Evening.

I'm enjoying the racing at the moment even though I'm not going too great, so I thought I might as well turn up for the latest Harrogate Evening League Race at Harrogate hosted by Nidd Valley. I didn't expect to be running a near 5 mile cross country race but at the end of the day I'm sure it can only help toughen me up come my next road race. Jon Orange from Richmond didn't hang about and within a few strides we were well upto speed then his young team mate Marcus Scott took to the front. I felt the speed was not fast enough so I took over the lead myself and it didn't take long before me and Scott were away by ourselves. The going was good for off road terrain as it was bone dry, and for three miles everything was ok, I was not going too hard and felt the pace I was running was about spot on just in case I needed to respond to any attacks. By three and half miles at a guess I suddenly started to suffer and it this point Scott continued with the pace and pressed on ahead. There was no way I was going to get back into a position to battle so it became a battle of damage limitation to the finish. Scott won the race with me 2nd 30 seconds behind and Micheal Appleton from Ripon Runners taking 3rd.
I was hoping I would be starting to get back on track by now but from the results I would say that's not the case. I may be some way off my best but in effort terms but I would say I'm racing harder than ever, it would be better for me to stop racing and get back training and save myself the anguish of being beat but to be honest I just love racing and I'm happy to come away with any position.
There's another Evening League Race in two weeks time to try and even the score with young Scott, I have some ground to make up but I do like a challenge. And with the Burn Valley Half Marathon only a few days after that which also includes a serious personal battle with Fergus Meade, and with Meade's past results which are way off his best and the way I'm going I would say it's going to be one hell of a tough day for the both of us. I just pray he's not getting back to his best before me.