Cunninghame Canter with Gilhooly!

With numbers up significantly from last year and perfect running conditions, the third Kilmaurs Gala 5k was an outstanding success. Race Director, David Mitchell had done a great job in promoting the race and ensuring a well organised and well marshaled event. Being brought up in the neighbouring town of Stewarton it's a kind of home event for me.


I joined in with another 57 runners, of differing abilities, to take part in the East Ayrshire race on Wednesday July 28. There were a number of runners who had competed last year and some new ones including, Campbell and Ruth Joss, Mike Deason, work colleague Gillian Armour, a few Killie Harriers – including Brian Darroch and Tom Wylie- and an impressive turnout from the Killie Striders.

The race started in the village’s Morton Park on a track which had seen better days. I started quickly and then deliberately slowed down a little as we completed our second lap of the track. We then ran down the path through the scenic park, Garmin revealed that I had completed the first kilometre 4:14. I managed to squeeze past a couple of guys in the narrow path as we passed the Bowling Club and headed up past the track. We then ran along the road between the park and the main Kilmaurs – Kilmarnock road, where we turned left. Alastair Munn and his younger daughter Emily (J17) overtook me here but not for long as I returned the favour within a couple of minutes. However they continued the game of leapfrog and I decided that the best strategy would be to tag in behind them. We turned left into the old Stewarton Road and the 2k marker. Garmin revealed that I had slowed to a 4:36k. A couple of times I slipped back and heard someone breathing behind me, before digging in a little more and closing the gap. However as we were guided off to the left and up a minor country road to the farm at the highest point of the race, I was overtaken by Brian Darroch. I had run a hard hill session the previous night, 12 times up Sherbrook Hill, and I was planning in running the Helensburgh Half next Sunday, so I decided to let him and the Munns go. I had it in my mind that as long as Tom Wyper didn’t catch me I’d be happy. The third kilometre took 4:21. I climbed up to the farm and as I made my descent past the 4k mark, Garmin indicated another 4:21. I felt that I was closing the gap on the way down hill but didn’t think I’d be able to catch them. A sharp right onto the main road, followed by another one, and we were heading along the outside of the park. A left turn and then through the gate took us back onto the track. David Mitchell shouted at me to “catch them” and I pushed it in a bit more but the gap was just too wide and I had to accept finishing behind them. My time was 21:10, which meant that I had completed the last kilometre in a very respectable 3:38.

I felt a little disappointed when Alan Dempster said that he thought that my time was a little up on last year, nevertheless I was happy enough with my performance and I had beaten Tom Wylie for the first time since joining Kilmarnock Harriers. Brian’s effort was rewarded with a shiny new PB of 21:06. Gillian also ran a PB of 24:34. After collecting my medal, fruit and water (all for an entry fee of only £3.50) I chatted with a number of other runners before heading to the changing room. I had chatted with a guy in there before the race and he was there again, he said that it was his first time running in Kilmaurs, as he had only started running last year but was now a regular at the Glasgow parkrun. We introduced ourselves and I discovered that he was John Gilhooly! We had run against each other in over 30 parkruns but this was the first time we had met.

We then headed back out to watch the prize giving, where the Joss family were extremely successful with Ruth winning the first women and the new women’s course record prizes and Campbell winning the first MV50+ prize. Emily Munn won the first female junior prize.

When I returned home it was a pleasant surprise to discover that I had actually completed the race four seconds faster than last year, a new course PB, and had once again achieved a 70+ wava (71.4%) all in all a decent result.

Results Here