Tollcross Parkrun #8

Results | Garmin track

It took a while to find it, but eventually I tracked down the immaculately well-kempt Tollcross Park, amidst the grim east end of Glasgow.

Luckily only about 40 runners turned up, which was about the number of people who could shelter under the tiny bandstand in the pouring rain.

I thought I might be in with a shout at a win until I saw Shaz Hakeem from Ronhill Cambuslang, who I knew had won it a couple of times before in times quicker than I could run. There was also a quite fast looking Garscube runner on the startline who I'd not seen before.

The course follows 2.5 laps of the park, meaning that you have to tackle the first kilometre 3 times, which was uphill from the start. I set off fast-ish, holding position with Shaz and the Garscube runner (Andrew Gibson) up the first hill. I tried to break away from them too soon, which back-fired, since they just went past again. I then spent the next 4km chasing Shaz at an almost catchable distance, whilst Andrew disappeared out of sight.

The course was severely undulating, so by the 3rd lap it was a struggle climbing the last hill.  I closed the gap down at the end to 3 seconds, but was never going to Shaz, so I finished 3rd in 18:23, whilst Andrew Gibson set a new course record with 17:41.