Enigma Quadzilla Day 3 2011

Day 3

I was very stiff last night and I did wonder whether I would be able to run at all today. I didn't sleep particularly well either, but to my surprise I woke to find my legs much better. I had slept in compression socks and maybe that made a difference. But my legs were certainly not as fresh as they were on days 1 and 2, so I decided that sub 5 would be fine and sub 4.45 would be great. I decided to go for the 8.00 start instead of the 10.00 so that most of my drive home would be in daylight.

On day 2 I had played cat and mouse with Sally, a non-Fetchie. She was ahead most of the time and I caught her just before the end. She thought I wanted to overtake her, but I didn't have any intention of going by her, I just wanted to hang on to help me get to under 4hr 30min. She speeded up the closer I got to her and we both got under 4hr 30min with her 1 second ahead

Today she was ahead for the first bit and lap 1, but then we ran about 4 laps together chatting away and it certainly made those laps much much easier However, by the start of lap 6, I was suddenly feeling pretty awful, nothing I could identify, just not in the mood to run as fast as I had been. So I told her to go ahead and I really struggled round lap 6. Having experienced this feeling before, I knew it would not last and at the start of the lap 7, the final lap, I felt much better. I knew there was an outside chance of sub 4.45 and I just ran steadily until one of my timing points (where I knew how long it would take me to get to the finish). Sub 4.45 was still possible, so I put my foot down a bit harder and came in with 4hr 42min. I didn't catch Sally this time, but seeing two Fetchies ahead (they were 10.00 starters so they had no need to speed up) gave me some motivation.

The weather today was grey again at the start but it became a lovely sunny day. The drive home was fine, but I was very, very stiff when I tried to get out of the car. It has been a lovely three days. I have met some interesting and very friendly people and I think I have got through the three races without any serious injury.