![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.stodgell.co.uk\/2010pics\/2010\/04\/p_1600_1200_B035243C-EA6C-4415-9E93-8688DD7F00A9.jpeg\" "\\"Stodge")
<\/a>\u00a0not seeing it as value for money. I’m glad to say this attitude seems to be changing judging by the huge numbers running today.\nWith the event in Devon\u00a0I was sort of\u00a0on home turf as I grew up in Taunton\u00a0and we are staying with my parents for the weekend. Mum\u00a0dug out\u00a0a big photo of me taken at the 1985 JK where I was 2nd on M13B, scary to think it was 25 years ago…..<\/p>\n
With a late start, looking at the finish times posted when I walked to the start, I knew I was in with a chance and luckily the rain held off whilst I was out (although my map was like a dishcloth when I picked it up). I started well and nailed the first 5 controls not going too fast,\u00a0but lost perhaps a few seconds on the slippery boardwalks on number 6 . The run back across the fields to number 8 was very muddy and I struggled in trainers, wishing I’d packed some dobb spikes. Then we were into the complex layout of the college, lots of small buildings, hedges, walls, little alleyways and fences. Great fun! I spiked every control except number 10 where I lost about\u00a05 seconds going in via another control on a tree and number 12 where I perhaps lost another\u00a010-15 seconds getting confused by the complex path junction. We then had a great control in a court yard down some steps before turning for home I really enjoyed the complex navigation in the college, probably some of the best sprint racing I have done, its a shame about the rain because everything else about the event was first class.<\/p>\n Coach Ada was worried about me seizing up after a sprint running race, so I had to get 30 minutes on the bike on the way home. I’m not sure he will approve of the monstrous hill on the way back over to Exeter but the run down the other side was nice. Traffic was heavy though, with everyone leaving the event and I was forced to bunny hop a pot hole on the road bike whilst someone overtook a bit close !<\/p>\n I decided several months ago\u00a0not to run M35 all weekend as it will take too much out of my legs and put me at risk of injury, with the Swedish training camp next weekend and only\u00a0two weeks to the first MTBO selection race, so a day off for me tomorrow, before running\u00a0M35 short\u00a0on Sunday and the relay for Chasers on Monday.<\/p>\n Results available at http:\/\/www.siresults.co.uk\/2010\/JK\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>. Coming into the\u00a0last control I was on my own. Chris Poole did a great bit of commentary over the tannoy, talking about my foot injury and subsequent return to form and MTBO. Punching the finish I was in the lead 1 minute and\u00a035 seconds up, a big margin in sprint racing.\u00a0I was very happy. Unfortunatley for me, fellow ex-South West Junior Squaddie Julian Simpson, then came in 18 seconds ahead pushing me to 2nd, but I was still chuffed though looking at splitsbrowser its the two mistakes that cost me the win as I was leading till that control.<\/a><\/p>\n