WEEK 49
Sat Dec 5th, AM 4 miles, PM 2 miles. Feeling a bit stiff ? Sun AM 2 miles, " Didn't feel brilliant at all." 12:30 PM Start of the Fukuoka Marathon. I stayed with the leading bunch for 10 miles, sitting in as there was a head wind. There was no aggression there. Then, strangely my legs began to stiffen. I lost contact before the turn and watched helplessly as the runners streamed away from me. I tried to hold my form hoping for an energy boost would pull me through at the end. It did not happen. I moved through from 14th to 9th and finished undistressed in 2:15:27. I had not believed that I would ever run so slowly again.
1st Usami, Japan, 2:10:37.8; 2nd Ken Moore, USA, 2:11:35.8; 3rd Unetani, Japan, 2:12:12; 4th Jack Foster, NZ, 2:12:17.8: 5th, John Farrington, Australia, 2:12:58.4; and 6th Bill Adcocks, 2:13:32.
Had I blotted my copy book ? When I requested preselection for the European Games the next year I was told by telephone that percentage wise there was little difference between my 2:09:28 in Edinburgh and Jim Alder's 2:12:04 for second place in the same race ! I ran disconsolate 2 mile runs for the rest of the week for a total of 56 miles.
It was obvious that the super high mileage had not worked for me. I did not have the physical and emotional strength to cope with running three times a day whilst working full time.
WEEK 50
Thirteen runs this week was a mere 30 miles.
WEEK 51
On Sunday I ran the INTERNATIONAL CROSS DE EREMBODEGEM in Belgium. I finished 9th but found it very enjoyable. Another resting week gave me 32 miles.
WEEK 52
Saturday Dec 26th I took part in the BOLTON UNITED HARRIERS BOXING DAY RACE at Leverhulme Park, Bolton. Moving through the field I finished 4th one in front of Steve Kenyon, but was feeling unfit and over weight. The last full week 52 I ran 36 miles
1970 had given me 2 of my greatest victories but ended with a disappointing marathon. My total mileage for the year was 5059 miles.
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