Yorkshire Vets Cross Country

So what does today have in store for you today my friends? For me the Yorkshire Vet’s cross country in Doncaster today my friends so off you go.

I woke up on this Sunday morning at my usually bizarre time of 5.56am to a beautiful crisp Sunday morning but instead of taking myself out for a long run I was going to do this cross country event, (after may I add dusting and hoovering the house, ironing, planking for 5.02 minutes and wall squating for 3.30 mins). Despite being a geriatric old fart for a few years now, it was my first soly VET race so I was looking forward to it despite the beautiful Peak District beckoning me to run it instead.

So over to Doncaster we went, with zimmer frames, walking sticks and blue rinses at the ready. Oh yes! Oh no! There were more grey hairs here than watching watership down on a black and white TV. Anyway age is just a matter of mind and if you don’t mind it don’t matter, we do not stop playing because we grow old. Anyway Why should I grow up? Cross Country is fun.

I truly believe that age — if you’re healthy — age is just a number – Hugh Hefner

The course for the females was only 5km this time, a little odd and not really my distance but willing to give it a go and all that. At first it seemed that hardly anyone was here then suddenly like a heard of cows lots of runners came flocking to the start line – maybe they were sheep instead? Baaa.

And the start was a whistle not a gun. We were running with the over 50s and 70s who were running much longer than us females (not fair not fair) so quite a crowded and slow first 1km or so around the race course. I like this route, having done it a few times before – especially the woods (despite someone having a go at me telling me not to mess with them – wtf?)

Managing to keep up with fellow club member Clare for the first lap I felt ok, a little on the heavy side but ok, then I let slip after the first lap and felt myself struggling, not sure why. I am not slow today you are all just fast! Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn’t there is always another day, another week, another month and another race.

Runs end. Running doesn’t

Up the next hill someone shouted out to me to keep my fellow club member company who was a good 10 seconds or so in front of me by now and gaining on others with every second. Though I did manage to pass a F35 on the hill and keep my position to the finish line I must admit I found the race quite hard. No excuses, no reason why, I just struggled in my head and in my body. It wasn’t due to over training either as I have done very little this week, in fact I have been so lazy that tomorrow has been the only day that appeals to me all week and when tomorrow arrived it started all over again.

There are lazy minds as well as lazy bodies.

I struggled more with this 3 mile race than I did running 22 miles last Sunday on my own across the beautiful moors of the Peak District. Now what is that all about? Are there lessons to be learned with this? Why did I feel it wasn’t happening for me even on the run? Or maybe actually I did OK getting in the top 15 but maybe I just don’t realise it? Maybe its just all in the head, and today I didn’t feel it in the head. Oh by I am odd. However a big congrats to Clare on her comeback race, she kept me going through that first lap and getting a top 10 place in her very first Vet’s race deserves a pat on the back (and I am not talking of the cow variety either).

Results

Time: 23 something
Position:12th out of 74 Women

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