"Back over the Country"

After a week with a sore throat and chesty cough I was unsure whether to compete in the first cross country of the season last Saturday. Despite my better judgement I went for the "kill or cure" approach and joined the rest of the team.

Having made my excuses on the start line, for once I didn't take the usual approach recommended by my coach, that of off hard then relaxing into the race, as instead I relaxed from the start! Immediately I dropped off the pace of my key rivals but over the firm ground of Knight's Grange for once this really paid off ( a four lap 10k). I slowly started to pick off runners and with a strong last lap ended up over a minute ahead of a couple of my team mates at the finish (49.12). Maybe this is the best way to race cross country but it just isn't in my nature to hold back at the start!

The course whilst being predominantly flat had a couple of sharp climbs and luckily the photographer chose to capture us on the way downhill! I will let you guess which laps they were taken on!!

Weekly mileage 25. Annual mileage 992



































.