Steady Improvement in the Sunshine

I’ve been holidaying in the Seaview Hotel which is at the southernmost point of Patong beach.  Every morning I run along the sun kissed beach from the hotel to the northernmost point, turn and run back to the pier.  I warm down back to the hotel, where a cool...ish shower and a dip in the pool awaits me before a rewarding breakfast.  I leave the hotel about 8:30 each morning and my beach run is around 5.2km long and is a great start to the day.  It’s not the easiest of runs, as like the Strathclyde parkrun, once I reach the end and turn around it I can see the end point way in the distance.   

The temperature seems to be rising slightly every day and the patchy clouds of the first morning have been replaced with clear blue skies and sunshine.  My first run was at an average pace of 5:24min/km and as I’ve acclimatised and rediscovered some of my fitness my pace has increased every day: 5:01; 4:53; 4:51 and 4:40 this morning.   Hopefully I'll get the benefit from training in the heat when I return to the cooler climate of Auld Scotia but in the meantime where’s the suntan lotion?

Bangkok Bridges in the Heat

I injured myself at the Glasgow parkrun on 13 November.  I couldn’t believe it.  I’ve ran over 50 races this year and one week before the Bangkok Mini Marathon, I pulled muscles in both legs.  I wasn’t able to run at all however I hoped that the rest would allow the injuries to clear in time for Bangkok.  It wasn’t until I turned up at the Marathon Expo on the day before the event that I started to feel in the mood to race, despite now having my runners' t-shirt and being advised that only Full Marathon runners would receive the impressive looking medal on display.

I had a quiet night on Saturday, a chicken and cashew Thai meal with rice and a walk through the humid streets and lanes before returning to the hotel to watch Spurs sensational comeback against Arsenal and their grumpy manager.  I booked a 5am morning call and slept off and on until the telephone awoke me.  A couple of bits of fruit, some water and a cup of tea and I headed to reception for a quick photo and taxi to the race start.

The race was due to commence at 6:15am, with sunrise due at 6:20. We reached the entrance at about 6.00am. However the taxi driver didn’t have any change and wanted to drive around to find a shop or some other place that we could get change.  I told him that I had no time and would leave the fare at the hotel as I left the Toyota and headed towards the start area.  

There were loads of people walking towards the Start, in fact I was the only one running as I warmed up.  The setting was amazing as I ran along Sanam Chai Road, in front of the ancient Royal Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Bhuda (Wat Prakaew).  I’ve no idea how many people there were slowly making their way to the Start point under arch 2 but there were loads!  Although some would be competing in the 5k race at 6:25am, there were still masses lining up for the 10k ‘mini marathon’.   I was proudly wearing my brightly coloured yellow Scottish Veterans vest and had covered my brow in Vaseline to keep the sweat out of my eyes.   I asked an English lass, who was running the 10k, why she didn’t join the throngs beside us, to which she replied that she didn’t want to be knocked over by all the fast runners.  There was no chip for the race and I didn’t want to start too far back so I joined the runners in front of the official announcer.  I couldn’t believe when she introduced no less than twelve dignitaries onto the stage to officially start the race. 

It wasn’t long until the hooters, all twelve of them, were sounded, balloons set off and the runners started to make their way around the course.  Everyone around me was walking and I was happy to do so as well until I crossed the official line and started my Garmin.  I then had to weave my way through the walkers, slow runners and marching bands as I tried to find my own pace.  It took a whole kilometre before I was able to run freely.  Giving the congesting, I wasn’t too disappointed with my time of 5:05.  However I looked up to see the runners in front making their way upwards on Phra Pin klao Bridge.  I seemed to be the only one carrying a water bottle and I took my last drink and poured the remaining, now warm, water over my head.  An Asian runner commented to me that it was very hot.  Coming from Scotland, I knew that!  I also knew that there were water stops approximately every two kilometres.  The first one was approaching and I dropped my left hand to pick up the last cardboard cup of water on the set of tables but I missed!  I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t even touch it.  I was a bit concerned that the heat was already taking its toll on my senses but no problem there would be another water stop.  I could now see the faster runners making their way back from the turning point at the PATA Department Store.  I was still overtaking loads of people and was feeling tired but confident. No real problems with either injured leg.  My second kilometre was perhaps too quick for the conditions as I completed it in 4:45.  I had it in my mind a target of just below 50mins.  It wasn’t long until I had reached the turn round point and was heading back into the gorgeous new moon. My third k had taken 4.58.   I could see the masses of runners behind me as they made their way outwards before I turned left and I headed towards Rama 8 Bridge.  I had noticed this particular bridge with its distinctive pyramid shape from my river cruise on Friday night.  The temperature seemed to be rising significantly and I was glad to reach the next water stop to replace some of my lost fluids and to pour some more water over my head.    The fourth k had taken 4:44.   I could see quite a lot of runners walking at this stage and although tiring quickly I was in good fettle as I was still making my way through the field, however I was concerned that this pace would take its toll in the second half of the race.  Up and over the bridge, I ran and then spied the first marker of the race 4k! No way, my Garmin had made this the 5k point and I had definitely reset it after my warm up.  Perhaps so many people had been walking at the start as the official race didn’t start for a kilometre. There was no real room for people to warm up before the race and maybe this was how they done it.  Nah, it couldn’t be.  I had taken around 25mins and had run 5k, the fifth k taken 4:54.  Maybe the race was 11k I thought.  Whatever the reason was all I could do was try to maintain a pace that would see me run my 10k in around 50mins, I was enjoying the event but the thought of having to run another kilometre on top was not appealing.   I stuck behind a couple of local runners wearing Bridgestone vests for a little while before overtaking them and a few others at the junction of Phrasumane Road.    

I was visibly slowing now but it appeared that everyone else was too as I was still making some progress, despite my sixth k taken 5:10.  The seventh k was a struggle. It took me 5:11 and I started to reappraise my 50min initial target and would now be happy to complete the race with resorting to walking.  I stopped at the next water stop, the cup was full of iced water and again I drunk some and poured the rest over my head.  The Vaseline was now no longer effective and the sweat was starting to burn my eyes.  I took in a few deep breadths to fill my lungs before running under the bridge and turning left at the National Theatre.  I was continuing to slow and the eighth k had taken 5:15.  We made our way around past Tharmmaset University, I was slowing even more,  the two Strongbridge ruuners  and probably a few others had overtaken me but I felt quite positive as I was catching others who must have been tiring too, despite taken over 5:49 for my ninth kilometre.   However the sign said 8K!!  Was there one kilometre or two to go?  Que serra, serra, I thought and comforted myself with the knowledge that at least the last part of the course would be entirely flat.  I ran past the Royal Grand Palace and turned left at Wat Phro. I was approaching Sanamchai Road now and could see the tail end of the 5k walkers making their way along to their Start line.  As I turned the corner I joined the filter of 10k runners being directed to the right.  I could see some people lining the route ahead and wondered how much further was to go.  A couple of people sprinted past me as I realised that this was in fact the Finish line, I increased the pace slightly for the last few metres and stopped my watch as I crossed the line.  I was pleasantly surprised to read a total time of 48:42.  

I was shattered and the sweat was still pouring out of me as I was directed along into the grounds of the Ministry of Defence.  My number was scored with a highlighter pen and I was giving a couple of tokens abd a medal.  I didn't expect a medalas I had been told that these were only for full marathon finishers.  I noticed a western woman lying on the ground and I enquired if she was OK. She had run the full marathon and was feeling sick but was all right.  I must have been diverted into the full marathon finishers area by mistake, that would explain my medal.  I was also feeling sick.  I wasn’t sure about eating any food which was being donated by McDonalds, I don’t think I could have eaten anything, let alone a Big Mac.  However I handed my token in and received a dish which looked to be some sort of Thai fish stew or soup.  Full of protein no doubt but not great if you’re feeling sick, so I placed mine in the nearest bin and headed for the exit point. 

I was extremely lucky, being able to flag down a taxi immediately. I felt a bit sorry for him as I sat there with the sweat continuing to pour out of me.  I handed him a slip from the hotel with its address in Thai. He almost made it to Soi 5 where the hotel is but took a wrong turn and headed up a one way road.  He offered to let me off there but guess what, he didn’t have any change.  I thought about getting out but we drove around until we found a shop where I managed to get some change. After a long detour we arrived on the other side of the road to the junction of Soi 5 and I got out. I gave him 100 Bhat, this was less than the meter said and I explained that it wasn’t my fault that he had taken a long detour.

I then jogged back to the Hotel for a cool down dip in the pool before turning on the TV to watch the Delhi Marathon and associated races which were being run in a comfortable 18c.  I’ll maybe try one of these sometime.

All and all the Bangkok Mini Marathon was a good race with a great starting and finishing point, however with much of it being over two road bridges there was no support for most of the course, a bit of a shame really in a city of some ten million people.  I’m glad I ran it and I've got a lovely medal to prove it.

With around 10,000 runners it was the largest 10k race I've participated in, I was well placed but with no results recorded, I'll never know how well. If you ever do it don't forget to take your Garmin.

Pics to follow.

My Hunt for a PB at Pollok Park

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

Another Pic From Guy Fawkes Night

A firework above Pollokshields as viewed from Casa Goudie:

Run in the park for Jenny

As I had raced on Friday, I decided to do the parkrun as a training session. I had promised one of my running buddies, Jenny Healy, that I would pace her one Saturday in an attempt to help her earn a new PB. Her fastest time at Pollok Park was 24:25 but she had taken 25:31 last week. I was confident that she could run faster, even though the conditions were far from perfect, with a couple of large puddles and some muddy parts to negotiate, they were slightly better than last week’s.


We set off near the middle of the 263 strong field and I had to reign in her enthusiasm in the initial downhill part of the course. This was made more difficult as loads of runners started too fast, many of them overtaking us. There are no distance markers on the course and the reception for my Garmin isn’t great in the woods of the park, so I couldn’t rely solely on my GPS for distance markers. However I’ve ran the course enough to know where the various kilometre and mile markers should be.

Jenny and her pace maker - Pic by Gill Williamson

After one mile, I informed Jenny that we were on target, although she expressed doubts that she could maintain the pace for the rest of the route, I was confident that she would be OK. That said, she did slow a bit on the uphill section after 2k, however I was confident that we would make up time in the downhill section. She was working hard and was coughing and spluttering at one point as I encouraged her to increase the pace down hill. We turned left off of the glade and I knew there was 1k to go, our time had slipped and I told her that she would need to work hard for the last bit but she would get her rewards. She slipped back and there were a couple of runners between us, who looked a bit bemused as I cried out words of encouragement. She overtook them, headed up the last hill and kept working as we approached the supporters and volunteers at the turn off point. Over a brae and then it was downhill for what seemed a very long 200m to the finish. I pulled over to the side to let her pass me just before the line. She had earned a spanking, shiny, brand new PB of 24:17! She had placed 110th overall and 11th woman. She was shattered and ecstatic at the same time. She said that she couldn’t have done it without me but the reality is that it was her that had ran, she worked hard and deserved her PB. I told her that she would be able to get faster and more consistent if she were to join the local Bellahouston Harriers. I introduced her to Bernie O’Neil who advised her that the Harriers now have some 50 women members and that she would be made very welcome.

Results

Photo

Guy Fawkes Photos

A couple of long exposure photos taken from my lounge on a cold Guy Fawkes night.

The Rescheduled Atkins 3k on the Green - my first 3k race!

There was a feeling of déjà vu as I finally got to run my first ever 3k race today, the rescheduled Atkins 3k on the Green. After running it as a time trial last week, the initial excitement and anticipation had somewhat faded but I was still looking forward to it as I made my way along the river cycle path from my work at Atlantic Quay to Glasgow Green. I had worn my Scottish Vets vest last week but chose my Kilmarnock Harriers one today. There were a lot more runners this week, including many familiar faces, including Al Maclachlan, Clare Barr, Tom Keenan, John Gilhooly and Graeme Aitken. After paying my £2 entry fee, I pinned No.14 on to my vest and lined up under the arch way with the other runners.

Clare Barr

At 12:30 we set off down to our right and headed east with the wind behind us. It didn’t take long for the ‘elites’ to forge a significant gap in front of the rest of us. John Gilhooly passed me and I made a half hearted attempt to stay with him before letting him go. I know that he’s faster than me, so my tactic was to keep him in my sights and let him pull me around the course. By the time we got to the turn, there were two other runners between John and myself and I continued my task of trying to close the gap on him as we headed west ward into the wind. A watching Brian O’donnell shouted encouragement to me and I had a quick glance to see who was behind me. I saw Tom and Graeme and others. However there was no Claire Barr to be seen, I figured that she must be right behind me and decided that as well as closing the gap on John, I would also try to keep her at bay. I’m sure that I was closing the gap slightly and had one of the other two in my sights, Cammy Ferguson.  I pushed in as much as I could in the final strait but he was just too far in front and crossed the line three seconds ahead of me. I finished in 18th place out of 34, with a time of just under 11:49 and was followed two seconds later by Claire, who won the women's race a with a huge PB, for the second time in the three race series (Erica Christie winning the other one). 

As we recovered and congratulated each other Claire queried her time, telling me that the organiser had shouted 12:02 as she passed the line. The error was the same twelve second error as last week and we and others pointed this out to the organisers, who accepted the error but couldn’t explain it. 

Claire kindly shared some of her goodies from her prize with me, the ones she didn't want of course,  before we all left the Green.  I used my jog back to work as my warm down.

The results were emailed to runners shortly after the event and revealed that Craig Cassidy, who ran the recent Dublin Marathon in 2:46:14, had a winning time of 9.44, which incidentally was Andrew Joyce’s winning time in the first race of the series.  Andrew settled for the runners up slot with a time of 9:53, whilst Russell Whittington placed third in 9:60.

My splits: 3:53; 4:05; 3:51 (My target is to run all three as sub 4min kilometres).

Cartha Queens Park Beat Dalziel

I decided to give the Allan Scally relay race a miss this year, as Kilmarnock Harriers didn't have a team entered.  Instead I headed back to Pollok Park, this time to watch my second rugby game in a week.  Cartha Queens Park v Dalzeil in the Scottish Premier three division.  The home side, with the help of a disputed penalty try and a break away try from an intercepted wayward Dalziel pass, ran out as deserving winners by 26 points to 20 in quite a bad tempered match. 



Oh I also discovered how to embed a slide show in Blogger... although it doesn't seem to work quite right for everyone...

Glasgow parkrun 30 October 2010

I awoke early on Saturday, as usual, so decided to run the Glasgow parkrun, as usual. I say run, rather than race, as I had run 3k at race pace on Friday and intended to use the 5k course as part of my easy four mile training run. I was a bit later than usual in getting to Pollok Park and only managed a very short warm up, between chats, before we assembled unusually in the bottom car park. Part of the course was flooded and the route had been slightly amended, organisers also advised that part of the course had been cordoned off and could only be run in single file. Today was not the day to be searching PBs. I made my way further back from the front than usual and after the announcements set off on my 5k run at a steady pace. I was running a bit faster than I had planned and covered the first k in 4:16. I found myself running along with Emma Rogerson (nee Simpson) and was content to run at her slightly slower pace, however her friend couldn’t keep up and she slowed her pace for her. However I noticed her fellow Kilmarnock Academy teacher Andy Taylor ahead and decided to try to finish in front of him and overtook him just before the cordoned area. However it wasn’t long until he returned the favour. The second k had taken 4:27. We then played leap frog with each other, the third k taking 4:34 and the fourth 4:22. I decided to up the pace for the last kilometre and ran it in 4:00 to finish in 60th place, with a time of 21:39. Not bad given that I wasn’t really racing. Next time I might ensure that I take it easier by pacing one of the slower runners.

Andy placed 64th with a time of 21:47, whilst Emma managed a new PB of 22:19.  The other Killie Harrier, Al Murray beat us all placing 36th in a time of 20:28.

Ron Hill Cambuslang's Chris Wilson was first over the line in a great time of 16:08, with Kilbarchan AAC's under 14 junior Gavin McArdle second in 17:23 and Bella RR Liam Conway third in 17:30.

In the women's event it was Bella Harrier Suzanne McMahon to the fore once again, winning in a time of 20:40 followed by the claret and amber pairing of Clare Barr and Clare Hughes.  The Motherwell duo finishing in 21:17 and 21:58 respectively.

Full Results

3k on the Green

I ran my first 3k on Friday 29 October. I had signed up to run the third and final race in the Atkins series, however because of the adverse weather the race was postponed for a week. Some eight of us hadn’t received the email advising us of the postponement and turned up at Glasgow Green where Melanie Eynon informed us of the decision. The weather had abated by then though and after she volunteered to stage a timed run for us around the usual course. This would allow me at least to get to know the route. Robert Rogerson, Alan Fitzsimmons, Anthony Quinn, myself and four others set of from McLellans Arch at 12:20 and headed east along the Clyde. It wasn’t long until I found myself in last position and made a concerted effort to overtake Alan. I know that Alan is a sub 20min 5k runner but his form has been inconsistent and I was hopeful, if not confident, that I could beat him. The route then runs some of the jogscotland 5k course, which sees us running along the wide path road and turning a sharp right and making our way back along a pothole laden and puddle strewn narrow path right beside the river. I managed to catch another runner here and was very surprised to be able to overtake him. He looked like an athlete and was running well, I was sure that he would increase his pace when he saw me but I managed to get away from him. I wasn’t quite sure where the finish was. I had been told it was at the boathouse but nothing more specific. However I noticed a couple of other runners stopping up ahead and realised that the finish was in sight but it was too far away from me to hold off the guy behind and he sprinted past me as we approached the line.

Melanie cried out 12:02 as reached the finish but after we had congratulated each other, I was informed that the times were out by 12 seconds and that my actual time was 11:50. I would have accepted the initial time but I really need to be running sub four minute kilometres if I am ever going to get a sub 20min 5k.

The postponed race should take place this Friday, maybe with more runners I’ll be able to squeeze a few seconds off of my time.