Pounding the streets for New Year

As an annual New Year's Eve road race marked its 50th anniversary, BBC Wales' Gemma Ryall pulled on her trainers to take part.

Linford Christie and David Roberts lit the beacon to start the adult races

New Year's Eve - a time when I can usually be found counting down to midnight in a cosy pub with friends, raising a glass or two to the months ahead.

But this year, something strange happened.

I swapped my party dress and heels for lycra and trainers, my glass of bubbly for a bottle of water and a warm bar for sub-zero temperatures.

Instead of mingling in the pub, I found myself on the starting line of one of south Wales' most famous annual races - the 5km Nos Galan run in Mountain Ash, Cynon Valley.

If I was mad, I wasn't the only one.

Over 1,000 people - from children and fun runners to serious athletes - joined together to mark the 50th anniversary of the event, held every New Year in the town to commemorate Guto Nyth Bran, the legendary Welsh athlete.

They were cheered on by hundreds who lined the streets, waving Nos Galan flags, ignoring the icy conditions that had turned my feet to blocks of ice within half an hour of arriving at the event.

BBC Wales reporter Gemma Ryall limbering up

The record turnout meant that the celebrations were by no means diminished by a lack of party poppers and discos.

In fact the fancy dress costumes donned by charity runners, along with the fireworks and fairground rides, helped make it a night to remember for all the family.

The atmosphere was given a huge boost by the presence of this year's celebrity 'mystery runner' - the 100m sprinter and Olympic great Linford Christie.

He ran through the town centre at about 1900 GMT carrying a blazing torch to light the race's dragon beacon to start the adult elite race and fun run.

Just coming into town today I saw banners and balloons outside people's homes. It's a good way of getting the whole town together Councillor Andrew Morgan

He was accompanied by gold medal-winning Paralympian David Roberts on the same day he was awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours.

"I'm a valleys' boy and I always will be no matter what awards I get and this was an event I've always wanted to come to," said Roberts, 28, from Pontypridd.

"It's the 50th year and it's great because it encourages kids to run and keep fit."

For Christie, Nos Galan was an event he was pleased to take part in.

"They have been trying to get me here for 10 to 15 years and this year I decided I would come, not realising it was the 50th anniversary," he said.

More runners than ever before took part in this year's races.

"Now I wonder what took me so long to come. It's great, a brilliant atmosphere."

And would he be running the race?

"If it was a bit shorter I would," joked Christie, who won the 100m at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

"But I've got to get back home near London for New Year or my missus won't be happy. Just go out and enjoy it."

So with that advice ringing in my ear, I huddled at the starting line with hundreds of other fun runners, struggling to warm up as we waited for the countdown.

As we ran three laps of the town centre - some sprinting, others walking briskly - we were applauded and cheered by spectators.

Many runners donned fancy dress costumes for the run

It was their constant support that kept me going, pushing me on to cross the finish line in 31 minutes - not bad for the lazy runner I normally am.

For local councillor Andrew Morgan, who is a member of the Nos Galan committee and has run the race four times, it is the locals who keep the event going so strongly.

"The support in the town is huge," he said.

"Just coming into town today I saw banners and balloons outside people's homes. It's a good way of getting the whole town together.

"The event has really come on in recent years. About four years ago there were only about 250 to 300 runners. Now we have over 1,000 from all over Wales."

Ex-Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable took part in the fun run

And so as the crowds hobbled home - or at least many of us - how did my fellow runners feel about a New Year spent running instead of partying?

"It was really good," said Jeff Rosser, from Pontypridd.

"It was the first time I did the race because I took up running in the summer. I'd do it again, it's a nice way to spend the New Year.

"And there's still time for a drink - having run the race it will be an extra special drink."

Sarah Hopkins, from Cwmbach near Aberdare, said: "It was hard because it was so cold. I wanted to get fit so joined a club which helped us train for the race. I'm going to carry on running and hope to do this again next year."

And Catrina Jones and Erica Bennett, from Aberdare, said: "We did it because it's our only way of getting away from our families! Seriously, it was hard but we enjoyed it."

Enjoyable indeed - although I'm going to be aching for days. But at least I avoided a New Year hangover.