Why does it always take until the last cross country race of the season until I decide I actually quite like it? Well, yes, probably because I know it’s the last one … Saturday saw the Surrey League women running around a freezing Richmond Park course. My team secured promotion back into the first division, while over in, err, slightly-less-scenic Lloyd Park, the men’s team came third to steer clear of relegation. Great results all round for the Windmilers.
Having decided to race it properly (I’m usually a bit lame with XC and give myself all sorts of excuses) I did feel a little heavy legged yesterday, which made the 21 mile marathon training run seem even more tortuous than the first 20-plus-miler of the plan usually does. Still, I did it, the miles are in the legs and that’s what counts.
Those who are clocking up the marathon miles – do you always plot your route before you set off, or do you ad lib it? Usually I do the former, but flooding on the Thames meant that I wanted to avoid yet more mud. I had grand plans of discovering new bits of London, perhaps even running through the centre, but the first time I hit a busy(ish) pavement I bailed on that idea and ended up retreading the same old streets. Ah well, at least they are flat …
So as always, share your own weekend exploits and triumphs. I know of at least one PB from a BLT regular – well done Pete, fantastic half marathon PB! – thanks to the Guardian Strava running blog group. Do join it if you haven’t already.
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