This year's West District Cross Country takes place at the Royal Academy in Irvine on 10th December 2011. In 2005, the race was at the Royal Academy in Irvine on 10th December 2005, hence, the idea for another post.
I couldn't have had too much going on at university in the week leading up to the race since it constituted consistent training at the time. The previous Sunday, 4th December, shows I ran "a satisfying time of 36:04" at the Hugh Wilson Memorial 10k in East Kilbride, run over the same course which is used now. 13 members of the Glasgow Uni Hares and Hounds ran it with me and I recorded the fact I didn't get up until 10.45am, nearly missing meeting the train on which they were arriving. Here's a snapshot of the rest of the week.
Monday: 2 runs totalling 7-7.25 miles. In those pre-Garmin days though, it was probably slightly less.
Tuesday: Rest- I seemed to have a bit of coursework due that day.
Wednesday: 6 x 3 minutes on a "cold, dark night," 7.5-8 miles including warm up and warm down.
Thursday: 2 runs totalling 8.5-8.75 miles. Monday's pre-Garmin comments equally apply here. I note that I was "held up by a dog" on the morning run. Some things never change!
Friday: Rest- I had a traineeship interview in Wishaw that morning (I didn't get the job) and did a 4 hour shift in Morrisons petrol in the evening.
Saturday: Race day, not before I'd done a shift in Morrisons first from 5.30am-12 noon.
Here, word for word, is my training diary entry. "Rory" was a first year student at Glasgow while "Cullie" refers to a good friend, Alan Cullie, who I used to have some friendly rivalry with.
"The course at the Royal Academy in Irvine proved to be to my liking. It was relatively flat and mainly firm underfoot, all I had to worry about was the elements, particularly a biting cold coastal wind, and the fact I had been up since 5am working a shift before venturing to Ayrshire.
Two Hares and Hounds, Rory and myself, lined up in the field of between 150-200. I planned to take the first of three laps steady before raising the tempo. The gaps others open in the early stages are always a concern but I had to trust myself my tactics were correct.
Again in a tussle with Cullie. Both of us had been up for shifts (he was heading back in at night) so I believed whoever had more sleep would come out on top. We were shoulder to shoulder at some points. By the 3rd loop, I was in front but knowing any let up in pace would allow him to pounce. Rory eluded me until the final kilometre. Rejecting all advice about tackling hills in races, I attacked one hill, coming alongside him, sprinted a straight stretch then similarly assaulted a hill which came quickly thereafter before running hard off the top. A classic ploy de Castella used to great effect.
Time- 36:18. The head to head series with Rory and myself is now 3-2 in his favour."
For the record, I finished 47th and Rory 49th (I think) with Alan not much further adrift. What odds a similar result for me this year?
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