Frostbite League, Bushfield - 2nd
I finished second today in the second race of the Frostbite League, at Bushfield Sports Centre, Peterborough. My previous highest position inthis league was fourth and, on the face of it, second is a pretty good achievement in a league which has in the past shown some quality. However, the first two races of this season have been disappointing in terms of turn-out at the top end.
I sensed there was a lack of quality when no one seemed to want toe the line at the start of the five-mile race. Once under way, Pete Galpin (BRJ Huntingdon), a multiple past winner, was on his own by the first mile marker and the race for second was on. A conservative starter, I was very confident of second throughout because the head of the chasing group were never very far in front. I know if someone's not going away from me 30-40 per cent into a race, I have a very good chance of beating them. I saw a non-runnning, supporting clubmate at about 1.5M when I was about seventh and I very nearly held up two fingers (palm politely facing away from me) and mouthed "second" to him in reference to the position I knew I was going to take.
I took a clear second at three miles and hung on for a real confidence-booster. Only one second quicker than last year (time 27:48, according to my watch as opposed to the inaccurate official results),when I was 10th, which perhaps shows how the standard has deteriorated, although I'm not sure how careful they are with the course.
The last three races have, position-wise, represented by far my best ever series of results but I don't think I'm in particularly good form. At least, there is no reason why I should be - I haven't done any speedwork since the beginning of September. I've just been putting in some solid mileage and I seem to not have lost much fitness since the summer.
I sensed there was a lack of quality when no one seemed to want toe the line at the start of the five-mile race. Once under way, Pete Galpin (BRJ Huntingdon), a multiple past winner, was on his own by the first mile marker and the race for second was on. A conservative starter, I was very confident of second throughout because the head of the chasing group were never very far in front. I know if someone's not going away from me 30-40 per cent into a race, I have a very good chance of beating them. I saw a non-runnning, supporting clubmate at about 1.5M when I was about seventh and I very nearly held up two fingers (palm politely facing away from me) and mouthed "second" to him in reference to the position I knew I was going to take.
I took a clear second at three miles and hung on for a real confidence-booster. Only one second quicker than last year (time 27:48, according to my watch as opposed to the inaccurate official results),when I was 10th, which perhaps shows how the standard has deteriorated, although I'm not sure how careful they are with the course.
The last three races have, position-wise, represented by far my best ever series of results but I don't think I'm in particularly good form. At least, there is no reason why I should be - I haven't done any speedwork since the beginning of September. I've just been putting in some solid mileage and I seem to not have lost much fitness since the summer.
posted by Paul at 8:59 PM
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