Off-road running race 52:03 [5] 7.5 mi (6:56 / mi)
shoes: Integrator 4
Well, it took me 30 years to run the National after my last one at Milton Keynes in 1985 (as a Junior and having done a mile reps session in the morning!)... Should have done one at my peak, but hey ho. It was a brutal sludge-fest today - wore my O shoes but even they struggled to get good grip. I felt I started very comfortably but was surprised to get passed by Gordon Irvine after 5 mins or so; tried to keep tabs on him but was struggling badly in the mud. Lacked strength or any kind of rhythm & just went back, back, back. Finally to started feeling fine in last 1K (which could have been as much mental as physical. 748th. Gordon got top 500 and that has to be the aim for 2016.