Tregaron Half Marathon 16

1st. 1.17.34

Actually pretty happy with the Xmas break with steady miles every week and keeping the sessions going in Aberaeron. Having trouble with pain under the right knee cap and had a cold all week it wasn't  a record breaking day. 

Not a large field of quality so decided to take it steady before pushing to the end, keeping an eye on a good week of training. 

Gun set off it was freezing and even had to put the trusted blue t-shirt on, bitterly cold wind going out but behind us on the return.  

Was in 4th place after 1st mile, just hiding the same pace I was was 3rd after 3 miles. Passing ken there was a Neath Runner ahead who fancied his chances as it took me up until mile 7-8 before I caught him and went straight past. On the railway track I upped the pace and put in 3 miles off effort to win by nearly 2 minutes. 

Solid run where I never touched the red with the steady increase in pace. Tough course with the hills on the out leg always a surprise and a pan flat finish with one incline towards the end always a testing day. 

Team Pursuit 2016

Team Pursuit back to kick off another year in the running shoes. I enjoy the different running format of the TT start. Each runner setting off in 10 second gaps this year due to the large turn out of 250 runners. Sarn helen again the reining champions having one the team event for the last 15 years or so... but over the last few years the competition has started to gather steam and it's seems the crown will be well challenged this year. Always healthy competition around but this year the addition of Aberystwyth ac and Tenby brought some even quicker runners. I started off as the last runner which was a bit of an honour having been the quickest runner in 2015 and started off chasing some quick boys of Westcoast and aber ac. Within 1/2 mile I'd passed the Aber runner who was tying his shoe laces, next target was JC but probably a bit to quick to start chasing with a 30sec head start. Typically fast start due to the down hill start and the first hill was a tough climb to  clear the legs. But after that felt good and started picking off the other runners. Hitting halfway I was gaining on JC before the big climb up to the village. Ran the whole hill and put in a good chase to the finish to run in a time of 39.07. Few seconds shirt of last year but a new route with around 300 meters added to the start/finish. I was 2nd runner 30 sec down on the Tenby debutant who put in a gd shift. A very close decision saw us win overall by 90 seconds from Aberystwyth combining the 5 runners. Sion P putting in a great time to seal it. Me, Sion,  Ken,  Simon,  llew in the team. Nice day out with Tina supporting.