As a footnote to my last post, I reached Christmas Day 4 miles short of a 50 mile training week. In the 18 years since I first ran at primary school, I have never run on Christmas Day, until now. I thought about another jog after the Queen's game but I'd had a pint then a pie and bovril before the game. Nothing else for it. I had an early night on Christmas Eve and crept out the house at 8am for a run in a howling gale. 27 and a half minutes and just over 4 miles later I tip toed back to bed until everyone else surfaced none the wiser. I need to get a place of my own soon! Starting in the dark and ending in daylight was a new experience. Apart from a solitary dog walker, I encountered no-one.
My Parkrun put me 4th on the Pollok Park all time list for a mere 24 hours. Unknown to me, while I opened my Christmas presents and hid my washing from my mother, Luke Traynor was blitzing round the Christmas Day event 7 seconds quicker than me. I enjoyed the rest of the day oblivious to it.
Cambuslang's race now being in March, I had pencilled in the Ayr Turkey Trot 10k on Boxing Day as, I confess, a "pot hunting" opportunity. A 12 noon start gave me just enough time to be sufficiently sober to drive. After my obligatory wrong turning on route, I arrived at a rather blustery coastline with half an hour to spare. After some brief hellos with, from memory, Kirsty (Marcathon day 26), Gavin Harvie (I'm still owed that bacon roll), Scott Martin, Claire McArthur and Kerry Wilson, I took up a place on the start line.
I took an early lead which was quite short lived as the galeforce wind cut me in half. Previous winner David McNamee then Kerry caught me up and opened a 30-40m gap. I was also under pressure from behind since my heels kept getting clipped. Both Iain Connell of Kilmarnock Harriers and Irvine's Alex Allardyce crept up beside me. All the runners around me were stockier and handling the wind well. I felt drastic. I found enough strength to pull clear into 3rd and now had to find a way to catch the leading two.
Above: the first 3km direct into a galeforce wind, entering the festive spirit kitted in red and white. Photo courtesy of Kerry Wilson (pictured on the right).
As we moved along the promenade, I attempted to run in David and Kerry's slipstreams, tracking every step they took. With sprinting impossible in the wind, I tried to lengthen the stride, lift the knees and work my arms more. Exaggerating my normal style really. By the end of the promenade, I had grinded my way up and was still 3rd but on their shoulders. The course then turned inland away from the wind, 20-30m before the 3km mark. I injected a surge of pace to take the lead. It hurt me but I hoped it would have a more adverse effect on them. I could sense David at my back because I could hear his number flapping in the wind.
From there, I tried to make the most of less windy conditions. I didn't need to look round to know David was still pursuing me. A 5km split of 17:18 shows how treacherous it had been on the coast. We were by no means out the wind but I did feel a bit more at ease and piled the effort in. The last 3km is back along the seafront in reverse. To get there, you pass the rest of the field. I got a few shouts. I needed them.
Wind now in my favour, I really went for it. I told myself, provided I ran no slower than David, I would win. 8km (5 miles approx) in 26:42 so 9:24 for the previous 3km. A definite pick up in pace. I found another opponent in the sea waves which crashed over the wall to give me a cool down I neither wanted nor needed. Prompted by a wee shout from Suzanne McMahon, I held on to finish a relieved and jaded winner with a time of 32:32. The second 5km took me 15:15 and the final 2km, 5:50. As the Broons say in this year's annual, "Jings." It had been very hard work.
David McNamee crossed the line in 33:14 and Kerry 3rd in 33:38. Sarah Hood (Edinburgh AC), who I did a short warm down with, was the winning lady in an impressive 36:12 following up a 34 minute clocking in Telford in no doubt kinder weather. Louise Hill Stirling (Ayr Seaforth) and Claire McArthur (no club) filled the next two spots. Kirsty battled through in 49 minutes with a spectacular 3 minute improvement in the second 5km (23 minutes) from the first (26 minutes). Her parents had travelled through from nearby Maybole. I'd met them once in less happy circumstances when Kirsty was in hospital. It was nice to be re-acquainted. I had heard an unfamiliar shout and wondered who it was. Many thanks Mr and Mrs Grant.
Another notable performance came from a man with itchy feet, Ian Goudie, who wasn't content with one race and ran both the 5km and 10km. He was non-committal on the question of running both the Hogmanay and New Year Day Parkruns. In addition, Toni McIntosh clocked a 22 minute 5km as she recuperates from injury and surgery. Fingers crossed she returns to her former glory soon.
I hung around for the post-race grub and such was the time the presentation took to start, enjoyed quite a long chat with Kilmarnock's Scott Martin about running and our respective football teams. £40 and a Ayr Turkey Trot mug was worth the wait. Next stop, Kilbirnie with the McLuckie Cup at stake.
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