Just About Won The Battle

But will I manage to win the war? It's going to be a long campaign...

Conditions for the Battle of Sedgemoor 10k were pretty decent. It was an overcast sky with the odd drop of rain but a little windy in places - the weather, not me. There were a few points were you had to put your head down and push through the buffeting but all in all it was fairly conducive for quick running.

The race was rammed. A full 500 entry meant they were turning people away. A shame for those trying to late enter but good for the race organisers. With such a large field I made sure I was well towards the front. Even then when the gun went there were a few plodders ahead of me. When will they learn, when will they learn? It must be real fun being bustled and trampled out the way by faster runners.

The course, for those that don't it is fairly flat. There is a hill pushing out from the start but from there it goes back down and then undulates. There is quite a bit of undulation but it's all very gentle. Strangely though, total ascent is only 50 feet less than the Sunday's Hill 10k but that one felt far hillier in comparison. Just goes to show - quite what? I don't know.

Anyway, I set off middling to quick and went up the hill well. Then I used the section back down to gain time on the sacred forty minute barrier. By mid way I was well up. In fact I was through 5k in 19:18 - and that's my quickest 5k for a year or two - nice. To be fair that's probably an indication that I was slightly over cooking things born out by the rougher patch and gradual deterioration that followed.

The eighth kilometre, into the wind, was a really bad one. I lost focus. Lost time. Lost touch with the group ahead and really struggled. A couple of runners then overtook me - a god send - as I was able to lock on and get my momentum back. I picked things back up in the final kilometre to finish, wait for it, wait for it, in 39 minutes and..... 59 seconds. I have my fingers crossed they don't round me up. I went under the finish clock in 39:58 so I should be OK but you never now until the fat lady has sung. Sod it. I'm claiming sub forty what ever. First sub forty for two and a half years - party time.

So another Season Best, this time by over 50 seconds. A good Sunday's work if I say so myself.... Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time, I'm having a ball, I don't want to stop at all. Bring on the Machen Mountain 10k tomorrow. Let battle commence.

Today's race route;