British and Irish Masters

Race: British and Irish International Masters cross country 8k (Aintree, Merseyside)
Time/Position: 29.55 (85th from 88)
Seven years has elapsed since I last ran for Wales at the International Championships. That was Belfast in 2012, I was running 34 minute 10k's at the time, and still only had eight or nine behind me. So I was under no illusions here: I was just a replacement, certainly one of the oldest in the field (a big span, from 35-50, in this race) and fully expected to finish last. The race itself (in the middle of the famous Grand National at Aintree) was the flattest cross country course I have ever seen, which just meant the pace was even higher. My tactics were obvious: just try to hold onto the back of the pack. Easier said than done, and I quickly found myself dropped off the back as the pace is blistering from the off, and no quarter is given, nobody ever slackens off. I managed to hold on though, without drifting too far back, and by the end of the second lap was clawing back a little. Each lap was 2k and I tried to up the pace on the third, passing two and catching up to a group of four Irish and Northern Irish runners. They were just ahead on the final lap, but I didn't quite have the pace to pull ahead. So, a predictably poor showing, but at least I wasn't lapped and didn't finish last. My plan was always to be running much faster when I turn 50 next year, and to be picked for Wales in 2020. So this came a year too early, when at the top of the age category, and I suspect that for all those reasons, after 530+ races this will perhaps always be memorable as the hardest race I ever do! A huge honour to run for Wales again, and a remarkable event that really puts everybody in their place - the standard is quite incredible. If all goes to plan, I hope to be at Dublin next year.