Front to the Back

In the space of 24 hours I went from the front of the field to the back but enjoyed both just as much.

On Tuesday night I went to Swansea to the third 5k in the series to defend my title for the last few years and to get a good session in. It was raining which was a shame for the organiser who has done a great job again this year with attendance over 500 runners now and with a band etc after the race, it was a pity the sun didn't come out to play!

Good friend Lewys Hobbs was racing after a few weeks out so I ran up to the turn (out and back course on the seafront) with him in toe but as we turned he just fell of the pace a bit so I ran alone back to take the win. It was a controlled effort where I was trying to run 5minute milling without looking at the watch (bit of pace practice) and then jog for 10minutes and do another one. I think I got it pretty much bang on with the first in 15minutes 24seconds and then the second in 15minutes 40seconds, I switched off a little bit on the second one on my own although I felt really good.

The next night I took part in the Welsh Champs 10k track race in Neath. The plan for this one was a good steady run (5.30 milling) but unfortunately Lewys was still a bit stiff from the night before so thought it could be a long night for me as we planned to do together.....luckily though another good lad (Carwyn Jones, Cardiff AAC) was making a return to running after a year long absence so we ran together just to finish and get a good run in. As it was though we were asked if we could pace a lady runner in search of the Commonwealth time for 2010 which we were both happy to do and think we helped her...well I like to think so. She just missed out by 13seconds but with another year to go fingers crossed she gets it. I ran mid 34minutes.

It was a good race at the front though with a good group working together for most of the race after Owain Jones took them through a couple of kilometres at 71second laps. Myself and Carwyn had a little bet on the way around and I went for eventual winner Jon Wills having seen him run 8.10 at Solihull. Carwyn went for Matt Janes but I felt that with his high mileage again this week he might suffer if the pace picks up a bit which happened on the last lap as Jon roared away to take the win. It was an English affair though with Owain pacing (windosr&slough), Jon (Bristol), Matt (Bedford), Hywel Care (Woodford), and I (Belgrave)...with the only English athlete in a Welsh team!! (Craig Hopkins, Swansea).

Simx