LANCS CHUMP
LANCASHIRE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Straight to the point - that was bloody awful. Down there with my worst five races - and that's saying something. This was the first time I had taken on the County Champs, for I have never had a particular enthusiasm for cross country. But it was a debut to quickly forget. In a very meagre defence of the return of self deprecation and sorrow to these pages, I suppose the training leading up to the race was a bit hotchpotch with annoying niggles just not going away. But the very lack of engine to battle against the odds on the day was the biggest disappointment. I just felt knackered and was stuck in one pace from the very off. With a race in the bag the previous week, I wasn't expecting too much, but had every right to expect progress. So regression, and the extent of it, took me by surprise and with the legs not turning up, it didn't take long for the head to go. For me, this was a bit of a humiliation and felt like a public one too. The reality is that few people watching probably cared or even noticed, and of those that did they probably sympathised. But to return to the home soil of Witton Park so to speak and with most other Tom's, Dick's and Harry's within the local running circles in attendance, this was a really frustrating and ultimately not very enjoyable afternoon of racing. Despondent war cries could be heard from yours truly on the climb known colloquially as 'The Saucer'. I lost the plot. 
If it wasn't nice for me personally, there was also the burden of doing a major injustice to the new club vest. Thankfully my very weary performance paled in to insignificance as far as the Ribble Valley men's team was concerned. The first four counters of Gaskell, Livesey, Hall and Barnes all did the business and stormed to a Veteran's team victory for gold medals all around. As expected, the Ribble Valley ladies were all over the medals table as well. Pleased as punch as I was for all these guys, I was nevertheless the black sheep in the black vest who ran crap and went home deservedly empty handed. Ah well, there's always next year.
Since that race, things have continued to go backwards. Winter has got the better of me. Never truly shaking off that gluet strain from last month, one of half a dozen other aches and pains which have culminated in me being shackled and unable to actually enjoy a single run so far this year. Currently on day three of sidelining myself, I'll put some running shoes back on once body and mind are genuinely in agreement that it's a good idea again. All I can do is to look forward to starting again and getting in shape for Spring.

Saturday 6th January 2018
LANCASHIRE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS   Witton Park, Blackburn.        
1st Senior Men's Race (9.8K) - Daniel Bebbington (Preston H.) 31:01
1st Senior Ladies Race (6.5K) - Sarah Astin (City of Norwich) 24:04
My Stats - 39:25   73/154