"Reserve list"

Procrastination is a very bad thing. And in this case, just a bit silly. The day after entries opened for the Reading CC Spring Race I'd printed off the entry form and filled it in. All that was needed was attaching a cheque for the entry fee and that would be it. Except that meant I'd have to locate my chequebook (post house-move this was a daunting task, as I couldn't remember exactly which box I'd stuffed it into), so I procrastinated.

Over last weekend, with my daring wife doing her thing running a quick 42 in Paris, I figured I'd better get off my rear and send off the entry, which I did.

And all week I hadn't heard anything from the organisers, and I'd assumed no news was good news. Sadly this morning an email came through saying that the race was full, and that I was shortlisted awaiting a withdrawal. I have been assured that withdrawals are common and that, given I am 5th on the list, I have a good chance at a place on the start line. That said, it doesn't make it any less annoying.

In the meantime I will be positive and try to get my mind back into the racing frame of mind. My legs are pretty strong at the moment from my daily commute (which is pretty much a daily interval session), good for explosive speed and hard spurts. I'm less sure about their tolerance for endurance - but I think I'll be just fine.

My biggest worry at the moment is the state of my back. I had a fall a while ago and literally landed on my arse. As a consequence, my back hasn't been at all happy lately. Last week it was so bad that I battled to get any power to the pedals without sending my back into excruciating spasms. So I'll be doing as much stretching as I can to ease it up and to get ready for Reading.

Anyway, just holding thumbs that I get a race entry and that I manage to ease my back out. Hold thumbs.