So tired that I'm falling asleep in front of the computer. Ran in the Area Cross Country today. I had to run on the blister-turned-bloodblister that I got yesterday from running too furiously while playing Gaelic football. Missed the bus yet again, but got a lift off Mr Dennett (sp?) with Caddy and Sasha. Played Hooch in the car. Dennett won. It's a good game, but I'm too tired to set out the rules here. Maybe some other time.
They changed the route from last year's. It was more of a road run this time, fairly flat terrain. The pack started off at quite a fast pace; the first two minutes strung the group out so much that I had no chance to catch up. My left leg was still stiff, but it was okay by the time I got to the grass. The flatter terrain made up for the horrific hills in the Zone course, I suppose, but there was >2km in open sun, which I misjudged. I'd forgotten that the road before the bridge looked exactly the same as the 2km of road after the bridge, and lengthened my pace too early. It was so hard to keep the pace and breathing I had before, to continue running when it was the same road for 2km straight, with no shade to occasionally shield from the sun. Either way, I couldn't have caught up with the two in front. They just kept getting further and further from the time the pack was strung out. Some time I had gone over the bridge, I couldn't even see them anymore, they were that far away. And it was a dead straight 2km of road too, no turns, about three persons wide.
For the first 1.4km or so, I ran with the JR girl who beat me in Zone (I don't remember her name anymore, though it was mentioned at least twice today), then she fell behind, I don't know why. Maybe she couldn't keep my pace. So I ran most of the race alone. It took about 20 minutes. After I left the JR girl behind, I didn't hear the paces of anyone else in my age group. Other than that stupid mistake with the bridge, I'm quite pleased with myself. I ran all the way and came 13th. Not good enough to get to CHS/State, they were taking top 6, and probably something will happen with top 10 (I don't know, I've never made it past Area), but I think it's the best I've ever done in Cross Country. Appropriate, I suppose, since it's my last year of it.
Watched the 18 year boys coming in the last 100m. There was this one from.. Nepean? who was coughing heaps, and about 120m from the finish stopped to cough some. His phlegm came out black.
Niz decided to cartwheel over the finish line.
Dennett gave Sasha and I a lift to C HS after dropping Caddy off at Seven Hills Rd petrol station. I walked home from there and got back by 1506.