Training Log Archive: Rich

County X country Champs @ Shipley Park

Strange race. Very muddy and a proper X Country race. Struggled for traction in 6mm spikes from the start but made up places when we hit the 400m track section ~200m in. Just after 1km though we hit a particularly muddy section and I felt like I was barely moving and streams of runners went by. Got into a small pack where the pattern emerged of me streaking ahead on the small track sections (~500m on each of the 3 laps) and then steadily falling behind on the rest.

With half a lap to go I did system check to see how I felt to push for a sprint finish and realised that I was running well within myself and there was plenty left - hard to tell with no HRM but I doubt I was even close to T. Pushhed on from there and soon pulled away from the group and slowly closing on runners in front though not enough to catch them in the end. Second reserve for inter counties.

Not sure whether it was inefficiency running in the mud or whether only having short spikes (most were wearing 9/12mm) made such a difference but results suggest I was at least 1min or so behind where I would expect to be. I guess lack of experience in running this kind of X Country race was also telling.