Irvine Marymass 10k

19th August 2009

Results

A few years since I'd last done this race, but only a few weeks since the Irvine 5-miler which is more or less the same course.

I set off like a scalded cat and clocked 3:16 for the first kilometre, which was probably a bit stupid since there was no way I could maintain 32 minute 10k pace. I felt tired by 2km and could only plod along at 3:40 pace for the next few km, which allowed Scott Martin of Kilmarnock to pass and gradually pull away.

At the 4.5km turn I could see a group of 4 just behind and realised I would get caught soon if I didn't start making an effort. So on the long steady uphill drag back I ground out a slightly faster pace and could see I was reeling in the 2 or 3 guys in front.

Bit by bit the guys ahead were coming back, and around 8.5km I caught Jamie Findlay of Irvine. It was a hard battle getting past, but as soon as I saw the 9km marker I started sprinting for home. This took me past David Houston of Glasgow Uni, and put Adam Peters in my sights who had beaten me at the Broadwood 5k last week. I was definitely gaining on Adam down but couldn't quite muster the extra 115% to actually close him down, so coasted in using him as a marker.

My time was 35:10, which is massive PB for the course and my fastest 10k in 18 months, but still a good bit off what I was running 2 years ago. Still it was my 12th race in 19 days, so I can't complain too much.

Ellie had a good run to finish as 4th lady in 40:10, which is her fastest 'official' 10k time so far, and getting dangerously close to clocking sub 40. She has once run sub 40 minutes at Leyland Boxing Day 10k in 2007, but the timings from that race were screwed up by the time-keeper forgetting to start the watch when the race started!

Pollok Park 10k

7th August 2009

10k Results | Photos | Series results

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

I started the race comfortably in 2nd place in the series, with no real possibility of gaining or losing a place. The race began with a quick sprint out onto the main road for the first clockwise circuit of Pollok Park.

I ran with or just behind Chris Devenney, the series leader until just before we turned back into the park at 2km, but then I droppped off the back of the front 4 runners - Chris, Daniel Bradford, Alun Myers and Denis Williams - and felt a bit stranded and worn out as I ran through the park on my own, just waiting to be caught.

I kept catching glimpses of Bellahouston vests just behind me, but it wasn't until we were back on the main road that Bryan Burnett finally made his move and went past. This strangely took the pressure off and I found I could just relax and follow him back around and into the park again.

Once we hit 8km I began to surge the pace and tried to pull away. I could see we were gaining on Denis and Alun, so I repeatedly tried to drive the pace to bridge the gap to Denis, and each time Bryan was responding. Once we got to 9.5km I was working really hard and couldn't tell if I'd dropped Bryan or not when suddenly Gerry Scullion came past, which totally surprised me. I let Gerry go, then spontaneously reacted and realised I'd just overtaken him with 250 metres to go and was closing fast on Denis Williams, but not really knowing where the finish line was.

I just failed to catch Denis, but held off Gerry and Bryan, so I was pleased enough to finish 5th, given it was my 4th race of the week! My time was somewhere around 36:10, and Ellie had a good run to finish around 40:34 as 2nd female in the series behind Ruth Joss.

Well done to the Tour of Clydeside organisers for providing a week of top class entertainment.

Photos courtesy of scotjem

Crieff 10k Trail Race

12th July 2009
Results | Race Details

Crieff 10k reports: 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

Not the usual sunny weather this year. Instead cooler with smirry rain. My lower back had been giving me serious gyp for the past week, so I wasn't expecting much today and didn't bother doing any proper warming up.

The race starts at the immaculate Dallerie playing fields in Crieff courtesy of Morrison's Academy and Strathearn Harriers. I set off steadily and exited the fields in 2nd place on the shoulder of Murray Strain who would go on to win the race by some margin. I tried not to overcook it at the start and allowed a few runners to drift past until Colin Glencorse caught me at the base of Laggan Hill. I ran side by side with Colin for a couple of hundred metres, but suddenly felt quite strong and decided to press on thereby by overtaking the Corstorphine and Carnegie runners in front (Christopher O`Brien and Michael Harvey). I then pushed on and passed Ewan McCarthy to crest the hill in 4th place, with Tony Jackson of Perth and Robert Gilroy not far ahead and still in sight.

I wasn't sure how to play the next stage on the descent. Ewan passed me then slowed, so I passed him again, and this carried on about 3 times until I hit the short road section at halfway still in 4th place, but feeling like we had been just coasting the descent. That said, once we started back alongside the hedgerows to the river bank I didn't feel that fresh, and was very soon passed again by Ewan with Chris O'Brien in his slipstream. I should have worked a bit harder to keep in contention from 5 to 7km, but instead I dropped another place as Michael Harvey passed me at the start of the flat river path section. Again I should have dug in harder, but instead just coasted along hoping I could chase them down in the final kilometre.

I did make up some ground on the climb back to the road at 9km, but then felt rubbish once we hit the level tarmac and didn't get going quickly enough. I finally sort of got my act to together about halfway across the playing fields and started closing down position 5 & 6 pretty fast, but it was too little too late and I ran out of grass, so had to make do with 7th place in 38:06, so just a fraction over my sub 38 target.

Ellen was the only other Westie running at this superb classic trail race of which there are far too few in Scotland. Ellie was having serious gyp with the scarring around her prolapsed lumbar disc, and was in considerable pain, but managed to run 43:59 for 5th place in the women's race.

We dropped in at the very impressive Drummond Castle Gardens on the way home before having an exciting and noisy flat tyre change right on the M80/M876 interchange hard shoulder.

Clydebank 10k

Photos
My right knee was sore after running up Dumgoyne last night, so I decided to take photos at the Clydebank Polaroid 10k instead of racing. Ellie ran 42:09 gun time; 41:58 chip time. Eritrean athlete Amanuel Hagos was way out in front, with a winning margin of 1 minute 40 seconds.

The results are posted at Winning Time UK.

Jack Crawford 10k

17th January 2009

Results

Felt OK for the first 3k or so, but then ran out of steam. Couldn't keep up with Andy Birnie or Marco Consani, and struggled to match the pace of Donald Petrie from halfway. Tried to rally and up the pace for the final kilometre or so, but still got pipped in a sprint finish by both Casey Morgan and Bryan Burnett, and finished almost 2 minutes slower than last year. Not a great race really, but not as bad as Gordon Shannon who collapsed with a seizure and was airlifted to the Southern General.

Nigel Barge 10k

Results | Photos

My first road race of 2009, and first road race in ages. Thought I would hold on for 11th place, but faded on the 2nd lap and dropped back to 14th in 35:58. A bit slower than last year, but the course was slightly more twisty and I was much less road fit.

Crieff 10k Trail Race

13th July 2008
Results | Race Details

Crieff 10k reports: 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

Just back from Crieff. Had a much better run than yesterday at Alva. In fact there wasn't really any running at Alva. It was more like 18 minutes flog up a steep hill, then slither back down. Crieff 10k Trail Race was far more my bag, starting and finishing in the wonderfully green and manicured Dallerie playing fields. You could almost be in England!

I started off steadily in 3rd place, going through the first kilometre in 3:32, before you hit the trail up Laggan Hill. Gradually 3 or 4 runners passed, lead by Ian Stewart - top V50 runner from Carnegie. Just after we crested the hill Bob Wiseman nipped past in a Central AC vest. From this point to the end, I was more or less running with Stephen Allan from Kirki Olympians, who I just failed to catch at the end. But I was happy enough with 8th place and first V40 - even if I was beaten by two V50s! - since I haven't been doing much fast running lately - and ran Alva yesterday, and just recovering from gout, etc. etc. My time of 38:29 was almost a minute slower than last year.

At the sharp end, Robert Gilroy won for the 3rd year in a row, and set a new course record of 33:22, whilst Ros Alexander of Carnegie was 1st lady in 41:59.

Vale of Leven 10k

15th June 2008
Lomond Shores, Balloch

Results for first 200 runners

Strong field for Scottish National 10k Road Championships, with Eritrean athletes once again taking the first 3 places.

I jogged round the hilly course with tired mind, body and legs, and finished in a time of 37:10 for 50th position. This was 97 seconds slower than last year, when I managed 35:33.

Balfron 10k

27th April 2008

Results

I finished 6th in 36:12 on a hilly course. David Riach finished 2 places ahead of me in 35:47 to claim the first M40 position. Robert Gilroy won the race in 33:35. Ellie was 3rd lady in 40:39.

Jack Crawford 10k

12th January 2008

Almost clocked a PB. Was 2 seconds off with 34:40 for 2nd V40. Denis Williams finished 8 seconds in front in 34:32 for first V40.

Nigel Barge 10k

5th January 2008
Results

I finished 18th in 35:17. The race was won by Chris Mackay in 30:43. Nasty rainy weather.

Leyland Boxing Day 10k

26th December 2007
Results

My 85th and final race of 2007. For some strange reason, the official results posted at UK Results are all about 19 seconds too fast. My watch time was exactly 34:50, compared with the recorded time of 34:31, so I added 19 seconds to all the results. Ellie managed a PB of 39:31, with the time correction, and her first 10k in under 40 minutes.

Hugh Wilson 10k

2nd December 2007
Results | Photos

Typical East Kilbride weather for the Hugh Wilson Memorial 10k Race. Cold, damp, and wet underfoot. The race was won by Allan Adams in 31:46. I finished 15th in 35:49.

Drymen 10k

18th August 2007
Results

Monsoon-like conditions for the Drymen 10k.

Alastair Morrison successfully defended his Drymen 10k title, interestingly wearing a Garscube vest, instead of his usual Dumbarton colours. I finished 2nd in 35:44, probably around 600m adrift of Alastair. Other Westies running were David Riach, Hamilton Semple and Catriona Miller who finished as 3rd lady, and only a few metres behind ladies 1 and 2.