Forfar Multi-Terrain Half Marathon

1st February 2009

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My third year in a row at this Forfar Half Marathon over a mix of surfaces. Last year flooding was a problem, whereas this year the heavy muddy underfoot conditions across the last few fields made it hard going. I finished 7 seconds slowers than last year in 1:22:06 for 7th position.

The very start of the race was rather vague when no-one was quite sure if the faint noise we heard was actually the starting hooter. So after a hesitant couple of seconds we collectively decided we might as well start running. I probably did myself no favours by leading the field for the first 2 miles, alongside James Britton of Moorfoots. James and I had been very close the whole way last year so I thought just maybe I could cling onto his pace. But clearly James has been training hard and is way stronger than me now, so after about 2.5 miles I started falling away. Graeme Bartlett went past and caught James and the 2 ran the rest of the race together.

Overcooking the first 2 miles meant I was caught by Scott Young after 3 miles, then Paul Houston around 6 miles, Adrian Davis at 8 and David Burgess at 9 miles. I could see these 4 runners not far in front on the climb up Balmashanner Hill. But on the long descent back towards Forfar I was feeling jaded and wasn't making any ground. After the final road crossing with about half a mile to go I could sense someone barreling down on me. I thought it was Peter Buchanan, and had to really press hard the final 400 metres to avoid being overtaken. I never looked round but realised afterwards that it was Fife AC's cake muncher Mr Brian Cruickshank.