MIKE DOWN’S NATIONAL CROSS COUNTDOWN NO4
THE VAPOUR FLIES AT ARMAGH
Many of our first team runners took time out from their National preparations to make the annual pilgrimage to Armagh for the UK’s top 5K road race. What is it about this race that year after year smashes its own record-breaking times? One answer is the weather. How could a winter evening in February sandwiched between Storms Chiara and Dennis once again produce perfect racing conditions? Maybe it’s the Brexit effect this year, or could it just be the latest reaction to the notorious Nike Vapourflies? Whatever the explanation the annual pb paper chase once again defied all logic, with no less than 21 men breaking 14mins and nearer 140 15mins and what’s more not an African among them!
Only four of our 12 who made the trip – HARRY ALLEN, JACK BANCROFT, KURT TAYLOR and MIKE WILSMORE – failed to fly faster than ever before albeit only by a few seconds, and all of them had had their preparations compromised in some way by injury problems or illness. Harry’s training has been hampered by an ankle problem, Jack by chronic achilles tendinitis, Kurt by a bout of flu and Mike by on-going foot issues.
As expected our top track and cross runners on paper – CALLUM JONES and JACK MILLAR – duly led the way, both clocking substantial new PBs of 14:20, Callum despite having his training this winter periodically affected by a groin injury (osteitis pubis). Even so their times were only good enough for a place just inside the top 50! Harry (14:35), Jack B (14:41), Kurt (14:47) were next to finish, closely followed by our BTC associate ALEX CROSSLAND (14:47), JOSH MOODY (14:49), and Mike (15:00).
The rest of the squad all ran faster than ever before, while both JOE CONNORS (15:19) and ADAM WILSON (15:34) apparently might have gone even quicker had they not set 2K PBs en route! Sandwiched between them JED BARTLETT (15:27) shaved a few more seconds off his previous best, as did OLLY SHEPPARD (15:37) and PETE BAINS (15:47). To put it all in perspective Pete’s time could win most local parkruns, and even possibly our own Pomphrey 5K, yet it was only fast enough here for 217th position!
My own prediction is that the Vapour will fly even faster next year as the shoe companies continue to vie with one another to produce the perfect “springboard”, be it by further juxtaposition of carbon fibre plates or varying composition of foam. However for all of you it’s now back to the real world of a windswept Aztec West on Tuesday evening. At least a good old slice of British mud should produce an even playing-field at Wollatton Park on Saturday, on more of which I will report later in the week.