Whangie Whizz

25th April 2007
Not that I was there, here are the RESULTS for last night's Whangie Whizz race just outside Glasgow.

London Marathon

22nd April 2007
Results  |  My Splits  |  Route Map

The day's temperature was set for scorchio, so I knew a speedy approach wouldn't pay dividends. Instead I treated it as a slow pootly jog that would double up as my One Pound Challenge run for the day.

I pushed right onto the front row of the Green Start next to Liz McColgan, with my foot against the starting mat. When the hooter sounded, Liz and I lead out for the first 100 metres or so until I chose to back right off to heart rate just over 160. I enjoyed watching swarms of people overtaking, thinking there would be all the more targets to aim for in the 2nd half.

The first mile arrived at 6:20, and I kept the 6:30 miles going until halfway at 1:25:06. That was half of the race out the way without breaking sweat.

I then got a bit too excited after mile 14 and started pressing too soon. Runners were there for the taking, but I attacked with too much vigour and then started feeling a bit washed out around miles 16 to 20. Gels and lucozade were taken onboard, fighting back the queaziness, and around mile 22 I started winding it up.

One last lucozade station just before the delicious coolness of the underpass, then back out into the searing heat for the final 2 mile section along Thames Embankment. My target time of 2:50 was now out the window, unless I could clock sub 6 minute miling to the end. I ramped it up again to what felt like a sprint to cross Parliament Square and race up Birdcage Walk passing dozens of flailing runners.

Hitting the final bend beneath Buckingham Palace I turned to hammer into the closing straight, but couldn't make any sense of what I was looking at: Runners veering off at all angles. Red, green and blue lines aiming for 3 different gates. Officials giving no directions. Clock times that made no sense. Completely baffled I jogged into the middle of the 3 gates in a hoarde of other runners finishing simultaneously.

I felt fine after finishing, apart from the endless trudge down The Mall to find some grass to slump on. And pleased enough to have run 20 minutes quicker than last time, clocking 2:53:19.

Grangemouth 10k

15th April 2007
Results

Warm sultry conditions for the Grangemouth Round The Houses 10k. A scenic route in the shadows of the Grangemouth Oil Refinery. I managed to scrape a PB by 2 seconds, finishing in 35:23 - 29th overall and 4th vet.

The race was won by Robert Russell in 30:24, with Hayley Haining first lady in 32:59.

Manx Mountain Marathon

7th April 2007
50km, 2500m
Full marathon: Overall Results  |  Splits
Half marathon: Overall Results  |  Splits

Finished 8th overall and 2nd vet in 5:12:07, after a measured and restrained run.

For once in my life I decided to start off steadily, and actually did start off steadily. In fact I ran almost the entire race well under pace, simply pootling along apart from a brief sprint along the disused railway line into St Johns. The result was that I knocked 36 minutes off last year's time.

Quite a surprising revelation that running far more slowly makes you go faster. I still don't quite understand how that works...

Lloyd and Jackie broke the men's and ladies' records in the perfect conditions.

Loughrigg Fell Race

4th April 2007
Results

Ran the Loughrigg Fell Race just over 2 minutes faster than last year. Accidentally sent off a bit fast, and was in 2nd place running up the initial steep tarmac. Danny from Kendal was the only runner to set off faster. Nick Sharp pulled alongside after a while and I paced him for a bit before getting dropped. Then Ben Abdelnoor pulled alongside and I paced him for a while before getting dropped.

Nick won the race and Ben came 3rd. I eventually got caught by the cavalry charge just before the summit where there was some jostling and manoeuvring to get round the trig. My lines were repeatedly blocked on the descents as runners cut in front and obstructed my view of the ground.

I more or less held position on the run back and very nearly pipped 2 on the line but was nervous of totally wrecking my hamstrings with the big sprint finish. Ended up 12th in 29:48 and got beaten by the first V40 by 2 seconds!

Livingston Road Relays

31st March 2007
Results

For the first time in several years, Westerlands fielded a team at the Livingston National Road Relays. It's impressive event with plenty of opportunity to watch the lead teams on the transitions.

The route is a scenic twisting course mainly on cyclepaths through parkland, and alongside the River Almond - and was run in glorious spring sunshine. Our Westerlands team finished 34th of the 50 men's teams that completed.

The relay legs are alternate 3.15 and 5.8 mile legs. The Westies splits were as follows:
1. Tom Smith - 19:52
2. Paul Thompson - 33:35
3. Bill Fisher - 20:15
4. David Riach - 36:11
5. Scott McKendrick - 19:31
6. Chris Upson - 32:43
Total = 2:41:43

Helvellyn

27th March 2007
10km, 800m
Photo Gallery
Pleasantly warm Tuesday evening run with hazy sunshine.

Black Combe

26th March 2007
8km, 600m
Pleasantly warm Monday evening run with hazy sunshine.

Ben Ledi Grudge Match

25th March 2007
Results
8km, 760m
A fun Sunday run up Ben Ledi for Westies, HBT and Ochils. Conditions near the summit were cool, misty and snowy, but the clouds broke on the descent allowing through bright spring sunshine.

Criffel Hill Race

18th March 2007
Results
7.5km, 420m

The route was shortened due to bad weather to climb only the first top of Knockendoch. I didn't hear anyone complaining about not going all the way to Criffel main summit! Squally showers were blowing horizontal sleet against the side of my face on the climb. This was extremely painful up until the point when my entire head went numb, and then it became bearable. The descent was the slippiest boggiest thing imaginable.

Lairig Mor Trail Race

17th March 2007
Results
22km trail race along West Highland Way from Mamore Lodge to Fort William.

The race was won by Lochaber's Craig Mitchell with Colin Donnelly 2nd, John Kennedy 3rd, Adrian David 4th, and I finished 5th just ahead of Dan Gay. First lady was Lochaber's Amanda Blackhall with Ellen Homewood 2nd and Cat Miller 3rd, both of Westerlands.

The weather started off OK, but got increasingly wet and windy, and was pretty vile by the end in Fort William.