It's not just the heat!

First up - thanks to Unclebullbar for the suggestion and looking after the two randoms (one of whom happens to be a colleague of mine) on the second lap.

However, not sure I thank him for bringing Tate along - he damn near killed me on the 3rd lap. Luckily I was happy for being dragged round as PB'd that course with a 37:34. Interesting that last week I had a similar experience trying to keep up with Steve01 & co and managed a 39:17, so gotta be happy with almost 2 minutes faster today.

Against my better judgement Tate & I then embarked on another lap (the first 2 had been short through various incidents after all) as he promised to slow up. Shortly after I discovered that 'slow up' didn't mean what I thought as his normal lap would be around 32 minutes here. Oops

Feeling decidedly ropey I held on, and was very happy when the suggestion came to take Short Meadows. Still, even this couldn't hold off the inevitable: it had been very humid all day and getting hotter, had been drinking loads, but clearly not enough (and the wrong stuff... forgot the salt in my magic drink, doh!) and... twang!... on came the cramps. Ouch! "Never mind", I thought, will just pop out after Browns and trundle up the road. Easier said than done. If I tell you that it was a real trauma climbing that in even in first gear it probably says a lot.

Needless to say, back at the car I collapsed in a heap of muscle spasms. To his credit, Tate didn't laugh too much and even helped me up when I couldn't bend my legs and held my hand to stop me falling over from a contorted pose meant to clear the cramps. Luckily these passed, but bl00dy hell... not pleasant. Guess I must have been complaining a lot as another bloke wondered over and asked what all the screaming was about!

Anyhow - all in all a top morning. Gotta love a PB. Nice to have a little reminder of what not to do too. Here's the pathetically short profile, WTF!