I was feeling pretty good on Friday, I’d been training hard and was happy with my recent 3k performance, the question was what race to run on Saturday. When I went to bed I had decided to do the Strathclyde parkrun, however the sound of the wind during the night made me reconsider and I plumped for the more local Glasgow one instead. As I was preparing for the race I recalled that my PB was when I was helping Annmarie McCaffrey overcome her dislike for hills and that although I’ve run the 5k in a number of occasions recently, I hadn’t actually raced it for a while.
I decided to wear my 50 parkrun vest and headed off to Pollok Park. The inaugural Jimmy Irvine 10k race was being held in Bellahouston Park later in the morning and I knew that a number of regular parkrunners, in particular club runners, would be racing there instead. However there were still some 220 competitors, including a healthy turnout from jogscotland’s Killie Striders. After my warm up and stretches I made my way to the start in time to see both Billy Reid and Jim Buick being awarded their 50 parkrun vests. I lined up beside Billy and his fellow Olympian Chris Craig. I noticed the regular Law and District AAC runner, I had seen him in loads of parkrun pics but had never spoke to him so I introduced myself to Paul Houston, who advised me that he usually runs around with Billy. Billy replied that he wished he could keep up with him and I quipped that there was a time when I could keep up with Billy.
After the usual pre event announcements we set off down the road. It always gets a bit congested here but it wasn’t too bad today as I was near the front. I noticed Lynn Sim marshalling as we turned into the woods and up the first hill. I managed to overtake Billy here and focussed on Chris Craig in front. Garmin indicated that my first kilometre had taken 3:53, the same pace as the recent 3k, I recalled. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to maintain such a pace on this course but I was happy with my start. After one mile, Suzanne McMahon overtook me. I tried to hang on behind her and did for a wee while, as she ran shoulder to shoulder with another runner. However when she attacked the steep hill, he moved over to the side and accidentally blocked me from chasing after her. I eventually forced my way past him, apologising as I did and made chase but it was too late she was way in front. I returned to my original tactic and concentrated on Chris, adorned in his highly visible Scottish Veterans vest. He was a good bit in front but I worked hard to keep him in sight, I was also working hard to try to ensure that Billy Reid didn’t catch me. Every second was a prisoner so I ran through the puddles, rather than avoid them, in my attempt to save time. I ran down the glade for the second and last time and was overtaken by someone who was running at a great pace. I’ve no idea what he had been doing for the first part of the race but he was on fire now. As you might know Garmin isn’t very accurate in the woods of Pollok Park, so I tend to ignore it after the 1st k. However I do know where the 4k point is and a quick glance at my Garmin warned me that I would need to run a sub 4min k to earn a PB. There was no way I was going to work this hard and not get a PB, so I raised my game. I was feeling sick but there wasn’t long to go so I pushed it in up the hills, kept going at the top and once I was over the brae I gave it my all for the last 200m downhill to the finish line. I stopped my Garmin on 20:50; a new PB by some 7 seconds! (wava 72.56%) I collected my token, which revealed that I had placed 29th and made my way through the bushes, avoiding the puddles, to my car and bar code. I saw Suzanne near the finish line but I wasn’t up for chatting, I was really feeling that I was going to be sick.
I joined the queue and handed in my token and chatted with some of the other runners and volunteers. After a warm down and a quick change into dry clothes I headed to the warmth of the Burrell where Suzanne rewarded my PB by buying me a coffee and cake. She had done great, winning the women’s race for the fourth time and equalling her PB of 20:32 as she crossed the line in the same time as Chris Craig. Billy Reid had pulled out of the race and was never actually there challenging me.
Kilbarchan’s Chris Devenney had won the event, at the first time of asking, in a time of 16:48, Cambuslang’s David Munro was runner-up in 16:54 and Victoria Park/CoG’s Allan Ramsay placed third in 16:59.
Livingston’s Louise Crilly was runner up to Suzanne, in a time of 21:12 whilst Giffnock North’s Hiliary Millar placed third with 21:30.
Full Results
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