THREE WINS IN A ROW SETS UP "INTERESTING" DESTINY

A third successive win for the Misfits in Fox Lane Wednesday night doubles and a season that started with a sort of shoulder-shrugging pessimism is drawing to a close with a fist-pumping optimism.

Top flight status still hangs in the balance and realistically, not entirely in our own hands. But after that grim first half of the campaign, a settled team has seen us really gain some confidence and hit a winning run.
Against the team placed fourth, the oddly named With Beccs, Kevin Bibby and Steve Marginson slumped to a 2-10 deficit as opposition lead bowler Bill Rodden took charge of proceedings. But when his run was finally broken, the game opened up and momentum switched. At 14-14, Kevin and Steve seized that momentum and played really well to see out an excellent win.
It was down to Nigel Tomlinson and I to once again compliment the first pair's victory and bring home maximum points. Nige has been my most regular partner so far, but that's not entirely why he's perhaps become my favourite. We seem to be a good foil for each other, with completely different mindsets (I'm wired, he's chilled) and yet it works for us more often than not. When we both play well it's been proven we are a match for very good bowlers. Of course when we are both off our game then we are easy pickings, but generally, during normal service, if one of us doesn't get there, more often than not the other one does and that's what you need in doubles.
We had a tight game against Will Rodden and Chris Thompson but eventually got ourselves in the driving seat. Despite losing more ends early on, restricting our opponents to a long list of one-pointers kept us either level or noses ahead until I finally felt my game got going, but once again Nigel turned up trumps with some incredible winners from the back and this was the telling factor.
I wasn't overly impressed however, when lying three down, I implored my partner to get close and save with his last bowl. Instead, he went off piste for the strike and just missed, allowing our opponents to pick up a full house and get right back in it at 16-16 when we seemed to have taken control.
Nige said he felt confident enough to make the hit though, so fair enough. The control freak lead bowler that I have become - I had to suck eggs on that one!
We knuckled down again to win the next three ends though and see out the win which is all that matters. Scrappy at times from my own point of view, but I'm not playing too badly. There's a perfectionist within that has no right to be and is often disappointed. But without that over-expectational demand on myself, I wouldn't get the good shots and I don't think I would be slowly making improvements.
This win temporarily lifts us above our opponents to the dizzy heights of fourth, but the points margin is narrow and we've played a game more than three of the four teams below.
It was only this week I discovered it's three teams relegated, not two! Pretty brutal in a league of just eight I considered and decided to share my thoughts with league co-organiser Dave Charlesworth. You don't get much change out of Dave's dry perceptions at the best of times, and his reply that  "It makes things more interesting", simply cannot be argued with I suppose.
That said, three going down makes the survival of our team become an even more unlikely story should we see it through.
We continue to keep ourselves in with a chance though and if we can salvage another point or two from a very challenging last couple of matches then regardless of the endless ifs and buts of our rivals with a game in hand, it might just be enough. 

FIGHTING CHANCE TO STAY UP

Following Saturday's race, no running since as whatever cold virus that was lurking has since made it quite clear that further physical exertions are not a good idea just now.
Concentration switched to bowls then as weather conditions finally settled down and the Wednesday bowling night was ON.
Fox Lane's greens were looking superb. A subtle cut and brush, enhanced by the new floodlights, provided a truly inviting spectacle after nearly a month of postponements.
Our team's survival chances were further boosted as all four of us played well against relegation rivals and Fox Lane home team, Real Ale Madrid.
Two convincing wins and a second successive priceless three points were scooped up. Kevin Bibby and Steve Marginson set the tone with a 21-7 effort. I was back with Nigel Tomlinson again and we were both back to form on that big number one green.
After losing the first few ends, I put up some good leads and if I didn't, more often than not Nige was there to rescue the points. In fact, even when I was up there with good woods, Nige would even better them. He sent some absolute wonders all evening and the beauty about Nigel, who has only been playing a couple of years longer than I have, is his humility and that he doesn't know how good he actually is... and could be.
Our opponents Andy and Peter were both playing well and yet became resignated to their plight. "What the f*ck do we have to do against these lads?", I overheard a couple times. They just couldn't get in there, didn't get any lucky breaks and Nige played some blinders when they did get in. When we did lose an end, generally we restricted them to singles and made it really hard work. A 21-9 victory was capped off with a sweet second bowl of mine looking the likely matchwinner, only for Nigel to typically beat it by an inch.
Sublime as it was, as the supporting Steve Wilson pointed out, Nigel had made a bigger target for potential disruption, but we got away with it and the game ended with me bollocking my partner for showboating!
These two victories pulled us out of the bottom two relegation places for the first time all season but we still need to defy the odds by getting four or five points from our final three games to give ourselves the best chance.
No mean feat given that we face three of the current top four, starting with leaders Westhoughton next week.
Olive Park Greens have somehow climbed above us now, beating The Cons on Wednesday who have now parachuted to second from bottom, but crucially with a game in hand on us Misfits.

GUNK, MUD AND HOPE

Saturday 6th January 2024

LANCASHIRE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Witton Park, Blackburn
Senior Men's Race: 9.8K

This race was pencilled in maybe three months ago. A good starting point to finally, and hopefully, get racing regularly again in 2024.
As things transpired, my performance didn't feel like a true representation of where my running is right now. Training has been going well and I felt really strong on a New Year's morning tempo run, but then an underlying cough and sore throat has taken hold as the week progressed.
There's a load of bugs and viruses about just now, Covid is still expressing it's latest mutation too, although it would seem I tested negative for that.
This was a bit of a weird one though, in that I was coughing and blowing a load of congealed gunk first thing in the morning and last thing at night, but symptoms seemed to go away during the day. I didn't actually feel fatigued by it either, so all week I'm not sure if it's a good idea to do the race on Saturday or not.
The fact I wanted to and basically felt energised enough to do so perhaps overrode common sense.
Lancs Champs is a tough comeback race. Cross Country has always been my weakest running discipline, sited by the wrong type of mud and too much of it. Laps do my head in as well. I'm just a sucker for punishment I suppose, but it's a classic on the local fixture calendar and those additional psychological challenges will stand me in good stead. 
We're off and I feel I'm running at a consistent effort rate - but a bit like one of those recurring running dreams I have when I'm trying to wade through something like treacle whilst everybody else gallops by easily - it became a reality. Despite maintaining effort rate, as each lap went by, I dropped steadily back through the field and just couldn't latch on to any passers by. 

A great distraction when starting the third lap was Harriers secretary and honorary member George Davies reaching high to make an exemplary left handed catch when I chucked him my gloves from a good fifteen yards away.  

Two hundred yards further down the course though and the reality of my current running ranking is exposed as I'm lapped by firstly, the impressive looking leader, Daniel Bebbington, speeding through the claggy mud as if it was track. I then get a glimpse of the rest of the top fifteen or so by the time I'm starting the fourth and final lap, of which I was pleased and not surprised to see clubmate and former work colleague Ben Fish up there, claiming a top ten spot by the end and not suprisingly the first veteran prize. Five times a Lancs Champs winner and still classy as ever going in to his forties.

In any race though, running well or not, you finally find your level and mine was on that last lap. Traffic had been strictly one way since the start... just passing me by. Approaching our final uphill slog on the section known as 'The Saucer' though, I realised an Accrington guy that had just slipped past sounded like he was suffering much more than me and finally, yes finally I passed somebody and gained a place back! Buoyed by this moment of euphoria, there was a bit left in the tank to maintain momentum and now rather than worry who was coming behind, I set my sights on Chorley veteran Paul Wareing next ahead. I made up good yardage on him through the gate and deep slop at the bottom of the hill, gritting past him with maybe 300 yards to go and holding on by a couple of seconds. It was a positive end to an otherwise difficult three quarters of an hour getting my arse kicked. 
It was all absolutely worth it though. Great to catch up with some of the guys again from Blackburn Harriers and other clubs who I've not seen for years. It should also be said, around the course, absolutely fabulous support from people I recognised who had a right to forget who I was, and others of whom I had rudely forgotten them. A few times on the first lap I would hear my full name sounded in exclamation. 'The Ghost of Harriers Past', it would seem!
This run was a reminder that I do miss the racing scene and some of the terrific spirit amongst club runners. Maybe it's all down to body chemistry and running endorphins, or perhaps my own personal perception, but it got me thinking how club runners are that bit more an engaging, encouraging and upbeat crowd than crown green bowlers. I'm careful not to state that as an overall generalisation, for I've met mainly very fine people through bowling so far, but somehow it feels the runner's glass is half full and the bowlers glass is half empty. Only a runner that bowls or a bowler that runs might understand!
The morning after the race and I'm not that sore, my legs aren't as spannered as they could have been and so on that basis I can happily convince myself a couple of minutes could have been shaved off had I felt in full fettle.
Sara assures me an early walk with the dogs on the moors would be "active rest". It was a stunning frosty morning up there and I was very grateful she dragged me out of my post-porridge stupor.
Coming off Great Hill I see that a runner approaching upwards is Rob Hope and I'm flattered he still recognises me from my halcyon fell racing days. He stops and chats for a few minutes. I can't take Sara anywhere rural without bumping in to a runner and subsequently gassing it would seem. But I think Mrs Sutton was suitably impressed on this occasion when I explained Rob happens to be a multiple British and English fell racing champion. He was the dominant force in the sport for some years when I started running. The same age as myself, but obviously a different class and needless to say Rob is still a force to be reckoned with on the fells.
Sara was amazed at how humble a chap he seemed to be and that he even bothered giving the likes of myself the time of day, but that's not only the mark of the man, but the spirit of fell running and amateur running in general.
Nobody I know about thinks they are Billy Big Bollocks in this game, even if they might have a right to be.
I can't help thinking this crossing of paths with Mr Hope was somehow a sign to really crack on and get back in to it properly this year.
Please body parts, I implore you to stay mobile and intact!

It was Rob Hope's body parts I was more concerned about after he retraced his route back down the hillside though. One of our dogs, Connie, is an absolute beast for chasing runners, bikes, even buses once or twice... I thought Rob getting 200 yards ahead and even out of sight around Drinkwaters Farm ruins was a safe enough bet to take Connie's lead back off... bad move. She was off! Chasing down a national fell running champion with me screaming louder and more anxiously than usual in these helpless circumstances. She came back fairly quickly and I don't know what happened. Perhaps he upped the pace and Connie met her match? I could see Rob still running again in the distance so no harm done I suspect. 

Race Winner: Daniel Bebbington (Blackburn Harriers) 31:02
My Stats: 44:53 Pos: 100th/136

WAITING FOR BETTER WEATHER

Last year drew towards it's close with yet more disruption of the bowls fixture calendar. If it isn't freezing, it's sodden on those there greens at Fox Lane.
Our team finished 2023 on a high note though with our first overall match win of the season against relegation rivals Olive Park Greens. Two close games won to seventeen was enough to lift us off the bottom in place of our opponents that evening.
I've got rusty again and didn't play particularly well, but my partner Kevin Bibby returned to better form and carried us over the line. Kevin led out well when we swapped around and this was the key to a much needed win. Nigel and Steve then completed the proverbial six-pointer which gives us a fighting chance, but it's still going to be a tough task to stay up and particularly if we're not playing with regularity.
Once again, fixtures called off first week of this new year after seemingly endless piles of rain. A long overdue dry spell begins, but now it's touch and go again if it can stay above freezing early enough in the evening.