Mucho Mass Bellas as Bernie Bolts to Victory

Some of the 49 Bella Harriers at Pollok parkrun

Jack Arnold

As luck would have it both Bellahouston running clubs had a 'mass' parkrun at Pollok Park on Saturday. The 49 Harriers and 24 Road Runners, helped to squell the ranks to 451 participants, one of the largest ever. 

 Whilst there were no records broken, there were some decent runs in both the men's and women's races. Cambuslang's Gordon Robertson crossed the line first, with a time of 16:24, ahead of Bellahouston Harrier Jack Arnold in 16:37 and Bella Road Runner Ciaran Dougherty in 17:00.

Bernie O'neil

In the women's race, it was a clean sweep for the Harriers, who not only placed 1,2, 3 but also 4,5,and 6 as well. Bernie O'neil led the female Harriers home with a huge PB of 20:21, just ahead of Jennifer Clark (also 20:21), Susan MacRitchie (20:40) placed 3rd, Erica Christie (21:26) 4th, Caroline Cochran (21:43) 5^th and Janine Dickie 6^th with a PB of 21:49.

For my part, I wan't feeling great and had set myself the task of having a steady run, however when Erica Christie overtook me, I immediately increased the pace and returned the compliment, we played leap frog a total of four times before Erica broke away at the 4k point. My strong finish just wasn't quite good enough to catch her for the fifth time and she crossed the line one place and one second ahead of me.  I was happy enough to place 71^st in 21:47, my second fastest time since May 2011 and my eighth fastest time, out of 115 at Pollok.  I also managed a rare victory over Road Runner Keith Gibb for only the fourth time this decade¬

Erica in hot pursuit 

Once again many thanks to all my fellow runners and the volunteers too for making my Saturday morning run a little more fun. A special mention to Bellahouston Harrier Christopher Steward who completed his century of parkruns on Saturday and Dan Maher who ran his 250^th!

Full Results Here

Pics by Brian Douglas

I had a black dog, his name was depression..................................

and the follow up living with a black dog

Super Volunteers Ensure Victoria parkrun 62 Takes Place

Runners listen carefully to an explanation of the amended route

It was 50/50 as to whether Victoria parkrun would take place on the last day of January. The ice had taken its toll on the course, particulary on the route through the floral gardens. However the volunteers excelled themselves by not only braving the cold weather but quickly amending the Start and Finish and rerouting the course along the side of the pond, rather than through the gardens. They even managed to grit some of the worst parts of the path before 176 runners descended on the west end park. Whilst the conditions may have deterred a few regular runners, a number of others had made their way westward from the cancelled Pollok parkrun.

After the route changes had been explained to us and we had been warned of the icy undefoot conditions, we reassembled at the amended Start and were set on our way at 9:36am. It wasn't a day for PBs so I settled into a steady pace. I still had to work hard, particularly in the long sections which ran into the Arctic headwind. After three laps, I sprinted down the rerouted final strait, overtaking, sub 20min runner, Chris Furse to cross the line in 21:14, although this was 30secs slower than my PB but I did manage to place 27^th, my highest ever at Victoria park. I was happy enough with my race in two days, considering the conditions. However one person who performed even better was my fellow Bellahouson Harrier, Derek Shand who ran a PB of 21:00 to place 23^rd.

Results

Up front, Stewarton's Andy McGhee completed the 5k in a time of 18:00 to take Gold, ahead of Keith Wall (18:18) and Iain Littler (18:22).

Antrim's Jo Patterson

In the women's race, Antrim's Jo Patterson ran to glory in a time of 20:16, ahead of Garscube's Aileen Wilson (21:07) and Westerland's Karine Salin (21:46).

In the Super Veteran Category, John Gilhooly's time of 18:28 was enough to beat his Bellahouston RR club mate Al MacLachlan (18:49) with myself (Ian Goudie) placing third.

In the women's 50+ Cat, it was Maggie McKeith who took the honours with a time of 25:30, ahead of Elaine Chellew (26:24) and Jane Scullion (26:35).

Well done to all runners and huge thanks to the volunteers who braved the elements to allow us to run.

Pics by Mary Senior and Ian Goudie Photography

Full Results here  

1,2,3 on the icy Green

1,2,3 for 123 year old Bellahouston Harriers

The inclement weather, which comes with January in Scotland, has made running difficult over the last few weeks and has led to the cancellation, or re-routing, of a number of races, including parkruns. It was no surprise then, that there were concerns as to whether or not the first 3k on the Green of 2015 would take place on the last Friday of the month.

Snow and ice had affected much of Glasgow on the run up to Friday 30^th January but a 9:30am inspection of the 3k course stated: The course is quite icy. The parts that have seen the sun are OK. Turnaround is OK as it's mostly mud and sticks preventing any sliding. Looks like it should mostly clear up for the 12:30 Start of the race. The decision was taken and the race was on!

A number of Bellahouston Harriers had made arrangements, in order to allow them to participate, some for the first time, in the 3k race. They and the others were pleased to get the opportunity to get a race, although a couple of runners decided not to risk the course.

Brrrrr.........

Some 61 runners assembled under the McLellan Arch on Glagow Green and after being reminded that they “run at their own risk” were set on their way at the allotted time.

These were not the conditions for going for a PB, the main target was to get around the course in a reasonable time, without being injured. With a number of runners taking more than 30 seconds longer than usual to negotiate their way around the course, I was happy enough to cross the line in a time of 12:09 and place 29^th. That said, I did have to fight off a strong challenge from the real John Cunningham, particularly around the turning point. I also managed to beat Cambuslang's Eddie Carr for the first time ever.

Up front, Eddie's club mate Shaun Butler placed first with a time of 9:29, ahead of Garscube's Christopher Devine (9:32) and Bellahouston RR Craig Reid (9:40). 

In the women's race, it was 1, 2, 3 for Bellahouston Harriers, with Bernie O'neill, on her debut, taking the honours in a time of 11:44. Fellow debutante, Clare Macaulay, earned Silver with her time of 12:03, with Caroline Cochrane, ensuring a clean sweep for the 123 year old club, with a time of 12:19.

Well done to all the other runners and volunteers for making the event such a success. So much so, that the Herald had it listed as one of the Top 10 things to do this Weekend.

Pics by Darren Murray here

Full Results here

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!