Nick Isherwood put in some quality suffering to record a brilliant result at his local race this week…..

The first of 4 races in this year’s series and counting towards rankings for the Central Lancs Grand Prix, this 5 mile undulating road event had a great turnout of 255 competitors.

I had just about managed to get parked, register, pin my numbers on and jog to the start line before the race was underway. Starting next to Rivington reservoirs, the course was 2 x 2.5m laps of the local countryside with a rather large lump in the middle of each lap.

I got boxed in a little during the first mile but managed to escape and settle into an uncomfortable pace resisting the temptation to hang on to some better runners from my club who were gradually easing away.

The 2nd lap and the 2nd time we hit the hill red lined my HR, but after getting it back under control on the final decent I kicked for a speedy finish in the last half mile, in between the reservoirs this time and left into the finishers chute.

A new PB for 5 miles despite the lumpy course (31:28) and 56th overall. Should set me up for a decent plod in the Central Lancs Grand Prix 5k (national relay champs) in Birmingham this Saturday!