After running three races on Ne’er Day the thought of running another one the next day was far from appealing. However Kilmarnock Harriers include the Beith Harriers 4.8 mile run in their Winter Championship, which I want to complete. I ran the race five years ago and hated it. It’s on par with the Clydesdale 5k races which compete with it to be the most un-aesthetic race in the country. Furthermore the Beith Race is not three times around an uninspiring business park but FOUR times, such a shame when there is so much outstanding beauty in the surrounding Ayrshire countryside. The saving grace for the Clydebank races is that they are held on a flat and fast course, the same cannot be said about Beith, where the course is both rolling and testing.
I met up with a lot of friends and running buddies and warmed up as a number of Junior Races took place. The Seniors Race commenced at 12:12 and some 50 of us set off and headed around the bland course. My plan was to take it easy but try to maximise my championship points by beating fellow Killie Harrier Brian Darroch. I contained my usual mad dash at the outset and instead tucked myself in behind Paula Wilson, who tends to have a more controlled start. My legs were feeling a bit stiff and tired and I soon dropped behind Paula and into a more comfortable pace. The first kilometre took 4:18 and as I glanced at my Garmin, Troon’s Natalie Fleming appeared on my shoulder and said “Hello, it’s me again”. She stayed right on my shoulder as I set the pace throughout the race. The incline slowed us slightly and the second kilometre took 4:27, however we over took Beith’s Ian Anderson and I was happy with the pace. I felt as if we were working hard but not over doing it.
The third kilometre took us 4:19 and we were receiving a lot of support from the onlookers as we ran around shoulder to shoulder. The next, hillier, kilometre took 4:31 and the fifth one 4:22. I could see Paula ahead and Eric Baxter in between us. I was confident that our pace would be good enough to catch Eric but I was a bit surprised to catch him before we completed the third lap. However he was not for giving in easy and I had to work hard to build a gap between us. I had thought that my increased pace would be enough to get away from Natalie but she is becoming a bit of a bonny fechter. However I attacked the first hill and could no longer hear her behind me. There was still a good bit to go and I concentrated in trying to close the gap on Paula ahead, rather than worrying about Natalie behind me. I ran the next kilometre in 4:02 and completed the race in a total time of 32:17. I was 14 seconds behind of Paula but only one second ahead of Natalie.
We then congratulated each other and cheered the other runners home before a quick warm down took me back to Garnock Rugby Club for some hot soup, sandwiches and cake. In between post race banter with, amongst others Clare Whitehead who had won the women’s race today and the Glasgow parkrun the day before, I noticed the previous race results posted on the wall. These revealed that I had taken 32:56 on my only previous outing in 2006. An improvement of some 36 seconds, I have to be happy with that!
Men’s Race
Inverclyde pair, Chris Mackay and Craig Ruddy overtook Cambuslang’s Stuart Gibson in the last kilometer to place first and second consecutively with times of 22:43:and 22:49. Stuart collected bronze with 22.55. Luke Traynor (Giffnock Harriers) placed first junior (fifth overall) in 23.51. Kilmarnock’s Iain Connell was first MV35+ in 24.50 with Hugh Laverty of Clydesdale Harriers first MV45+ in 31.24.
Women’s Race
In the Women’s Race Deeside’s Clare Whitehead exchanged her usual scenic hill races for the rolling hills of a North Ayrshire business park to place first in a time of 28:10. Kilmarnock’s Kara Tait earned the runner-up prize with a time of 28:25, with Nynke Mulholland of Kilbarchan AAC placing third in 30.27. It was good to see Paula Wilson picking up first women’s vet (35+) prize and Moira Nichol first women’s super vet (45+) prizes, with respective times of 32:03 and 36:04.
Vote of Thanks
As ever, huge thanks to everyone concerned in given up there time to organise the races, ensure that they ran smoothly and for providing an excellent post race spread. It really is much appreciated.
Photos by Kenny Phillips
Results:
Place No Name Athletics Club Time Category:
1 332 Chris Mackay Inverclyde AC 22.43 Senior Man
2 345 Craig Ruddy Inverclyde AC 22.49 Senior Man
3 350 Stuart Gibson Cambuslang Harriers 22.55 Senior Man
4 330 Mark Pollard Inverclyde AC 23.47 Senior Man
5 364 Luke Traynor Giffnock Harriers 23.51 Junior Man
6 328 Andrew Dearie Shettleston 24.35 Junior Man
7 320 Lee Wilson NAAC 24.44 Junior Man
8 341 Iain Connell Kilmarnock Harriers 24.5 Male Vet 35+
9 340 Alex Allardyce Irvine AC 24.52 Male Vet 35+
10 322 Andy McGhee Strathclyde Police AC 25.47 Senior Man
11 333 Pat Cullinane Irvine AC 25.51 Senior Man
12 339 Greig Glendinning Bellahouston RR 26.21 Senior Man
2 345 Craig Ruddy Inverclyde AC 22.49 Senior Man
3 350 Stuart Gibson Cambuslang Harriers 22.55 Senior Man
4 330 Mark Pollard Inverclyde AC 23.47 Senior Man
5 364 Luke Traynor Giffnock Harriers 23.51 Junior Man
6 328 Andrew Dearie Shettleston 24.35 Junior Man
7 320 Lee Wilson NAAC 24.44 Junior Man
8 341 Iain Connell Kilmarnock Harriers 24.5 Male Vet 35+
9 340 Alex Allardyce Irvine AC 24.52 Male Vet 35+
10 322 Andy McGhee Strathclyde Police AC 25.47 Senior Man
11 333 Pat Cullinane Irvine AC 25.51 Senior Man
12 339 Greig Glendinning Bellahouston RR 26.21 Senior Man
13 342 Scott Martin Kilmarnock Harriers 26.33 Male Vet 35+
14 358 Graham Evans Kilbarchan 27.04 Junior Man
15 354 William Richardson Irvine AC 27.11 Male Vet 35+
16 353 Connell Drummond Kilmarnock Harriers 27.13 Male Vet 35+
17 359 Steven Campbell Greenock Glenpark 27.24 Male Vet 35+
18 327 James Wales Kilmarnock Harriers 27.28 Junior Man
19 317 Paul Kilby 27.35 Senior Man
20 343 Clare Whitehead Deeside Runners 28.1 Senior Woman
21 321 Kara Tait Kilmarnock Harriers 28.25 Senior Woman
22 319 Scott McKendrick NAAC 29.41 Male Vet 35+
23 325 Andrew Jeske Jammys 30.12 Male Vet 35+
24 331 Nynke Mulholland Kilbarchan AAC 30.27 Senior Woman
25 335 Emma Baxter Greenock Glenpark 30.58 Senior Woman
14 358 Graham Evans Kilbarchan 27.04 Junior Man
15 354 William Richardson Irvine AC 27.11 Male Vet 35+
16 353 Connell Drummond Kilmarnock Harriers 27.13 Male Vet 35+
17 359 Steven Campbell Greenock Glenpark 27.24 Male Vet 35+
18 327 James Wales Kilmarnock Harriers 27.28 Junior Man
19 317 Paul Kilby 27.35 Senior Man
20 343 Clare Whitehead Deeside Runners 28.1 Senior Woman
21 321 Kara Tait Kilmarnock Harriers 28.25 Senior Woman
22 319 Scott McKendrick NAAC 29.41 Male Vet 35+
23 325 Andrew Jeske Jammys 30.12 Male Vet 35+
24 331 Nynke Mulholland Kilbarchan AAC 30.27 Senior Woman
25 335 Emma Baxter Greenock Glenpark 30.58 Senior Woman
26 352 Hugh Laverty Clydesdale Harriers 31.24 Male Vet 45+
27 357 Kenneth Pryde Glenpark 31.27 Male Vet 35+
28 351 Murray McDonald Kilmarnock Harriers 31.44 Junior Man
29 347 Tom Gillespie 31.49 Male Vet 45+
30 348 Paula Wilson Kilmarnock Harriers 32.03 Female Vet 35+
31 356 Ian Goudie Kilmarnock 32.17 Male Vet 45+
32 338 Natalie Fleming Troon Tortoises 32.18 Senior Woman
33 334 Eric Baxter 32.44 Male Vet 55+
34 323 John Smith Jammys 33.5 Male Vet 45+
35 349 Elizabeth McDerment Kilmarnock 34.07 Female Vet 35+
36 355 Brian Darroch Kilmarnock Harriers 34.34 Male Vet 35+
37 344 Ian Devoy Strathaven 35.03 Male Vet 45+
38 326 Ken Wales Kilmarnock Harriers 35.05 Male Vet 35+
39 346 Andrew Scott Motherwell 35.15 Male Vet 35+
40 361 Iain Anderson Beith 35.5 Male Vet 35+
41 324 Moira Nicol Jammys 36.04 Female Vet 45+
42 318 George Young Maryhill Harriers 36.57 Senior Man
43 336 Hazel McFarlane Troon Tortoises 37.06 Female Vet 35+
44 337 Anne Noble Troon Tortoises 37.06 Female Vet 45+
45 363 Susan Clark Glenpark Harriers 40.34 Female Vet 35+
46 316 Sam Cathcart 40.47 Male Vet 55+
47 362 William Drysdale Law & Dist AAC 47.31 Male Vet 55+
48 329 David Kerr Irvine AC 50.50 Male Vet 55+
000 365 Robert Harkness DNF Male Vet 45+
000 360 Les Hill Dumfries Running Club DNF Male Vet 45+
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