"Running HIGHlights"

The title of this post may be a bit misleading. For the first time this year the running went off the rails this week and the Bosley Cloud Hill Race I was hoping to run this morning was given a miss. After the efforts of last weeks English National XC race, a short recovery run on Monday signalled that everything wasn't quite right, and by Tuesday morning I had the first real head cold of the winter which then went onto my chest. For once I listened to my body and had five days off only going out for a VERY easy 50 minute run in the Spring sun this afternoon.

Whilst out on the run today I tried to think positively (as opposed to what a great race I had missed out on this morning!) and started to think about what have been the running "highs" in my career. After over twenty years of running and racing there have been many memories but in the space of one run there were only a few that really jumped out without too much effort, so here they are, the top 10 -

1. Finishing my one and only marathon at London in the mid 1990s in 3.14.21 (and vowing and meaning never to do it again!)

2. Being chosen to carry the baton (representing Macclesfield Harriers & AC) as part of the baton relay around the United Kingdom before the start of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester

3. Running a sub 4 minute mile as part of a 4x400 relay squad to celebrate Roger Bannister's first sub four minute mile.

4. Achieving a club vet high jump record of 1m 42 in 2006

5. Everytime I line up to run the English National Cross Country Championships particularly when it is run at the home of XC, Parliament Hill fields on London's Hampstead Heath

6. Cheering my son home to second place when he was 10 in the local inter schools cross country championship

7. Cheering my daughter every time she runs (because she has a running style and ability that I can only dream about) but I won't tell her this just yet!

8. Completing any tough track session on a Tuesday night when the coach says "well done"

9. Competing (and finishing) the World Masters Mountain Running Championships when they came to Keswick in the UK in 2005

10.Finishing the "Tour of Tameside" in one piece in the early 90's (pictured above). Regarded at the time as the toughest test in British athletics, organised by the legendary Ron Hill and featuring a double marathon distance covering six races in seven days.

Next week will be another base training week as I build up to a visit to the Stafford Half Marathon and hopefully a run with Nigel from "Running from the Reaper"