Covering for various absentees, I reluctantly agreed to line up for this race even though my preference was to get another full week's training behind me. I was allocated last leg and would be there to do what was required. Training in the week leading up looked like this:-
Monday: 7.6 miles easy (50:06)- no car so ran home from work with help from my Dad who drove through and collected my suit, briefcase and holdall from me.
Tuesday: 7 miles easy (46:19).
Wednesday: 8 x High Point hill reps, 7 miles including warm up and warm down- faster reps on a heavier surface which was encouraging.
Thursday: 2 x 10 minutes with 30 seconds recovery, (mile pace ranging from 5:30-5:35), 7.5 miles including warm up and warm down- again, faster pace than previous week.
Friday: Rest- off work but stuck to my traditional Friday rest day.
Saturday: 10 miles easy (1:04:04).
So little different to the previous week in content but an improvement in performance suggesting an element of fitness was coming. I had however warned the club to take me as they found me performance wise.
The race took place in Livingston for the 16th successive year with alternate short (3.15 miles) and long (5.8 miles) legs, 6 for men and 4 for women and male over 50 teams. Arriving just as the first legs were concluding, I learned that Jack Hamilton had us in 5th place with debutant Josh Lilly, a first claim member of Tipton Harriers in England, on the next leg. Given my history of taking wrong turnings, I took time to check out the latter part of the course. Even after 2 legs, some unbelievable gaps had opened up meaning, for many still to run, the race would become an individual time trial against the clock. UK international and 2:14 marathon runner Derek Hawkins hauled Kilbarchan into 2nd place with the fastest long leg of the day (28:03), 4 seconds adrift of Central's second leg man, Alex Hendry. Josh overhauled Corstorphine to take us into 3rd with a time of 29 minutes exact. Over the next 2 legs, we were in 4th while Kilbarchan gallantly held on to a medal position and Central and Corstorphine built up decisive advantages in 1st and 2nd respectively. Alistair Campbell and Ben Hukins though kept us in the medal hunt. On the short 5th leg, David Munro finally ended Kilbarchan's resistance, leaving me 3rd place to defend on what's often called the "anchor leg."
Being in a medal position, I knew what my job was. A Corstorphine runner in another team set off before me. I decided not to take any chances and set off assuming he was ahead of us and we were actually 4th. Thankfully, he was a leg behind me but, nevertheless, I felt better having passed him. The long leg is actually a better run in my mind than the short one since there are less twists and turns and more open parts where you can really push the pace. I tried to do just that. However, without any company, the motivation has to come from within though a shout at one point from Jamie Reid and Colin Feechan, warming down on the course, really helped. Eventually, I started to catch lapped runners which helped since it gave me targets to aim at.
Another thing about the course is the little inclines which eventually catch up with you the more tired you get. Whatever my final time, I was determined to leave it all effort wise on the course. My Dad had told me to imagine it was Derek Hawkins and myself head to head which isn't the worst advice he's ever given me! With half a mile to go though, it was hurting.
So little different to the previous week in content but an improvement in performance suggesting an element of fitness was coming. I had however warned the club to take me as they found me performance wise.
The race took place in Livingston for the 16th successive year with alternate short (3.15 miles) and long (5.8 miles) legs, 6 for men and 4 for women and male over 50 teams. Arriving just as the first legs were concluding, I learned that Jack Hamilton had us in 5th place with debutant Josh Lilly, a first claim member of Tipton Harriers in England, on the next leg. Given my history of taking wrong turnings, I took time to check out the latter part of the course. Even after 2 legs, some unbelievable gaps had opened up meaning, for many still to run, the race would become an individual time trial against the clock. UK international and 2:14 marathon runner Derek Hawkins hauled Kilbarchan into 2nd place with the fastest long leg of the day (28:03), 4 seconds adrift of Central's second leg man, Alex Hendry. Josh overhauled Corstorphine to take us into 3rd with a time of 29 minutes exact. Over the next 2 legs, we were in 4th while Kilbarchan gallantly held on to a medal position and Central and Corstorphine built up decisive advantages in 1st and 2nd respectively. Alistair Campbell and Ben Hukins though kept us in the medal hunt. On the short 5th leg, David Munro finally ended Kilbarchan's resistance, leaving me 3rd place to defend on what's often called the "anchor leg."
Being in a medal position, I knew what my job was. A Corstorphine runner in another team set off before me. I decided not to take any chances and set off assuming he was ahead of us and we were actually 4th. Thankfully, he was a leg behind me but, nevertheless, I felt better having passed him. The long leg is actually a better run in my mind than the short one since there are less twists and turns and more open parts where you can really push the pace. I tried to do just that. However, without any company, the motivation has to come from within though a shout at one point from Jamie Reid and Colin Feechan, warming down on the course, really helped. Eventually, I started to catch lapped runners which helped since it gave me targets to aim at.
Another thing about the course is the little inclines which eventually catch up with you the more tired you get. Whatever my final time, I was determined to leave it all effort wise on the course. My Dad had told me to imagine it was Derek Hawkins and myself head to head which isn't the worst advice he's ever given me! With half a mile to go though, it was hurting.
Above: the final straight to the finish.
I strode and groaned my way to the finish (beating my imaginary opponent in my head), consolidating 3rd place in a time of 29:45, 43 seconds slower than my time in 2012 but building our lead over Kilbarchan and only slightly slower than the anchor leg men for Central and Corstorphine, Ross Houston (29:35) and Dougie Selman (29:37). If anything, the race showed me my level of fitness and how far I have to go so was useful in that respect. It also eradicated Birmingham from my mind. You're only as good as your last race. Well mine was a DNF. Not any more.
Completing a medal clean sweep, our over 35 and over 50 male teams both took gold. An honourable mention also for Katie Bristow who was 4th on first leg (19:15) in the ladies race but sadly didn't have a team. Still, one more lady than last year. Maybe in 2014? A further honourable mention to my old club, Calderglen Harriers, who lead the over 50 race after 2 legs thanks to the efforts of Martin Duthie and former Scotland international David Watt before eventually finishing 3rd in that particular competition.
Above: bronze medal winning team, left to right- myself, Alistair Campbell, Ben Hukins, David Munro, Josh Lilly, Jack Hamilton.
Full race results are here. I daresay I fairly enjoyed my pint down the Monty on this particular Easter Sunday. With any luck, onwards and upwards.
