Cambuslang Harriers have a long friendly association with Northern Ireland's Armagh Athletics Club going back several years. One of the positives to come from this relationship is the invitation extended to Cambuslang runners annually to run in the Armagh International 5km Road Race, held as part of an International Sport and Cultural Week. As well as the Home Nations and Ireland, runners from USA, Finland and South Africa have taken part. Cambuslang can even boast a former winner of the race in Stephen Wylie who did so in 1995. Such is the depth of quality, my time of 15:25 in my first attempt was only enough to earn 49th place out of 85 finishers.
Undaunted, I returned this year for another go. I was initially reluctant with the Scottish National Cross Country only 9 days afterwards but Cambuslang chairman David Cooney convinced me to attend. I enjoyed myself so much in 2010, I thought "why not." I therefore flew over the day before with clubmates Stewart Orr, Joe Kealey, Alistair Campbell, David Cooney, Jim Orr (coach) and Bob Burt ("Mallaig Ambassador").
I intend to post separately about the 4 day trip as a whole but this one will home in on the racing on Thursday night. The race takes place in a rather unique atmosphere, comprising laps of the Mall in Armagh, run after dark under floodlights and street lights.
Above: the Mall in Armagh. The lit building in the distance is the women's jail (well, was at one time).
Among the earlier races was the womens International 3km, 2 and a bit laps of the Mall. Scottish athlete Claire Gibson (no relation) ran very well to win the race from some stiff opposition in 9:23. Before this year, Stephen Wylie was the only Scottish winner, male or female. Scotland can now boast a winner of both races. Our time drew near and I grew increasingly anxious. I only had one tactic- run like hell. There was no alternative. The race has a minimum entry standard of 17 minutes. No-one waits for you.
I lined up just behind the USA team and the field of 62 runners were set on their way by the Mayor of Armagh at about 8.35pm. The pace was furious. I got off to a great start. The course has a one time women's jail at one end (referred to as the "jail end") and Armagh County Museum at the other. We went through the jail end, into the home straight then had another 4 laps to do. I was just about sprinting and, incredibly, hanging onto the coatails of the leading group. The leaders went through 1km, just after the museum, in 2:55. I completed it in exactly 3 minutes. As far as confidence boosts go, it couldn't get better.
I ran as hard as possible, focussing on gaining more places than I lost. During the second lap, English athlete James Walsh passed me. I recognised him as a multiple winner of the British Universities Cross Country. I also remembered him from the 2006 Isle of Man Easter Athletics Festival which he won (I was in the 40s). I tried to to keep pace with him for a few seconds but he was going far too fast and I had to concede. Just as well because he ended up 5th in 14:18. What on earth was he doing behind me all that time? By the third lap, I was shouting at myself out loud. Things like "don't drop back, "head up" and "lift your knees." I had gone through 3km in 8:54. Work out from that what I had run the previous 2km in.
At the jail end coming into the home straight with a lap to go I had 2 runners for company. I felt the time was right for a Charlie Spedding surge (see my training posts) so I injected even more pace, pulled away and started gaining on a few more runners ahead of me. In the final lap, I was hanging on. Heading into the finish the familiar figure of Mark Pollard overtook me on his way to 22nd place in 14:48. But for that, I would have been first Scottish finisher. I hung on grimly to finish 27th with a huge new personal best of 14:52, beating last year's time and also bettering my track 5000m best by 14 seconds. It's my first clocking under 15 minutes. It felt fantastic. I turned round to offer a handshake to whoever was at my back. I saw a Finnish international vest. It was Miika Takala, a runner who can boast a half marathon of 66:04 and marathon of 2:24:25. I didn't know the Finnish for "well done mate" off the top of my head so I conveyed the message in English. I think he got my drift because I got a "thank you" in response. One step forward for Cambuslang-Finland relations. I also beat his teamate Joonas Lehtinen who has 800m and 1500m bests of 1:52.50 and 3:50.20 respectively.
Behind me, 18 year old Stewart Orr ran superbly in his first ever 5km road race, clocking 15:24 for 41st. This is an excellent benchmark. I train with Stewart twice, sometimes 3 times, per week. This result does not surprise me. He has plenty improvement to come and something on his side I don't- time due to his age. Joe and Alistair both got good races under their belts after lengthy spells sidelined with illness and injury. Joe came through in 16:56 and Alistair in 17:17, both times which would comfortably win a lot of races in Scotland. The sharp end saw a blanket finish with England's James Bowser edging victory in 14:16.
Above: Team Cambuslang after the race. Left to right- Stewart Orr, myself, Alistair Campbell, Joe Kealey.
The race programme rounded off with the open 3km race. David Cooney lined up for this, running competitively throughout and finishing in 12:17 with plenty runners behind him. The night was rounded off with a roast beef dinner at 11pm (!) then a few pints in the hotel bar which, to my taste palate after my earlier efforts, were marvellous.
Next stop, Falkirk for the Scottish Cross Country.
Race results can be found here.
Mainiota kaveri!
ReplyDelete