So I just came back from a good altitude stint, I was in good shape, more precisely the best shape I’ve ever been in, so why had I only raced BUCS cross and the Inter-Counties. Well while I was in Kenya I was actually training for 3000m as I was intending to do a few indoor races. BUCS cross was always in the plan but that was meant to be my only race not on a track. However you may have heard that I was ill while racing BUCS which put me out of AAA’s indoors the weekend after. So I then tried to get into BUCS indoors (which was never in my plans so I never asked the uni to enter me in it) but the closing date to enter BUCS indoors was two days before BUCS cross. Knowing I was out of the AAA’s Indoors I looked into getting into BUCS indoors after the closing date. Unfortunately BUCS have a strict no late entry policy so I wasn’t allowed in that. So I was left with pretty much no races to run apart from the Inter-Counties. I couldn’t run the National Cross as I told Belgrave not to enter me in that either and again they don’t let anyone in late (but from the pictures not being entered seems like a blessing in disguise!). I was pretty frustrated as I knew I was in good shape and I’m certain I was in 3k PB shape but I never got the opportunity to show it. I still managed to run the Inter-Counties but I learnt a valuable lesson from that race, never try to run a 12k race off 3000m training, the two don’t mix very well.

From there I took a few days to recover and get over the horror that is 12k cross country. I did some running the first week after the race from Wednesday to Sunday but I had to stop again on last week Monday because I had some serious pain in my throat. I didn’t feel ill but when I swallowed (no doubt the immature readers are having a little chuckle at this) and drank it really hurt, but eating was fine. I thought my tonsils may be coming up or I already had tonsillitis so I went straight to the doctor for a diagnosis. He said my glands were a bit swollen and a bit of redness at the back of my throat but it was only mild. He said there’s definitely something in my system and it’s either going to come out over the next few days as tonsillitis or it will just disappear but at that moment there was nothing really wrong with me so there was no reason to prescribe me anything. He said just keep doing the standard things like drink plenty of fluids, have loads of rest and take paracetamol and see where that takes me.

Whatever it was it stayed in my system for a few days and I began running again last Thursday. I then turned out for a session on Saturday which went surprisingly well. I came out the other end of that ok and got out for a 70 min Sunday run. This was a bit of a slog over the last 20-25 minutes as it was the first time I ran close to and beyond an hour in three weeks. This week I’m back in normal training and if I stay healthy I should end the week by running at the Southern 12 stage.

Where do I go from here then? The relays are the first obvious obstacles and anyone who owns a Belgrave vest will be fighting to get in the National 12 Stage team. It is my intention to be in the team and doing my best for the club. After the catastrophe with those indoor races I’ve learnt to be more organised with my races so me and Steve have already laid out a preliminary summer race schedule. I’m not going to reveal it explicitly as it can be subject to change but I have intentions of running four 5000m races during this track season. I know people have been pestering me to do 5000m during the summer so hopefully this will make them happy. But I won’t be neglecting my speed and I’ll still stay in touch with 1500’s and maybe an 800 or two.  

I also have two more week s left at uni which involves handing in two assignments and sitting two tests so I’ll have plenty to do in between training. The main block of work is due in next week so there may not be an update until a few weekends time but if I get ahead of things I may be able to get one up earlier.

It’s been good catching up.

Peace,

Goolab xxx