Falésia 5k Road Race - The Algarve

A field of 107 lined up at the top of the hill in 24 deg C heat to launch into the usual too fast pace for the first 400m downhill section of this annual road race. The usual mixture of UK runners, Germans and a few internationals, all there for warm weather training in different camps, contested for age group prizes over this two and three quarter lap course, the only flat bit being the final 400m on the track.

The main pack of 10 Germans and Estonians were gone within 400m but as each lap progressed, many of them came back to me, particularly on the hills. On the last ascent, the leading M45 German was 15m in front of me and struggling, to the extent that he stopped to much abuse from his supporters. I gladly took the position and another to move into 5th, a position I maintained to the finish in 17:17, about 20 seconds slower than last year but acceptable given I've been carrying an achilles injury sinnce the National XC.

At the prize giving, I received first M45 prize from 2 x Olympic 10 000m finalist and Chicago marathon winner Paul Evans (pictured). I don't like to mention that I also beat Paul in the race but he only runs for fun nowadays (as indeed do I!!) and he was first M50 about a minute behind me. Wish I didn't have to come back!
Alan