I approached the above weekend fairly content- work was alright, weather picking up, clocks going forward and a consistent spell of training evidenced by my training diary being a boring read for 2 consecutive weeks. Unfortunately I did pick up a sore throat and cold on Friday but that was a rest day anyway so nothing lost. The following morning brought a grass session at Pollok Park of 6 minutes (2 minutes recovery), 6 x 3 minutes (1 minute recoveries) then another 6 minutes using the grass area next to the Burrell Cafe, giving any leftover Parkrunners something to watch over their tea and scones. Despite temperatures hitting around 16 degrees, for my 10 minute warm up, I deliberately wrapped up in my thickest long sleeved winter top, jacket, hat and tracksters to sweat the cold out. I kept on the top and hat for the session.
That afternoon, in a moment of misplaced optimism, my Dad and I made the 43 mile trip to Recreation Park, Alloa to see Third Division second placers Queen's Park attempt to secure their first points in 4 attempts against the league leaders. A 9 point gap with 7 games left meant only a win would keep our chances of the title alive. A bumper crowd of slightly over 800 gathered to watch on.
Queen's started reasonably well with some good possession and some corners but no great efforts on goal. In charge at Alloa is Paul Hartley, latterly of Celtic and Aberdeen, who has fared well in his first year as a manager. Among those in his squad are former Aberdeen players Darren Young and Robbie Winters and one or two loan signings from another of his former clubs, St Johnstone. By Third Division standards, it's decent calibre. Therefore, in 14 minutes, when Winters converted after a shot rebounded off the bar, I struggled to see how Queen's could get back in the game. We had a couple of chances- a long range effort from Jamie Longworth produced a good save from Alloa keeper Scott Bain and a one two took James Brough through on Bain only to shoot straight at him.
Above: Alloa Athletic v Queen's Park, action from the first half. Queen's are in blue.
In the second half, the football continued to be pleasing on the eye but with too many attacks breaking down and powder puff shooting. Our strikeforce of Jamie Longworth and Michael Daly, 28 goals between them for the season, hardly got a sniff. Winters added another goal around the hour mark leaving a long half hour of blunt attacking football from the Spiders and jibes from younger Alloa fans about the scoreline. In 85 minutes, Brough received a red card for an alleged elbow after which Alloa rubbed it in with a goal from Stevie May before Spiders keeper Neil Parry capped things with a comical fresh air swipe at a through ball to leave home midfielder Graeme Holmes with a chance even I might have scored. The aforesaid young Alloa fans enjoyed that.
In the end, 4-0 and a sound gubbing. No complaints because I've seen Queen's dish out several beatings recently- 6-0 to Elgin, 5-0 to Montrose and, the Tuesday before this game, 3-0 to Clyde. At the time of writing, we are 12 points behind Alloa who have taken 12 out of 12 from us. They are the reason we aren't winning the league. Still, I licked my wounds by purchasing a few beers brewed in the Alloa based Williams Bros Brewery, Fraoch Heather Ale and Seven Giraffes. I like beers where I spend as much time reading the story on the bottle as I do drinking it. Fraoch has apparently been brewed in Scotland since 2000 BC. It was good enough for the Romans so it would do me. It's certainly good enough for the locals since I picked up the last two in stock at the Morrisons in Alloa.
My usual Sunday run is from my back gate into the countryside through Auldhouse up a fairly steep climb to the Ardochrig end of Whitelee Windfarm where I then run on the trails for as long as I feel like before turning back. The entire run is in the country so I never get bored with it and always feel satisfied afterwards. I ran there before the Windfarm even opened when it was simply a forest trail. The main thing I appreciate is the solitude, peace and quiet it offers, and only 5 miles from the house. With unseasonal spring weather for my gentle 15 miler, I took out the camera. It beat watching the Old Firm game. There's more to life.
Above: Ardochrig end of Whitelee Windfarm, route lying ahead of me.
Above: top of Ardochrig Hill, view of East Kilbride on the horizon. I climb the hill on the way out (takes 11-13 minutes depending how fresh I'm feeling) and descend it on the way back.
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