Tuesday 4 August 2009

Clydebank 7.52km Canal Towpath Race

4th August 2009

Race and Series Details | Results

The second race of this week's Tour of Clydeside 4-race series.

A small field of 41 runners gathered at the bandstand near Clydebank shopping centre.

I felt pretty wasted after gutting myself last night, so there was no way I setting off fast this time. Instead I ran more or less co-operatively to the first turn at just over 2km with Chris Devenney, Paul Thompson and Alex Chalmers. Soon after the turn Chris opened up a decisive gap, which never closed. I didn't have the energy to chase so I battled along with Paul, trying not to get dropped into 3rd place.

As we passed back through the start/finish area I was still neck and neck with Paul, with Chris ahead and Alex now dropped. I had to dig deep on the stretch of loose gritty towpath leading to the second turning point, counting down the minutes. We turned at exactly 21 minutes, with Paul right on my heels, so I figured there was just over 5 minutes to go, and time to start ramping up the pace.

I kept on turning the screw a notch at a time, expecting Paul's footsteps behind me to fall away, but no matter how much I accelerated Paul kept on coming. As soon as I could see the brown brick buildings I threw everything into the finish, with Paul still only a second behind. My time was 26:37 which gave a pace of 3:32/km, so 3 seconds per kilometre slower than yesterday, but the route was more twisty and slightly undulating here and there, and on a looser surface in places.

Ellie did well to finish as 3rd lady, and really not that far behind the first 2 women from Helensburgh and Giffnock.


Photos courtesy of Kenny Phillips

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