Sun - 05/03/17

am
I did the Newport parkrun. On a windy morning I set off with the 1:35 pace man (James Pearce). I struggled on the uphill gradients.

In my pre-race analysis I had identified Peter Rodger as the man to beat.  Last year as a 59 year old he was two minutes and 30 places in front of me. I knew he was 60 now.


2016 Results extract

141	Peter	Rodger	Caerleon RC	M50-59	16	01:34:23	01:34:10
171	David	Proffitt	Lliswerry Runners	M60+	1	01:36:26	01:36:10
211	Anthony	Vines		M60+	2	01:38:38	01:38:21

This year he was way ahead of me. I was struggling, I couldn't stay with the 1:35 pace man, I couldn't see Peter Rodger at all. ... but I knew he was ahead of me somewhere.  As I say I struggled but I didn't give up and at about 9 miles I saw him ahead of me.

He was clearly struggling too. The weather was bad - very windy. I gradually closed him down and then had to decide whether to pass him or not. With about a mile to go I passed him and then just had to run as hard as I could.

He beat me in a sprint finish by 1 second. As it turned out there was a faster M60+ in front of both of us.  I am not fit at the moment so I guess it's not a bad performance. My Piriformis is not too bad this evening and I've recovered reasonably well so things will get better.

2017 Results extract

171	Bernard	Henderson	Port Talbot Harriers	M60+	1	01:36:22	01:36:07
207	Peter	Rodger	Caerleon Running Club	M60+	2	01:38:01	01:37:49
208	David	Proffitt	Lliswerry Runners	M60+	3	01:38:02	01:37:45
239	Anthony	Fidw	Lliswerry Runners	M60+	4	01:39:18	01:39:02
250	Phillip	Miles	Parc Bryn Bach Running Club	M60+	5	01:39:51	01:39:38