Running race 20:01 [5] 2.9 mi (6:54 / mi) +55m 6:31 / mi
British Sprint Champs Final - 15th - 20.01
I knew this would prove more difficult than the morning, but thought top 10 was a good aim.
In the end I was 90s off, a nice clean run would have done it, but wasn't to be.
My legs were struggling from about 7-8 mins in, and by the end moving fast was proving really tough.
Course wise:
1-2 Went at it from the SW, but turns out this was kissing gate which slowed me down. Better from the SE. Not impressed the kissing gates weren't mapped, as a bit of a lottery which crossing point you chose, though not sure how this would have been done to be fair
2-3 Back through kissing gate, slight hesitation en route.
3-4 Tried to exit N as hadn't spotted olive green, had to backtrack
4-5-6 fine
7 - Big problems, really lost what I was looking for and reached gate with the water either side. Had to stop and relocate and then go back. For some reason I had a nagging thought the control was to the south of the path/fence, can't explain why I thought this.
Then I was having a neck and neck battle with one of the girls to 8, and as we zigzagged up to 9
I wonder how many people came back W out of 8 and along the top to 9? Would have been a lot quicker
Down steps to 10 rather than zigzagged, along to 11, fine.
More problems to 12, at 3nd path junction had to stop and check if it was L or R, then headed N of the circle and realised couldn't get down to control. Had to go back round W. In the meantime had been caught by minute man who was coming out of 12 as I went in.
Followed him and lady from earlier to 13 as then went E from 12, but I think in hindsight W was quicker?
Got a tow to 14 from both of them, in terms of leg speed even with no map I would have been struggling to keep up, but I still struggle with following people and like to keep in touch with the map. Probably should have been more ruthless and tried my best to keep up.
15, 16, 17, 18 were straightforward anyway, and I was caught by Shminty as well in this section who was really moving. Lost sight of him into 19 and even on reaching the control under my old steam had to stop and check I was at the right control.
Took the path route to 21 as there was now no one in sight and had to get back planning ahead. Made the decision to go back over the bridge to 22 which I felt would be flatter and so it proved.
Biggest error to 23, missed the path going north and wandered on the right line towards the control but hit the thick undergrowth and kept moving west looking for the tiny mapped gaps but couldn't see them and before I knew it I was at the N-S path to the W of the control. Compounded the error by accessing the control from the S rather than the path from the W.
24 stuck to the paths, never crossed my mind to cut across.
25 & 26 straightforward
Went east to 27, clearly a 50-50 but felt less climb to the East?
Finally 28-29, had overheard a couple of people say going round was slower, so gritted my teeth and slogged up the hill, thanks to Joe and Tony for their shouts, and ground it out home while my legs kept moaning.
Lost at least 30s to 12
45s to 23
Overal, could and should have done better, but a enjoyable experience. Probably would have taken 15th beforehand but the opportunity to come top 10 was there.
I won't be entering M35 next year!
And hopefully will be a bit fitter too.