OPEN ATHLETICS .........BUT NO MEN THANK YOU

 In order to learn just how fit/unfit I was at the start of 2012 on January 5th I subjected myself to 12 and a half laps of the Nelson track in  25.31.  Since then with 4 weeks of pretty solid training (40, 42,43, 42) including weekly track sessions  the strength has gradually returned to the old legs and fortunately the weather has been generally kind enough not to limit the breathing.

 Time for another 5K time trial this week.  I probably would have done the ALEXANDRA  PARK  5K on Sunday but as previously mentioned men the event  (an Open Athletics event) is now closed to men!   Instead I kept recent routine of Friday as my "speed" day but opted for an out and back effort on the canal from Salterforth, near Barnoldswick.

With the wind absent for once,  a cloudless blue sky and bright February sunshine conditions  were pretty favourable but I was concerened how the lungs would cope with the zero degrees temperature. All being well   I was hoping for something around the 24 minutes mark.
  No problem as it turned out.  A 7.33 opening mile,  a 7.31 second mile finishing with a 7.17 plus .44 as I pushed on to  try to dip under 23!  Just missing to clock 23.06.  An improvement of 2 and a half minutes.  Satisfying reward for the last month's efforts.
 So the canal towpath proved a good venue, (only once being jumped at by a lead less dog!) and saved me a trip to and from Manchester. Oh, I forgot they don't allow men in their race anymore and I not prepared to
don a skort and a wig to prove point.
 Below is the stated aims of OPEN ATHLETICS.  Anyone else  smell a hint of hypocrisy .........
Welcome to Open Athletics
Open athletics is an organisation for the promotion and development of Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transexual (LGBT) athletics in the broadest sense - including track and field, fell and trail running, and race walking.
We aim to be a forum and a network of individual LGBT athletes, groups and clubs across the UK - in Aberdeen, Berkshire, Brighton, Lancaster, London, Manchester, Midlands, North Wales, West Yorkshire.
Our broader objectives are to encourage open and active participation of the LGBT community in the sporting world and in the wider community and to remove homophobic barriers, contributing to individual sport development and to the development of communities through sport.
We welcome anybody who wants to join our forum - irrespective of their gender, sexual orientation, or athletic ability, who loves athletics or subscribes to our values.
       Think they might have to rewrite the bit that states irrespective of gender!