Elan Valley 10 mile

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 Saturday, 23rd November 2013 – by Jo

Lovely running conditions greeted 142 runners for this beautiful 10 mile road run that starts at the scenic ElanValley reservoir just outside Rhayader.  I particularly liked the 1pm start time, which allowed for a lie-in, a decent breakfast and plenty of time to travel the hour to the race!

Starting several metres above the finish line meant the initial mile was downhill, thus a perfect warm-up before beginning to climb for the next half a mile. I had been warned that there were some tough uphill pulls but luckily there were also lots of long downhill or flat sections for recovery, and the worse of the longer hills seemed to be over after 6 miles or so.  Most of the run is on country roads that twist and turn quite manically in places which adds to the interest; the scenery too was impressive with the autumn leaves still on the trees.  I eased in slowly as I had only run once in 10 days after a bout of the coughing bug that everyone seems to have had!  However, I found I could breathe easily and was able to up the pace a bit as the race continued. (Probably a strategy I should always follow!).

Never having run a 10 mile before, I had no time target but was pleased to finish 71st in 1:21:52 (12th out of 52 women).  I saw Frank at the beginning but he disappeared out of sight fairly quickly, coming in 44th in 1:16:58 (41st man out of 90). I think he said it was a PB for this race for him but I may have misheard in my post-race exhaustion!  It was fast to me anyway.

Lots of the Welsh clubs were (understandably) represented, with Tom Marshall, Cardiff AC, taking 1st male place in 58:28 and Niki Morgan, Chepstow Harriers, first woman in 1:08:37.

 

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