GWR Towpath Race 1. 10km. good conditions.
Felt ready for this, & hips / back less painful than yesterday. Road racers on.
Start felt OK & stuck roughly to 3:55 / km plan - tho 1st 2 were both 3:51. Joined by friend & arch rival Vet50 Paul Deaton, & we slowly carved through those who'd gone off too fast, to reach 4km together & running neck & neck (and well). Here is where I dropped him with a surge last time. This time we were together til the turn (5km in 19:35 official; 19:26 on my garmin ), & I put in a little surge to catch a GWR runner. Paul didn't come with me.
Passed GWR chap, & pressed on, startled by a 3:49 km. Committed now, but catching others, and passing/ dropping them. Caught 1st lady, Annabel Granger, B&W Vet45, well chuffed, she's ace & did 2:48 at London & I've never "beaten" her before. Ran with her for a bit then edged ahead. Dropped her. What's going on? A crap 4:06km, I must be dying. So why am I still passing people?
Passed 2 others then dying from 8km (31:30?), and dead from 9km. A bit miffed to lose a place on the run in and also miss 2017's 39:17. whatever. Paul on 40:25. I won Vet50. Wine. I also won the raffle. I gave that wine to Paul.....
Owain has done 31:20 on this course & Ifor did 32:30-ish back in the day, Mark Burley has done c.37:30, so this is all rather slow. I did 37:47 here in 2016. Oh well. Getting older!
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