This year's UK Inter Counties Cross Country was my worst running experience in several years and brought a career first- the first time I've started a race and not finished it. The back story may explain why.
Training for the race brought no concern. Unavoidable work commitments saw me miss Monday's training but, if anything, that served to freshen me up. Just over 8 miles at the club on Tuesday was fine, Wednesday's hill session went extremely well indeed and Thursday's 8 miles were smooth. An underlying problem manifested itself on Wednesday though when I started coughing and sniffing. My mum had been unwell as had my secretary at work so I caught it from one or the other or both. I was unable to travel with the team on Friday afternoon so flew to Birmingham that night after work which wasn't a problem. Apart from the cough, I felt okay. I even managed to get a T bone steak at the hotel.
Unfortunately I had an unsettled night's sleep on Friday and did not feel rested on waking on Saturday. While it was a chilly day, I started feeling unusually weak and shivery. Even wearing three layers, I felt cold. I filled myself with the hottest drinks possible at every opportunity- at breakfast, in my room and at Cofton Park an hour before my race. They had limited effect as did my inhalers. I walked a lap of the course which, while muddy, seemed fine and worked out a race strategy. I went through my usual stretch and stride routine and tried to get psyched. My legs were wobbly though. Something wasn't right. Regardless, I got stripped and toed the start line. There were only two of us for the West of Scotland in the race. I couldn't leave Sean Fontana in the pen on his own.
The race was around 12km comprising one short lap and three long laps. I tried to get into a groove, hoping adrenaline would help me through. My position wasn't the worst and one I felt could be improved on as we progressed. I kept coughing intermittently though. My breathing was laboured and out of control. Each lap ended with a long, gradual hill. I felt awful on the hill and staggered off the top into the next lap.
I then started to lose ground and runners were catching me. I was also starting to feel light headed. I was no longer racing but simply going through the motions. The Scottish Athletics tent was close to the base of the hill. With the group I was with pulling away, me feeling gradually worse and still coughing and dreading another three climbs up the hill and two long laps, I veered to the right, under the tape and off the course where I fell into a coughing fit. I momentarily considered resuming but I'd lost too many places and what did it matter now? All this said, I couldn't lose the feeling of letting people down. This was a new experience and a lonely one.
I'll spare the details of the journey home etc. Suffice to say, little happened to make me any happier. Sean however, had a fantastic race, finishing in the top 20. Similarly, the East of Scotland team took team bronze and Cambuslang's Ryan Thomson was in the West bronze medal team in the under 17 race. Two of our under 20 girls, Alex Lamond and Katie Bristow, also had great races, counting for the 11th placed West team.
At the time of writing, my focus is on rest and recuperation. I'll be training again before too long. Race wise, I'm waiting for April and a clean slate. What's done is done and can't be changed. Never run with a virus. I learnt the hard way.
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