Today's effort was at Tentsmuir forest up near Leuchars. It was an amazing venue with a lovely old forest and a beautiful beach and benches for having picnics on. I think a van-load of Porties should go up there for a day or 2's running activities and social.
Last night's up hill time trial in the mist and rain seemed like a dream as the sun came back out again today. We made good time up-country and happily avoided Cupar where apparently there was a 20 minute tail-back. The team were in reasonable shape though undeniably tired. It was hard to get organised again and get out the door today.
Today's challenge; a 5 mile forest run. There was some wind outside the forest but it was pretty sheltered in the trees and the sun was beating down heartily. I didn't feel too bad when warming up but was apprehensive starting off not knowing really what to expect from my legs after the recent unusual punishment they've been receiving. The first mile was fine, quick for me at 7.19, the next mile was hard, but again was 7.19, but the sun seemed to intensify and the old engine was starting to overheat. I started to flail a bit and knew I'd have to slow up even though this meant letting lots of people (lots of women!) past. There was nothing to be done. As Jocelyn Scott bounced past me on a muddier stretch looking unreasonably fresh I tried to follow in her footsteps as my brain was hot and not functioning its best.
Its not really right to race just waiting for the end to come, but I was! I tried not to feel sorry for myself as I've seen the photos of what this looks like. (Camera man is always there) and its a bit pathetic and destroys your form. My ribs were complaining though and my engine was revving. I somehow thought Peter would be lapping me (even though he'd run out from ahead and this was the 2nd lap.) I thought I heard him coming and put my thumb up in the air, then turned to see a man in a yellow vest running the same pace as me! Oh well. At last the finish. Tried a sprint for the line but there wasn't anything there. Jennifer Cruikshanks of Anster Haddies had me today! Also, I see Sophie Mullins of Fife AC took half a minute off me today. Game on for tomorrow!
Peter is locked in tight contention with Matthew Strachan of Dundee for 1st V45. Matthew was one of the runners stuck in traffic today and turned up late so ran a solo timed lap coming in a second faster than Peter's time, so, again, game on for tomorrow. Well it would be a shame for the last day not to count. I think tomorrow's course takes in some if the Falkland trail race but I'm not very sure.
After the race the Helensburghs and the Porties and a good gathering of other runners went down to the beach and as Andrew Henderson bravely got himself straight in the water we had to follow his example. Judith Dobson ( who raced a 5 mile pb today) had told me there are strong currents at the beach there so I was a bit worried when Peter dove off straight out to sea. I don't know why I bothered trying to tell him because he doesn't listen anyway.
It was a really lovely day. Julia Henderson who is making the transition from class runner to ace photographer very successfully this week has taken heaps of good photos of the race so we'll try and find a way of sending them to Fife AC website - or maybe downloading them to flickr. Never done this so it might take some time.
Should be stretching and showering, not blogging!
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