Red faced but happy.........

Training is still going very well. I highly recommend having a plan and sticking to it. My three nights of training with club, additional run/walk at Bradford parkrun on Saturdays, topped off with the odd race on Sundays seems to be keeping me on an even keel. Of course the all important cross training must be having a positive effect too. Nothing strenuous needed here, the Wii yoga seems to be providing the balance I have needed for some time. Nicely rounded off with my regular massage (Peter May's Runners Rub) and ice and compression!

I was very nearly tempted to sign up for the next round of Airedale Athletics training courses but managed to 'turn a blind eye' to the application form when it arrived in my email inbox in favour of not over doing things now that I seem to have regained control over my Achilles tendon, I could quite literally have thrown in the towel and hung up my trainers not that many months ago. I did think at times that I wasn't going to regain the ability to get back to full training. Patience, I am pleased to say seems to have paid off. Fingers crossed!

Ever had that feeling during a race that you're going 'hell for leather' but it turns out you weren't really? That was me yesterday at the penultimate cross country race of this year's Peco League. Although there were times when I slowed to snails pace due to accumulating half a stone of clay like mud on each shoe, I really felt I had given it my all. I can still feel the excitement I felt as I approached the water jump and a few ladies were hesitating about getting over, a marshal perched at each side trying to catch those who faltered, I made a split decision to negotiate it from the opposite end, leapt with all my might, I then realised I was at the wider end of the ditch which was probably the reason for the congestion at the narrower end, SPLASH, one foot went into the water and down on all fours I went, the marshal was dithering as if he didn't know whether to grab me or not, I made the decision for him and bid a hasty retreat up the banking and carried on. My red face didn't last for long as I encountered the next batch of slippery mud and my attention was once more focused on staying on my feet.
When I crossed the finish line I was handed number 91, number 91 I thought? Handing it to Mick to enter on our sheet he said 'shall we use it the other way up?', 16 was what I felt I deserved for effort, so I'll forget what's on the score sheet, I'll take 16 in my fantasy league, if only for ending up on all fours at the water jump!

Outward bound at the Peco XC