Weekend in South Wales

THE PLAN was to go down to Hirwaun, South Wales with Mrs. 50+ and spend some time with family.   After that drop down to Swansea for a few days rest and relaxation on our own.   Whilst in Hirwaun take part in the Ynyshangarad Parkrun in Pontypridd and the Cardiff University Half Marathon.   Once in Swansea have a 10km recovery run around Swansea Bay.

The problems started just over a week before we went to Wales.   On the way to Haywards Heath Harriers training I turned down a dark road and tripped on a speed bump.   This ended up with me falling and coming down hard on my left hip and injured my ankle.   This brought all the training for the half marathon to a halt too early, but I was still happy that I could run Cardiff.   Just not confident about the time.

Friday night we had relocated to Hirwaun and things were still not feeling right and I was getting concerned.   I had a pain in my hip and it was runing down the back of my leg to my ankle.   I decided to give Ynyshangarad Parkrun a go and see if my leg could manage it.   I went to bed early with two ibuprofen for the anti inflamatories and hoped everything felt good in the morning.

Ynyshangarad Parkrun

Saturday morning came and I was up and dressed ready for the run.   The hip and ankle were feeling good and I was feeling optimistic.   Mrs. 50+ drove me to the park and went off to Sainsbury whilst I walked through the park heading for the start line.   There has been a lot of modernisation taking place in Pontypridd and I was really pleased to see it completed, the last time I was there a large area was covered in scaffolding and sheeting.

I went off to the new runners/tourists briefing and discovered they had reversed the route.   Normally they run a small loop and then three large loops all going anti-clockwise.   The new route was to run the small loop going anti-clockwise and then the three large loops going clockwise.   Allegedly it's a faster route!

There were a few moments that my left leg suddenly felt like it was going to give way.   But it held in there and I completed the course in a really good time of 27:15, proving the clockwise route is faster than going anti clockwise.   It was a great run and I was now feeling confident about the Cardiff University Half Marathon the following day.

Cardiff University Half Marathon

With all my kit laid out for the next day and another dose of Ibupofen I had an early night to see if I get the same response by the morning.   The following day things were not as great and I had pain around my anke but decided after a wait of nearly three years I was going to give it a go and see what happened.

Mrs. 50+ drove me to Pontypridd railway station and dropped me off.   I stood on the platform and the last train that would get runners to the start line arrived, with just two carriages!   This wasn't a problem but at the next stop there were so many runners it was packed, we were literally face to face.   The next few stops people were being turned away because there was no way anybody else was getting on the train.

Cardiff University have been pushing people to public transport but it was totally lacking in a response to the biggest half marathon outside of London that Transport for Wales let the city down.   The return journey was also only two carriages, but people were not tied by a time as they were with the start of the race.

Cardiff was buzzing by the time I got there with a lot of runners making their way around the castle and backing up in their running pens.   The mood was really positive and we were ready to go.   It wasn't too long before we started the long walk towards the official start line, slowly picking up speed and then running as we crossed the line looking for the 13.1 mile finish line.

It was a beautiful sunny day as we ran the city centre and then headed out through the industrial area but it wasn't long before we were coming into the beautiful marina at Penarth and exiting across the Cardiff Bay Barrage.   As you cross the Barrage left and right of you is the sea and you exit it at the Caerdiff Millenium Centre and the Little Red Church.

The rest is a blur of dual carriageway, stopping centres and residential roads.   You then hit the lake at the far end of the city at mile 10.   As you double back on the lake you realise you have managed 12 miles with just 1.1 miles left.   It's not long before you can see the Caerdiff University building rising up in front of you as you head for the final hill dropping down and turning left with a clear stretch towards the start line.

I came in a lot slower than I wanted to do at 02:27:14, but I had achieved it in a great time and was happy with what I had achieved.   Another really good event run by Cardiff University.

Swansea Bay

After the run we stayed in Hirwaun for a few more days and then moved down to Swansa booking into the Premier Inn on the waterfront.   Day two I decided to do a recovery run from the hotel to Verdi's restaurant on the other side of the bay.   I estimated that the run would be 10km.

It was really good to get out for the run on a beautiful morning and just enjoy it.   I had the long arching beach and fresh sea air to look forward to.   Within one hour I had Verdi's in sight and was looking forward to completing the weekend in Wales with a slap up meal at the end of the day.

Mrs. 50+ gave me a 40 minute headstart and then drove from the hotel to the restaurant to meet me, she hadn't realised that I had got up and gone, so she was a little late!