Amy Gets Even: Doc's View
August 22nd 2011

Amy Marsh was very lucky and unlucky this weekend. Unlucky that she was in sight when coach was flaying away at Stephen for his loss of control. You see Amy also had one of her rain days. Now this is not new, only new in teamTBB, but when it rains Amy downs tools. While this sounds strange, many Kenyan greats also do not train when it rains. This trait is helped by where they train it rains frugally, but the fact is when the rain comes down the shoes come off. They play cards instead. But it is a problem for Amy when it rains in a race. So Amy was lucky she was there as coach said you can join Stephen and race Challenge Vichy this weekend.

I have been to races in Vichy and so while Amy was bleating no races in Europe suit me, I knew Vichy could be hot. How hot? Damn Hot. How hot? Texas Hot. I also knew that there were no mountains in Vichy. A few hills but hardly Alpe d'Huez. The roads were clean and without traffic. The run was 4 laps around the river with a bridge at both ends so very like Frankfurt or IM Germany with no shade at all and so a Texas run. Hell, even the water was flat.

So, Amy joined Stephen for the little self-penance race where we don't let ourselves get away with weakness. We come straight back at it with something tough.

This was tough and so was Amy. She blasted the first lap of the run, scaring me enough to remind her of the heat. But she kept trucking for 2 laps, building up a 15 min lead. And then shut it down to go in to battle with the heat. Amy was a warrior. Ready to rub out the memory of.... well where what race was it? I have forgotten it already.

Amy Marsh is on track for Hawaii. Let no-one be in doubt of that fact. Well done Mrs Marsh. I was very proud of your actions this week. They speak much louder than the words: I'm back and I'm better than last year. So Amy wanted a course that suited her; one that was Even.

Find out more: http://www.challengevichy.com/lang1/