Round the Walls race

Race: Round the Walls, Chester (6k)
Time/Position: 23.53 (10th from 491 [1st V45])
With the walls under refurbishment in two places, the race route must have been hard for the organisers to work out this year. There was no ice this morning though (always a concern on this race as it means the walls can't be run). Instead, just a nice sunny day as we headed off for a lap of the car park then short loop of the Roodee (as in 2014). From here, the race headed down Sealand Road then up past Telford's and the locks to take the cobbled canal towpath before joining the walls much higher up near the cathedral. Flying along the walls is what this race is all about, it always gives exciting racing, and I managed to gain a few places and get close to a compact group of five who were themselves well behind the lead five runners. Brilliant running past the clock and down to the Dee, and although I couldn't catch the faster group in front I just squeezed into the top 10 for the second time. Kate enjoyed it too: my fifth time at this race, which works so well as a bracing family outing on Boxing Day morning,