The Jimmi Henshite Experiences: Renfrewshire AAA Championship Race

Every Second Counts - pic by Kenny Phillips

I wasn't really looking forward to the Renfrewshire AAA Championship Race held at Battery Park, Greenock, as I'd ran the race a couple of times before and boh times the weather had been terrible. This year was no different, I was also a bit worried that my performance would be below par as I had a hard week of training. However I didn't want to let the Club down and headed down the M8 to Inverclyde.

There was a good turn out from most Renfrewshire Clubs, which includes Bellahouston Harriers, Bellahouston Harriers, Greenock Glenpark, Inverclyde and Kilbarchan, there were also a few 'open' runners from Clubs outwith the County. As well as quantity, there was also quality, not least with the participation of the Hawkins' brothers who are both set to race for Scotland in the forthcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Calum in the 5000m and Derek in the Marathon and their fellow Kilbarchan Club member Elspeth Curran, who was odds on favourite to win the women's race.

By the time the Senior Races set off at 1:45pm, the rain had abated but the cutting, cold wind seemed to have intensified, as we set off southwards into it. I was just about to settle into a pace, when I heard someone shout my name and I immediately appreciated that I was in a race and increased my work rate to catch the group in front of me, which included Road Runners Pauline Wright and Keith Gibb. The first kilometre which took me 4:14, I was a bit disappointed that but it was a reflection of the head wind. Over the next kilometre, I found myself slightly hemmed in by the group and tried to break away on a number of occasions, only to find myself playing leapfrog with a number of the runners, especially Pauline. Around the 2k point, I made another break and as well as catching Pauline, I also caught Keith. I worked hard to create some kind of gap and started to focus on some of the runners in front of me, including Bernie O'Neil, Mary Senior and Tom McMillan. Tom had beaten me by some 139 seconds at the Ayr Turkey Trot on Boxing Day last year.

We had the pleasure of seeing the leaders running towards us around the 3k point and it wasn't that long until we had also reached the turn point. I had received shouts of encouragement from a number of my fellow runners, both ahead and behind me, as well as a number of supporters around the course, all of which were much appreciated and helped me overcome any negative thoughts.

I was pleased to keep all of the above mentioned runners in sight after the half way point and although I was focused on hanging onto them, I was sure that Pauline and Keith would have me in their sights.

We were running back into the energy sapping wind and I hard to work hard to keep my position. The wind was even worse when we left the esplanade and rejoined the A770 and didn't subside as we were marshaled back into Battery Park and continued heading south. A lap and a half of the park remained and it was taking me all my effort to maintain my pace, however I was sure that I was cutting the gap on Tom in particular and although I realised that I wouldn't be able to catch him, I was determined to cut the gap as much as possible. Every second became a prisoner as I sprinted the last few hundred metres of the 5 miles to cross the line in a time of 35:06.

Mary Senior - pic by Kenny Phillips

Although this was my slowest time for this race, it was also my fastest time and best race since 2^nd January 2011 and saw me once again achieving a 70%+ wava (72.98%). Tom had finished only 24 seconds ahead of me and Bernie had placed first Bellahouston Harrier Female in 34:42. However in my band of runners, the performance of the day had been Mary Senior who had placed 11^th women, in a time of 34:26! Pauline had finished 25 seconds behind me and Keith 45 seconds.

Hawkins Brothers - pic by Kenny Phillips

Winners

Up front Calum Hawkins had held off his brother to win in an amazing time of 23:58, six seconds ahead of Derek, with Inverclyde's Andrew Douglas earning Bronze, in 24:32. Whilst in the Women's Race, Elspeth had won in a time of 28:20, Inverness Harrier, Jay Bannerman had placed second, in 29:55 and Bella Road Runner, Carla Molinaro in third spot, with a time of 30:44.