Herts XC fun

Yesterday saw the rerunning of the cancelled Herts XC (cancelled due to snow in January) in Cassiobury Park, Watford. The Herts XC championships are usually a low key affair and this year they were even lower key than usual. However, it was a lovely day for a run, the sun was shining and the daffodils were out, very spring-like indeed. I've not run that much recently, laziness and illness being the main reasons and as a result I had a bad day at the office...I did come 17th...out of 17 finishers. Oops.
The main issue of the day was how to co-ordinate looking after mini-cook. There were only 45 minutes between the start of the ladies race and the start of the men's race and it took me just under 55 minutes to complete the course. We had a couple of options, Gary could start the men's race when I finished or we could find someone to mini-cook-sit. Luckily we knew one of the timing people so when I finished, mini-cook was waiting for me at the finish line. (Looking at the results, Gary finished 16 minutes ahead of the last placed runner so if he had waited for me he would have caught 10 men, not bad eh?)

Impending veteran status

I can hardly believe it but on Thursday I'll be a veteran! A few years ago I used to say I was looking forwards to this milestone so I could finally win some prizes but that didn't take into account 2 things: the fact that my fellow seniors age at the same rate I do and that often veteran road runners are faster than seniors! I suppose that if I keep going another 30 years I might win something as a V65...
There are some plus points to being a vet, mainly that I get to take part in the vet-specific events that I wasn't old enough to take part in before. It also gives me the opportunity to set myself some new running objectives, any ideas anyone?

Another cross country race (or should I say swim?)

Last Sunday saw me take part in my second race of the cross country season. It has pained me not to take part in XCs 'cos I love 'em. IMHO if there isn't mud, hills, water, rain, snow etc then a race just isn't worth doing! The race was at Bedford and the day before we discovered that the race was under threat due to a flood warning on the River Great Ouse and the forecast of a lot of rain. Luckily the race wasn't cancelled but a river crossing did have to be removed. Not that you would have noticed!
For some context, the Bedford XC course runs along by the river so it isn't hilly (shame) but it is usually wet. Now, imagine the scene, rain, flood warning, race running along the banks of a river...yes, it was wet underfoot (and under ankle and under knee). This turned out to be OK as the course wasn't particularly heavy because it was so wet.
Now, on to the race. It was around 4 miles with a slight route change to avoid a river crossing. I liked the new route as it meant I could see most of our scoring men's team as they ran in the opposite direction (well run chaps!). I am still horribly unfit (but improving) and I got very wet but I very much enjoyed the race.
Random factoid: this was my first ever race for NHRR back in December 1999. So there you go.