I just about managed to get under 71 mins this year, which may not be as fast as I should be, but is a big step back towards form. It was a much tighter tussle with the runners around me than usual on longer road races, and it turned out ok in the end.

After the inevitable fast start, things settled down and I found myself with Dave Green, Tom Fewster from GWR, fellow M45 Jon James and a few others. That group more or less stayed together into the second lap, but I was starting to struggle up the hills, and not doing enough down the hills. Jon was quite a way ahead of me around 9 miles, and Dave was looking as if he was happy enough at the pace and not really meaning to push on. After we turned back towards Bath, I wasn't losing any ground on Jon and Tom was battling away with me - and the odd person came sailing through the field.

As the last few miles came I wasn't making up enough time to catch up with Jon, and it started to look as if Tom would get ahead of me, but I think knowing the race route so well helped me, and as I belatedly closed the gap to Jon I got a few yards on Tom.

Dave wasn't far behind and Mick O'D a minute or so back close to Alistair Sheffield. There's no doubt half marathon is a different game from the Bridge 5K, Alistair and Tom will surely go faster over the half in years to come. On the B&W front Tom K completed the team, unfortunately Mike has an eye injury, it doesn't sound too bad and he should be at training on Tuesday - not that I'll be recovered enough to run hard by then. I'm sure Mike would have enjoyed watching the runs Dan Robinson and Coxy (66.02 at M40!!!) put in.

...and the spectators were brilliant, on a sunny very cold day, I couldn't have wished for more encouragement! Sian is getting together longer training runs, and hopefully a week of warm weather training just before Easter will get us moving in the right direction.