Training Log Archive: Frostbite

British Middle Champs, Leith Hill.

I was feeling quite good before I started, and I watched Evie take the win in W14 just before I went to the start which put a spring in my step. I was starting 2 minutes after Quentin but not really expecting to see him. I thought some of my navigation was a bit dodgy early on - number 1 I nearly got dragged away to the right by an elephant track and ended up fighting through holly bushes to reach the edge of the quarry, but lost little time. #2 I was confused by the quarry and then didn't really know where I was going into the control but guessed I was on the slope above it, dropped a level and there was the control. Lucky. I found 3 and 4 ok but couldn't find my way out of 4, and ended up diverting a long way round the green stuff to find my way onto the track, but then I spiked the control and ended up 3rd on the leg. 6 was good, then on the way to 7 I caught sight of Quentin ahead of me. I was running along about 20 seconds behind him, unable to catch him and occasionally losing sight of him. Leaving 9 I confused myself with which path was which and turned the wrong way, losing 10 seconds or so which meant Quentin was now out of sight. He reappeared at 12, coming into it from the wrong direction as I was punching. We were then pretty much together until 17 where he pulled away a bit, then left me behind completely on the hill to 18. I just told myself to keep it going to the finish, spiked 19 and 20, dithered a few seconds on 21 then hit the right spot on the gully for 22. Quentin reappeared here, coming up the gully from off to the right, and punched just ahead of me. From there I was doing my best sprint finish for the last control and the run-in.

I knew I had beaten Quentin, but I quite pleased to also beat Charlie by about 22 seconds, and Clive who I had overtaken somewhere while he went wandering.

Having re-read the details I now know that I was not seeded on M45, and the seeded group were all starting after me. So I just had to wait for them all to finish. I missed Rich Barrett finishing because I was in the burger queue and couldn't quite hear the commentary but he was 40 seconds behind me. James lost 7 minutes searching for a dropped dibber, but I had been over two minutes ahead of him before he dropped it. He found it again and fnished 8 minutes down. Laurence Townley was 3rd, 4 minutes down.

Nice.

C • Nice indeed 9

British Sprint champs qualifier, London Olympic Park. I was never intending to try too hard at this, but I was feeling pretty ropey anyway. Struggled to get myself going, plodded round, and managed not to get disqualified at the controversial path end in olive green control. Safely not in the A final, job done. Hot and humid. Quite a boring course, particularly the first part going squarely around blocks of flats.

British Sprint Champs B-final, London Olympic Park. In contrast to the morning it was pouring down and a bit unpleasant, and I felt much better for it. The course was more interesting with some slightly complicated multi-level trickery but I wasn't running fast enough to get caught out. I could see that Nick Howlett was gradually catching me (from 1 minute behind) and did just enough to stay in front to the finish. We ended up 1st and 2nd on the B final, which surprised me.

Meanwood Sprint course.

Seven Arches, easyish. Hot and sticky.