Merthyr Mawr Christmas Pudding 10k Challenge

Race number 21 was the amazing Merthyr Mawr Christmas Pudding 10k challenge, which begins with a ludicrous ascent on soft sand of the "Big Dipper", apparently the highest sand dune in Europe. After that, the course is genuine multiterrain, with country lanes, moorland, more sand, some mud, a sewage farm and a splash though a section of stream to finish. This is a really entertaining race with a wonderful atmosphere, but at the same time it's a genuine athletic challenge, so it really does have something for everyone. Full report as ever on my homepage, with more info at http://www.brackla-harriers.org/

Forest 5 Trail Race, Forest of Dean

Half way through my 40-race mission now, with race number 20 completed on Sunday in the Forest of Dean. A really exquisite course, all of it deep in the forest, with plenty of challenging (but runnable) climbs and endless twists and turns on quiet, scenic trails. Forest of Dean AC put on a good event here and there were spot prizes for most of those that stuck around for the presentations! Full report as ever at Sacred Steps.

Cardiff Parkrun 5k

A totally free race! This one happens every Saturday in a quiet and scenic park in Cardiff, and if it wasn't for my job I'd be a regular at this one. Still, I finally managed to bunk off the first hour of a Saturday in Run and Become to get another race under my belt and finish 5k in 18.29 - slower than I'd hoped but a reasonable benchmark to aim at next time. Like all my race reports, this one is online in a bit more detail at http://www.sacredsteps.co.uk