Two Minutes Faster at Tollcross #parkrun

Tollcross Park this morning

My seventh race in as many weeks saw me heading to Tollcross Park for the 29th staging of the east end of Glasgow event.  I had run the inaugural Tollcross Parkrun as my comeback race on 4th May this year, in a time of 25:18.  I'm a lot healthier and fitter than then and was confident of getting a course PB, although I knew that the ten hills, on the two and a half laps course, would mean that my time would be slower than that recently recorded at both Victoria and Strathclyde parks.

The introduction of the easier and faster Victoria parkrun had  helped to decrease the, already small, turnout at Tollcross and only 27 had participated in the previous week's race.  However the organisers had worked hard to boost numbers and were delighted with the turnout of 56 runners, the 5th highest attendance that they've achieved to date.

Myself and my training buddy, Adele Walker, started near the front of the race and at 9:30am we were set on our way, wth the other 54 participants, around the hilly and windy course.  I was confident that, as a result of our hard training and her performances at Victoria and Strathclyde parkruns that she would do well and that she even had a chance of a, confidence boosting, victory in the women's race.

I started strong but it wasn't too long before I was being overtaken.  I worked hard around the course, using all of my experience to keep focused and determined and managing to catch a few runners in the second half of the run.  I was satisfied with my performance, placing 13th with a time of 23:14, more than two minutes faster than my previous time.

Women's Race

As I hoped, despite this being her first outing at Tollcross, Adele won the women's event, with a time of 23:22.  Bellahouston Harrier's Katy Smith, was similarly delighted to earn Silver with a course PB of 24:40, with Emma Craig placing third woman, with a time of 24:47.  Katy's son Robbie and fellow Bellahouston Harrier Linda McLean also clocked up course PBs.

Men's Race

With neither Dave Thom nor Shaz Hakeem in the men's race, I had thought that the scene was set for Shaun Butler to take Gold for the first time.  Although he managed his 5th PB in as many outings and took an amazing 33seconds off of his time two weeks ago, his time of 18:55 was bettered by dark horse Billy Gibson, of Dundee Hawkhill, who completed his maiden Tollcross race in 18:27.
Shettleston's John Duffy placed third with a time of 19:19. 

Thanks

Congratulations to all runners and the dozen volunteers who made the event such a success.  The free cake and bottles of milk were added bonuses to reward us for our efforts before making our way back to Tollcross Leisure centre for coffee, rolls, chat and a truly efficient results service.  Many thanks to all concerned in making my 128th parkrun so enjoyable.

Tollcross parkrun