Running race 39:56 [5] 11.54 km (3:28 / km)
shoes: Nike zoom XC spikes
Varsity Cross Country 2014.
Oxford Win 35 - 46
1st Alex Short; 2nd Lewis Lloyd; 3rd Jamie; 4th Will C; 5th Adam; 6th Miles U; 7th Kelvin Gomez; 8th Myself; 9th Will R-H; 10th Aidan; 11th Josh Carr; 12th Paddy Roddy; 13th Richard Ollington; 14th Miles C; 15th Phil Crout
Alex Milne DNF
Time tbc
Muddy start and worried about getting off the line, but settled well and managed to resist the urge to dive for the front over the bridge. Lost a bit of time on the water splash as caught at the back of a pack and slipped while getting out. Saw a pack of Cambridge going with only Adam for company and feared the worst. Jamie and Miles U got back on immediately though and Will C started to move back through. Followed the coat tails of the front group through the undulating part where my legs started to feel the initial pace a bit and sat just off the front group. Turned out to be a good tactic, catching a bunch of time on most on the corners as they were forced to slow. Reached the windmill for the first time in touch with the front group and realised my legs actually felt good. Quite a scramble through our first taste of the butts, everyone was slowing so I was now immersed in the front group and Miles U went down, I tried to haul him back up to his feet. Alex Milne then went down crossing the river, not exactly sure how, and I realised that was the luck we needed. Got right up to the front on the climb back up as everyone else was going back, though my legs felt it and I knew I just needed to get to the top. When it levelled out I backed off a little bit and the front runners went. Ended up in a bit of a gap just behind Kelvin Gomez, having no idea where everyone was behind me, terrified the Tabs (including Alex Milne) would come breathing down my neck. Was a bit lonely on the back end of the course and held back, worried about completely falling apart and holding back for the butts. Legs felt good though and seemed to be flying along, rest of the race went incredibly quickly, wished I'd given a bit more in the middle section as before I knew it I was at the top of the butts, with a just too large gap to Kelvin Gomez in front to close. Knew the victory was secured when I glimpsed back as we entered the butts and saw some Oxford shorts behind, unaware of how amazing the boys had packed in.
Amazing feeling, still hasn't suck in yet to lead Oxford to the first Varsity victory in 4 years against a strong Cambridge team.
Update: time - 39:56. Sub-40: nailed it, especially when it was so muddy. Nagging at me that I should have pushed just that bit harder to get Kelvin Gomez at the end but nevermind.