Waterfalls and Wild Flowers.... I eventually get out on my new bike!

Sunday was such a lovely day that I decided to postpone my long run by 24 hours and head out with the new bike and camera instead. I wasn’t sure where I was going but I ended up at Rouken Glen Park, where after a while, I saw a signpost for the waterfall. Waterfalls are often featured in photography magazines, with the photographer using a slow shutter speed to catch the movement and whiteness of them. I hadn’t packed my tripod and I don’t yet have a filter but I was able to rest the camera on a couple of fences, which allowed me to extend the shutter speed without the camera moving.

After leaving Rouken Glen, I headed down Nitshill Road and then down to Crookston Road. I joined the national cycle path N7 and photographed some flowers in Rosshall Park before heading through Pollok Park and popping into Morrisons at Crossmyloof and eventually home. I had cycled just over 16 miles and had taken couple of good pics, not too a bad way to spend a Sunday.

My Photostream is here



Atkins 3k on the Green 1 of 3, 2011

Numbers 1 and 2......Claire and I

I’d been struggling with a cold since hanging about after the Kirkintilloch 12.5k race last Sunday.  However I filled up with orange juice and Lem Sip and made my way along to Glasgow Green at lunch time on Friday 25 February for the first Atkins 3k race of the year.  There was a decent turn out of some thirty-two runners assembled including: Claire Thompson, Keith Gibb, Angela Campbell, Tom Keenan, John Gilhooly and fellow Kilmarnock Harrier Al Murray.  

At 12:30 Race Director, Melanie Eynon set us off from under McLennan’s Arch and we ran, slightly downhill, into the wind.  I started off strongly but was worried that I wouldn’t be able to sustain it.  I watched as first John Gilhooly and then Claire Thompson left me in their trail.  The first kilometre had taken me 3:50 and Al Murray commented on how quick it was as he passed me.   I tucked in behind Al and we both overtook Keith Gibb.  I couldn’t keep up with Al but I managed to build a gap between Keith and myself.  I glanced over at the turn to see that there was a sizeable gap between us but there was someone else in front of him.  I was disappointed when Garmin bleeped after the second kilometre and advised me that my pace had dropped to 4:14.  I would need to dig deep if I was to get an acceptable time.  There was only one kilometre to go but how long it seemed as I ran back along the path, up the hill and past the first boat house.  There was still a bit to go but I was thinking positively and had convinced myself that the longer there was to the end, the more chance I had of making up my time.  Claire gave me a shout of encouragement and I managed to increase my pace in the final strait to cross the line in a time of 11:50.  A final kilometre of 3:46 and an acceptable performance in my 13th race of the year.

I managed to get my breath back and exchanged congratulations with the other runners before cheering home those behind me.   

Killie pair - me with Al Murray

Craig Cassidy, Mark Johnston and Marco Consani placed 1, 2 and 3 in the men’s race with Claire Thompson, Lorraine Brown (who finished just behind me) and Angela Campbell doing likewise in the women’s race.

Thanks to the volunteers Iain, Rachel and Michelle for making the event such a success.  The second of the three part series of charity races will be held on Friday 25 March at 12:30 and as usual will cost £2, hope to see you then.   Full details. 

Full Results to follow.

Kirkintilloch 12.5k and 12 hills.....

Pic by Moira Nicol

After running eleven races in January, it’s taken me a while to reach number twelve.  However I have been doing a lot of training, following my Half Marathon Training Programme which has me running at least six days a week.  On Sunday my schedule had me down to run ‘three miles warm-up, followed by five-six mile race (not flat-out)’.  The Kirkintilloch 12.5k race coincided with this and I headed for the hills of Dunbartonshire.   

The race starts at Gartshore Road outside of Gartconner Primary School and is not easy to reach by public transport on a Sunday morning.  I had agreed to give a couple of fellow runners a lift to and from the event.  I picked up Claire Larravide and Andrea Bachand on Byers Road and headed through Lenzie to the race.

Although the National XC races, the day before, and the challenging course may deter a lot of runners from participating in the race, there were still a lot of weel kent faces on the day.  The race is set on country roads and comprises of a circular route (map) from Gartconner to Gartshore, Stoneyetts, Wester Bedcow and through Fauldhead to return to finish at Gartconner School.  The roads are quiet but undulating, with a total of 12 hills adding to the joy of running in a cold Sunday morning. 

Although I was tempted to race the full 12.5k, I decided to stick to my training plan and took my time during the first 4k.  My Garmin charger clip had broken, so I decided just to wear my stop watch instead.  I settled in with Natalie Fleming a bit back from the front and we set off at a controlled pace at 10:30am.  It wasn’t hard to control the pace as the course soon starts to climb and continues uphill for almost the first kilometre.  The next kilometre is mostly downhill and Natalie and many other runners increased their pace.  The course climbs again just before the 2k marker.  Then it’s down hill for 500m and uphill for the same, taking us to the 3k marker.  I was a bit surprised that Alan Dempster was running beside me at this point but he has been injured for a while.  At 3k the course continues uphill, turns left, up another hill and then turns right and continues to climb to the 4k point.  I was enjoying the run and taking in the scenery.  My time at 4k was around 19:50 and I decided that, with my pre race warm up, I must have done around three miles and could now up the pace a bit.   

My race started at this point, the next kilometre was downhill and I was overtaking everyone in sight.  I continued up the steep hill at 5k and opened up my legs on the way down the other side.  I overcame the minor hill between 6 and 7k and worked had up the steep hill between 7 and 8k.  I could see, amongst others, Jammy Jo Smith, Jim McMillan and Paul Emsley all in front.  The hardest hills were now behind me and I had less than 5k to run.  I continued to catch other runners and was feeling good.  There’s a long gradual hill between 8 and 9k and then the course rejoins the original road and heads back towards the school. 

I caught Jammy Jo at around the 9k mark and then Jim at 10k.  However as I climbed the next hill my legs were starting to feel very heavy indeed.  Where did that come from? I asked myself as I dug in deep to keep the two runners ahead within reach.  Fortunately the lead legs improved at the top of the hill and I managed to catch both David Watson and Martin Sweatman shortly after.  Paul Emsley was a lot closer now than he had ever been but he was running well and instead of me catching him, he caught a Portobello runner in front.  The last kilometre is downhill and then flat and I was running well.  I managed to catch Portobello’s Angus Mclean but Paul was still a good bit in front of me.  All of a sudden I could hear someone right behind me.  “Who could that be running so well at this stage in the race?”  I didn’t want to increase my pace too much, in line with my training plan, and watched as a Portobello vest overtook me and raced towards the Finish. 

I crossed the line in a time of 57:15 (a pace of 7:05 for the 8.5k) and congratulated Angus, Paul and the others, including Natalie who had a great race before cheering home the other runners.

I was surprised that Andrea was taking so long to finish, as she was looking good when I passed her just after 4k. However Claire pointed out that she had taken ill and stopped around the 10k point.  The First Aiders had stepped in and, as usual, they did a great job in getting her back to the school, wrapping her up and giving her a warm drink.  I’ve been ill a few times after races and can empathise with her.  I took the car to the school door and we helped her into the relative warmth of the car before heading back to Glasgow and dropping her off at her flat. (She’s OK)

I later checked my previous time to discover that I had taken some 136 seconds off of my 12.5k PB on the same course.  Once again, huge thanks to all the organisers, helpers, marshals, fellow racers, supporters and of course the First Aiders too!

Full results and photos here.

More Photos

 

Telephoto and Fisheye Lenses

Fur Coat and Fag......
Originally uploaded by Heilster Hieroglyphics

Much of our work on Saturday was theoretical but we did get out and about to try Telephoto and Fisheye Lenses.  I headed to George Square and captured these shots more here.



Fisheye Graham



Alastair Campbell, Danny Invincible and Alan Combe

I don’t often Blog on the famous Kilmarnock FC, one reason is that I very seldom get to see them play. This week was no exception. They were beaten 2-1 by Hibs at Easter Road but by all accounts put up a decent display. Although the club, once again, lost their top scorer during the winter, when Conor Sammon followed his predecessors: Kevin Kyle; Steven Naismith and Kris Boyd out of the Killie gates, the team still managed to score at least one goal for the 23rd game in succession!

Killie Fan Campbell
A web site mentions that Alastair Campbell is rumoured to be a Killie fan, I recently asked the man himself if this was in fact the case and can report back that, whilst he is a high profile Burnley fan, Kilmarnock is indeed his Scottish team. Although Alastair was born in Yorkshire, he told me that his mother is from the Ayrshire village of Moscow and the young Alastair used to spend his holidays visiting his grand parents, often making it along to Rugby Park to support Ayrshire Killie.

Good Luck Danny and Alan

Kilmarnock also released a couple of players in the transfer window: the wonderfully named Danny Invincible and Scotland ‘B’ Cap, Goalkeeper, Alan Combe. I sent Alan a wee message of appreciation and wishing him well in the future and was pleasantly surprised to get a response from him saying: “Thanx very much Ian, means a lot.” I’m not thoroughly convinced that the more well known football players would have taken the time to respond to a fan.

Portrait Photo of Lana

Lana
Originally uploaded by Heilster Hieroglyphics

This week's photograph: a, non studio, portrait pic of the lovely Lana, originally from Turkmenistan.

and one slightly edited for effect.

Slow Shutter Speed and Panning Pics

I showed remarkable discipline in not racing this week but instead followed my training plan of 8 miles tempo run on Saturday and 12 miles easy on Sunday.

Photography
This week we ventured out to take some  Slow Shutter Speed and Panning photographs. Here's a few that I took on the footbridge over the motorway:

Slow Shutter Speed

Panning

Happy Birthday Alex Harvey

Saturday February 5th would have been the 76th birthday of the late, great, Sensational Alex Harvey, it also marked 29 years and one day since he sadly died the day before his 47th birthday.  I was lucky enough to see the wonders of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band on more than one occasion and also his later band the Electric Cowboys.  He surely was the last of the teenage idols and the

one of the founding fathers of art house rock and punk.  To see the man at work on stage was a truly unique experience.  His charismatic performances will never be matched but thankfully the other SAHB members and his fan base continue to keep the man's memory and music alive.  Saturday was the latest SAHB night, with Alex's life, through his various musical periods, being told by a range of bands and culminating with the SAHB Tribute Band.

Video here   

I went along dressed in my Chris Glen outfit and had a great night but it wasn't just for fun as the gig was also a fund raiser to help pay for a bust of Alex.  I hope we see that bust prominently displayed in Glasgow soon.

Scots Vets Road Relays Photos

 

http://www.roadrunpics.com/011VetsRoadRelays.html

The usual high standard of photos from David Bauchop at www.roadrunpics.com

LSK Masters Road Relay Championship – My 11th Race of January 2011



Start of the first leg -pic by Kenny Phillips

 A record 186 mature athletes participated in the LSK Masters Road Relay Championship on a bitterly cold and windy morning on the last day of January 2011. I had only participated in the event once before in 2009 and had failed to check my time before the race, I had also forgotten to pack my Kilmarnock Harriers vest! Fortunately Kenny Wales had a spare vest with him and I donned it, prior to leading the Harriers’ ‘B’ team around Strathclyde Loch.

There were a few confused runners at the start, as this year the organisers broke with the tradition of having a staggered start between the men’s and women’s events and sent us all out together. All runners race the same course, the only difference being that the men’s teams consist of four runners, whilst the women’s consist of three. The organisers had also added a new category to the race, including 50+ teams for the first time.   Despite appearances, Kilmarnock only had three athletes in this category and therefore entered both teams in the 35+ race.

The Race

I set off with another 51 runners to do the first leg with some well known faces. The field settled down during the first kilometre with Annmarie McCaffrey ahead of me, Clare Barr behind me and Motherwell’s Gerald Hartley by my side. The first kilometre had taken me 3:55. I thought about trying to run behind Annmarie but she was too fast for me. I started to slow after the first mile as the route turned right into the icy wind. Gerald maintained his pace and left me behind as he started working his way up the field. The second kilometre took 4:06. Carnegie’s Gail Murdoch was sitting in behind me as we approached the undulating back section of the course. The third kilometre took me/us 4:15. Annmarie was still running well but the group which she had been in had left her behind. I managed to keep Gail at bay up and down the rolling hills with the fourth kilometre taken me/us 4:18. However I slowed a wee bit more over the next kilometre, which took me 4:22, and she overtook me as the course levelled out. I chased after her as we ran along the beach before reaching the end of the loch and joining the path back to the Watersports Centre and the Finish Line. I handed over to Tom Wyper in 24:39, five seconds behind of Gail and fifteen behind of Annmarie but ten seconds in front of Clare. Much further up the field Killie’s Iain Connell had won the lap in a time of 19:29, three seconds ahead of Carnegie’s Allan Fotheringham, with Dumfries’s Joasia Zakrzewski being the first woman in a time of 21:05 and Falkirk leading the M50 team race, with Alec Bryce completing the lap in 20:53.



Dignified Finish - pic by Karen Craig



Post Race

After a short rest and post race mutual congratulations, I swapped my racing shoes for my trainers, added another layer and headed around the course in the opposite direction, in order to get my daily target of 11 miles done and support the other runners. 

This was the furthest that I've run since September 2010 and it was with aching leg muscles that I made my way back to the Watersports Centre for coffee, carrot cake and post race chat. As usual it was good to meet some familiar faces as well as new ones, including fellow Blogger Allan Fotheringham.  

Congratulations to everyone that took part and to the organisers  who, eventually, managed to fathom out the various results.


Kilmarnock Harriers
Although there was no third place this year for Kilmarnock Harriers, the Club didn’t leave Strathclyde Park empty handed as Iain Connell ran the third fastest lap on the day. Iain’s time of 19:29 was good enough to put the Harriers’ ‘A’ team into an early lead but fine performances from Scott Martin (20:50); Les McDerment (22:24) and Connell Drummond (21:32) were insufficient to deliver a top three place for the team, placing a respectable sixth.

I led the ‘B’ Team and handed over to Tom Wyper in 24:39. Tom completed his lap in 25:42 and handed over to Matt Ferguson, who ran a very respectable 24:57. Ken Wales ran the final leg of the icy cold morning, completing his lap in 26:33 to earn 22nd place for the Team.

Full Results

NEW PB BY 71 SECONDS
Despite my aching legs, I felt like jumping for joy when I discovered that I had taken one minute and eleven seconds off of my previous time, over the SAME course, in 2009.  Although rather than the 3.8 mile advertised length, my Garmin recorded the distance as 3.7 miles, which seemed to be the general concensus. I placed 76th out of 105 in the M35+ race.