When Dom James spoke to The Local Answer last month he made it quite clear what he was hoping to achieve in this year’s Cheltenham Half Marathon.

“I’ve told myself I want to win it this year,” he said. “That’s one of my priorities.”

And the Cheltenham Harriers runner certainly didn’t disappoint as he went one better than 2018 by easing to victory in one hour, 10 minutes, 24 seconds, some 34 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger yesterday.

“It wasn’t the quickest race,” said the 23-year-old. “It was wet and windy but I built up a lead and then just grinded it out.”

And while the conditions, may have been tough, James was still able to enjoy the event.

“It was great running around the closed roads of Cheltenham,” he said, “we had great support from the crowds and also around the racecourse.”

The race started and finished at Cheltenham Raceourse and James admitted that the final loop around Prestbury Park before crossing the finishing line was tough going.

“It was nice to finish,” he said. “I was out on my own around the recourse and I was quite exposed, it was hard work.”

The hard work is set to continue for James, a former pupil at Sir Thomas Rich’s School who lives in Cheltenham, because he has entered the Cardiff Cross Challenge on 14th October.

“It’s a 10K and will be really competitive,” said James. “A lot of the elite runners in Great Britain take part so it will be good to run against them.”

James plans to concentrate on 10ks and half marathons for the foreseeable future before stepping up to full marathons.

Yesterday was a hugely successful day for Cheltenham Harriers with new club member Joseph Turner in second place and Marcus England, who finished in one hour, 11 minutes, nine seconds, in third.