Add another x-country for good measure

Overtaking during the second lap

The Perch - an odd title for a race. It's an old land measurement of 5.5 Yards and 2,000 makes the unique distance of 6.25 miles or 10.05 kilometres.
Previously held on the Epsom Downs, it was moved to Nonsuch Park in Cheam instead. Believe it or not, they managed to find every single mud track in the park. With all those paved roads available, the organisers turned into another bl***y x-country race!!!!!
Never mind, I stuck to it and to be fair it felt much much easier than the day before and I started overtaking people on my second lap, mostly on the uphill. So whilst I'm not fast, I seem to be building up stamina and endurance which is really what the training is all about.

Going for the finish (not looks)

So I was mightily pleased with myself when I managed  to beat a couple more runners to the finish line - as you can see by the look of concentration I gave it my all (that was left that is).

Timing - again about 2 mins slower than 3 years ago. But, glass half full mode - I did race a similar distance the day before and this was pure cross country whilst the previous Perch had quite a bit of road running thrown in.
Satisfied and achy I went home and spend the remainder of the day recovering ...

Double x-country whammy this weekend - Take 1

For some strange reason I had committed to 2 different races not quite realising that they were both on the same weekend...so much for careful planning. So this weekend was tough:
First the embarrasing performance with RPAC at the Surrey X-Country fixture. Having said yes back in Novemeber I felt dutybound to turn up. Good news is, only the first 4 in the team count towards the league and I could not bring down the team through my non-performance. Bad news - it was a true x-country race - all 5 miles of it!!! The heavens had obliged by sending lots of rain the days before so there was mud, mud and more mud. The spikes arrived the day after the race and it was all very very painful.

But, as I'm determined to be a glass half full person in 2011 - I did not come last (managed to overtake someone on the last 500 m - thank god) and I did not walk (my personal objective for that race).

Needless to say I went home rather muddy and beaten...

Tempo run

Training run with RPAC - not long, just 4.23 miles (0:33:34) but it was a tempo run for me at 7.5 min/mile. Shall not get disheartened by the fact that vertually everybody keeps overtaking me.
Seem to have eaten something dodgy last weekend - as not feeling well. Turns out that Hanna and Sarah suffering the same - nothing major but just not quite right...

Like a dolphin

went down to Dorking Swimming Club again. Whilst I'm not amazingly fast (in fact I try and keep at the back so as to not slow people down), it is still quite enjoyable. It is surprisingly hard work though - this will definitely do wonders for my lung capacity. It is amazing how hot and out of breath you can get in a pool - managed to get through 1pt of water during training...