On Thursday I ran the first race of nine 5 mile races in the Dave Jones Prom Run Series organised by Weston Athletic Club. These are flat, quick road races along the prom of the Weston-Super-Mare seafront. Kinisi Run Hub are excited to be sponsoring this great series.

It was a glorious evening for it with clear blue skies, mild temperatures and a great sunset over the water. It was dark by the time the race started but this was soon forgotten as everyone was excited for the start of the new series.

There was a strong turnout for the first race of the series which was unsurprising given the pleasant racing conditions and excitement for the new series. Most the local clubs from across the Bristol and Somerset areas turned out in force to get this new series off to a great start.

Due to some construction work all of the races this series will be the three lap course usually only used over the winter months when the ice skating rink is up. This does break up the long out and backs but does mean two extra 90 degree turns during the race.

For me personally this race started differently than any did last year for me. I got injured in mid-June and did very little running over the last 3 months. I stayed fit by swimming over the summer and have done a little bit of jogging the last couple of weeks but nothing quick so this was going to be a real test.

I stood a few rows back on the start line and set off very conservatively. Despite not having done much running I felt good but knew that this was likely adrenaline from the start of the race so just settled in around 25th place at a steady pace. At the first turnaround point I knew that any initial adrenaline rush had passed and was still feeling comfortable so decided to pick it up slightly.

Over the next few miles I continued to feel strong and was gradually progressing through the field jumping from one group of runners to the next. After a lap I found myself in the top 10 and settled there during the second lap. By the end of the second lap I was in 3rd place with Robert Farley (Avon Tempo) and still feeling good but could tell that the lack of running was starting to hit me.

I did my best to hold my pace and stick with Rob for as long as I could. We were together at the last turnaround point and coming down the final straight he started to pull away slightly but I kept him within range as much as I could and when we got to the last couple hundred metres picked up the pace. I managed a bit of a sprint finish to overtake him and finish in 3rd which was a very pleasant surprise.

Ironically this was one of the best paced races I have ever run. Looking at my splits after the race it was nice to see that my pace had gradually increased with my first mile being my slowest and my fifth mile my quickest. It also goes to show that you can keep yourself relatively fit by cross training when injured.

It was great to be back racing and running harder. I am hoping that I am over my injury and this can be the start of a comeback as we head into a new running season!

Adam Holland (Tavistock AC) won the race in 26:41 with Matt Livingstone (Bristol & West AC) second in 27:01 and myself third in 27:38. Luci Gibson (Unattached) won the women’s race 28:56 with Penny Guess (Southville RC) second in 31:04 and Justine Lynch (Bristol & West AC) third in 31:35. In total there were 263 finishers. Full results here. Well done to all who raced!

The races start and finish just outside Revo Kitchen on the seafront where registration and the presentations take place. Kinisi Run Hub also have a pop-up shop inside Revo at each fixture. Many runners take advantage of this and get a well deserved post-race drink and meal in the restaurant. The prom remains open during the race but there are plenty of marshals on the course to ensure any pedestrians and cyclists are aware of oncoming runners.

Well done to everyone who raced and thank you to Weston AC for organising another great Prom Run Series! Kinisi Run Hub are proud to be supporting such a great event and I can’t wait for the next race of the series in October!

If you are interested in taking part then keep an eye on the Weston AC event page here. There are also 1 mile junior races.