European masters - 400m M45

Had a beer after the hurdles which wasn't a wise idea (fun, just not wise) as I had to be up at 6am to race at 10am in the 400 heats. Fortunately I had a relatively easy heat and came in first in about 53/54. Nothing sparkling, but enough to get through to the semis. I went home for sleep and some energy food and drinks (a banana and a danish pastry if I remember rightly). Returned to the stadium to race former international Kermit Bentham in the semis. It was clear Kermit was putting down a marker, he ran 52 in the heats, then 51.9 in the semis. I finished second in 52.22 which I was pleased with and felt I had something left. Stefan Malewski, the German World indoor champion was breezing through without showing his hand (although he hadn't fooled me - I knew he could do 51.0 whenever he wanted!)

With a much needed rest day on Tuesday,(I'd had 4 races in 3 days) we went into the final on Wednesday with Kermit in pole position (lane 4) me in 5 and Stefan in 6. I kept to my race plan, hard first 100, flow on the second, crank it up on the final bend. We came of the bend with Stefan and Kermit level and me a couple of metres behind. I'd got there in 37.5 seconds, now the last 100.
Kermit started to fade at 320 as Stefan surged ahead and I moved into second. It stayed like this to the end. Stefan recording a championship best of 50.3, me just behind with a lifetime best of 51.02 - a second quicker than I did in the worlds.
Absolutely delighted! All the winter strength work has paid off.