This page has been fairly quiet recently, as I’ve been caught up in exam revision and studying for GCSE’s coming up this summer, but my racing has been full of some exciting national (and international) level racing as I’ve finished a solid season of cross country running on a high.
UK Inter Counties
Last month, before racing at the English Schools XC, I was racing the weekend before in Nottingham for the UK Inter Counties Cross Country representing Sussex, against Under 17 athletes from all English counties, plus Scottish and Welsh regions.
I had a good start getting to the front of the race, however only held the position towards the front for the first half mile before dropping back and unfortunately just being off and then losing the front group. Over the race I stayed relatively similar in position around 30/35th. I gained a place here or there and a few more a km or so from the finish and maintained position into the finish, placing 24th.
Some people might think this is a strong result and its certainly not a bad one however I know the performances I’m capable of and know I didn’t race like I could have on the day, so I was looking to improve into English Schools the weekend after.
English Schools XC Pontefract – 16/03
Representing Sussex again, I travelled to Yorkshire racing year 10/11. English Schools top 10 is qualification for the Schools International XC – this year in Dublin. Two years ago I qualified to represent England, after finishing 10th and then ran in the XC team relay in Wales.
Into the race itself: This time round I didn’t have a great start being back in about at least 70th at the first corner, a couple hundred metres in. However I knew how important it was to not stay complacent and move up slowly and instead get to the front quickly. I moved up quickly around the outside and across to the potentially longer but quieter sides of the course, running against the course tape to get around people but made it to the front and was sitting in 2nd position, only 600/700m into the race. With just over 4km to go I was in a good position for a top 8/10 finish but equally had a good chance of finishing in a much different position.
Over the rest of the race there was a single break, going onto the 2nd lap, which stuck. Soon after there were a couple splits and then a group of around 3rd/4th to just outside the top 10, which I was in. The pace was pretty tough now but I knew how I would feel had I not put everything in to get to what I was aiming for. The group split up towards the last kilometre and I was in about 9th/10th, with a couple others close.
The race ended on a gradual sloggy climb which had become sticky mud by the time of my race. I was staying up and trying to close the gap and not lose any time and really just cement an area of position in which I was closer to that top 8 I was aiming for. Up to the finish I caught one person and was in a two person battle for what I thought was 8th but turned out to be 7th. Anyway, close to the finish I found a bit more and put in everything I had left, finishing 7th and just having absolutely spent legs afterwards.
I was kind of relieved to have got what I had in mind for the day and just pleased I could put in a strong performance. I can take some improvements like racing well from setbacks and recovering from them too.
My aim was top 8, since the 8 run in the full length cross country and 9th and 10th race in the xc relay over 1500m. I wanted to be able to go to Ireland to race in the individual xc, so it was good to be able to travel to Dublin the weekend after for the SIAB XC with the England team.
SIAB Cross Country Ireland – 23/03
Racing on the 2021 European XC Champs course was pretty exciting – an undulating 4x1500m lap course for me, varied with some short steep climbs, longer gradual ones like ‘false flats’ , as well as running alongside some longer wall sections and a fun mix of corners too.
Onto the race: I had a good start, with a few less people meaning a bit less crowded, and I got myself towards the front. This time I held position for the first two laps, before it started to break up a bit and some gaps started to go. I fell of the main front with some others and was in the 9th to 14th region of runners for the third lap.
On the fourth and final lap I found myself again and went away and tried to close the gap on the gradual downhill commencing each lap. By halfway I had closed to the next person who was an England runner and was in a battle for 8th and trying to gain some more. He stayed with me and then into the final straight of a strong headwind came behind me with a stronger sprint and passed the Irish runner in front. I crossed the line in 8th, and 6th English runner, capping a strong result to my season in my first race abroad.
I’m grateful for the opportunity with the England team and it was an amazing experience to represent England again, being able to travel out with the team and race in the English colours. 🌹
March was a great month of cross country racing but now my triathlon season will begin this month with my first race in Nottingham for the British Triathlon Super Series Performance Assessments, in a 2-day format of a swim TT followed by a bike/run the next day.
Thanks for reading and feel free to ask any questions in the comments at the bottom of this page and most pages on this website. 😉
My Triathlon Journey 
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