One Shot

As the great songsters JLS say "You only get one shot, so make it count".

With that in mind, Sunday's big news was that (unless my mathematical ability has deserted me) I have secured the Centurion 5 mile series title. This is an event which has been going for some 40 years so I'm very pleased to add my name to the list of winners.

Sunday's race went well - there were two competitors who potentially could have beaten me in the series (you need to do 4 races to qualify). I set off like the proverbial rocket with the aim of breaking them before I broke myself (I did not want to leave anything to chance by relying on the last race on 11 April to have to beat them). The plan worked and I came second, knocking 20 secs off my PB for the (off road) course - 26m 54s. I had a bit of a stomach bug and spent most of the rest of Sunday in bed, but it was job done. The winner was a new (dutch) athlete (and so can't qualify for the series), who spent the whole race running right behind me and clipped my heels 3 times. One more time I'd have swung for him - obviously no racing etiquette in Holland! I'm not sure what times I'm capable of on a 5 mile road - maybe sub 26m 30s now.

Today feeling better and had an hour session on the cross trainer which I really enjoyed. Will probably do a 10 miler on the treadmill tomorrow night. I did a good 59m 13s last week, so should shave a few secs off that. The aim is to be 10 mile race fit for Ripon on 9 May. I want to be able to attack a 10 mile course, rather than just struggling around ... we'll see!

As I have won the Centurion series, I will not be racing in their last race on 11 April. I'll see what shape I'm after a duathlon on 21 March, and triathlon on 28 March, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility that I'll solely focus on training after that and not race until Fountains (25 April). Having got my race tactics from "Master" Dunn, I want to be in peak condition for that.

Spent some of my vouchers on some new Adidas Adios trainers. They are great, although not as good as the Brooks T6 racers in my opinion (they are super great!). I'll do my 10 mile run in the Adios tomorrow night. I tried two other Adidas shoes - the Mana and the Ace - but they were nowhere near as good as the Adios. If they are good enough for Alistair Brownlee they are good enough for me!

My son Rowan's 5th birthday tomorrow. Working from home and so that means I can enjoy the all important Tea Party!