CONSISTENTLY AVERAGE
ROGER COLSON COWM 5K - LOTHERSDALE - MEARLEY CLOUGH
The weeks have flown by quickly, but sadly the same cannot be said about my leg speed! Regular racing has now kicked in again but I'm still feeling shy of what I consider to be satisfactory form. With regards to getting a jolt forwards on the back of months of sessions and a few longer runs in the bank, there has been nothing to show for it all. I can claim consistency at least from the last three races lately, but albeit at a very average rate and a breakthrough performance is still not forthcoming. I'm actually really surprised at how long it's taking to click in to a faster racing gear. I really must have been kidding myself at Podium in early April to think I was tapping in to the form of late last Summer. Over a month on and I'm still nowhere near. But the final jigsaw to last Summer's routine is set to be pieced up after a pitch inspection yesterday revealed that my 'Buttercup Meadow' loop on the local park is good to firm and soft in places again and also freshly mowed! Grassy sessions are back this weekend.
Back to recent competition though and a return to Cowm Reservoir seven days on was a success if only for finding the place without a hiccup this time around, but an improvement of six seconds was modest and yet an improvement nonetheless. My club chairman Barnes challenged me to knock more than five seconds off or wear a ridiculous forfeit vest next time out. I thought I'd easily do it, but I couldn't have cut it any finer. In fact by my watch I thought I hadn't done enough, but the official results came to the rescue and spared me that all important extra second. It was a tough run again in the latter stages although I managed to feel comfortable at pace for longer until Salford's Billy McCartney effortlessly came by on lap two. Despite wondering what he was playing at - having been a minute quicker than me last week and seemingly cantering here - I managed to hang on to his shadow and come in a few seconds behind him for a nose bleeding fourth place. Clearly not quite the strength in depth at the top end in this week's race then, as just six seconds of pace bought me thirteen places the better, but that shouldn't detract from a decent win by my fellow Ribble Valley Harrier Ste Hall. 
The following week was my first visit to Lothersdale, a fairly remote little village down a steep valley between Colne and Skipton. A cold, heavy shower timed itself to perfection with five minutes to go before the race started. Not an entirely pleasant experience when having nowhere to run to in vest and shorts. It briefly turned to sleet a few minutes in to the first climb, but thankfully fine weather resumed and numbness thawed well before reaching the Tow Top Moor trig point from which we returned in an out and back affair. Two fifteen year old lads dominated this one. I'd heard of the victorious Sam Smith, but not Eric Beaumont, a close second - a Wharfedale lad and a Keighley lad to keep eyes out for in the future. I inadvertently ended up sharing a few words with Eric's rightfully very proud mum in the finishing area. It seems that because his Dad got him a sneaky pint after a good race at the Haworth Bunny Runs, he expects one after every race now - a proper fell runner then! For me this was a race of two halves where I struggled, but held out for a top ten spot on the ascent and then did ok on the way back out to hold my own. But still I wasn't able to engage in to that elusive highest gear.
And so another week later, one of my favourites and the classic short fell race upon the steep slopes of Pendle that is Mearley Clough. Lothersdale was low key with only my club mate Louisa Powell-Smith recognisable, but not so at Mearley with a record sized field and lots of familiar faces. Once again the climbing let me down despite a recent training run in the Lakes, but I was able to descend with a bit more conviction only for my flat pace to disappointingly hit a plateau. Relatively speaking, the result proved not to be disaster by any stretch but still about a minute and the rest off where I felt I could be. Conditions were perfect. Not for catching views, but certainly for racing. A cool blanket of thick mist had descended on Pendle after the day had started with blue skies. For the third race in succession that I lined up at, a fellow RVH runner took some winning spoils as pocket rocket Katie Walshaw soared to a ladies victory. A few more guys from the club were present watching the race after doing a session nearby and lined up against a stone wall just as I was coming off the fell to treat me to a rendition of some sort of pre-trophy lifting 'whooooaaa' celebration as I went by. It was novel if nowt else. The last time I recall anything like this experience was on a training run maybe ten years ago when I proceeded with caution wondering what the hell all the noise was about before interrupting a Roman battle being reenacted near the ruins of Hollinshead Hall at Tockholes. One male voice shouted "runner!", before silence fell and this large group of historical thespians formed what was like a guard of honour to let me through, whence continuation of said battle progressed on my passing.
The day after Mearley then, and I don't feel half as sore as I ought to but not for a lack of effort I hasten to add. Maybe the old body is finally toughening up to regular racing again afterall? Only the next race will tell.

Wednesday 25th April 2018
ROGER COLSON COWM 5K   Cowm Reservoir, Whitworth.
1st Man - Stephen Hall (Ribble Valley) 17:19
1st Lady - Jenny Pilling 20:14
My Stats - 18:09   4/59

Wednesday 2nd6 May 2018
LOTHERSDALE   West Yorkshire   3.6/600ft
1st Man - Sam Smith (Wharfedale) 26:31
1st Lady - Louisa Powell-Smith (Ribble Valley) 29:27 
My Stats - 28:24   9/82  

Tuesday 8th May 2018
MEARLEY CLOUGH   Worston, East Lancs.   3.?m/1250ft
1st Man - Ted Mason (Wharfedale) 
1st Lady - Katie Walshaw (Ribble Valley)
My Stats - 36:31   19/237