Horspath Track, Oxford, 9th Dec 2017

It was a very chilly morning to be waiting in a field for the Masters race to start, but cutting it fine has its own penalties. For those of you who were at the Summer League relays a couple of years ago, you’ll know that in general, I like races to wait until I am ready. However, this one waited for no man or woman; the gun went off and I was still tying my laces!

A hurdle over the tape and a 30 second delay meant I was way off the pace. Superman Bill was a speck in the distance. Never mind, it was a beautiful, frosty run and they were kind to the old people - no seemingly endless Horspath Hill to grind up. If you’re over 40, put this race in your diary for next year. Just think Chiltern League but without the 20 and 30 year old gazelles to worry about!

We were a very small Masters team this year but Bill, Patrick Brennan and I flew the QPH colours and were back in time to watch Nathan run for Middlesex in the South of England Inter-county XC Champs. Teams came from all over the southern counties to compete in a fairly brutal and very fast 5k. Nathan finished in the top half - a great finish for his first county race.