Seasons mediocrity

Even though we'd only just arrived back from holiday in Gran Canaria, I went to the Inter Regional match at Solihul to do both the vault and the 100 with plenty of hope for a couple of seasons bests to put my season back on track. I hadn't vaulted for over three weeks but the speed work completed on holiday was bound to see me do well, surely.

So after securing a parking space in the infamous Solihul Leisure Centre and sticking the free parking ticket to my windscreen, I went and set up for the vault. The weather was good so no excuses today, this was going to go well. However, it was good to see Alan Leiper win the over fifties considering all the problems the lad has, although I would have preferred it to be me, but then I vaulted like a  pregnant duck and only just cleared a season's worst of 2.72. This wonderful news also meant I would probably be dropped from my club's senior team in the forthcoming Midland League as we have children who can go higher on sticks.

I put the thought out of my mind, shoot the chimp or something according to Mr. Peters, and went and had lunch in a very positive manor.

The 100m was an opportunity for redemption, although  taking on the likes of John Wright was only going to end one way. I drew the lane next to John of course, so I could get the best view of how 12.3 is run. Unfortunately I was too far back running last in 13.7 to fully appreciate it. I suppose it was a season's best - just. This being the Welsh team I also had to cover the high jump prior to the 4x100m relay. I did a credible 1.35m again but then the relay looked like taking any remaining shine off of the day as I was up against Mr. Wright yet again. Strange things happen in relays though. I was sandwiched between Peter Ilo and John Wight in lane 6, both of whom had put me to the sword earlier that day by some 15m. I ran like a man possessed and only lost a yard and Wales took the lead with a superb change over. Two more changes and the red vest crossed the line in first. OK, I wonder if they'll let me use a baton in the 100m at the BMAF champs?

 

Like many I tuned in to watch the  inspirational  Commonwealth Games from sunny Glasgow, it was good to see other more talented athletes than I receiving the Fridge from my old friend the bear, especially in the 4x400m men's relay. I was certain that while this was going on 500 miles away I could get away with some decent training of my own without the interference of  the furry SOAB. So the session were stacked up for 5x300m, the intention was to hit 52's there was still over a week to the BMAF champs so I could recover. The first 3 were indeed 52 - wayhay! Then it went wrong, as ever. The council had cut the grass, and in doing so had disguised the mole hills as brown stains in masses of grass cuttings. I know I should have avoided it, but concentration whilst running my 4th 300m was never going to happen was  it. I stepped on the edge of this thing  and went sideways into the adjacent branches of the Bear's favourite tree, they smacked me nicely in the face leaving several marks akin to sun burn, and I only ran 54 for my trouble. I mopped the blood away, and thinking of what a professional footballer would do, rolled on the ground screaming that someone had amputated my leg - no actually I just go on with the next two 300's pausing only to fill in the molehill in question. My ankle was a bit suspect the next day, so much so that the following long jump session was done off the right foot just in case.

Training was becoming very odd. I was doing a mix of speed and speed endurance through the week, with a session of vault and jump thrown in for a laugh. As the vaulting improved so the sprinting got slower. This did not bode well for the weekend of the championships, nor did the imminent arrival of hurricane Bertha, and to and insult as Maurice Doogan so often skillfully does, the 100m and Long Jump for the M50 age group were on at precisely the same time in his new "Final Timetable". That'll help!

I'll cover that next time as the weekend of the 9/10 August looks interesting.