Sad Sweet Dreamer

One look at the weather forecast for Saturday 28 May, predicting heavy rain and gale force winds, was enough for me to cancel my plans to drive to Edinburgh and run in my first ever 5000m track race. Instead I went for the easy option and decided to run my 95th 5k instead.



Going through the motions......pic by Scott.Rutherford

I joined with 336 other participants, including fellow Kilmarnock Harrier William Duffy, in a tree strewn Pollok Park. Well done to the Park Staff for managing to clear the paths in time for the event after the strong winds of last week had taken their toll. At 9:32 we were on our way heading downhill alongside the Burrell Car Park. I had warmed up and stretched well in preparation for my race, however after about 300m, I could tell it just wasn’t going to be my day. I felt shattered and legs felt tired, I actually felt like quitting and given myself a rest. However I reminded myself that it’s only a 5k and kept plodding away. I was surprised when Garmin indicated 4:16 for the first kilometre, as I felt that I was running much slower. There were one or two weel kent faces not too far in front, including Martin Myant, so I must have been doing OK. However as the race progressed the gap increased and I found myself struggling a bit.

Garmin revealed that my 3rd k had taken 4:45 and, although I know it’s inaccurate in the woods, it was enough to give me some incentive to increase the pace. Martin was a good bit in front and about nine places ahead. I set myself the target of decreasing the number of runners between us. By the time that we were hurling ourselves down the final strait, I was just one place behind him. However a youngster, Lewis Ramage, appeared from nowhere and sprinted past me at an unbelievable speed.


Martin placed 72nd with a time of 22:03, Lewis was 73rd in 22:04 and I was 74th in 22:06. Willie Duff had placed 59th in 20:21.


It was far from my worst time but I’m afraid I didn’t enjoy it. I guess we all get off days, this was definitely one of mine.  It's just one of those things that you put down to eperience.


Results

Photos

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

I Couldn't Resist Clydebank

Although I had pre-entered the Polaroid Series Clydebank 10k, I hadn’t actually decided if I would run it or not. My legs were still tired from Sunday and Wednesday and I have the Masters 5000m race on Saturday. At 6pm I had decided not to run it but at 6:15 I was heading out the door and Clydebank bound. I realised that with my racing, I hadn’t had any time for training this week. I planned to rest on Friday ahead of Saturday’s race, which meant Thursday evening would be my last chance for a training session. I might as well combine it with the Polaroid Series race, I thought.

I chose to leave my Heart Rate Monitor at home and to wear training shoes and vest, rather than my racing shoes and club vest, to keep my mind in training mode. I met up with loads of running buddies at the Playdrome before heading out for a warm up with the Motherwell Belles. After a few stretches I made my way, further back than normal, into the assembled 1,000, or so, runners. After, what seemed like an eternity, we were off and running down behind the town’s shopping centre. Well I say running, it actually took me 23 seconds to reach the Start line and even then the assembled masses were walking. We did get a wee chance to run before we turned left and into the first bottle neck, there was another one at the bollards a little further ahead and we had to wait until 0.3k before we could run unimpeded. Of course it didn’t bother me in the slightest as I was just out for a run.

Smile When You're Running

My first kilometre took me 4:46 and I was happy enough running at that pace. Unlike the night before it was a warm dry night and I took advantage of the water station to have a little drink before pouring the rest of the water over my head. I was enjoying my run and taking the time to encourage other runners and thank the marshals. The first 9k took me 42:19, an average pace of 4:42.

I decided to up the pace a bit for the final kilometre and was surprised to find myself overtaking, amongst others, Fiona Ramsay who had finished so well at Helensburgh only last week. The final kilometre took me 3:59 – that will explain why I felt so tired at the finish- giving me a Chip Time of 46:18 and a Gun Time of 46:41. I placed 334 out of 815 finishers.  This was my fifth time running this race and it wasn’t my slowest, so all and all a decent training run. I’m glad that I decided to do it.

Too Fast to Photo at the Finish !

Once again thanks to all concerned: organisers; marshals; photographers; supporters and most of all my fellow runners. It really is great to be a part of the Scottish running community.

Results

Photos by Kenny Phillips and Gerry Gallacher

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.

2-4-6-8-10-12-14 Motorway

I ran my 25th and strangest race of the year on Sunday, the M74 Bike ‘n’ Hike. The forecast had been for strong winds and heavy rain and it was to prove accurate as I huddled with Bellahouston Harriers and other runners in the shelter of Shields Road Underground Station. A number of us were dressed in black bin liners, in order to keep the elements at bay until the race started. We then made our way along the road and joined in with the assembled masses for the pre-race warm up, however although most people initially joined in with the disco inspired exercises, it wasn’t too long until the in climate weather had dampened their initial enthusiasm. We disrobed ourselves of our bin liners and other outer garments in preparation for the race, only to discover that we had a long, uphill, walk, along the access road to another warm up stage at the start of the motorway. Finally at 9:49am, almost 20mins late, we were set on our way, running eastwards, along the M74 Completion Route. Two doyens of the West of Scotland running scene, Super-veterans Gerry Montgomery and Robert Rogerson lined up on the Start line. I wished the two of them well and made my way back a little, taking my place amongst the thousands of other runners.

I had decided that I would treat the event as a Tempo run and wasn’t too disappointed to run the first kilometre in a time of 4:42. A little later on, I was surprised to discover that as well as K markers, the organisers had also provided 1/2K ones as well. I’m not sure that was a good idea or not. Anyway I counted the K and the 1/2K markers along the undulating route, over the Gorbals, Polmadie and Rutherglen we ran before crossing the Clyde and turning around just before the new road joined the existing M74 at Carmyle.

As soon as I turned, I could feel the energy zapping, headwind blowing into my face. However I kept to my pace and focussed on Andrew Hardman, who had stopped at the half way point to take some photographs. He’s a decent runner and as I kept him in sight, I found myself overtaking many of those that had passed me in the first half.

I found myself smiling as I approached the 9½K marker, knowing that I would normally be running flat out at this stage. My leg muscles were feeling the effect of the undulating course and the headwind but I was feeling strong and continued to overtake other runners. As we retuned to the Start line, the course got a bit busy, with walkers oblivious to the runners in the lane that they had spilled into. To be fair, there weren’t that many of us at this stage and we were well spread out. I successfully weaved my way through them and the road once again became eerily quiet as I neared the end. I increased the pace as the route headed down hill towards Scotland Street and then all of a sudden the race was finished. I couldn’t see any Finish line, or even a 14k marker. There was no-one taking a note of your running number or recording your time. However I did see people in Hi Viz vests handing out Certificates of Completion and I accepted mine slightly bemused and disappointed. A girl behind me asked “is this it?” I couldn’t see any water or bananas or anything else for that matter being handed out and decided that it would be best to get back to my car, for my post race drink and some warm dry clothes, pick up the papers and head home for a well deserved brunch.


Result
Garmin revealed that I had completed the course in a time of 1:04:30, an average pace of 4:37, and that my Heart Rate had averaged 148 but for whatever reason I was shattered, my legs muscles were aching and my body needed to sleep, so I spent much of the rest of the day in bed. Hopefully the experience will have been a worthwhile one and I’ll get the benefit at forthcoming races. I’m glad I ran it, it was a unique experience although it lacked something special at the end, or even a Finish line.

Tom Robinson 2-4-6-8 Motorway

Land o' Burns 10k 2010

I hope to be running the Land o' Burns 10k on Wednesday, here's a wee reminder of the course and how I performed last year.


Land o' Burns 10k by ian9657 at Garmin Connect - Details

proportion

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Originally uploaded by Heilster Hieroglyphics

my runner's touring caravan