With the 3 peaks cyclo-cross looming late this month, I have been back in the gym for 6 weeks and have been increasingly on the bike. The trips have been modest, 20 miles or so each time. However, on Saturday I joined up with Steve and we took off toward Alnmouth for a 40 miler. A little way out of town we were pottering around 17 mph and chatting on. Having not seen him for a good while, I was doing all the talking. At the top of the hill at Hebron, along the peleton, much to my delight. A group of 10 EMC riders (EMC stands for 'early morning club'; yes, honest). I asked if it was alright to tag on the back and we joined the rear, clipping along for the next 10 miles or so at 23mph. They were heading to Craster but turned in a little toward Alnwick. We dropped off near Guyzance and rode in the light drizzle to Alnmouth. Armed with a fiver, I was mugged by one of the women at the village hall selling her baking wares and we negotiated two drinks and small slabs of banana cake for the rather soggy note. We caught up on the gossip and were soon back on the saddle, returning via Warkworth. It was 55 miles and most enjoyable.
On the Sunday, we were packed up in the car at 9am and horsed it up to Falkland in Fife for the Scottish Mid Trail Championships. The traffic was well behaved and we arrived with sufficient time in hand for me to wander to Campbells for a coffee. There were around 140 signed up for this 6 mile affair. Speedy joe was 4th last time around and was looking to improve. I was looking forward to a good leg stretch and Mrs Mac was hoping not to get lost or be last. After a warm up we set off up a lane on the Falkland Estate and then disappeared up the side of a hill . It was humid and the heavy rain that had generated a 'yellow alert' from the Metoffice failed to materialise. I was passed by three or four as we climbed then descended. I caught an Ayr runner, Maclean, on the third wee climb, and the 4th mile was through the woods and in the damp heat with a carpet of pine needles underfoot, very atmospheric, or it would have been if I had not been wide eyed and legless puffing like a broken down old git. On the final flat stretch of path I gave way to an Edinburgh AC girl Nikki Gibson as she cruised past me in the last kilometre. The Ayr chap was still close behind, but at the finish there was not enough road left for him to catch me and I dug deep with an unnecessary full on sprint that proved I had been simply malingering during the race. Speedy was 3rd and only missed 2nd by one second, but that's life. The Edinburgh Uni. girl in front of her was certainly trying her hardest at the end (photo).
It was an improvement on time and placing for her so all good. I was 72nd in 44.44 (10th v50) and comfortably beaten by Tony Martin (Fife v70)...I want some of what he's having. I probably should have been a couple of minutes quicker, but its difficult to find the mojo recently, when you find yourself not so much racing, but rather just running hard. The garmin heart rate monitor is just a wall of red when I race these days - maybe it was always the way? The cycling is much easier, so maybe that's the direction my sporting life will to take. Or maybe chess. Or watching the masked singer.....
Mrs Mac did indeed finish and was 2nd last, so no shame there. There was time for another hot beverage and scone at the Lomond tea room before a return to base.
(photo by Ant)
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