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December 2012
WYXC league round 4 : Thornes Park Wakefield
A much better encounter with XC this time around. Less of a slog and more of a well executed run. Well, it feels like that now at least. Whether it looked or felt like that at the time is another matter.
I had alot of niggles going into the race (hip, knee and foot) which made me wonder if I'd get around. But I guess all this is just part-and-parcel of running past 40. And somehow the body held together without too much creaking and groaning.
The weather was good (bright and breezy). The course was excellent and was pretty firm under foot most of the way around. The main waterlogged area was on a steep decent which can actually be an advantage because it enables you to dig your heels in and get a firmer footing than thin surface mud.
I think XC is possibly the best type of running for me. Fell races are appealling certainly. Largely because of the locations and the romantic idea of hauling yourself up and throwing yourself down hills. But the decents are something I never seem to do myself justice on. Work in progress.
Road running seems to suit me. I like the predictable rythm and not worrying about the risk of getting lost. And there are some great little races in out-of-the-way places. But the magnifying effect of the predictable footfall finds my weak points. And injury prevents me from running any longer than 6 months before the inevitable.
So we're left with XC. Off road and on a forgiving surface but nothing much technical going on. I guess trail races would also fit the bill.
The series is over and I completed 3 of the 4 races so make it into the final results. I'm not doing anything special,finishing in the middle of the pack. But if I look at my age-category positions (29th, 24th, 18th) there's definite progress being made through the series. And I'm not sure I can ask for any more than that at this stage.
The County (Yorkshire) XC championships are being held in early Jan near Ripon.So I'll probably make that my next goal. Now I've found my pain of choice I might as well enjoy it while I can.
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