Jonny Hay and Richard Goodman at the English National Junior 2011
JONNY HAY POWERS THROUGH THE MUD
Jonny Hay and Richard Goodman were the favourites for the Junior title and that was the order they finished although, Goodman, had the satisfaction of being in the winning Shaftesbury Barnet team, (2 Goodman, 11 Jacke Shelley, 42 Tadh Grant, 44 Euan McKenzie) 99 points, 2nd were Derby & county 110 and 3rd Stroud & District 110. The first six of 183 finishers were 1 Hay 28:17, 2 Goodman 28:49; 3 Ben Connor (Derby) 28:52; 4 Matthew Wright 29:04; 5 Andy Coombs 29:20 and 6 Ian Bailey 29:21.
The previous Sunday Jonathan Hay had won a Junior cross-country in Hannut Belgium but had been concerned all week about his Aldershot Farnham & Distinct AC clubmate Steph Twell who had been taken to hospital after fracturing her ankle. I talked to Jonathan in the huge reception area which was all in a sea of mud.
" Did he not think that because Steph had such an incredibly good season overall that the rest and a gradual build up again for the Olympics could be a good thing in the long run?
" She is already got that sort of in mind at the moment. However it has been a low week for me knowing what happened to Steph and I won today for her and want her to have a quick a recovery as possible'
He continued " I have had my ups and downs this year and had injury problems. My coach and I knew the race plan for today and it went well and everything seemed to prevail. I had Achilles problems around Christmas time but now completely recovered'
'The race today was very tough and I had not raced Richard for while because we both had injuries."
RICHARD GOODMAN
" A 40 minute delay then after that just thoughts of- stay professional, stay focused. I had already warmed up and done a few strides then when say a '25 minute delay ten minutes after that then prepare yourself !.
' I got going I was running well but there was no way on the course you could run smooth, there was no rhythm. I was glad Jonny and I got away. Once we got a way it was down to whoever could kick first. He had it but, I was not going to give up. I came back to him the first time then I was jus waiting and waiting then, there was just no way on the course where I could say, this is where are going to go. I lost focus here and there. I just thought the hills were very, very muddy and slippy and there was just no rhythm. I think it was the muddiest course I had ever run on. You can't prepare for something like that. Nowhere like this to run. It was horrible. We learnt from it. We know now what we have got to do. '
' I am training by myself and it is very hard to push yourself by yourself. Geoff and I are going to look for me to train with another group so, I can have someone to train with to push me that bit more in training. If it means to go down training to St Marys then that is what it what may happen. We learnt from to-day and hopefully can bounce back at the World trials at Birmingham in two weeks."