I may have to concede the heat, though not moderating my appetite for running around, it's certainly curtailing any sprightly performances. Having said that, recent races have been somewhat hillsome and the hills always dent my abilities at making good forward progress relative to my combatants. But my attitude has changed with this heat. Not only have I not been able to perform at 100% (not wanting to imply that I usually do), but neither have I wished to.
After Bollington and The Fairy Freckled Cow, simply going 'for a finish' at Forest 5 on Wednesday night seemed ambitious enough. A stunning evening, temperatures in the high 20's and a fight on our hands with local clubs Macclesfield, Congleton and Goyt Valley for the Forest 5 Club trophy. Any headlines regarding the fact we came 2nd and I failed to count were overshadowed by the flies. Strewth! Even after spraying, inhaling and ingesting rather too much well remembered insect repellent, still they came, for all of us.
Great clouds of flies followed every ones heads, just slightly out of eye shot...unless you slowed under a critical speed at which point they'd envelop you! And not just little irritating flies, big buggers, the sort that should you make contact with on the back of your hand they had enough momentum to carry a bit of distance. Futile, though. I've spent 24 hrs in Lyon this week, slightly cooler there and with fresh sites for the eyes, but just as fatiguing. There had been recent storms, and the air was heavy.
This time, such was the brevity of my visit, I didn't so much as take my running shoes with me, I wore them! I've come home knowledgeable of the fact that tomorrow is Burtonwood 5. A flat 'fast' road route. The form guide would have me aiming for 31mins ish, but the notion of even making it to the starting line is energy sapping. And those who have genuine speed in these conditions may need to note that the road gritters have been out in Warrington today. It seems the
roads are melting.
