Ok so I’ve been bad at keeping this up-to-date. A lot’s happened since I last updated. I ran the Brighton 10K in mid-November in 40.21 – almost achieving my goal of breaking 40m. I WILL do this in 2008.

This year I’ve started with the 7.5m XC in Lloyd Park (heavy going), a speed session on Tuesday 8th and the third of the 4 Surrey League XC yesterday (12th Jan) in Richmond Park. Only 5 miles it was a breeze compared to Lloyd Park. Conditions underfoot, despite the rain, were surprisingly good. It was more of a road race to be honest. I finished 12th Strider. Two points to note Chris was the only vet in our 10 scoring positions – almost unheard of – and James finished a wonderful 8th. When he actually does some training I’m going to be very scared.

The point of this post is to highlight that the XC season isn’t just about running. We stopped at this establishment in Barnes afterwards for a few beers

12th Jan Halfway House
A good pint of Brakspears – followed by another one until I realised I had to get back to Croydon sharpish to scrub up and head out. A 5 min jog to Barnes station and with good connections at Clapham and EC I was home in Warlingham in under an hour. Not bad. I’ll try and add the other pubs that we’ve visited after the various XC races this season – as I remember what they’re called.

A couple of visits to the George this week and I’m impressed. Their selection of bitters included Mooorhouse’s Black Cat, Hobson’s Mild and Harviestoun’s Bitter & Twisted. Hobson’s Mild at 3.2% recently won the Best Beer award at the Great British Beer Festival at Olympia. It had run out on the Thursday that I visited the Festival so I was pleased to be able to sample it. For such a weak beer it had enormous flavour – very caramelly.

When Phil & Susan decided to organise a Hash from the Bull Inn at Chelsham on Bank Holiday Monday I couldn’t not do this – the pub being a two minute jog from home. I rolled up at 11.00am to find a few Striders outside the pub – still after Phil explained the rules and we learnt the cries of ‘Check’ and ‘On On’ we set off.

Beer’s an important component of the Hash so we had only run a mile and a half or so and were greeted by Phil & Susan with a choice of a beaker of bitter, Czech lager or water. A nice spot of bitter for me. 3 or so miles later we had passed St Mary the Virgin church at Farleigh and were on the last stretch back to the Bull for a pint of Greene King IPA or Fuller’s London Pride to discuss extreme activities for the next Strider’s extra-curricular event – oh and a Strider’s ex-girlfriend in Huddersfield!

Phil, Jacqui & I then checked out the revamped Harrow Inn – OK it was revamped two months ago but I’d not been there yet. Bombardier and London Pride were sampled and P&J’s food looked decent.

Now it’s the Dry Hill 10 miler in Lingfield on September 2nd for me.

Wisely took 5 days off after Henfield. Behaved myself in the main last week but lost it at Ghostrider’s leaving do at the George. My drink of choice was Hopback’s Summer Lightning. Probably not that wise at 5.0% but as their promotional blurb says it’s a perfect summer ale.

Sunday 5th saw my first 1.30 club run. Trying to get more miles in the legs for Nottiigham. we covered approx 10 miles so still some way to go for me.

Tuesday 7th – Speed session of 12 x 350. Good training for the Belgrave TriandRun 5k coming up on Sunday

Thursday 9th – HBB, Parson’s Choice, Gem, Deryn Du, Shefford Mild, BeWyched……then the memory get’s a bit hazy. You’ve guessed it. It was the Beer Festival at Earls Court. Usually I find this a bit too busy but it wasn’t that bad. Accompanied by that well know firm of solicitors, Wolfenden, Knight, Schroeder & Jackson much fun was had by all. My favourite was Gem from Bath Ales. Least favourite was the round we got from the Welsh Region. Jackson retaliated by buying a bottle of A over T for Tim. At 9% it wasn’t what was needed. He took it better than me.

With 7 weeks til Nottingham I realised I needed to start training more seriously.

Last Saturday I went out for 65 minutes at about 8min mile pace.

Monday was an incredibly slow 3 miles running home from Upper Warlingham station

Tuesday was the Striders 5 x 4 mins speed session with 1 min rest interval. Then a slow jog home from the station again.

Wednesday three pints of San Miguel at Bradleys with a couple of ex Virgin Net employees. A regular haunt of ours. Doug thought the pub had become more chavvy. I think it’s just because he’s moved out of town. It was always quite scuzzy but that’s why I like it.

Thursday I lost it again after a busy day. Some pints at the George before being persuaded to go to Ladies Night at the Camel. A few remnants from Goodwood in big hats, some girls dancing to Funky Town with Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (with subtitles) muted on the plasma screens. John managed to tell the DJ that the tunes he was playing were sh*t, before promptly leaving. I doubt we’ll be returning.

Friday Lunch at the Belgravia which is better than the reviews posted here. Cheap eats and Flowers & Bombardier on hand pump.

Today – Another hour around the trails near to home. Took in Selsdon Nature Reserve and passed All Saints Church, which I’d never seen before.

Well I didn’t get as much running done as I’d planned. I managed to knacker my lower back for the first ten days of the holiday. Got flipped over in the surf and my aged back gave way. Sick Mick recovered enough to run along the Boudigau and up to Labenne Ocean church. Now I’m back I need to step up the training – as it’s only 7 weeks til Nottingham.

I did enjoy lots of great Belgian & French beer. Leffe, Grimbergen, Mort Subite, Kronenbourg…..Very strong, very cheap.

Yum.

A depressing day at work with one resignation, and rumours of more, is not the thing you need when you’re trying to cut down your drinking. Most of the team attempted to have lunch in the poncey gastropub The Thomas Cubitt.
Naturally on a Friday lunchtime it was overly packed so we gave up and ventured to our new local, the St George’s Tavern on Belgrave Road. A couple of Weston’s organic cider later at 6.5% and I felt much better. Sorry I couldn’t carry on after work but had to be in Croydon early doors.