Swedish Memories

This weekend past stirred a few memories in me. The annual Eurovision Song Contest took place in the Swedish city of Malmo. This time 9 years ago, I was an exchange student in the town of Lund, a 10 minute train journey from Malmo. I can only imagine that Lund, especially the student population, would have had a party atmosphere with Eurovision in such close proximity.

I specifically recall, on the day of the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, I took part in the Gothenburg Half Marathon. After the race, I embarked on a 3 hour trip on the train south back to Lund. As the conductor came round to check my train ticket, he indicated that the first class area was empty and I should go through to help myself to a seat. I took up this offer and spread myself over two of them. I actually made it back in time to head out to watch the contest with my Swedish flatmates then party into the night. The Swedish entry was called "Det Gor Ont" which translates roughly as "It Hurts." I know this because there was an Engligh version of the song. I heard both versions on radio in Sweden often enough. I often found, as the refreshments flowed of an evening, the foreigners I became acquainted with had less difficulty understanding me. Similarly, my Swedish improved to the point I just about learned all the words of the song. That is both versions. The non-English one can be found here. Catchy!

Suffice to say, I reflected on some happy memories as this year's contest played out, even digging out my half marathon medal plus a CD of another song I liked which two of my Swedish flatmates gave me as a leaving present. The song is called "Var Ska Vi Sova I Natt." This translates as "Where Shall We Sleep Tonight." Don't ask! Listen to it here. 

Something I noted on TV was the use of a bridge on which the competing singers walked to enter the arena. This depicted the Oresund Bridge, a structure which links mainland Sweden to Denmark by road and rail. Given the Danes won this year and presumably the 2014 contest will be in Copenhagen, maybe the same bridge could be used to save on presentation costs and I can again write a nostalgic article like this one.

Above: Gothenburgh Half Marathon 2004 medal.

Troon Tortoises 10k Road Race, 8th May 2013

The Troon 10k and I have a bit of previous. This would be my 5th appearance over a period of 12 years. Troon was my 2nd ever 10k back in 2001 when I clocked a time of 41:20, a then personal best. Another best followed in 2002, 35:43, which proved a bit of a curse because a nightmare run of form followed for the rest of the year, capped by an asthma diagnosis early in 2003. I fared even worse that year, 39:50 on a rain lashed, galeforce night. 2009 was my most recent effort in one of my early Cambuslang races, 33:31 for 8th place.

I didn't ease off for the race, doing 2 runs totalling 15 miles on Saturday, 7 miles on Sunday, 7.5 miles worth of efforts on the road on Bank Holiday Monday and a 7.5 mile run home from work on Tuesday. This plus wearing new racing shoes and very windy conditions meant I remained realistic about what to expect. I managed to spend the afternoon in our East Kilbride office to prevent any hold ups in Burnside. My Dad came to direct me. My Mum came for the hurl in my new car.

Cambuslang were 5 handed with myself, Robert Gilroy, Stephen Paris, Dave Thom and Robert Rossborough. If only there had been a team prize. Sadly not.

It was one of those nights when you just wanted to get on with it. Eventually we did and a large group took on the first kilometre along the coast into the wind and sand blast. I was happy to try and hide behind others. Robert Gilroy was among those who took the early pace. Michael Deason (Shettleston) was in the field. I couldn't see him but sometimes you don't need to see someone to know they are there. Turning inland towards the 2km mark, I upped the pace which seemed to splinter the group because I was suddenly on my own in the lead. I wasn't keen on a long, solo 5 mile effort so in a sense felt relieved when Deason came up beside me.

With the course more shaded, we ran stride for stride for the next few kilometres. Knowing he had run the Tiree Half Marathon 4 days earlier and if it came down to a sprint he would have the edge, I tried to keep upping the ante, keeping a half stride or so ahead. We passed halfway in 16:02. Both of us have sub 31 minute 10km times to our name so this shows the intensity of the wind early on. At 6km we came to a hill which lead us over a bridge, down the other side then round a tight left turn towards the train station. Most people with sense will tell you to take hills gradually. I'm not blessed with much sense though so I took a risk, surging up the hill and throwing myself down the other side and round the corner. I'd gained a gap but regular readers (anyone?) will know my golden race rule of never looking behind so I didn't know by how much. I gauged it by measuring the time gap between spectators applauding me, stopping then applauding the next runner. Decent but not big enough that I could relax.

7-8km was another hellish windy stretch. From there it was back towards the coast then a final wind assisted kilometre to the finish. 8km in 25:41. I consciously increased my workrate again, covering the next kilometre in 3:02. I then surmised, provided I ran no slower than Deason in the last kilometre, I'd sealed it. 2:54 for the kilometre brought me to the finish in 31:35, a very pleasing time in trying conditions. Deason finished runner up in 31:57. Gilroy took 3rd in 32:39.

Above: final kilometre. Photo courtesy of Gillian Scott.

Sadly I sprained my left foot (probably on the corner just after 6km) so was in some discomfort on my warm down jog. I soon forgot about that when my Dad brought me in a fish supper while I waited for the prize giving and caught up on running gossip with various people including Kilmarnock Harriers Scott Martin and Kara Tait. This is the part of the sport I enjoy most. I maybe need to get out there and race more often in races like this, especially if the prizes are anything like the £100 I received.

So a good night's work. I trained the following night but had to call it quits for 3 days thereafter to let my foot heal. A course of deep heat and ice packs has worked so, as I write, I've long since recommenced training normally, continuing to tick along nicely.

Cambuslang results

1st: Stuart Gibson, 31:35

3rd: Robert Gilroy, 32:39

(Michael Deason split us with a time of 31:57)

13th: Stephen Paris, 35:56

16th: Dave Thom, 36:07- 1st vet over 50

37th: Robert Rossborough, 37:36

 As a footnote, thank you to Kerry Wilson for his support and treating my Dad to a chip shop dinner and Kilmarnock Harriers for allowing me use of their tent for my clothing during the race.

Ticking Along Nicely

Since the relay on Easter Sunday, I have ticked along nicely training wise. The content of training has been dependent on work commitments (a huge conveyancing and Court load) and racing so the consistency is found more in the numbers than the types of sessions. Since week beginning Monday 1st April, the weekly mileages have been 51, 54, 51, 56 and 52 with a good mix of sessions and runs. It's a case of making the most of the time available. For example, a run home from work (7.6 miles from Tesco car park in Burnside to my back gate in East Kilbride) has become more common, achievable by my Dad jumping the bus down, taking my work gear off me then driving my car home while I chase him on foot. Initially completing it in around 50 minutes, tonight, I broke 49 minutes. Racing the 21 bus from Burnside can be fun.

 

A 10 minute "out and back session" has also featured comprising a 10 minute effort on the road, 30 seconds recovery then turning round and another 10 minutes back the same way with a warm up to start and warm down to finish. It's a popular Cambuslang session but I've tried it on East Kilbride's undulating country roads. The first occasion I attempted it after my recent illness, I struggled to break 6 minute mile pace. Last week, in the company of clubmate, Alistair Campbell, I averaged approximately 5:10-5:15 per mile as did he more or less.

 

A mainstay which has returned though is the long Windfarm runs. A section of road on my usual route had been closed off, resulting in an unwanted diversion. I've now had a run at the Eaglesham Moor end of the Windfarm and two runs on my tried and trusted route, all on consecutive weeks. Little psychological boosts like that matter.

 

Amongst it all I've also raced, twice in the one afternoon. The Ayrshire Athletics Arena was slightly on the windy side for the first match in this year's Scottish Mens League on 20th April. In a moment of weakness, I decided a 3000m steeplechase and a 5000m was worth a shot (I'm the team manager so I've no excuse). This was my first attempt at steeplechase for 3 years so a personal best of 9:49.07 with some unsteady hurdling constituted success. Next up in the 5000m, I had a ding dong battle with Central pair Alistair Hay and Andrew Butchart, fresh from 800m and 1500m races respectively. Whether I had former two time Scottish Cross Country champion Hay worried at any time as I took the lead at various stages I'm not sure but I certainly had no answer to his final lap pace increase which took his team mate with him. Still, 15:14.82, 7 seconds adrift from Hay and less than a second behind Butchart and running the second half of the race quicker than the first went down as a satisfactory shift. With both races running Divisions 1 and 2 together, I had the consolation prize of winning the Division 2 contest in each.

 

So that's been my lot recently. No huge targets on the agenda. Simply racing when I want, training well and ticking along nicely.