Deakin in the last 100m of the Northerns.  I wanted to get away early.  Thinking we had a mile to run, we were directed to our left, I asked how far and was told 400m.  Christ!  I responded "oh right then", and quickly changed pace.  I wanted the other guys to know I felt good enough to do that and there was little response.  It was head down time, skating through the water, i couldnt see the finish!  Had I been misinformed?  Just keep working!  Eventually it came, I kept on working to the line and comfortably maintained my position.  12th!  I couldn't believe it.  I've been 10th in the Inter Counties before and often thought I should have matched that in the National but it's nice to finally do myself justice in a National.  And I really didn't expect to run well today which makes it even more sweeter. 

Interestingly, I ran with my GPS watch and I averaged 6:01 per mile!  The distance was 6.18 miles so not even 10k in distance, but I was out for over 37mins, this really was true cross country!  Compare that to the Euro Trials race at Liverpool where I averaged 5:03 per mile and finished 38th, it's clear that the nature of the course can have a massive bearing on the results!

1 00:35:11 Steve Vernon - Stockport Harriers & AC
2 00:35:32 Micheal Skinner - Blackheath & Bromley Harriers
3 00:35:59 Tom Lancashire - Bolton United Harriers
4 00:36:10 James Walsh - Leeds City AC
5 00:36:17 Jon Pepper - Enfield & Haringey AC
6 00:36:24 Bruce Reaside - Notts AC
7 00:36:25 Phil Wicks - Belgrave Harriers
8 0:36:36 Ben Noad - Highgate Harriers
9 00:36:39 Paul Rodgers - Aldershot Farnham & District
10 00:36:45 Neilson Hall - Bedford & County AC
11 00:36:47 Chris Smith - Thames Valley Harriers
12 00:37:07 Dave Norman - Altrincham
13 00:37:09 Phil Hinch - Tipton Harriers
14 00:37:10 Jonathan Gilby - Derby AC
15 00:37:12 Andrew Wiles - New Marske Harriers
16 00:37:19 Robbie Bugden - Bristol & West
17 00:37:20 Phil Wylie - Bristol & West
18 00:37:25 Josh Lilly - Tipton Harriers
19 00:37:29 Tom Russell - Bristol & West
20 00:37:39 Matthew Janes - Bedford & County AC
21 00:37:41 James Wilkinson - Leeds City AC
22 00:37:41 Gareth Raven - Sale Harriers Manchester
23 00:37:42 Rich Kay - Tipton Harriers
24 00:37:43 Matt O'Dowd - Notts AC
25 00:37:43 Simon Deakin - Leeds City AC