The Long Course Weekend – 13/14/15 July

Race report by David Phillips.

Colby Gardens National Trust 5k – Sat 14.7.18

I decided rather than swim or cycle (see below) I’d do a warm down jog round these beautiful gardens with all the local usual participants and many others who were down for the other events.

So I plodded off at a sluggish pace but enjoyed every minute jogging round with a couple and their dogs.

Massey/Pembroke Harriers time:

Dave Phillips 40.54.

Long Course Events.

Well on Friday there was the 1.2 or 2.4 mile swim (but I’d left my trunks at home!). Sat were the 55/66/112 mile cycle rides (but my bike had a puncture!). Sunday were the full and half marathons and the 10k + kids races. Around 30,000 people descended on  Tenby for the LCW with 8,500 competitors doing a variety of the events or the full Iron Man distances over the 3 days.

This w/e is in preparation for the Wales Iron Man in September when it’s the 3 full distances one after the other.

So a no brainer and it was the full as I’ve now done all 10. The 1st 10 years ago in September clashed with the Dale Pembrokeshire half so I started the full at 04:00 hrs and my daughter Anna cycled round with me, then when we finished we picked up the family and charged off to do Dale 1/2 and Anna ran with me. Now I know where she gets it from!

So on Sunday c1500 lined up in the Square for the full in already hot sun. After a couple of laps of Tenby we headed out to Penally (where our place is) and off up a killer of a hill for a mile to the Ridgeway. Should have turned off home then I reckon. By now it was a full sun, 29 degrees and the Ridgeway just goes up and down to Pembroke at 13 miles where the ½ started at noon. I got there in 3 hours so it was very lonely. From here came the real crippler, a huge 1.5 mile hill to Freshwater East and it was getting hotter by the minute. All I could manage was a sort of race walk but I did at least catch up a few stragglers.

Then down to the beach at Manorbier-sea level. Trouble was it’s a 3 mile uphill drag back to the Ridgeway again plus it was now 30 degrees. And all up and down again. At least some people had rigged up garden hoses for us to run under and many had put out drinks for us.

Eventually at 24 back to Penally (should I pull out and go home or do the last mile?). Not really as I was race walking with a Chinese lady (72) who was doing her 270th marathon so we carried on to the last hill (a real killer) up to the Square in Tenby.

Trouble was there is a 6 hour official cut off as the Square was packed with hundreds of people as the prize giving was taking place for all the events so we stopped just before the official finish line to collect our medals and goodies.

Advice: Never run one of the UK’s toughest marathons in nearly 30 degrees!! So just 4 to go now for the 500 then and the way I feel that will be it!

Massey/Pembroke Harriers time:

Dave Phillips 6hrs 27 mins.