There's no F in team

If there's one thing worse than a kicking from your mates it's the fear of letting them down. We've got a nice group going at the moment with seven or eight of us similar enough in abilities to be able to ride out a session together. It's not the easiest thing in the world to keep a group like this on track so when it's working it's worth savouring and milking it for what it's worth.

Last Monday we had an opportunity to run as a team at the 4 mile county championships Interesting race's these championships - The first mile was a cagey affair (for the bigger hitters anyway) which had a group of 16/17 going through the first mile at 5.30/35.

Of late I'v been struggling with me mojo. When the hurt come's on I'v been going for option two (fuc* this) and I'd back off. It was easy, no skin off anyone's nose only my own. The downside - not entirely satisfied going home. On Monday though there was something to lose and if my running buddie's were going to put in an effort well then I didn't have much of an option not to. The fear. We had an outside chance of a team medal and that was enough, there wasn't that many heads warming up around Castlyons and if things went ok we might be able to take advantage of the situation. If we were to lose out it better not be from the want of trying on my part, anyone else fine - c'est la vie, but over four miles there's no excuses especially with an armchair fast first mile to the strains of big audio dynamite. "unoyted we stand- deevoided weh nuffin" they say.

I hadn't ran anything close to that pace since September so coupled with being part of the lead group gave me a right lift, for a few minutes anyway. The crash was inevitable and expected - how much shit you can put up with after is what produces the result. At 1.5 there was a bit of a reshuffle and it was time to play spot the mile marker. Any other day I could take a breather if team duties weren't a thing but the fear wouldn't allow it. With half a mile to go I'd already lost a scrap with Liam Treacy which left only one team prize left on the road (unless I stopped and gathered my thought's I wouldn't have known this at the time). Christ if I get passed - that's all you can think of. Calculations of by who? what age group is he? how many from eagle? are beyond me. Don't get passed that's all.

As luck would have it the three closest behind were in their own tactical battle which meant I just about made it to the line in front of them. An hour later and we'd a team bronze - we'd ran pretty well and taken advantage of the absence of some heads. Soft pot's you say but there's no such thing, a medal's a medal. Hardly a momentous result for Grange Fermoy AC but satisfying all the same.