A tale of several halves, some very ill-timed snow and ice and some compensatory Treadmill heroics.

Amongst the racers, The Big Half was a super day for Serpentine, with the strongest team in the race which incorporated the UK Athletics Championships. Coaching highlight had to be Will Green, at 43 setting a super PB of 68.16 which in late March is currently the UK’s leading UK V40 time for 2018. Also fine new PBs by coachees including Chris O 68.50, Xavier G 69.57 sneaking sub 70, Nick I 73.00.

Further West another 43 year old whippet Martin G has been in the handy and enviable position of using strong training efforts as race winning results in his London build up – recently leading home the Wrexham Half in 2.38 and two week laters setting a 20 mile PB to win in Trimpnell in 1.55.

Heading North, Jennifer E notched up a 81.07 to place 3^rd woman in the strong Inverness Half, while looking across the Baltic Paul R won the V45 category in the Danish 10k Champs nipping home in 33.55 on a bitingly cold windy day. Guardian running blog readers may have seen his more expansive report.

While in Milton Keynes Alex B negotiated 20 miles of roundabouts to place 6th woman in a controlled 2.21 which bodes well for marathon progress next month.

 Surrey Half proved a swift option for Jon S, at 55 years winning the V50 category in a very fine 80.35 – his debut at the distance too. Also fine PBs for Jack B, Ciro, Alex C, Demetrios and Andy Y all shaping up for April Marathons. Particular shout for Deborah who as new long distance runner, and at 50+, has been dividing her winter months between freezing UK, and hot and humid Bangkok and Sydney and managed to clock a pleasing 3.20 20 miles in Milton Keynes.   

 The weekend of 18^th March had some major Treadmill efforts in both quality (a 24k fartlek splitting mid 72 mins at half marathon) and quantity (24 miles the max and several in the 20-22 mile category. By different runners, I should make clear).