So I’m back in the UK after a whirlwind trip to Velenje in Slovenia for the European Cross Country Championships. On the way out, the taxi picked me up at 4.45am, and we arrived at the team hotel at around 5pm. On the way home, we boarded the bus at 3.50am and shortly thereafter my ability to speak, think or tell the time deserted me. Still, it could have been worse, I could have been the person who stayed up all night after having stolen the mascot’s outfit, eaten at least 5 desserts, and thrown up at the hotel.
The thing that struck me the most on the trip was the camaraderie and passion of the coaches and athletes involved in British cross country. Mud, rain and cold don’t scream glamour or money, but they do breed respect amongst those crazy enough to take part. Cross country is tough, but it is incredibly rewarding, and for me it’s a really important opportunity to test my fitness.
Team course inspection
So test it I did, and whilst I was disappointed to finish 25th the time gaps were small, and the fantastic team performance that saw us come away with team silver medals went a long way towards cheering me up! Regardless of how fast the early pace was – it felt fast. I got a terrible start, and spent the race working hard to move through as I negotiated the eight lap course. Rhythm breaking is the nature of cross country, but the tight twisty course really stopped me from finding mine – I felt great on the straighter, faster sections, but was cornering like a ferry!
Post race it was podium time (we were beaten to team gold by a very strong French team), then back to the hotel for massage and a quick change before the banquet. It definitely takes the shine off the evening when you have a 3.30am alarm hanging over you! Finally we undertook the bus, plane, plane, train, bus journey back home where it was time to catch up on some sleep. Or at least that was what I had hoped until there was a knock on the door at 10.15pm as the drugs testers showed up. Which meant that the evening ended with the surreal experience of watching a question of sport at 11pm with my long-suffering wife as two strange men waited for me to pee. Brill.
Footnote: check out a great blog on the GB cross country team here
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