A week of steady running only interrupted by the first track session of the year (minus 6 degrees and snowing!) culminated in the Cheshire County Cross Country Championships and one of the best events of the year at Knight's Grange in Winsford. Again in sub zero temperatures it was an early start to the day as my daughter ran in the Under 11's race and brought home a team bronze in her first county champs. A great result!
The senior men's championships is always the final race of the day and despite hundreds of feet usually churning up and softening the course, with the temperature never going above freezing the course ran very hard and fast (too fast for me!). Four laps of a gently undulating course took its toll but I knocked a couple of minutes off last years time over the seven miles of the race and the team took team bronze (although I was just outside the counters). This is a good indicator that I am at least as fit as this time last year. Something which is important to me as this year I will hit 50!
For cross country runners this is really now the sharp end (and best bit) of the season with the Northern and National championships to focus on plus the last round of the Manchester League where the team is fighting to stay up in the top division. I'm also looking forward to a local 5 mile road race in a couple of weeks where hopefully Phil from Runcast TV is going to race and bring his camera to record the event.
As everyone has started to list their running targets for the year (including the track coach!), next time I will commit to print my thoughts for the season and year ahead which will certainly help to bring some focus. As they say once it is in print, you are committed!
The senior men's championships is always the final race of the day and despite hundreds of feet usually churning up and softening the course, with the temperature never going above freezing the course ran very hard and fast (too fast for me!). Four laps of a gently undulating course took its toll but I knocked a couple of minutes off last years time over the seven miles of the race and the team took team bronze (although I was just outside the counters). This is a good indicator that I am at least as fit as this time last year. Something which is important to me as this year I will hit 50!
For cross country runners this is really now the sharp end (and best bit) of the season with the Northern and National championships to focus on plus the last round of the Manchester League where the team is fighting to stay up in the top division. I'm also looking forward to a local 5 mile road race in a couple of weeks where hopefully Phil from Runcast TV is going to race and bring his camera to record the event.
As everyone has started to list their running targets for the year (including the track coach!), next time I will commit to print my thoughts for the season and year ahead which will certainly help to bring some focus. As they say once it is in print, you are committed!
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