WIND, RAIN AND RACING PAIN

Saturday 26th February 2022
ENGLISH NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Parliament Hill Fields, London
Time:1.07:50 Pos:1532/2089

"Good weather for ducks", as they say. But I'm not even sure our pond residing feathered friends have actually enjoyed the cold and wind which has driven the endless amounts of rain and sleet that has culminated in a few weeks of pretty shite weather all in all.
Bowling practice has been almost non-existent, but there's been nowt I can do about that.
Fortunately the constant flow of tightly woven isobars finally dispersed just in time for cross country racing in London. A weekend earlier and the Nationals races would have been an absolute wash out - potentially abandoned even. With trees around the course floored or parting with large branches, team tents impossible to peg down and many runners travelling from afar might have had difficulties reaching the capital in the first place. Thankfully that's all hypothetical scenario though.
February 26th was a glorious day long overdue. Sunny, less chilly than of late and the first real hint of Spring around the corner.
The weather helped, but the buzz of the venue and stature of the race provided my run at Parliament Hill with much enhancement of the soul... despite the stark reality of competing again being an ugly reminder of the pain involved and revealing the sorry truth of where my fitness is up to. Over 1500 finished ahead of me with around only 700 behind me, but nothing less than I expected really. I loved and hated every mud trudging moment in equal dosage and soaked up the occasion. 
A great weekend overall, spent in the company on Saturday evening of Blackburn Harriers legends past and present in George Woodburn, Evan Cook and Ben Fish. I often feel uncomfortable with the word "legend" being used too easily in recent times and dilluted from it's true definition. But not in the case of those three aforementioned, I can confidently assure.
It was great to be back in the club and the blue and white vest, which seemed to fit slightly tighter than it did during my last outing for Blackburn knocking on five years ago. Obviously it must have shrunk in the wash at some point (?)
I have finally reached the stage now where it's pointless putting pressure on myself with anything running related and concede that I am not going to run anywhere near as fast as I did ten years ago and to graciously accept the irreversible fact of ageing's wear and tear. I've just got to still get out there and enjoy it for what it is. 
On the bowls front, where pressure most definitely IS being put on myself, a chance to get the woods out again on the park green and exciting news that our Eagle green should be ready to open again in the next couple of weeks. Weather permitting once again, this should give a good three weeks of more intensive practice leading up to my competition debut at the Waterloo.
It's been a long Winter without competitive bowling and I see now what I didn't see last Autumn, that despite the fear of standing around in the cold and freezing my extremities off, I need to get over that and in to a Winter league next year. Maybe even find a gullible doubles partner who fancies doing a few competitions too. Either way, to keep myself ticking over. I've missed the game more than I thought I would.