Today was the final round of the Chiltern League cross country and my club was in a strong position to do something that they’d never done before – stay up in Division 1 for a second consecutive season. The turnout to make sure this happened was fantastic with more people than ever coming along.

This was my first race of the year and I prepared well by eating my own body weight in bacon, sausage and eggs for lunch. Okay so I wobbled and plodded around the ice and snow covered fields and felt like vomiting every step of the way but at least I was warm. And smelled vaguely of bacon. (Note to self: have a single banana before the next race. Preferably three hours before the start.) It was such a schoolboy error and I should have known better but I hadn’t really got my head around the fact that I was racing but it happened and it didn’t kill me.

Despite my bloatedness, the race went okay from the point of view that I got around and I was reasonably happy with the time. The course was 6.18 miles by my Garmin and it took me a little over 48 minutes (with the first 5 miles being run in 39:10 which I was happy with). The course in Wing was three laps (one short, two long) of some fields. The ground was hard and rutted and I’ll be honest that I didn’t push it hard because I was terrified of putting my ankle over – I could feel it aching a little anyway – especially this close before the big race coming up. But the course was one that MC Escher would have been proud of as I’m sure he was inspired to draw a picture of impossible stairs that only ever go up! Every slope seemed to be a climb. Okay, I know really that there was a steep descent from the start but the rest of the course seemed to climb interminably. Or maybe that was my lunch.

Still, a nice bright sunny day out and a cold, brisk chill in the air livened up the occasion. The ladies and gents from the club did a sterling job and we were safe from relegation by a 1000 points. Now I know what’s in store, I’m looking forward to next year.