I finished in around 70.30 in Bath today, a massive relief after a miserable few months since my last half marathon in Canada in October. Sian was back in business too, not her best, but well on the road to being back to her old self.

It's always a reasonably fast start at Bath, but I kept to a sensible pace, and things soon settle down. Oli made a very positive start, and Tom M. was going well too, and It was the first time I've seen Nigel running for many months. Luckily for me Buzz and the Cornwall boys started about the same pace as me, and after a few miles I was left running with Matt (Pullen I think) for most of the race, I would have been on my own, as the group ahead was going too quick for me.

It was a massive effort to hold position. There were a few people go by, but I was around 20 for just about all the race. It is very difficult to keep going on the second lap, the lapped field was huge this year, taking up almost all of the road. The marshals, police and crowd were urging them to keep to the left, but there were a small number of runners who seemed to think they should be allowed to take up all the road - but most were keen to get out of the way.

I did feel things were beginning to work out on the second lap, I went through 10K in around 32.40 and I know the problems that lurk on the second lap, and the crowd is brilliant, people really encourage the local runners round here. I knew I wasn't going to get under 70 mins, but I felt I would be close.

I finally got to the end of the second lap, and I could see Frank T. supporting. By that stage I'm counting down the miles knowing that there's not much time to be gained, but a lot to be lost - a good run only needs me to keep going. The last bit of the course is tricky, there's a little undulation and camber but eventually you turn into the finishing straight with just 200m to go.

In the end was just ahead of Buzz - I've given up worrying about M40 these days, it just depresses me how young they look. Our friends Colin (Potts) and Sarah had come down from Liverpool, and he clocked a PB at both 10K and Half, but he's more at home running full marathons.

..so today has just been such a massive relief, OK I've run faster, but I feel I can get fitter and push on a bit now, I've been struggling since Canada, at least I know I can still be a reasonable M45 athlete.