Selection for the UK Cross Country (on 10th March, not 4th as stated in my previous post) gave training a bit of focus. On the Monday after the National, I felt far too tired physically and psychologically to run.so returned to the swimming one last time for a 35 minute aqua jog. This included 6 x 3 minutes with 1 minute jog recoveries and a 100m breast stroke/crawl mix to warm up and the same as a warm down. I worked up to 46 miles for the week with the following:-
Tuesday 20th February: Club, Hampden run, 7.8 miles (51:06)- legs still tired.
Wednesday 21st: 10 miles (1:04:30) including 20 mins easy then 5 x 5 mins with 2 mins jog recoveries, remainder easy- legs feeling fresher.
Thursday 22nd: Hill reps, High Point, 5 times including 3 x 3 mins, 1 min jog recoveries, 4.5 miles including warm up and warm down.
Friday 23rd: 10km/6.2 miles (38:10-38:20) including 4 sets of 3 x 30 secs, 30 secs jog recoveries, 5 mins jogs between sets.
Saturday 24th: 11.4 miles easy (1:16:30), Whitelee Windfarm.
Sunday 25th: 6.2 miles very easy (52:45).
The following week, I managed a morale boosting Monday track session of 2 sets of 1000m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m (around 4:40/mile pace throughout), a similar Tuesday run (on my own instead of the club due to work commitments), the same two sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, both faster than the week before, and did the Friday run with strides on Saturday (day before the 10k) and took Friday off. I intended to do 12 or so again on the Saturday but ended up having a bit of a lie in and a fry up, going out later before dinner. The training diary is looking boring again, similar stuff every week, the way I like it because it suggests consistency. No more of this swimming malarkey.
To be honest, had the Down By The River 10k not been the last race in our club championships, I probably wouldn't have run it. However, my closest challengers, Robert Gilroy and Jamie Reid, were competing so, to retain the title, I not only had to run but to be first Cambuslang finisher. Our inaugral senior women championship also got off the ground with Vicky Semple and Kirsty Grant lining up. Relations were admirably cordial between the two beforehand.
For anyone normal, the race start is about 1.5 miles from Cambuslang Rugby Club. For me, it was a wee bit longer. Deciding to keep the mileage up, I jogged to the start with Robert Rossborough with Vicky and Kirsty then a guy called Mark Paterson putting their trust in my sense of direction. My route added on at least half a mile. Robert, Vicky and Mark may be forgiven. Kirsty should know better by now....
Having made a bid to wear out 4 of my opposition, we lined up for the 11am start minus at least one entrant, Michael Deason (Shettleston) who got lost somewhere in Rutherglen. He should have followed me! 3 right turns and roughly 2km later, the route took us onto the River Clyde. I had forged myself a lead. Tending not to look behind when racing, I didn't know how much. I also resisted temptation to check the watch until halfway. The first 5km took 15:27. I realised the course record of 31:25 set by Commonwealth Games and European Championship marathon runner Martin Williams in 2008 was there to aim at. It gave me something to focus on in addition to holding off the chasing pack.
The race is an out and back course. The turning point came at 6km where club member Frank Hurley indicated I had a healthy lead. Not willing to take anything for granted, I powered on as hard as possible, seeing the entire field on their outward journey as I did. Cambuslang's Robert Gilroy Steven Wylie, Martin McLaughlin and David Munro were all in pursuit. Slightly behind them was Jamie Reid who sacrificed some breath to encourage me to get the course record. Numerous other red and white vests littered the field including recent new father Gordon Robertson, running well considering recent sleep deprivation. Vicky was on the way to leading our womens championship. Kirsty also spared some oxygen to update me on my gap. There were one or two other shouts of encouragement, none of which I had enough breath to return.
8km (5 miles approx) was reached in 24:58 so the pace had remained consistent. The record remained on. A short, sharp climb off the canal path lead me onto the main road with 600m to go then left into the finish.
Above: the final 200m. Photo courtesy of Scott Sport Photography
1st place in 31:18 meant a new course record. Robert Gilroy took runners up spot just over a minute later edging out Steven Wylie, Martin McLaughlin and David Munro, all of whom dipped under 33 minutes.
I was happy to accept a lift from Alan Ramage, winning vet over 40, back to the club where I jogged an easy mile to warm down and hung about for the pies, sausage rolls and prize giving. 45 miles for the week and an encouraging 10km time having run solo for the vast majority of the way. Next stop, Birmingham.
Another report on this race and full results can be found on the Ronhill Cambuslang website.
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