Lancaster 5k series, Fast & Furious.

Lancaster 5k series, Fast & Furious.

On Saturday Evening in near perfect conditions up at Lancaster Nathan Townsend decides to go for a quick run out. Many Local runners know the Lancaster 5k is a very quick course. Nobody was prepared for how quick!

Having been injured with a serious sprain since January, Nathans Track season was well and truly trashed with only slow running all year. Under the supervision of Duncan Mason, physio to Mo Farah in major competitions, Duncans recommendations was to give up running any form of competition until Autumn, this was back in March. Depressed was not the word, more Furious and Fed up was the order. Spending time in the gym was the closest Nathan got to breaking out in a sweat. Working on legs and core, 8 min miling on the treadmill was just not productive, or so he thought.

The Last of the Lancaster 5k series was the benchmark of whether or not he was good enough to defend his XC titles over the Winter period. What Nathan needed was someone to take him on, thankfully Matthew Sheen of Vale Royal and James Bowness of Trafford a 1.48 / 800m runner was on hand to push Nathan. Last year Nathan enjoyed a 16:43 on this course and would have settled today for anything around 16:15, and that was very optimistic.

Leading the small field out of the track Nathan was motoring taking the lead with Matthew on his shoulder, Nathan recalls “maybe I’m going too quick”, the first mile cover in less than 5 minutes. It was then James and Matthew turned their experience and Summer training on. Not prepared to go down without a fight Nathan took them on and all 3 were flying. Nathan was now covering 2 miles in 10:12.

Within the last mile James broke away and made some distance between Mathew and Nathan. However it was Nathans track training than came into the fore when finishing, the last 300m seemed to be just like a track session as he closed the gap on Matthew. Finishing 3rd & Recalling his time last year, Nathan could not believe finishing in 15:46, the 4th fastest U17 time in the UK this year.

Afterwards all 3 runner cooling down congratulated each other, as all 3 had knocked around 1 mins off their personal bests.

Nathan at 16 was too young to accept alcohol as a prize so claimed 2 free entries for next years series and a bag of Haribos.

The Moral of the Story! Never Give Up!