Was getting my excuses in early at the meeting point, making sure everyone knew I was injured. Delighted to see Aisha, Karen, Paul and Paul's buddy Chris at the meeting point as these great people are not quite elite so there is half a chance of keeping up with them.
Much chatter about times and placings in the JP Morgan Chase Challenge with Karen getting 45th lady. Aisha nearly beat me, but I nipped over the line a few seconds ahead of her.
At City Road there are some roadworks and I took the roadside option giving me the opportunity to dart through a gap in traffic Hound and Hare style and with a cry of "cheat" from Mr Savage I found myself for the first time ever leader of the pack on the way up to the canal. Paul quickly closed the gap and I was pleased to have made him work. I made a note of his baggy shorts, I was thinking a few of us might be able to hold on to them for a boost, but he was a canny man today and we were both holding out for the back marker spot refusing to be goaded out of our slow pace for the first few reps.
The session was 10x 2min on 30 seconds off with 2min rest at the turn.
After the first one Paul was jubilant at that the pace for the 2min reps was slower than his last attempt at 3min reps! I don't think you finished those either, did you?
My leg was ok, but could feel it stiffening up at reps 3 and 4 so dropped back on the 5th. A few only did 4 out and 4 back but Paul, Chris and I regrouped at half way and made a punchy set of five back.
If I was very careful to land mid sole every step and not toe off, I could do it. Paul commented on a noticeable difference in my running style.
Paul was strong on the way out, with the wind behind and his shorts billowing out to catch the full effect of the tail wind. But on the way back the sail shorts back fired as the head wind took its toll. By rep 9 his mizzen mast was suffering from some sort of frigging in the rigging happened and he vanished, leaving Chris and I to hammer out a solid last rep holding off the elite who came through right on the finish.
We made it back almost exactly to the start, indicating a steady set of reps that were well balanced. I think we have Paul to thank for the pacing at the beginning and not attempting to peg back Karen at all.
Foot survived all the way back to the office and shin is ok and ankle better after some gel and ice as I post this.
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You were too far ahead to realise the wind actually changed direction on the final rep and I was able to hoist the main spinnaker and give Chris a run for his money over the last few metres. Rigging issues aside I think the extra boost I’m getting on the downwind legs more than makes up from having to tack on the way back.
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