ROB Farley’s bright start to 2023 continued with a fine win in the arduous – and very hilly – Longleat 10k road race on Sunday.
The Bitton Road Runners’ athlete went into the race with two solid performances behind him this year; a creditable 28th at the South West Cross Country Championships and then a PB of 25mins 52secs for third place in the latest Weston Prom 5.
Those performances have clearly given Farley a big boost in confidence and that showed as both he and Team Bath AC’s Aaron Pritchard, who boasts a lifetime best of 31:26 set three years ago, soon detached themselves from the 800 plus field.
By the finish the pair were over one-and-a-half minutes clear of third but Farley had the edge to win in 34:17 with Pritchard four seconds adrift.
Farley set his PB of 33:15 only last September at the Great Bristol Run and on the basis of Sunday’s success and his recent form it would be no surprise if the Bitton RR man dipped under 33 minutes some time this year.