Bunny Run #3 - back down to earth

It was back down to earth for me, both literally and figuratively. I'd been in Lausanne, Switzerland for 2 days with work, and had gone straight to the race from landing at the airport, and my hopes of improving at each race in the series took a bit of a setback, not that my time was that bad, but it was not one of my best experiences.












Where's Wally? - can you spot Matthew and me?

I should have read the warning signs. I remember I once ran the Roberttown 7 a few years back after flying back from Sweden earlier in the day, and I had a howler of a race. I just couldn't put my finger on why, I'd done the training, and was running great times on my training runs, but...

Same here, I arrived feeling OK, I'd made sure I was well hydrated, but we set off and I had nothing in my legs. I got caught up badly in the congested start, and struggled to get a rhythm. By lap 2, I was all over the place mentally, thinking how the hell I was going to run the 3 Peaks in a few days time when I was struggling so bad in this short race.

I have to try to rationalise it to myself, and here is what I'm thinking:-

• Travel, especially flying is tiring, both mentally and physically. I'm convinced this is true, as I've often come back from a trip somewhere and felt unable to train. Also, the whole experience of the airport etc. causes some mild stress (at least to me)
• I'd walked at least 4 miles that day with my small suitcase and heavy computer bag, and Lausanne is one hilly city!
• I'd not eaten my normal type of diet for 2 days including a big mac for lunch that day (I was in a rush)
  
• The room in the hotel was a "smoking-room" despite the fact I'd asked for non-smoking and I'd been unable to get it changed, consequently I'd been breathing in that stale sh*t for the previous 2 nights
• No Steve Moss motivating me to run faster
  

Having said that, it was my 3rd fastest BR ever (of 10 competed), and better than BR #1 this year so I don't think it's a major setback.

Matthew on the other hand should never have run, he picked up a calf injury on the track last Thursday, and consequently ran terrible. But try telling a teenager what they should and should not be doing!

Spen results
96  CHRIS JONES   V40 20.18
162 MATTHEW JONES U14 22.36

267 finishers, 3 retired

Full results here