Chris loves his football. I can never really contribute to any discussion and without appearing rude, will often sit in silence, unless there's some nuggat of information I can through into the conversational melee. He used to play too. Increasing age brings more injury. Note the deletion of 'chance'. It just does. He'd always get berated during a run when we found out he'd taken a last minute call-up for his old team. Hobbling round, which is his style, he explain they needed him, was only helping out, a one off...and the 'anyway, I've hung my boots up now...in fact, I've thrown them away.' Oh yeah. I'd look at him questionably...'don't worry Rich, I've got a new pair in the car'.
Whitley 10k was cancelled last year due to traffic management issues and the need to close roads. Not so now. Arriving at a race where there are 'Road Closed' signs adds a degree of seriousness to your own impression of what it is you've come to do. Roads closed? Really? For us? Oh! Chris approached me this time. A few days before. Another race, another pb in his sights. Whitley is 'undulating' - an excuse of word that means we're too embarrassed to say hilly in case someone hears us and points fingers shouting 'pussies' or equivalent. But it aint flat. So undulating is the word. Anyway, target 45.30 and steady 7.19's required. And then we tried to overtake Nicky! It's a good job our wagon has many wheels. Chris dug in and dug deep. That last uphill section saw off Nicky and Chris held it to the line in 45.50. Another pb, three in a row...a hat-trick. The boy done good!
There are calls for me to start running my own races. So here I am in Eilat with Pete. My role as stand-in wife took an alarming twist with the sight of a double bed and the fact he's stated he likes to sleep with his bike. But aside from that, I'm trying to join in with the whole sporty atmosphere. Except Pete is encouraging me not to go soft on the enemy. He's right, of course. Pete too is a zagger while the others zig. The hotel is fabulous...if you were on holiday. We're not, but many are. They look like holiday people. Then there are the tri-athletes. You can spot them at breakfast, they have that subtle gaunt hollow look that make them look a bit different from the other, shall we say 'normal 'people. That and the compression socks! And it's hot. Very hot and I love to run in this. I've done a couple of runs. My shadow is back. Excellent.
