RR10 2013: Stoney Cross

This was the second of the 2013 series.  I was late getting there and I went haring down the hill to the start, or at least where the start had been in previous years... before it dawned on me that there wasn't another runner in sight.  I charged up the hill again and looked around - and there were the club flags, way over on the other side of the car park.  Three minutes to go - I ran over and got into position with  just a minute or so remaining.

The first mile was all downhill.  I ran quickly and easily, but all too aware of the drag home that was in store.  The middle section of the race involved a lot of turns within the dense woodland and some exciting soft ground which made for quite a technical course with no real clue how much further there was to go. 

Nice and quick on the downhill...

And then the drag home... at this point a few people overtook me and I could feel myself slipping.  I cursed myself for setting off so fast and panted as I struggled to hang in there.  Out of the woods, on to the high ground of Stoney Cross, to the finish line... and to my astonishment I was 22nd, 3 places up on the first race.  Fantastic!  My calves were in bits and I was a heaving wreck - but it was a good result.

...but it soon got tougher

Next race target - sub-20th, or first Hardley (I've been second both races) or both.