I was officially excited to run on Saturday, mainly because I haven't raced this year. The Northern XC didn't count because I didn't try but Parbold was different. I'd left it late to enter and was advised by Neil Kelly that the race was going to fill up and there were to be no entries on the day! I got my entry in just in time as Paul Riley tried the day later and it was full.

It was probably th hotest day of 2013 so far, a glorious day for flogging yourself up and down muddy hills on a Saturday afternoon. And boy was it muddy! I know the Northern was a non stop mud fest because I was pretty much jogging around I didn't really apprectiate how tough it was. I knew Parbold would be a bog because it's been so wet and a lot of the course is on farmers fields that don't have well worn paths.

My game plan was simple - fast fast fast on the first mile which is all road then settle in as best you I could. I was on Glen Groves and Al Ashtons tail for the first mile but once I hit the steep hill I started to get over taken. The mud on the first half of the course wasn't too bad as it's mainly paths and I got out onto Parbold Hill feeling good. I'd calculated I was roughly 20th and the next section was really slippy and I fell over but nothing serious. Once we got back onto the farm track I started pushing hard, knowing I'd die a death on the boggy hill ahead.

Just after the rocky stream which is always really trechourous, a few runners flew past me, Chris Millington from Spectrum was one, I could believe how fast he was going so late on, or maybe it was how slow I was going! I knew the rest of the race was going to be tough as its across flat farmers fields that were so heavy. Dave Pinno from PLS was snapping away in the field near the finish, as usual giving me and the other runners great encouragement when I heard him shout for Neil.

I had to laugh because I knew if I'd beat Neil on this ground I 'd have had a good race - I lost a shoe at virtually the same spot when I first ran this great race in 2009 and Neil passed me hear, no doubt trying to hide a smile! He passed me again and I although I tried to keep up he was gone. My legs gave up after the short stream crossing but luckily so did everyone lese behind me. I finished 23rd in 50.13 - not my quickest time but by far my highest placing.

I celebrated with a few pints of guiness next to an open fire in the boozer after the race, cheering Jonny Mellor on who was mixing it with Mo Farah at the Birmingham indoor 3k.

Training wise I didn't ease up for the race and ran 18.5 the next day with Martin S and Riley - no wonder my quads are killing this morning! I've got the Great North West Half Marathon this Sunday, my first road race since the Abbey Dash. Needless to say I will be tappering for this race, as long as my quads recover I'm expecting a big PB.

I'll stick some training stuff up later this week