24 May 2009

Triple Silver

3 British Champs silvers in 8 days. Long, sprint and middle. Frustrating. Looking positively, it is a good indicator that I am running well and performing in some important competitions, but I also had the chance to win all 3, and threw them all away with small mistakes. In all 3 the margins were small, and I will try and improve before the international season begins.
Maps u

I have been selected for the Nordics team

Sprints results here, routegadget here for qual and here for final - cool area and good courses
Middle results here, routegadget here - cool area and cool course

08 May 2009

13 seconds from gold in British Long Champs

Sunday was the British Long Distance Champs in the Forest of Dean in South West England. I was confident of a good result, and I had prepared well for the race. Unfortunately I didn't understand the map from the start, and I missed the first and second controls, so I was already 2.30 behind after 2 short legs. I then ran as hard as I could and really well for most of the course, and I was in the lead for the first time at the 17th control after 50 minutes. I then lost 1 minute on each of the 19th and 21st controls, again not understanding the mapping style in that area. I finished the race really strongly, and although on the loop after the spectator control I took almost a minute on Oli, it wasn't quite enough and he beat me by 13 seconds. Frustrating!
He also made a lot of mistakes, and it was amazing how close it ended, but nobody went round the course cleanly - it was that sort of area/map.
Another silver! Getting to be too much of a habit these days. But congrats to Oli. Middle and Sprint champs this weekend for revenge.

Map on Routegadget, with my route for part 1
Map of part 2, route when it lets me

Results
Splits