flying visit ....

Back from Cambridge this evening and off to Coventry on Thursday (via Aldi!!)

so what's been going on

Saturday
National XC Champs - Parliament Hill
Up at 6.00 to make sandwiches, get it all together and get teenbeanz organised
Off on the Club coach to London - a good bus full mostly teenagers and a few parents
Arrive in time for a good wander round before the first race
It's a glorious day, blue sky, scudding clouds and a cold northerly wind - not too bad if you are wrapped up well - a bit chilly when you are down to your vest and shorts to run!

I've never been here before and there are fantastic views across the London skyline.

Teenbeanz ran in the Under 17 race - 5 from the club first 4 to count. I saw them off at the start and then was walking over to cheer themon their first lap when one of them appeaed walking back to the club tent - a cold and asthma had got the better of him - so now teenbeanz would count! As he came in for the last ¼ mile there were runners behind him and I told him he was not counting - it gave him an extra impetus to keep going. And he finished well, with several behind; a definite improvement on last year - up an age group and further up the field :>)))

Down to the registration tent to look for the runners from my other club - Tigerrunner is snotty and hasn't come, so I go to meet the others and sort out numbers etc. They all turn up and we have a natter.

Now it's the men's race and I go down to the start to collect their warm gear and then we cheer them on - an awesome sight - over 1000 men charging up the hill!

At teh end of the races there is pub food before we go home - and very welcome after stanidn gup and walking all day. I had switched my garmin on in my rucksack at the start of the day and find I have walked a little over 6 miles during the day.

Sunday
Up early again to be in Cambridge for a 9.00 am meeting - a smooth journey wihtout incident i am in plenty of time.

The meeting goes on until after lunch and then I check in to the hotel. I plan to put my feet up for a while and then go for a plod - 3 hours later I wake up and its getting dark. And I don't plod :<( But I needed the sleep.

A good friend turns up for tomorrow's meeting so we go out for a drink and a bite to eat - so much better thanlast week's room serivce very night.

Monday
Up for a plod - hooray! It takes 20 minutes to start enjoying it but then I do and 3.2 miles done at 70-75% HR

Tuesday
Up early but decide to do the core strength stuff instead of plodding - and am surprised to discover that if I do it properly - strength and stretch it takes nearly 45 minutes.
Must do it more often.

and so home at last, if briefly