Bella Belter 10k

Happy to be Racing

After a long day, with an early rise and a trip to Aberdeen and back, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to run in the Bella Belter 10k, the final race in the Tour of Clyde side series but I managed to catch a nap and made my way along to Pollok Park in plenty of time for the 7:30pm Start.  

Road works on Haggs Road had forced a change of course for the 10K and the organisers were using the Scottish Masters route through Pollok Park, which consists of 2.5 clockwise loops through the park, starting at just beyond Lochinch playing fields and finishing back at Cartha.  The Master’s route is more undulating than the usual one but still a familiar one to me and it also includes part of the parkrun, Men’s Health and GSR courses.

There was a much larger turnout for the race, than for others in the Series, including strong contingents from both the host Club, Bellahouston Harriers, and their Road Running neighbours.  It was good to catch up briefly with so many running buddies as we warmed up on our way to the Start line and assembled for the 7:30 Start.  As well as the field being much bigger than Monday’s, at 58 runners, it was also broader, in terms of ability, and I knew that, barring a disaster, I didn’t need to worry too much about placing last tonight.  One target reached before I even started.  The other target was to finish in under 50mins.   I settled in near the back and was amused to see that the 1^st k had taking 4:36, exactly the same as Monday, however despite this race being longer and hillier, I decided not too slow down quite as much, as I had on Monday.  The 2^nd k, along Haggs Road, took me 4:48. 

Garmin tends to be inaccurate in the wooded sections of the park and my main strategy was to hang on to the runners in front of me and hopefully have a stronger second half.  I could see Kirsty Grant, tri-athlete Fiona Harrington and the tall figure of Ian Davidson, in front of me but Emma Bryce had shot off tonight, in the hunt for another PB.  I’d overtaken Tom Keenan and James McMillan but I knew that if I tired that they would soon catch me.  Up, down, up, down and around to our right and we were back on the flat section making our way back to Loch Inch.  I managed to catch the two girls but Ian was a good bit in front.  I was feeling the heat and was in need of some water by the time we reached Cartha for the second time.  I was so pleased to be handed a bottle of aqua, which was enough both to quench my thirst and cool me down as I poured the remainder over my head.  Suitably refreshed, I increased my pace, slightly, and set off to narrow the gap on Ian, who was a tall distant figure.  Having someone to aim at provided me with some focus and I was happy to use him to help me around the course.  I could feel my right leg tighten at around the 8k point and was a bit wary of doing anything silly, I was content to continue slowly eating into the gap and wasn’t too disappointed not to catch him by the time I crossed the line in 47:33, some 10 seconds behind.

 I had achieved my target and had run a negative split of around one minute.  Job done!  The only other 10k that I’d run this year was the Men’s Health when, acting as a pacer, it had taken me almost 55mins.

I thanked Ian for helping to pull me round and took the plaudits from my running mates who had already finished, before turning round to congratulate those coming in behind me.   

I had really enjoyed my race and it was good to share a pint with my running buddies as we waited for the results to be calculated and the Series prizes awarded.   Huge thanks to everyone involved in organising the events and to all the volunteers and fellow runners for making running such great fun.

Pic by Kenny Phillips
Text by Ian Goudie :-)

Congratulations to Crispin Walsh and Pamela McCrossan forwinning the Men's and Women's series of races.

Full Results to follow