The Cream Cracker Challenge

5000m PB : 16:29.9

5k SB (post-Sept 2011) : 17:36

Cream Cracker PB: 49.2s

Over the last few days my focus has shifted away from the monotony of high quality miles.  While former friend and colleague Steven Bayton will be running away from all of the lesser humans in his native Halifax, my endurance sessions will involve spending the Christmas period with my family, while attempting to maintain a good posture throughout. 

This hardcore mental and physical preparation is just the beginning of what should be an exciting month however, centering around my recent breakthrough at the Cream Cracker Challenge.  A season’s best, and PB of 49.2 seconds (manual timing) for the three-cracker event has meant that Matthew Quine’s PB at 400m (47 point something fast) is now within my reach, and he has accepted my challenge of a Quine versus Carter, 400m versus Cream Cracker Challenge at the upcoming Northern Athletics Meeting in Sheffield.

“I have been eating lots to improve my jaw strength,” mused Carter, in a silent interview with myself, who is also my coach.  “Multiple soft snacks improve my bite turnover, while generously portioned main meals improve my static jaw strength and overall endurance.”

Housemate Alastair Canaway became very excited about this new challenge, with recent binges of running and swimming rumoured to have ended.  “Eating lots is a training pattern that I can really identify with.  Lets just hope that Carter’s small bladder doesn’t become his Achilles heal in this challenge.”

GB Steeplechaser and Olympic hopeful Eilish McColgan was said to be so impressed in fact that she ‘friended’ me on facebook, with her blog stating that she has “…literally never been so excited!”, possibly in regards to something else.

My feet remain grounded, however, with my father remarking at lunch that “he’ll never succeed in this challenge,” while scoffing the last of the only pack of Jacobs, rending any time trials over the coming days improbable.  Instead I’ll be looking at returning to dry cereal to promote saliva production, while ballooning out over the holiday period to try and better fit in with the rest of my friends and family.