SOG Local Event – Southwater Country Park
It was snowing heavily and settling as I left home for the event at Southwater Country Park. 
As I passed Horsham the snow became sleet and when I arrived it was clear that only rain had fallen at Southwater. It was cold though.
I had been looking forward to this event. I was last here to plan an event, and wanted to run on this terrain which I know very well now. Despite this, I struggled to wake up, and felt under the weather. I debated whether to go or not. I felt much better once I started and was moving fast over the paths and open areas and, not surprisingly, was navigating confidently.
The park is an old clay pit, with two lakes in its base and very steep sides – particularly to the West. The area is covered with established scrub rather than mature forest, so it can be quite physical and hard to get through. Underfoot, it is very slippery everywhere if there is even a little rain, and there had been quite a lot. The area is tiny, so there was quite a lot of going from one side of the area to another, including several runs directly up the steeper slopes.
Once more, this was an event where the first two-thirds went well for me so that I was well up with the field, then I was just going slower and slower. Nothing changed with the course, but not only did my feeling ill come back with a vengeance, but my concentration went too. My chest was tight, my nose was running and I felt miserable. I just could not maintain the pace. I was determined to finish though and was pleased to get back inside my “target” hour. This sort of experience has happened to me a few times recently. I think my fitness is improving enough to let me go faster for the bulk of the race, but is not yet good enough to sustain me to the finish: more work needed.
I did not stay around for the usual banter – but headed home quickly for a hot shower. It turns out I missed some birthday cake. Ali was celebrating her birthday by planning her first course!
I thought the course was well planned. From control 10 to 15 particularly, forced you to choose routes carefully, where the choices were likely to make a big difference, and in an area like this, to be forced off paths was very well done – and there were no controls in pits!