With snowdrifts spilling out onto the road driving over to Newtown from Knighton under a veil of damp rain, race conditions seemed to look very unappealing. However, as the start gun loomed, Newtown was granted a fair weather slot, vest weather arrived.
Now in it’s second year this is a nippy out and back 5km. The course takes runners from the leisure centre past the houses of Maesyrhandir along pavement, path and road out and up to a lollipop turn-a-round in a quiet industrial estate. There is a definite hill involved leading up to the halfway point.
This year over 100 people took part in a pitch against time and it was obvious the first man was flying, as he was seen on his return before most of us had even got over the hill. Steve Orrells (lead vehicle) was sprinting on his mountain bike to keep ahead. No excuse to say the hill made me slow, first man and woman took admirable course records.
Results:
Men: 1st David Webb Leeds City A.C. 14.55; 2nd Tim Davies Maldwyn Harriers 16.15; 3rd Ifan Richards Meirionnydd 17.13
Women: 1st Alison Lavender Oswestry Olympians 17.41; 2nd Ffion Price Brecon AC 18.30; 3rd Rhianwedd Price Brecon AC 19.06
Three Croft members took part with Ashley Cooke spectating:
Mark Paviour 19.19 (coming back to fitness from his broken metatarsal), Sue Davies 20.03 (1st V45), Alison Cooke 21.09 (2nd V45)