Photos courtesy of Calderglen Harriers.
Pitreavie had been my third tilt at the 5000m in the Scottish Championships. It proved third time lucky as it was the first time I avoided the wooden spoon. My times had improved each year, 16:53 then 16:19 and that year's 16:13. Based on my training and race results leading in, especially Arran, I gave a decent account of myself and showed Calderglen Harriers in a positive light.
Something bothered me though. Was this as good as it would get? Battling at my absoloute limit for the honour of being lapped by the 3 medallists and finishing second last? What training was John Newsom doing to finish 4th? Why was I around a minute behind the next runner closest to me?
My training diary shows that, one week after the 5000m, I finished 4th in the Round Cumbrae 10.25 Mile Road Race (see my post in September 2010 for a report on last year's race) in 57:04, a result according to my training diary entry I was happy with. I than had a week off. I can't remember exactly when but on one Monday night in September, Cambuslang head coach Mike Johnston happened to speak to me at the track about my 5000m. The topic of training with them came up but no commitments were made. I was already acquainted with a couple of Cambuslang athletes who had competed second claim for Whitemoss. I had also seen Cambuslang squads at the track weekly without actually joining in with them. In addition, I finished 8th in their 10k the previous winter so a few of them at least knew my face.
However it came about, a commitment to do the track sessions was made. On 20th October 2008, I did my first one, 8 x 300m with 200m jog recoveries all in 48-50 seconds. Not bad. I carried on with various sessions on a weekly basis, all the while doing my own thing the rest of the week and racing for Calderglen. I caused a few palpitations in the Cambuslang ranks at the West District Cross Country Relay. I finished 9th on first leg but not before leading Cambuslang's first team for a chunk of the 4km. The sessions were helping me a lot as the winter progressed. For example, I finished 26th in the West District Cross Country which I rank as my finest race in Calderglen colours. My training diary shows one session in December 2008 of 14 x 300m with 100m jog recoveries which I describe as "gut wrenching" and note I wanted to stop at 12 but was "ordered to carry on to 14." I remember it well.
Above: finishing 11th in the Brampton to Carlisle 10 Mile Road Race in a then personal best of 56:34, showing the track sessions were helping.
Eventually however, a decision had to be made. Calderglen's membership fees came up for renewal in January. I had been a member for over 7 years. Naturally, talk started at the track on the matter of me joining. Was I prepared to commit to Calderglen for another year? Regrettably I wasn't and I took the horrible step of informing the committee I wished to leave. I did not though wish to jump ship immediately and promised to see out the winter, concluding with the National Cross Country in Falkirk in February 2009. Changing club in Scotland is not the most straightforward process. It involves an application to Scottish Athletics comprising a form signed by the Chairperson and Treasurer or Secretary of the club from whom you are resigning accompanied by a fee. To Calderglen's credit, they signed the form and my change of club took effect from 1 March 2009.
Before that I finished 27th in the National 4km Cross Country at Bellahouston, Glasgow then lined up for the National. I improved substantially on my 87th place finish the previous year, coming through 59th. It was not without incident. I was plodding along well enough and on the third lap of 3. If you've read this year's report, you will know the Falkirk course has a big dip into a ditch. In the previous 2 laps, I got bogged down in the ditch. This time, I tried to hurdle it. In so doing, my shoe came off. I was around 1km from the finish and made a split second decision to carry on with one shoe. It cost me a few places but I wasn't stopping for something so trivial. Future team mate Jamie Reid was one of the athletes to pass me. All but one of Cambuslang's runners that day beat me.
Above: running the National for Calderglen in February 2009, both shoes intact at the time.
Being in no danger of qualifying for the UK Inter Counties Cross Country, I took the following week off then launched into the fourth and final part of this feature.
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