Scottish Inter District Cross Country Championships, 10th January 2015

With selection for the West team coming my way after the District Cross Country, the Inter District Cross Country became the first of my two primary targets this winter, the Armagh 5km Road Race on 19th February being the other. Training through December then the festive period was as good as I've produced in some time. At one point, I strung together 11 consecutive days until I took a day off on New Years Eve. This streak included the most pressure bearing run of the lot, a brisk 4 miles on Christmas morning before anyone got up. If you meet my Mum, you will know what I'm talking about.

 

Adding in the encouraging performance at Kilbirnie on 2nd January, I felt quietly hopeful of a reasonable result in Edinburgh. Unfortunately, the weather on the day was horrendous with intermittent torrential rain, snow and hailstone storms. On such days, Holyrood Park is a dreadfully exposed venue. Unless you were considered an elite athlete, the shelter on offer was woefully inadequate. I saw many a distressed athlete. Scottish Athletics take note. If we're to be invited to BUPA's big Edinburgh party every year, look after us. Don't treat us like extras at a wedding. Stripping down to a vest and shorts and tying shoes in a galeforce wind and rain isn't pleasant.

 

The senior women got the worst of the conditions but it had cleared up slightly for us. The wind hadn't dropped though. An added dimension this year was the presence of North of England teams. Knowing the initial turn was to the right, I took up position on that side and sought a clear run from the off. I got away well, trying to avoid being boxed.

 

Then one of the worst possible things happened. I felt my right heel get clipped from behind. It can happen in a congested field. I can live with that. What I wasn't prepared for was the contact leaving my heel sticking out my shoe. I took a few strides but couldn't get it back in. I had only turned the first corner. Realising I wouldn't be able to rectify the situation without stopping to adjust my shoe, I let out a loud protest which included a four letter word beginning with f. I pulled over hoping to fix my shoe in short order but my gloves proved a hindrance. I was now beside myself with rage, churning out more expletives, as the entire field pulled away from me. Finally, I was sorted and, in a split second decision, I decided not to turn back in the huff but to give chase despite now being last by at least 50m with the leaders well gone.

 

It took me until over halfway through the first of the 4 laps to pass anyone. Going into the second loop, I probably still lay 3rd or 4th from last. At the points of the course when you can see the runners ahead of you, I was infuriated. Racing in a bad mood isn't pleasant. The wind at one part of the course also proved a hindrance. I attempted at various points to make people aware of what had occurred without losing focus on what I was doing. I finally finished the 8km in a blazingly angry 32nd place from 55 finishers with a time of 29:45. Such were my feelings on the whole day (pre-race soaking then the race itself), I left without watching any of the elite races, simply jogging back to Edinburgh Castle, where I'd parked my car, to head home, stopping at Harthill services for a late lunch. You can probably sense I'm still very angry as I write this. I apologise for the rant but needs must sometimes. It's therapeutic. This was a missed opportunity.

 

Above: racing in a bad mood. Photo courtesy of Alan Ramage.

 

Race results can be found here.