First Again! This time at a wind swept Tollcross parkrun

Victories are like buses you wait for ages then two come along one after another. I had waited 155 parkruns to win my first age category last week at Ayr and then I repeated my success today at Tollcross.

I hadn't done a hill session for a while, so I decided to return to the hilly east end of Glasgow parkrun for the first time since May 2014. I ran a course PB of 22:18 in my last outing and was hoping to do the same today but the elements were against me. Gale force winds and rain hadn't helped my insomnia and the signs, were quite literally ominous with Transport Scotland warning of snow as I made my way along the M74.

Tollcross Bandstand

I was aware that a number of parkruns had been cancelled due to the weather but thankfully Tollcross was on, although there were a couple of slight detours across the grass, to avoid large piles of earth on the path. It was good to see some old friends both volunteering and running and to exchange New Year greetings with them before the race. Most people were sheltering from the wind and snow in the bandstand before Christopher McKiddie sent us on our way into the hills and the strong wind. 

 It was tough going and I was working hard, I found myself playing leap frog with a younger runner in a blue top for the first 3k but then pulled away from him and caught a couple of other runners in the last 2k.

A sprint over the grass on the final strait took me over the line in 14^th place, with a time of 22:26. No PB but only eight seconds off of it, many runners were well over a minute off their PBs today, so I was happy with that and I don't think I could have performed much better in the conditions. The icing on the cake was when I received the results to see that I had, for the second week in succession, placed first in my age group category and second in the overall Age Grade score with a WAVA of 69.69%, only being beaten by the event winner Shaun Butler, who crossed the line in a time of 18:22 and a WAVA of 70.60%.

Fellow Bellahouston Harrier, Darren Murray placed 11^th with a time of 21:54.

Lesley McArdle won the women's race, placing 23^rd overall, in 24:05.

A total of 79 runners braved the elements in this the 89^th Tollcross parkrun, well done to all of them and also to the volunteers who made the event happen.

Full results here

Post Race Note

Great to see that Saturday's performance  was good enough to take my handicap down from 9.0 to 8,9.  The race was given an SSS of 4.0 and my time earned a vSSS of -0.6.  Early 2015 progress.

First Footing and First in Age Groups at Ayr parkrun

Ayr parkrun

My first race of 2015 was the Ayr parkrun on Saturday 3^rd January. We arrived in Prestwick very late on Friday night from Spain to be welcomed by the wind and the rain. We had left our car at friends in Ayr who also kindly picked us up and gave us a bed for the night. Whilst the wind and the rain had abated by Saturday morning it was still very chilly and the race director pointed out that the course, which is entirely run on trail paths and grass, was heavy going, with a number of puddles and lots of lovely mud.

A decent turnout of 59 runners had made their way to Rozelle Park for the 17^th Ayr parkrun, including Ayrshire based Bellahouston Harrier, Ruairidh Macdonald, and Ayr Seaforth's Toni McIntosh.

Both Maggie and I had particpipated in the inaugural Ayr parkrun, when our race preperation and conditions on the day had been more favourable, neither of us would be chasing a PB today.

As the race started, I found myself in sixth position until the first kilometre when Toni passed me. I could feel myself tiring and wasn't surprised when another couple of runners overtook me. I tried to keep at least one runner in sight over the next 3k and was pleased, when we returned to the pond to see the two runners close to each other ahead. I injected a bit of pace and managed to catch both of them at once. I could spy Toni in front and my task was to try to finish as close to her as possible, whilst ensuring that no-one overtook me. The final kilometre seemed to go on for ages but I was pleased to sprint along the grass and over the line to place 7^th with a time of 23:38. Whilst this was 39 seconds over my previous Ayr outing, I was happy enough with my parformance. One I recovered my breath, I shared mutual congratulations with those around me befor cheering Maggie along the final strait.

First in my Age Category

The winner - Alasdair Marshall

As it happens, the two guys that I caught were both in my age group and, possibly for the first time ever, after 155 parkruns, I placed first in my age grade category. Al Maclachlan and/or John Gilhooly normally depriving me. I was also second in the overall Age Grade score, only being beaten by the event winner, Southampton based, Alasdair Marshall, who crossed the line in a time of 20:13.

Toni placed first in the Women's Race, sixth overall,with a time of 23:25 and Maggie also placed first in her age category, 5^th female and 25^th overall, with a time of 28:37

How hard?

The difficult conditions on the day were relected in Runbritain awarding the event an SSS of 5.0! My vSSS being 0.6. Explanation of this here

Many Thanks to the volunteers

We are very grateful to the volunteers who made this event happen: James Andrew, Stewart Bailey, Jason Bell, Euan Bell, Eilidh Cotter, Jenny Ellis, Nicola Fraser, Gayle Glandinning, Gillian Hornby, Kirstie MacKenzie, Faye Murfet, Katherine Paisley, Elaine Sykes and Deborah Telfer.

Thanks also to the staff at the Rozelle Tea Room for the lovely warm fruit scones.

Full Results

Review of 2014

After missing the first half of 2013, due to illness, my main aim for 2014 was to get back running regularly but I did give myself a few goals, such as running 2014k in the year. Despite falling ill again in September, not only did I achieve this but I ended up running more miles in 2014 than in any other year, 1625 of them, or 2616k (my previous record being 1539 miles/ 2476k).

I also past a number of other milestones, including: clocking up 10,000 miles and 330 races since turning 50 and running my 150^th parkrun.

Whilst quantity was my main priority for this year, I was hopeful that I would get some decent performances too. A couple of sub 44 minute 10ks, a couple of sub 21 minute 5ks and a couple of sub 12 minute 3ks, including a 3k PB of 11:49, will do me fine.  My performances were reflected in my Runbritain Handicap, which came down from 10.7 to 9.0 over the 12 months.

All in all a decent year in the running stakes and a further 700 miles done on the bike, just to freshen up things, of course!

Running Crazy in Barcelona on Hogmanay

I first heard about the Running Crazy organised trip to the San Silvestre 10k, held in Barcelona on Hogmanay, some four years ago when a friend wrote a blog about it. It seemed like a good race, a good way to spend New Year and a good excuse to visit Barcelona.

With the company taking care of all the organising, all we had to do was book a flight from Prestwick to Girona and catch the bus to Barcelona, where we were met by Malcolm. He showed us to our accomodation, the Hotel Del Mar in Barceloneta.

Maggie and Gaudi

Although I've been to Barcelona about ten times, this was my first time staying near the waterfront and exploring the many restaurants, tapas bars, shops and intimate cafes in the lanes and back alleys of the area. With Borne, the Gothic Quarter and the Ramblas only a short walk away it was an ideal base for our stay. The area is also well served by the Metro and buses, including the tourist buses.

Maggie and Goudie

We spent two days of sight seeing and eating and drinking too much – some would say not the best way to prepare for a 10k. Running Crazy had arranged a pre race briefing and had collected our race numbers, chips and goody bags, which they distributed at our welcoming party. I managed a post lunch nap prior to meeting up with the other runners and Malcolm who took us, by way of the Metro, to the race Start and looked after our kit as we joined the 10,000 other runners on Carrer de la Selva de Mar.

I had agreed to pace Maggie and help her to a PB, however I lost her as I did my warm up and couldn't see her in the ranks of the 10,000 assembling at the race Start. I made my way along to our colour coded race pen and was thinking that I would need to actually race the 10k when she appeared.

With Spanish renditions of various Christmas and New Year songs being played over the tannoy we were set off at 5:30pm along the Cursa dels Nassos or Course of the Noses*

The race was extremely busy and it was evident that a lot of runners in front of us were in the wrong pen as we negotiated our way through the field. A sharp right turn took us onto Passeig de Garcia Faria and towards the Poblenou Cemetry and the first kilmotre marker. A sharp left, immediately followed by a sharp right and we were heading along Carrer de Salvador Espriu, around the 3k point the road becomes Carrer del Doctor Aiguader and it was already dark as we turned right onto Pla de Palau and past our hotel, at 4k. A right turn took us onto Passeig d'Isabel II and past the Estacio de Franca. At Park de la Ciutadella, we turned left along Passeig de Picasso and saw the faster runners racing down the other side of the road, a u-turn and we were following them again and running past the 5k marker. 

 We veered left, along Passeig de Circumvallicio and past the World Trade Centre, through Parc de Carles I and the water station, past the 6k mark and left along Carrer de la Marina and the 7k mark. A right turn along Carrer de Pallars, a left, along Carrer d'Alaba and a right along Carrer de Bolivia and we were passing the 8k point. A left and a right took us on to Avinguda Diagnol, one of the main roads in Barcelona, past the 9k point and onwards back to Carrer de la Selva de Mar and the Finish line. Maggie's pace dropped a little in the middle of the race but she picked it up again in the last two kilometres. 

She was working hard and was on schedule to achieve a PB but unfotunately Garmin flashed 10k some 230m before the Finish line! 

Final Kilometre

She crossed the line in an official time of 51:33, outside of her PB of 50:51, achieved at the easier River Ness 10k, but she had gone through the 10k point at 50:25. The long course and the lack of medal and food at the end of the race were the only negatives in a great event. We joined the others and changed into warm clothes before heading back to our hotel and then out for a meal and Hogmanay celebrations with our new running buddies.

We would recommend the race and the services of Running Crazy to anyone wanting to celebrate the New Year with a race and/or a trip to Barcelona, we might even do it all again next year ourselves.

Photos provided by Running Crazy Ltd, more here

Full Results here

*La Cursa dels Nassos name is inspired by the Catalan new years tradition of "L'home dels nassos," which means  "Noses man." The legend of the Noses man is, that he is a man with many noses who walks the streets of Barcelona on New Year's Day. He has as many noses on his face, as there are days left in the year. Many children think that the Noses man has 365 noses, but of course, New Years Day is the last day of the year, so he only has one nose! 

Déjà vu ... ish at Victoria and Pollok parkruns

At the Coo's Tail

There was a bit of déjà vu on the 27^th December, as I made a mad dash from the cancelled Victoria parkrun to Pollok Park. Two weeks earlier it had been Pollok that had been cancelled and I made my way to Victoria Park. I wasn't chasing a PB but I did want to get another parkrun under my belt and to give my Kilmarnock FC 125 year retro top a rare airing.

Super Killie 125

I thought that I had missed the Start at Pollok as the road was deserted but, after I parked the car, a marshal informed me that today's event was starting on the grass. I could see the runners heading towards the Burrell and I caught the tail runners as they headed up the hill and into the woods. It was extremely congested as I made my way up through the field, taking the time to give encouragement to some of the slower runners.

I realised that didn't even have time to remove my jacket before joining the race and handed it to a marshal at the end of the first lap. By the end of the undulating 5k, I had managed to overtake 208 fellow runners and was content to place 75^th, (66^th male) in a time of 23:56 and get parkrun 154 in the bag.  

After retrieving my jacket I enjoyed post run coffee and chat in the Burrell Cafe, where I learned that a few other runners had made their way from Victoria to Pollok Park before the Start. 

As usual, huge thanks to all the parkrun volunteers.

Pics by Brian Douglas

Results here