Saturday 9 June 2012

A Tale of Two 5ks

Scottish Athletics Track and Field Championships, 3rd June 2012

Once the high of the West Highland Way weekend wore off, it was time to get back to business. In week commencing Monday 28th May, two fast track sessions on Monday and Friday, a club run on Tuesday, High Point hill reps on Wednesday and a gentle 30 minute jog on Saturday (night off on Thursday for an after work seminar) set me up for the Scottish 5000m on the Sunday. I was attending my friend's brother's wedding reception at the Brigadoon in Ayr on the Friday, a great night with some ceildh dancing, a nice excuse to wear my kilt again. I didn't overindulge...honest. However, let's simply say I was glad the race was on Sunday.

I've a new rule on all things athletics related, everything in perspective. So as I arrived at Scotstoun and went through the formalities (number collected, pep talk with my Dad, call room reported to), I vowed to give my best on the day and take the outcome, whatever it would be. I had an idea of a performance range I would be happy with. I've been injured twice this year. A strained right tendon then pain in the left shin. One of my closest friends suffered a life threatening illness. Compare that to a little bit of discomfort. As I say, perspective is now my watch word. 

A fairly big group of Alex Hendry, Craig Ruddy, Neil Renault, Mark Pollard, David Vernon, Dermot Cummins, Lachlan Oates and Mickey Breen formed with myself and the rest just off them. I rattled off 70 second laps actually feeling I was running within myself. The furnance of Rannoch Moor must have been of benefit. I occupied a place around the middle of the field as I completed the first mile (4 laps) in a neat 4:40. Around this time, I caught and passed Ben Hukins. Those in front were forcing a relentless pace which I was struggling to hold onto, especially with a head wind against us on the home straight. They opened a gap while I had pulled away from the group behind so I found myself in no mans land with gaps in front and at my back. I went through halfway in 7:21.

My pace was slipping a bit but all my laps were still consistently around the 72-73 seconds mark. Breen and Oates had slipped off the back of the leading group and gave me something to aim at. I simply didn't have the strength to make a contest of it at the sharp end but knew I was on for a good performance if I could sustain things. Checking my splits on the clock at the finish line and from the guy at the 200m mark, I knew a sub 15 minute clocking would be tight.

Almost in one movement in the last 600m, I gained and lost a place. No sooner had I passed Lachlan Oates, Ben Hukins made a move past me. My sprint finish deserted me again as a 33 second final 200m wasn't enough to claim Hukins' scalp. However, I held off Lachlan Oates to achieve 9th place and a time of 14:59.92, my quickest 5000m for a year. I'd have bitten your hand off for that as little as 2 years ago. There's the sense of perspective I've been referring to. I know where the improvement can come. I contented myself that night reflecting on what went well. Plenty more races in the future.

Aberdeen based David Munro provided more Cambuslang interest in the race. Fresh from 5th place in the 3000m steeplechase the day before, he finished 13th in 15:59.96.

Below: race result courtesy of Power of 10.
PosPerfName AG AgeDOBCoachClubSBPB 
114:29.13Alexander HendryPBU23M2115.02.91Derek EastonCentral/Forth Valley14:29.1314:29.13
214:31.25Craig Ruddy SENM2410.04.88Lawrie SpenceInverclyde/Central14:20.9514:20.95
314:36.30David Vernon U20M1917.02.93Graham SmithVictoria Park City of Glasgow14:32.4114:32.41
414:38.60Neil RenaultPBSENM   Edinburgh AC14:38.6014:38.60
514:40.13Dermot CumminsPBSENM   West Waterford/Corstorphine/Ireland14:40.1314:40.13
614:53.40Mark Pollard SENM3025.02.82Mark PollardBelgrave/Inverclyde14:43.0914:38.61
714:55.43Mickey BreenPBSENM2607.11.85Moray AndersonCorstorphine/Dundee Uni/Dumfries14:55.4314:55.43
814:58.54Ben HukinsSBSENM3316.07.78Terence KerrUnattached14:58.5414:45.59
914:59.92Stuart GibsonSBSENM2815.09.83 Cambuslang/Whitemoss14:59.9214:57.30
1015:15.91Lachlan OatesSBU23M2030.01.92 Shettleston/Glasgow Uni15:15.9115:04.80
1115:48.42Howell Craske U23M1930.10.92Liz McColganDundee Hawkhill/Dundee Uni15:21.9315:21.93
1215:50.03Iain ConnellPBV40M4126.11.70 Kilmarnock/Ayr Seaforth15:50.0315:50.03
1315:59.96David MunroSBSENM3121.09.80Joyce HoggCambuslang/Aberdeen15:59.9615:55.1
1416:04.03Sam Burgess U20M1807.03.94Joyce HoggAberdeen15:38.5815:38.58
1516:04.37Matthew SutherlandPBSENM2314.12.88 Caithness AAC/Edinburgh Uni16:04.3716:04.37
1616:52.39Sean GaffneySBSENM2303.02.89 Inverclyde16:52.3916:40.00
1717:10.62Marc McColl SENM3406.04.78William ScallyShettleston17:00.6416:41.7

Strathclyde Parkrun, 9th June 2012

My attitude to the Jubilee was really neither up nor down. On the up side, it gave me 2 extra days off work after the Scottish 5000m. Days off equal more training time. Two runs of slightly over 8 miles and 2 miles on Monday were followed by a family night out to the Doublet bar and Shish Mahal restaurant in Glasgow's West End for a curry and refreshments. Feeling slightly fragile after the previous night's chicken pakora and lamb madras (and okay, 4 pints), the morning run was restricted to 4 miles with a follow up in the evening at Whitelee Windfarm when I did an 8 mile circuit round Lochgoin Reservior. Completing the 8 mile circuit in 48:39 was a pleasant surprise.

A High Point hill session the next night was followed by a night off then a rather sluggish and tired 6 miles with 3 sets of 3 x 30 seconds strides with 30 seconds recoveries. On the back of all that, I decided to stretch my legs at the Strathclyde Parkrun.

Thankfully conditions were in my favour, dry and no wind if a little humid. I didn't know Kirsty had planned to attend so seeing her there was an unexpected bonus. Also there were two Roberts from the club, Anderson in recruitment mode and Rossborough volunteering.

I wasn't sure how to approach this run. On starting, I found myself with Kevin Downie (East Kilbride AC), another nominee for East Kilbride Sports Personality this year. I decided to run with him to see how I felt after the sluggishness of the previous night. 3:07 for the first kilometre and I was feeling okay so I strode out and edged ahead. That pace would improve my previous time here of 15:43. I was in a bit of experimentation mode, checking the watch more often than I normally would. 3km in 9:15 so I had quickened up. Now came the long drag back round the loch. The pace slipped in the next kilometre which took 3:10 but I decided to treat the last one as a rep, throwing everything I had left into it. 3:04 for the kilometre brought me over the finish line in a course best of 15:30. Happily I took the barcode to record the result. Kevin ran strongly to finish in 16:50, well clear in 2nd place.

I walked back out to shout on Kirsty who was 2nd lady when I saw her with 300-400m to go, a few metres down on the leader. Whether my informing her of this fact made the difference or not I don't know, all I know is she produced a sprint in the final 200m to win the ladies race and clock her fastest 5km of 2012. Well done Miss Grant.

After chats with the two Roberts and turning down the chance to buy a sports bra from Sweatshop's Gavin Harvie, I had a short warm down with Kirsty then ran a little more on my own before spending the afternoon in the library working. After successive weekends in Aberdeen, Fort William and Ayr, there came a time to knuckle down.

I find myself with no real targets for at least the next 3 months. Run for fun I guess?

Strathclyde Stuart GIBSONRonhill Cambuslang Harriers Kirsty GRANTRonhill Cambuslang Harriers
Above: copied and pasted from the weekly winners page on the Parkrun site, a Cambuslang double at Strathclyde on 9th June.

Cambuslang Results

1st: Stuart Gibson, 15:30
21st: Eddie Carr, 20:46
31st: David Fairweather, 21:47
40th: Kirsty Grant, 22:41- 1st lady
46th: Eamon Carr, 23:13
66th: Walter Edgar, 25:13
69th: Victoria Edgar, 25:24
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