The Jimmi Henshite Experiences: Five More Years!

Bearsden and Milngavie Highland Games

I ran the hot, humid, hilly and hard Bearsden and Milngavie Highland Games 10K Road Race on my 50th birthday in 2007. I had been injured and it was my first 10k race in 18 months but it was the only race that I could find to celebrate achieving half a hundred years. I recorded a PW of 53:59.

Five years on and I returned to the East Dunbartonshire event but with my camera, rather than my training shoes.

The intervening five years had witnessed me run 6915 miles, an average of 1383 per year. In that time I have taken part in 245 races, an average of 49 per year and also cycled some 3652 miles, so I reckoned that I was due a day off.

There were 83 finishers in the Bearsden and Milngavie Highland Games 10K in 2007, sadly only 45 runners took part in this year’s race. It wasn’t quite as hot or humid as it had been in 2007 but it was still hilly. There’s not much support along the country roads around Milngavie and Baldernock, so the runners all seemed pleased to see me as I gave them a few words of encouragement around the 8k point. I managed to catch them all on camera as they made their way uphill after crossing a ford.

The race was won by Garscube’s Dave Robertson in a time of 38:18, with Clydesdale’s Pamela Mccrossan winning the women’s event in 43:34.

My photos

Despite or perhaps because I was a bit hung over from my birthday celebrations, I decided that I would take part in the Glasgow East 5k fun run on Sunday morning. I had run it in 2009 and had enjoyed joining in with a mass of white t-shirts, as they made their way around the closed roads around Tollcross Park. A flat car battery, the result of leaving my side lights on, meant that I had to cycle to the start this year. A field of yellow t-shirts met me as I made my way to join the end of the registration queue. With the commentator announcing that the event was about to start, I collected the last race number of the day but unfortunately there was no safety pins left to attach it. Back on the bike and down to the assembled masses, chained up the bike, took off my top and spotted Katie Smith waving near the front of the hordes. Thankfully the event didn’t start on time and I joined Katie, Suzanne McMahon, Graeme Aitken (new slim version), Amanda Charles and others, who kindly gave me two of their safety pins and I was ready to go.


Graeme points out the route

It was pandemonium as hundreds of youngsters adorned in their yellow vests sprinted from the off. However it wasn’t long until their youthful enthusiasm had taken its toll and I weaved my way through them as the stopped or looked over their shoulders for their friends. I had recently improved my natural running pace from around 8:10 min /mile to around 7:30 and was hoping to maintain that pace today, despite being somewhat under the weather. Brian Burnett passed me, followed a bit later by Joe Chambers, who had been one of the 45 at yesterday’s race. Another runner (Brian) had spotted Jammy Henshite on the back of my vest and asked if I was the famous blogger. We ran along chatting for a bit, with him telling me that he was looking forward to doing the Kilmaurs 5k, after reading my description of the event.

I was a bit surprised when my Garmin bleeped to inform me that the first mile had taken 7:01. The second was more in line with my training pace, at 7:28. I could see Graeme and Suzanne, first woman, a good bit ahead of me. Brian told me that he thought that he could get an unofficial PB, so I encouraged him to increase his pace. The 4k mark appeared in Braidfauld Street and I stepped it up a little. I found myself running alone as I ran passed the all female band and into the park, uphill to cross the Finish line in 20:02!! Of course, closer scrutiny of my Garmin revealed that the 5k had actually been 4.45k. That said, I was still happy with my performance, the fastest since 1st April and almost 2:30 faster than in 2009.

My average pace for the first mile had been 4:22, the second mile: 4:38 and the remainder 4:31, giving an average pace of 4:30 min/k, which would have equated to a 22:30 5k.

I collected my impressive medal, banana, water, goody bag and t-shirt, very impressive for a free event, before sharing congratulations with my running buddies. I made my way back to my bike and cheered on some of the other runners before cycling back home. Not a bad start to my 55th year.