CROSS country running conjures up many images in people's minds, mostly negative ones to do with school. For all but a talented few, it meant running in cold, wet, muddy and generally unpleasant conditions for no obvious gain other than drumming out potential rebellion. I was never much good at cross country and despite playing lots of other sports, never really took it seriously. Since getting into running last year, I have been willing to give cross country another go, particularly as when I started it was summer and there was very little mud around. My Tuesday cross country run soon became a staple of the training week and so it has continued throughout the winter. Sure, there have been muddy times, but in general the course has been passable with a few detours devised by my more experienced companions. Yesterday, however, saw a whole new level of muddiness. At times I felt as if I had been carrying puddles around in my shoes. Progress was not rapid, especially as in real cross country races, runners wear spikes for extra grip. The irony was that it was a very spring-like day with temperatures more akin to May than March. Fortunately I now have an old pair of running shoes, so I can keep a clean pair for drier work. Back on the road, I have been trying to increase my pace while tackling the longer distances. Last Friday I managed 18 miles in 2hrs 15mins despite a a tough hilly section in the middle. This week 20 miles is on the cards. Provided I have a good rest the day after, I should be fine...

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