Photos of Victoria parkrun #43

I returned to Victoria Park this week but this time with my camera rather than my trainers. I had decided to do my long run later in the day to get my mileage for the year up to 1814k.  There was another great turnout, with some 225 runners completing the 5k course.

Scott Kennedy celebrated his 50th parkrun by winning, for the 6th time out of 7 appearances, in a time of 16:30.  Also completing her 7th Victoria parkrun was women's race winner, Joanna Patterson, who ran the three laps in a time of 19:36.

Scott Kennedy (in the sunglasses)

Fast Women Runners

Watson Jones (74) the oldest runner at Victoria Park

Congratulations to everyone who participated, including Norman Groves who chalked up his 100th parkrun and, of course, thanks to all the volunteers for making the event happen.

Happy Hundred for Norman Groves

All my photos here

Course Best at Victoria parkrun

My first return to the parkrun since early July, when I included Victoria parkrun as part of my long run and was happy to complete the three laps in a time of 25:15.  This was also Maggie's first outing since her injury in early May and her 18 year old son Tom's first ever parkrun.

Conditions were about perfect in Glasgow's west end and a record turnout of at least 237 runners lined up for the 9:30am Start. Their was some concern that the Start sign was in the wrong place and the course may have been slightly longer today.

Although I had a number of friends either running, volunteering and supporting, I actually found myself running alone for much of the race, that said there were a few times when runners appeared on my shoulder but didn't quite have enough to overtake me and helped me keep a decent pace.  I was running naked, in that I had forgotten my Garmin, so I had no knowledge of how fast I was doing but I did know that I was working hard.  I hadn't seen Tom during the race but I wasn't surprised to see him sprinting past me in the final strait, I know that's what I would have tried to do if I was in his shoes.  I crossed the line in 47th position but none of those around me had properly recorded their times, either not having sports watches or forgetting to start them at the beginning of the race.

Maggie stuck to her game plan and crossed the line in a time of 25:29 in 119th place.

There must have been an issue with the results and the usually efficient text and email advising us of our official times didn't arrive until  almost 10pm.  The wait was worth it though, as the text revealed that I had completed the 5k course in a time of 21:07. "Well done on a new PB".  Although to be accurate, it is actually a Course Best but it's always good to get a decent time and it helps bring my handicap down a little more.  All in all a good morning's work but there was no post race coffee and chat with my running buddies as I headed home to do my bit for charity and enjoy my ice bucket challenge! 

Once again thanks to all concerned for putting on the parkrun, results here.

My Ice Bucket Challenge for MND

The Ice Bucket Challenge has taken the world by storm and I have played my part too, after being nominated by Jim Buick, I had the pleasure of having a post parkrun soaking with cold water to support people living with motor neurone disease.

What started in America has now spread to the UK, where celebrities including David Beckham, Jimmi Henshite and Tom Hiddleston have been iced in the name of MND

I continued spreading the challenge by nominating Clare MacAulay, Claire McCracken and Clare Barr to throw a bucket of ice water over their heads before passing the challenge on to 3 other people who must accept the challenge within 24 hours. You can avoid this by donating to the charity instead. Or better yet, do both!

ou can make your donation by texting ICED55 £5 (or other amount) to 70070 (only available in the UK)

Grab a bucket of ice-cold water and pour it over your head in exchange for a text donation to the MND Association. Film it and then share it via your social media using #icebucketchallenge and #MND.

Belter of a Race - Series Ends at Bella

Off we go again.....pic by Sandra Hunter

The Tour of Clydeside culminated with the Bella Belter 10k race on Friday night hosted by Bellahouston Harriers and my Club didn't disappoint, providing an army of volunteers as well as a significant amount of runners for the final race of the series.  The weather was also about perfect for racing, although my legs after four consecutive nights, most certainly were not.  It's one thing training five nights a week but racing takes it to another dimension, that said, I was loving the challenge that the Tour presents.

Passing Pollok House pic by Bernie O'Neil

 Following the customary pre-race chatting and warm up, I lined up with the other 58 Tour survivors for the concluding race of the series.  We were joined by an additional 81 runners, who, I hoped, would help us around the two lap, 10k, course.  The race started on the driveway into Cartha Rugby Club, which is wider than the paths that we have become accustomed to and minimised the usual jostling for space.  However, my heavy legs almost gave way and I stumbled a little as we set off. Once I'd recovered my composure, I settled into my race pace, well what I'd like to be my race pace, as I slowed just a little after the first mile.  Nonetheless I was still running at a decent pace of 7:20min/mile.  I would have been happy with a sub 45min race this week but my competitive spirit set in and I refused to let the guy behind me overtake me as we approached the half way point.  I hadn't intended to take on any water but at the last second I grabbed a bottle, took a quick drink and poured some of cold water over my head.  I was glad that I did, as I felt refreshed and tried to open a gap between myself and the footsteps behind.  Around the 6k point, someone appeared on my right shoulder and we matched each other stride for stride for a while.  I was having to work harder but I didn't mind as we were visibly closing the gap on the runners ahead of us.

Lap 2.......pic by Sandra Hunter

I managed to shake off the guy on my shoulder but a young woman passed me as we approached the 8k point. I caught a couple of other runners, that I recognised from the preceding races and was closing the gap on others, including the women that had passed me but I ran out of time and crossed the line in hot pursuit.  I was still delighted to look at my watch and see a time of 43:58. Amazingly enough, exactly the same pace that I had run the 2k shorter Canal Canter on Wednesday (4:24min/k), enough to reduce my Run Britain handicap a little more.  I had placed 75th out of 140 finishers and 28th out of 57 in the series, having taken a total time of 3:01:50 for the five races, which aggregated to 40k (24.9miles) of racing.  Not too shabby, I suppose.

and the Tour is done.....pic by Sandra Hunter

I exchange accolades with the other finishers and cheered on those behind, as they crossed the line, before having a warm down and a hot shower before joining friends and running buddies for my first alcohol of the week.

We did it ....... pic by Iain Burke

Congratulations to all my fellow runners during the week and all the volunteers too, particularly Stuart MacDougall and Jennifer Telford who won the men's and women's Tour of Clydeside 2014.

Bellahouston Harriers  

Not only did Bellahouston Harriers put on a great race but we had the largest representation of any club participating in the Tour with thirteen racers, including the overall winner Stuart MacDougall, third woman, Erica Christie and both James McMillan and Christopher Steward winning their age category prizes.

Bella Belter Full Results

Tour of Clydeside Final Results

Tour of Clydeside 2014 Final Results

Pos	No	Name	Club	Cat	Total
1	290	Stuart MacDougall	Bellahouston Harriers	MS	02:21:27
2	42	Christopher Moses	Helensburgh AAC	MS	02:22:36
3	288	Alastair Thurlbeck	Glasgow Univ H & H	MU20	02:23:49
4	46	Jack Arnold	Bellahouston Harriers	MS	02:24:08
5	64	Chris Greenhalgh	Giffnock North AAC	MV40	02:25:11
6	38	Chris Upson	Ronhill Cambuslang H	MV50	02:25:53
7	31	Garry Mathew	Unattached	MS	02:27:37
8	16	Paul Clawson	Bellahouston Harriers	MS	02:30:21
9	41	Cris Walsh	Bellahouston Harriers	MV40	02:31:02
10	50	Craig Lamont	Bellahouston Harriers	MS	02:32:04
11	57	Gerry Craig	VP-Glasgow	MV40	02:32:46
12	37	Justin Carter	Unattached	MV40	02:33:07
13	62	Darren McQuade	Bellahouston Harriers	MS	02:33:26
14	4	Alan Heron	Dumbarton AAC	MS	02:34:34
15	22	Andrew McCall	Greenock Glenpark H	MS	02:37:09
16	281	David Dickson	Garscube Harriers	MV50	02:37:29
17	283	Brent Brodie	Bellahouston Harriers	MV40	02:38:47
18	39	Jennifer Telford	Scottish Prison Service	FV40	02:48:09
19	291	Pamela McCrossan	Clydesdale Harriers	FV50	02:50:41
20	59	Carl Cousens	Unattached	MS	02:51:21
21	53	Paul McKendry	Clydesdale Harriers	MV50	02:51:28
22	65	Erica Christie	Bellahouston Harriers	FV50	02:51:31
23	30	Garry Henderson	Unattached	MV50	02:52:14
24	18	Marlene Hunter	Springburn Harriers	FV40	02:52:45
25	52	Duncan Riddell	Maryhill Harriers	MV40	02:52:45
26	51	Chris Furse	Clyde Orienteers	MV40	02:56:32
27	69	Richard Darroch	Milburn Harriers	MS	03:00:50
28	67	Ian Goudie	Bellahouston Harriers	MV50	03:01:50
29	61	David Maciver	Unattached	MV40	03:01:51
30	40	Sarah Bridge	Scottish Prison Service	FV40	03:03:39
31	68	Ian Currie	Unattached	MV40	03:04:18
32	14	Steven Booth	Unattached	MV40	03:09:35
33	11	Chris Paton	Bellahouston Harriers	MS	03:09:59
34	47	Clare Barr	Motherwell AC	FV40	03:10:46
35	24	Ben Juskowiak	Unattached	MS	03:12:29
36	29	Pauline Henderson	Unattached	FV50	03:12:39
37	287	Marina McCallum	Clydesdale Harriers	FV40	03:12:59
38	7	Marc Blane	Unattached	MV40	03:15:27
39	5	Peter Blackmore	Motherwell AC	MV40	03:17:15
40	23	Lesley Juskowiak	Unattached	FS	03:18:09
41	32	Gary Brown	Unattached	MV50	03:18:38
42	19	Allan Moore	Unattached	MS	03:19:04
43	8	Alexander Beggs	Unattached	MV40	03:19:04
44	66	James McMillan	Bellahouston Harriers	MV70	03:19:22
45	13	Liz Towers	Maryhill Harriers	FS	03:21:44
46	70	James McKenzie	Milburn Harriers	MV50	03:22:02
47	20	Christopher Steward	Bellahouston Harriers	MV60	03:22:47
48	60	Kirsty Grant	Ronhill Cambuslang H	FS	03:26:22
49	261	Gerard Mason	Shettleston Harriers	MV50	03:27:22
50	44	Lynsey Parker	Unattached	FS	03:45:34
51	17	John Softley	Bellahouston Harriers	MV60	03:45:38
52	21	Helen Maclean	Motherwell AC	FS	03:47:02
53	35	Julie Smith	Jogging Buddies	FV40	03:47:47
54	49	Eileen Hamill	Sweatshop RC	FV50	03:49:26
55	54	Karen Hyslop	Jogging Buddies	FV40	04:02:07
56	9	Alison Reid	Unattached	FV40	04:29:49
57	272	Allison Halvorson	Helensburgh AAC	FV40	04:37:07