After my day on the bike, it was off of the saddle and back on with the running shoes on Monday. I’ve decided to give my marathon training a miss this week and to run in the Tour of Clydeside Race Series instead. I ran the Bella Belter last year, the final run of the series, but have never run any of the others never mind all of them.
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Smiling at the Start (pic by Kenneth Phillips)
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I made my way out to the cycle path in Kilbarchan where I joined with 48 other runners and the organisers. It was good to see Chris Upson back from his adventures and many other weel kent faces, some of which had actually run in Sunday’s Helensburgh Half. After the usual chit chat and pre race warm up, we lined up on the cycle path heading west towards Lochwinnoch. Alan F commented on my Scottish Veterans’ vest suggesting that I had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus!
Slacker Runner asked me what time I was after and I replied that I was only using the race as a training run and would be doing about 8 min/miles. However as the race started I found myself running behind Erica Christie and decided to tag on behind her and see how I fared.
The race is advertised as a trail run but is, in fact, an easy run along a relatively flat section of the N7 cycle path. The route takes you out 2.75 miles before turning around a bollard and heading back to the start/finish. We ran the first mile in 6:54 and I was feeling comfortable. Another runner, Eileen Masson, sat on my shoulder for a bit before deciding to overtake Erica and I. I was finding the pace OK and thought about following her but I’m all too aware that my erratic pacing in the past has resulted in Erica overtaking me later on, in more races than I care to remember. I did however share some of the work and took my turn at running beside her and then slightly in front. We completed the second mile in 7:02. I sensed that she was slowing a little and decided to take the lead and push on. The route turns around a bollard at the half way point, which allows you to see where the other runners are in the race. Eileen Masson had already established a significant lead in front of me but I could see that Slacker Runner was within catching distance. The third mile also took me 7:02. With the prospect of catching Slacker and the fear of being caught by Erica I pushed on. With a brief “Hi John” I passed Slacker. The pack in front was a good distance ahead and I had little chance of catching them, in fact at one point I couldn’t see anyone ahead, nevertheless I continued to work hard to close the gap as much as possible and to keep Slacker, Erica and whoever else may be chasing me at bay. The fourth mile passed in 6:43. I could now see that the pack ahead had split up and I concentrated my efforts on catching the tail runner, Kilbarchan’s Jim McMillan, who I remember beating me so well at last year’s Bella Belter. I caught him and chased after the next runner but the finish line was approaching and I was just too late to catch Clydesdale’s super vet, Bobby Young, with Eileen just one place ahead of him.
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| Hard Finish (pic by Kenneth Phillips) |
I had finished in 31st place in a time of 37:33 and was happy with my race. A new PB and a 70+% wava ( 73). I shared congratulations with the other runners over a cup of water before heading for my warm down and heading homeward.
I spotted Bella Harrier Michael Freshour standing at a bus stop, still dressed in his running gear, and gave him a lift to his Paisley home before completing my journey.
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