I was expecting and hoping for a big PB at this race. The plan since before Christmas has been sub 35 at Trafford and sub 77 at Liverpool, so the GNW half would be a my first road race since Abbey Dash and good indication of where I am fitenss wise. I knew I was in good shape but decided against going for sub 77 here - although I'd be tapering and really giving it a go, I wanted to see how the water felt before jumping in.

The race was sold out and I headed up with Martin, Dale and Lyndon - three of the four who went to Leeds for Abbey Dash - hoping for a repeat performace PB wise. The car park was full and the queues for the numbers were really long so our pre-match warm up consisted of a dash back to the car, a hurried change then a dash to the line! We made it with about 2 mins to spare, not ideal!

I'd done this race before and struggled between miles 7, 8 and 9 (they are kinda up hill) but was still on for a PB before I died in the last 2k. This year I planned to execute some course management. Nothing fancy, just run faster for the 1st 10k then try not to dip under 6.10's for the next 3 miles, hoping I'd have enough in the tank to pick it up for the last 5k.

It was cold and the first few miles were into a slight head wind that it bit at my fingers. I got behind a few lads in a group than soon petered out to one lad but as we turned on the front he really put his foot down and I was running alone. With the wind at my back I felt like I was cruising, like the Abbey Dash I kept the garmin set to average km - knowing 3.41 was my target and tried not to go too fast under this as the miles ticked by.

I didn't clock watch and as we made the turn back towards mile 6 and into the wind and slight uphill, the garmin showed I was slowing but the effort felt similar. I stuck to the plan, didn't try to chase the time and settled in for what I knew would be a testing few miles.

Once I got back down onto the front with wind behind, I immediately felt great again and really started to fly. I kept my eye on a group of four lads ahead and gradually started to reel them in. I passed the group and could here the pitter patter of one the lads who'd decided to go with me. He stayed right behind me to the little uphill turn and with just under a mile to go he passed.

I stuck with him but I couldn't see the finish which was worrying me with each step. The start/finish giant inflatable blue arch was for some reason taken down so although my garmin was showing 800 meters to go I couldn't see the end so didn't step the pace up. Once I realised the finish was near I hit the burners and finished in 77.32 - 18th overall.

There was a proper bonhomie moment with the lad who finished just ahead of me, he was a chuffed as I was with the time and glad that I'd dragged him along at the end. Martin finihsed a brilliant 4th but couldn't get his target time of sub 73 - no surprises really because the lead 3 blasted away and he was left on his own for the majority of the race. Dale and Lyndon got the times I'd predicted, 82:19 for Dale and 84:24 Lyndon - both massive PB's.

I've got the Trafford 10k in a few weeks so undecided what I should do training wise. Do I jump back onto the 80 mile a week diet or stick to 60ish miles for March, decisions decisions!