A Single Interruption

Life is so hectic that I only seem to be managing to blip here once a week, and then usually almost a week late. I've never known time to pass so incredibly quickly.

So, a moment to catch up on an eventful Saturday. By a strange quirk of fate, the Wharfedale Trail Half-Marathon was being staged the same day as our away fixture in Grassington against Upper Wharfedale. The race started at the Rugby Ground, just across the river and within sight of the Cricket Ground, although with no bridge it was a couple of miles extra running to get there. 

Being unable to make the local trail race and 10K in Ilkley this last week or so, and with bruised rib recovered, my only aim this year was to try beating last year's time. I'm fitter more generally than last year but a little undercooked in terms of recent training. The 2,000 feet of climb felt distinctly daunting. The overnight weather forecast was not good (heavy thundery showers) and it looked like the fortuitous timing of the two events might turn out to be calamitous - a very wet run and an abandoned cricket match. It was drizzling at the start of the race with some very heavy clouds around but the rain held off. I enjoyed a good run in actually very good conditions, finishing a minute and a half quicker than last year and winning my category. Result!

Once finished I picked up a series of texts, first telling me to get a lift back from the race as they were unlikely to be travelling, then saying they were on their way but not expecting to get a game, followed by more optimism that some kind of game might be possible, and then that they were actually starting on time. As it turned out, the dark and ominous skies stayed around all day but only dropped one short light shower in all that time, shown here. It was a great cricket game too. Although we lost, it was against a good team playing some excellent cricket, and we were always in the match, right up until the penultimate over. No consolation for the lads but I always enjoy gripping contests.

A grand day out. I was grateful, for once, for not having to cycle back from an away game!

For the record, I finished 87th of 213 in 2.14.20, and in the cricket we had Ben Rhydding 185-8, Upper Wharfedale 189-6. Scorecard.