The Times They Are A-Changin'

The Land o’ Burns 10k Results have been published and they reveal the result that I was hoping for.  The race finished with runners being funnelled down beside the time keepers.  I wasn’t quite sure where the Finish line was and stopped my watch a little late.  I didn’t run the Ayr race in 43:00, as initially Blogged, but in a time of 42:59!  I ken it’s only one second less but it’s a vital second as it takes me below the 10k road race 43min barrier for only the second time ever.  The results also show that I placed a respectable 35th out of 158 finishers.

Bob Dylan who recently marked his 70^th birthday and penned The Times They Are A-Changing named Robert Burns, whose birthplace the race passes, as his biggest inspiration.  

Race Results

Photos

The Watter Came Doon in Auld Ayr

Summer Running in Ayr

My ancestors invaded Ayrshire around the Twelfth Century, when the Vikings with their golden locks arrived. The locals soon referred to them as the ‘Goldies’, or in Scots the ‘Goudies’. In the 1840s the Irish immigrated to the County in large numbers and some fifty years ago, Glaswegians regularly invaded the Ayrshire Coast on their annual pilgrim ‘doon the watter’. However it was the good people of East Kilbride who swarmed to Auld Ayr on Wednesday 25 May, to take part in the second Land o’ Burns 10k Road Race. Some 20 runners, wearing the distinctive black and yellow stripes of Calderglen Harriers, lined up menacingly at the Start of the race. They joined with the rest of us as the bagpipes shrilled, the wind blew and the rain pelted down upon us.  Or as Rabbie penned:

The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last;
The rattling showers rose on the blast;
The speedy gleams the darkness swallow'd
Loud, deep, and lang, the thunder bellow'd:
That night, a child might understand,
The Deil had business on his hand.

At 7:29 the local Provost, Winifred Sloan, set us on our way, northwards along Seafield Drive. About half a kilometre along we turned left into Seafield Road and I could see that Kerry-Liam Wilson was already out on his own at the front of the race. Another left turn and we were now parallel to the Start line and running southwards, into the wind, along Church Road. The sea was on our right hand side but I didn’t even notice it as I concentrated on keeping Kilmarnock Harrier Paula Wilson in sight. I was surprised when Calderglen’s Julie Beveridge stormed ahead of both of us.

Ayr’s running legend Toni McIntosh shouted encouragement from the pavement as I completed the first kilometre in a time of 4:04. I was some 18 seconds faster than last week at Helensburgh but I knew that the Ayr course had a faster start. The second kilometre took us to the end of Church Road, up and over a pedestrian bridge and along Castle Walk. The wind was having an effect on me, my pace dropped to 4:32 and Paula was already a good bit in front. We ran around a field and onto Greenan Road as the course took us around the Doonfoot housing estate. A well wrapped up Lynsey Cooper, shouted words of encouragement as she directed us down Greenan Way, where a left turn took us onto Abbots Way. The third kilometre had taken me 4:25 and Paula was, just about, still in sight. The kilometre markers were not coinciding with my Garmin, so I decided to ignore them.

We turned down rightwards onto Earls Way and Killie’s Matt Ferguson ‘Toast’ was on my shoulder. I increased the pace a bit and managed to hold him off, before turning left onto Dunure Road. The 4th K had taken me 4:31. Another left turn and we were on Scaur o’ Doon Road and heading back towards the seafront. Yet another left, took us back onto Greenan Road, a sharp right took us onto Earls Way and another one back onto Castle Walk. The 5th K had taken 4:17, a 5k time of 21:49. However, as usual, I was confident of a negative split.

Back over the pedestrian bridge and a sharp right took us along the path beside the Doon River. A couple of sharp left turns and we were running along Cunning Park Drive, where a right turn took us onto Gearholm Road, where I managed to catch Julie Beveridge, before turning right, back onto Dunure Road. The 6th K had taken 4:22. I had a Girvan runner in my sights as we ran southwards before turning left and uphill, along Greenfield Avenue. I overtook him but he came back well. There was a big gap between him and the next runner, so I decided to sit in behind him, as we ran up along the narrow pavement. The 7th K had taken 4:36. A car went past and Lynsey, I think, shouted my name. I’m sure the Girvan runner was slowing, so I decided to make my break as we reached Burns Cottage. I passed him as we turned left onto Alloway Street but the 8th K had taken me 4:42.

I was now 53 seconds behind my Helensburgh 8k time!

I was running on my own now and decided that I would try a new tactic. I started to count 1 to 10 repeatedly and concentrated on this. A left turn took me onto Chapelpark Road. Although the 9th K took me 4:03, my fastest kilometre of the evening, I could hear footsteps behind me. I successfully negotiated the steps into the park and turned a sharp right. Race winner, Kerry-Liam Wilson, shouted me on. A sharp left turn and I looked up to see the Finish line but it wasn’t there! They had moved it since last year and I had another length of the park to run. I was tired but there was no way I was going to let anyone pass me at this stage. I was determined and, as Killie Captain Les McDerment complimented me on my effort, I gave it my all and crossed the line in a time of 43:00 (tbc), a final kilometre of 3:28!   I had made up the 53 seconds in the last 2k.

Coming Home - pics by Kenny Phillips

I must admit that I wasn't looking forward to the race but I suspected that I would be fine when it got underway.  I felt really good running along on my own for the last 2k, now if only I could keep up that pace for 10k.

With no chip timing, Ayr is a Gun Time race.  My Gun Times were: Troon 43:35; Helensburgh 43:20; Ayr 43:00?   My time last year had been 45:11.


Official Results to follow

Thanks
Huge thanks to all that turned out on such a night to make the event another success.  I felt a bit sorry for the organisers, marshals, photographers and supporters as the weather was much better for runners than spectators.

Turning Back the Clock

I headed down to Seafield Pavillion in Ayr on Wednesday 26th May to take part in the inaugural "The Land o’ Burns 10k Road race". It’s been more than three months since I ran that far and it’s been some 36 years since I was last at the Seafield Pavillion. I was a 17 year old youth then playing rugby for Kilmarnock Academy against the town of my birth. I remember it well as I played out my skin, tackling anything that was moving to the cheers of the travelling support and the consternation of the locals.

This time my challenge was much less, merely to get around the 10k route without causing too much damage to my ankle.

There was a great turnout from Kilmarnock Harriers and a good turnout from Irvine too. There were a few other clubs represented and a significant number of unattached runners and even Tommy the Clown. In fact the numbers registering on the evening were so large that the start had to be delayed by five minutes.

We set off in the gorgeous Ayrshire sun and headed towards the seafront, a left turn took us into the wind and along the promenade, where Kenneth Philips shouted my name. It was then over a pedestrian bridge, across a field and around a housing estate. Back to the bridge and the much needed water station, a right turn along a shaded narrow path beside a burn and then onto a main road. I had started fairly quick with a 6:53 first mile but had consciously slowed significantly and was running at about 7:27 min/mile pace. There was a lassie with platinum blonde hair who must have slowed too as I caught up with her and passed her.

I was also now in untried territory, having ran more than the 3.9 miles which I had run recently at Strathclyde Park for MND Scotland. The marshal directed us up a hill to our left and we were soon running past the scenic Burns Cottage and the 8k mark. My left lace had become loose, despite having double tied them, so I had to stop briefly opposite Rozelle Estate to tie it.

When I set off again, I couldn’t see anyone ahead of me and I couldn’t hear anyone behind me. I reached the 9k mark and for some reason thought that the last 1k would be downhill, it wasn’t, it was slightly upward. The next marshal directed me off to my left, informing me that it was “through the gate and a couple of steps”. I heard him repeat the phrase and realised that someone was close behind me. I was running straight into the sunshine and was thankful that I had decided to run with my sun glasses on. I saw the first woman home, Joasia Zakrzewski on her bike, and she encouraged me as I sprinted towards the gate. I managed to clear the two steps into the park unharmed and looked to my right expecting to see the finish line. However it wasn’t there and as I made my way along the shingle path the platinum blond lass (Ainslie Mul), running on the grass, overtook me. I could hear loads of shouts for me as, presumably the Killie lads who had already finished, cheered me to the finish line.

Results show that I had taken 45:11 to complete the course, which was far from a PB (42:19) but not that bad considering my injury and lack of training, in fact it was quicker than my Great Scottish Run of last September (45:17) and not that far off my last 10k outing, the Jack Crawford in February which I completed in 44:14. I placed 61st out of 208 and 11th m50.

All in all a good race, a scenic and varied course, a great t-shirt, a medal, a mars bar, bottle of water and banana, changing and shower facilities (dated and limited) and all for £5 for SAL members! With first place prizes of £100 and numerous other prizes all being presented by the local Provost, Toni McIntosh providing free massages and the option of buying food from the local hot dog van, it seems to me that many other races could learn a thing a thing or two from Ayr Seaforth. The Land o’ Burns 10k Road race is definitely one to be added to the diary for next year.

I headed along to the Golf Inn at Prestwick to see my neice, grabbed a single fish (two lovely breaded fillets)from the take away next door and then back up the road to Glasgow for a well deserved glass or two of vin rouge.
 
Pics courtsey of Kenneth Phillips