Welcome back!

I've got a bit of catching up to do, cause it's been a while since my last post.

On Saturday 6th January, it was the Yorkshire XC champs over at Skipton's Airevale park. It had been a long while since I was really tested in a race. This was the one.
Skipton AC had designed a proper XC course for the champs. It was a testing course with nine ascents in the mens race over 11k. It was a three quarter lap, then two large ones to finish off.

The front end quality was high again. I noticed the inform pairing of Leeds City's of David Webb and West Yorks XC champion Martin Hilton. I rarely see or hear much of David Webb in races. Martin was unsure about his form after a recent cold.
Huddersfield's Glen Comish (Sale) was also a pre-race favourite, because of his fast 10k road races. I remember meeting Glen at a the Burton Leonard 10k back in 98 for the first time. I beat him that day into first after my shoe laces coming undone after running through deep water during the race.
John Henegan (P&B) won the Yorks XC championship at the same venue back in 2005 I believe. I was in India at the time doing a marathon for GB.
Knavemire's Kim Critchley although not as dominent as he was 10 year's ago cause he's trains more on the bike now. A very nice person to know. He isn't elitest in anyway, and is also a friend of Jamil's through racing. Kim claims he doesn't do the quality training anymore. I find that hard to believe.

The race started off surprisingly quick considering the nature of the course. I remember feeling sluggish right from the start. The eventual first six in were leading the charge. I had people coming back and forth. My 12mm spike's were not proving their worth on the muddy camber's.
From early on it was Kim, myself and Leeds City's Mike Burret who was having a fine run. He must have felt very confident running with us two. Plus he had a great West Yorkshire XC season before Christmas.
I had the endurance in me from my marathon training, but I was lacking a controlled fast pace. It was so up and down. Maybe I should have done the Ribble 10k the week before as a sharpener. It worked for Jamil who was also having a very fine run to finish 18th in the end. But Dennis Quinlan talked me out of doing it.
Going into the second lap I felt I was running on empty. I wanted to shake these two off and go after John Henegan and Glen Comish. It didn't happen.
Going into the third lap, I felt a change was coming. I began to get more energy back. I was feeling more upright and not as tense in my body. Finally I shook those two off.
Chasing after John down to the play ground did help me close the gap on him and Glen. Going up through the woods, I caught a tree root and went over, which took the wind out of me a little. This mistake did help the gap between 4th and 5th place increase after coming out of the woods and along towards the finish. I wasn't aware of Kim closing on me towards the finish.
Still, it was a great race for us all and those who watched. David Webb deserved his victory that day. Poor Martin has once again just missed out with coming in second again. Will he ever be champ?
A great planned course by Skipton AC. It's what a XC should be like.


Day after that. I raced for my 2nd claim club, Idle AC. The third Winter League race was held over at Oakwell Museum near Birstall. It was another exciting course planned by Dewsbury RR. It looked complicated on their site map. I had to go early to familiarise myself with it.
I used my new Innovate Mudclaw 370's. They were great in the heavy mud.
These Winter League races despite the easier standard are much more fun to run with their well thought out races.
My brother David was there to take pictures of myself and a few other's in the race.

After a slight down hill start and loop around the field, I was in a good lead over a future league champion Ben Mounsey from Greetland. I felt totally relaxed from the start. After the first loop, I then just settled down into a controlled tempo. There are no time recording's in these, so there is no need to blast it. It was a lovely day and I was enjoying the run out.
Idle AC had a good team performance that day, and moved up from 5th to 4th place. The top three big clubs are too far in front now to catch. I'm hoping we can keep the 4th position until the end.

With a week to go Mumbai marathon. I decided to take part in our club handicap up at North Rigton. I haven't done this one in a long while, so I was keen to do it. Only this time I was wearing extra clothing for marathon purposes.
It was nice to see Josie Hodgetts there aswell. Josie in here own word's, is in hardcore training for her first London Marathon. I predict she will do well on her debut marathon. I am watching over her progress and giving her advice on preparation.

Once again I was last off after Andy Robertshaw. This can be a windy race to do. Once again on this exposed circuit, the Beckwithshaw towards Leathley road was head-on wind.
I set off 3 minutes after Andy Robertshaw, and I didn't see anyone until halfway around. That person was Ultraman Chris Carver who ran there from Otley.
Turning off the main B-road onto thethe unclassed road towards North Rigton, I was beginning to see the rest off the club infront. This does help to wake things up a bit for me.
From two miles out, I began to reel them in. My targets were Andy Robershaw and Zac Whitehead who is turning into very good runner. Targets were reached, and then it was into the village where I saw Mick Jeffrey and Josie. Mick looked around and spotted me and went for the line. I was unaware that these two were the leader's until I noticed no runner's at the finish. Mick got it in the end. Then myself, and Josie finished in a superb 3rd place.
I finished on this undulating 10k course with 32.23. A pleasing time. We then popped into the village pub for a pint or two afterwards.