The weather was looking ominous for my 58th race of the year and I was fighting off a touch of the cold, when we managed to lock my driver for the trip to Cumbernauld’s car keys in his boot things could only get better….and they did!
After collecting his spare keys from the other side of the city and driving through the pouring rain to Cumbernauld the rain abated for the duration of the races. Bella had a record seven teams entered, two women’s and five men’s. I was down to run the first leg of the E Team and although I was confident that I could run the fastest leg in the team, I would have still finished very near the end of the 120 athletes running the first leg. However when Kenny Richmond our top runner called off with an injured back I was promoted, not to the A Team but to leg 4 of the D Team.
The rain kept away for the duration of the races and the Bella Brollies (this year’s prize for completing the club championship) were in attendance but not required until the post race walk back to Cumbernauld High School. With the conditions so much better than last year there were PBs aplenty as the purple posse put in some credible performances.
I probably spent more time in the waiting pen than any other runner as I keenly anticipated my first cross country of the year. I chatted with the other competitors and warmed up before I spotted Ewan McDonald making his way back to the handover point. I shouted words of encouragement but to no avail as he was overtaken by a Lothian Runner just before he crossed the line.
I was the last Bella to set off and as I raced down the initial hill past the Bella posse, I heard the cheers of the other Bellas ringing in my ears. As I approached the first hill I noticed that the Lothian runner was struggling with the incline and as I overtook him I increased my pace to make sure he didn’t catch up with me. However it wasn’t that long until I was overtaken by Clydesdale Harrier Gerry Montgomery, who I knew to be a much faster runner than me. I made my way round the heavy course to the sound of “C’mon Ian” as friends and running buddies provided vocal support. An HBT runner (Ian Campbell?) overtook me and although I returned the favour on the next hill he managed to get away from me a wee bit later. I had now lost a place and I took advantage of my ‘gun ho’ down hill running technique to overtake someone else as we approached the last leg of the course. The Bellas and others were encouraging me to catch the next runner in front of me and although I was trying I doubted if there would be sufficient time to catch him. However as I approached the final uphill section I could see that he was slowing and I gave it my all as I produced from who knows where a grandstand sprint finish to overtake him before I crossed the line. I had managed to out sprint a Shettleston Harrier, I don’t think I’ll get the opportunity to say that very often and just as important I had gained one place for the team. We finished in 77th place and I had taken 18:49 to complete my lap, 2:34 faster than last year! Another PB my fourth in the month.
Everyone had done well in a great turn out from the club.
Women’s
13 Bellahouston RR “A”
Claire Thompson 17 17:18 17:18
Emma Birnie 10 16:52 34:10
Jane Simpson 13 17:20 51:30
42 Bellahouston RR “B” (V)
Jane Wild 57 20:20 20:20
Jacqueline McGuire 50 20:10 40:30
Julia Harris 42 19:21 59:51
Men’s
19 Bellahouston RR “A”
Alasdair McLeod 39 14:58 14:58
Marcos Sanz Gomez 34 15:26 30:24
Matthew Williamson 28 14:41 45:05
Liam Conway 19 14:55 1:00:00
31 Bellahouston RR “B”
Neil Farnell 44 15:10 15:10
*Grant Edmondson 40 15:36 30:46
Craig Ross 34 15:08 45:54
Russell Whittington 31 15:16 1:01:10
48 Bellahouston RR “C“
Brian O’Donnell 60 15:55 15:55
David Weatherhead 51 15:53 31:48
Andrew Birnie 47 15:54 47:42
Brendan Moriarty 48 16:08 1:03:50
77 Bellahouston RR “D”
*Peter Goodwin 76 16:34 16:34
Robert McEwan 70 16:29 33:03
Ewan McDonald 78 18:31 51:34
Ian Goudie 77 18:49 1:10:23
Bellahouston RR “E“
Norman Boyle 118 19:53 19:53
Douglas MacGregor 114 20:46 40:39
Mike Devlin 105 23:09 1:03:48
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