54-3-2-1

After fifty four years including about forty years of running, I managed to compete in my first ever two mile race on Thursday night: 'the Bellahouston Harriers 2 mile Time Trial'. Almost perfect running conditions helped to attract a record turnout, with runners from an assortment of West of Scotland clubs joining in with the hosts, at Pollok Country Park.

I had run an abridged version of the course in the Club’s winter handicap race and presumed that the route would be from Cartha Queens Park Rugby Club to Pollok House and then back. I was therefore a wee bit surprised when I heard some runners saying that it was a tough wee course, sure it had a couple of bends in it but tough?! There are a number of races which start and finish at the Rugby Club and they all seem to have different Finish lines, so I made a point off ensuring that I knew where the race would end, which was actually quite far into the Rugby Club’s driveway.

Race
Once the road was clear, we set off at 7:01pm and headed towards Pollok House. I was a bit surprised to see so many runners shooting off so quickly, including Bellahouston Road Runners David Boyle and Keith Gibb. They’re both a bit better than me but I’ve beat them in a few races, including the Jog Scotland 5k, when they both set off too quickly.

With Haggs Golf Course on our right and the allotments on our left we ran, slightly uphill, to Dumbreck Riding School. A sharp left turn took us down a dip and up towards the ‘white house’, where we turned right and, with the woods on our left, headed towards Lochinch Police Club. As usual I found a gap growing between myself and those in front. Garmin revealed that the first kilometre had taken me 3:59. I could hear someone behind me and was overtaken by David Mooney. I was expecting to see the fast runners, led by to Robert Gilroy, running towards me but they never appeared. I discovered why at the mile point, when rather than running around the marshal, Melanie Ronald, she directed me up to my left and into the woods and hills. The first mile had taken me 6:39.

With David pulling away, I climbed over the first hill and wasn’t too surprised to see that the two Bella Road Runners were now in sight. However the second kilometre had taken me 4:14 and Erica Christie had overtaken me. The second hill was even steeper but, just as I was mentally preparing myself for a third hill, I saw a marshal directing Erica along to her left. Relieved I followed her and negotiated the path and narrow opening back to the ‘white house’. Erica was a good bit in front but I chased after her, down the dip, past the Riding School and past the allotments. I was narrowing the gap between us, as she turned right into the driveway and then left towards the Finish line, where I just managed to pip her at the post.


I could hear the timer shouting out “13:06; 13:07; 13:08” as I stopped my Garmin and headed for the recovery area.

Result
The third kilometre had taken me 4:17 but I had increased the pace to 3:36 for the last part of the race to finish in 13:07, a second mile of 6:28 and a surprising negative split by 11 seconds.

As I mentioned earlier this was my first ever two mile race, so I was guaranteed a PB, however it was also my 54th birthday and I didn’t want to sell myself short. I know that Erica has been running great at the Polaroid 10k races, doing Helensburgh and Clydebank in around 41:30, so I was pleased to catch her. It was also good to beat Bella Road Runner Mark McGoldrick for the first time and Harrier Brian Barr who, like Erica and Mark, has beaten me at all three Polaroids this year.

The race was my 30th of the year, my 10th PB and included my 1000th running kilometre of 2011.

Post Race pic by Iain Burke

Post Race
After a warm down and a shower, I retired to the bar for hot soup and home baked cake before progressing to Guiness and heading along to Sammy Dow’s for the weekly Jam Session.

Thanks
Thanks to everyone associated with the race for a smashing event and extra special thanks to everyone for their birthday greetings.

Full Results