It has been nearly 16 weeks since i last blogged the reason is simple, my motivation had completely gone after the whw race. i cannot start to explain what caused it but everything i had done pre whw was not there, with the stride only two weeks later i sent Lee my apologies, which was great for someone else on the reserve list, there was still no sign of any improvement in my running through the whole of July which led me to withdraw from the Devils the night before the race, by now i wondered if i could get back to anything decent, i managed to get in a couple of longish runs the first few weeks in Septrember and decided to send in my form for the Raw just 2 weeks prior to the race. i turned up that morning at the car park not knowing what to expect. i met Gavin Harvie at the start line and we both settled in to a steady pace working together sitting in 5th spot, i was not sure how long i would last or if i would finish as the conditions where not the greatest and i did not know how my mind would react to not doing much over the time period.
Around the 14 mile mark things started to stretch out and i never saw Gavin after that, i had settled into 4th place and this continued for some time when eventually i had moved to 3rd spot after leaving Sorn village. At around 20 miles when at a water station i was told that i was now in 2nd place, i had wondered what had happened to Paul Giblin, the marshalls said that he had pulled out and i was now 2nd,but i didn't see him at any point to indicate otherwise, this gave me a bit of motivaton as i felt if i could continue to the end i might be able to secure enough points to move me from 35th spot in the SUMS Series in to a vets placing.
It was around the 28 mile mark i took a wrong turn at a fork in the road and by the time i got back on track Paul appeared again, i think he had done the same, going off course, he quickly moved past me putting me back into 3rd place, before i knew it i was starting to struggle badly as the most i had done in recent weeks was 28 miles, i was not sure if i could hold on but before i knew it i got a 2nd wind after a brief stop for water i was over the bridge and heading towards the track as i came round the track i got a cheer from Gavin, only to find out that he pulled out at 25 with an injury so i knew i had secured 3rd place.
I later found out from Ada Stewart who was staying for the prize giving that that i had moved 29 places in to 6th overall and taking the 3rd vets spot, this was just the motivation to get my entry off for the GO33.
