Sometimes you have to take a step back to see everything clearly…
To see and take in everything that’s occurred this weekend we’d need to walk a few miles back, not just a step!
Numbers at training again on the increase despite it being the build up to a plethora of racing activities over the weekend!
As the nights start to get lighter the opportunities for night races diminish so a few managed to slot one in, while they still appear on the calendar, before the weekend arrived!
Saturday saw Storm Eric batter the coast but it takes an awful lot to cause Porthcawl to cancel the 9am gathering on the upper promenade and large club numbers braved the high tide and high winds to complete the course, some having made the journey down on foot.
Our other home location saw a small group make their way around the multi-loop course.
The usual suspects travelled to locations far and wide for their tourism fix.
Some fled spritely from their 9am run to join others on the trails for a hilly half marathon with impressive running by all!
A new day dawns…
Some were up super early to head all the way to Brecon to navigate the 40+ miles back down to Nantgarw in a race that tests both mentally and physically. Valiant efforts from the few that made the epic journey! It takes a huge amount of courage to stand on the start line of these races and a belly full of grit and determination to make it to the finish! Epic!
Five brave members trekked around a dozen miles with significant ascent to make their mark in the first tough event in the trail championship!
Almost 50 runners travelled down the coast to the west for a half marathon starting at the home of Llanelli rugby on an out and back course skirting the coast. First timers joined seasoned runners to complete the course with almost half recording a personal best! Amazing stuff!
Not only that but the Phoenix turned out in a voluntary capacity providing support at one of the water stations! One went above and beyond the call of duty to lay down with an exhausted runner to protect them from the extreme elements. True Phoenix spirit in action!
A lone runner headed to the English capital to run another half around the Olympic Park!
A handful of lucky souls headed a long way South to the Catalonian capitol to complete another half marathon in rather sunnier climes that we were experiencing back at home!
What an amazing weekend!
Over 80 club members involved in events, not including parkrun. A wonderful effort by the runners themselves but also by those back at base collating the results for us all to see. A massive thanks to them too.
Posts all over the weekend started with stories full of nerves for what lay ahead.
Trepidation at the unknown.
Valuable lessons were learnt.
Training is invaluable.
With sufficient prior investment in miles it will be a much more enjoyable experience.
Sufficient training or not, enjoyable or not, everyone who stood on a start line crossed the finish line with stories to tell and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading them.
When weekends like this happen we burst with pride!
Brave endeavours, abundant supporting and volunteering while great achievements abound!
The Phoenix spreads it’s wings and rises higher and higher!
Keep it up you brave souls!
Sometimes there’s a little more conviction in the words…
#lovethisclub
#loveourclub