LSK Supplies Veterans Relays

Results | GPS data | Photos | Photos

I was on the first leg for the Bellahouston Harriers male B team in the the Veterans relays in Strathclyde Park on Sunday.

After an icey start I settled into position behind the 12 strong group chasing leaders Robert Gilroy (Ronhill Cambuslang) and Andrew Wright (Carnegie Harriers).

I look down and see my Garmin has gone flat so I run to my heart rate and the other runners around me. Lesley Chisholm (Garscube Harriers) pulls up beside me looking really strong and we pace each other for next half mile til the halfway point.

I've no idea what pace I'm running but it's hurting. I empty my mind and focus on my form. I can see the water sports centre across the loch but its still at least a mile and a half away. Lesley Chisholm pulls away and I try to match her pace. We close down and pass Westerlands runner Chris Upson. With half a mile to go I can see Robert Gilroy and Andrew Wright have reached the finish, I just have to hold it together. My legs are burning now. I don't have a sprint left in me but can sense other runners behind me are gearing up for theirs. I turn into the last corner and sure enough Chris passes me. I cross the line and tag Mark Paterson before bending over and trying not to be sick.

I finish the 3.8 mile loop in 20:53 (average pace of 5:30) which helps the Bellahouston Harriers male B team come 7th overall.

Glentress Duathlon - Short

Results | GPS data - run leg | GPS data - bike leg |  Photos

The Glentress Duathlon is a series of three (medium, short and long) winter races in the Borders. Each race consists of a hill run and a mountain bike ride. 
My friend Graham and I had entered the "short" distance which consisted of a 5k hill run followed by a 8k mountain bike ride.  My plan was to finish in the top 8 for the run, swift transition then put in a good bike leg with no traffic. That didn't happen.

The Race
The start was a bit of a scramble and I went out too fast, leading into the first corner only to be over taken by Tom Owens (the winner) and two other runners. I tried to settle myself but was breathing heavily and thinking too much. After a mile we hit a steep path and my legs turn to jelly and my pace drops dramatically. Around ten runners pass me on this climb and I was powerless to stop them. Any chances of a top 6 finish are well and truly gone. I should say at this point I had ridden 125 miles the week before this race and naively thought 24 hours would be enough recovery!


Finally we top out and I see the snake of runners descending in the distance. I quickly glanced at my Garmin; 1.5 miles to go, mostly downhill. I open up and hurtled down the moor making up some time and gaining a few places. 

I manage a fairly swift transition; spot bike, helment on, slip off left trail shoe, slip on left bike shoe, repeat. Around 45 seconds in all. I put in a solid bike leg making up a few places but don't ever fully recover from the run. 


Lesson learned. It's not possible to maintain big midweek bike miles, train for a marathon and expect to place at wee races. Something has to give, in this case, it was my legs.


I finished 15th overall with a combined run bike time of 52:02.  On the up side this was a good enough time to pick up 1st Place in my new age category (40+) so not altogether too disappointing!

Finished!

The Big 40

I was born on January 13th, 1972.

I turn 40 tomorrow.

I thought this would be a moment of profound stock-taking but as everyone says "40 is the new 30" - and, since 30 is the new 20, and 20 the new 10, I feel pretty young. I did make couple of lists though.

7 THINGS I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE ACHIEVED BY 40 BUT DIDN'T
Six-pack stomach
Learn to sail
Learn to play an instrument
Read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Lord of the Rings
Live in Vancouver
Get married
Successfully deployed a full beard

7 THINGS I HAVE ACHIEVED BY 40 BUT DIDN'T EXPECT
Found the right girl, online
Get a proper job
Run a marathon
Maintain close ties with my school mates
Hitchhike for many years without fear
Fly over Rio on a hang-glider
Become a father to two beautiful girls

Glasgow parkrun #155

Results | Garmin Data

Happy New Year!

As I was on week #3 of my marathon training plan I wanted to try and get in 10 miles today so figured I'd run down to the start (3 miles), race (3 miles) then get in an easy 4 miles. Worked fairly well in that I was only 6 seconds off my parkrun PB but I felt really slow and tired after the first lap.

I matched fellow harrier Mark Paterson's speed on the first lap until the Glade at which point I either slowed or he pushed on. Got a lift from coaches Tony and Iain at the triangle going into the second lap but the focus had gone, a couple of guys went past at 4k including Bellahouston Roadrunner Scott Kennedy.

I finished in 18:20 in 13th position. Will try again next Saturday.