British Milers Club Grand Prix, Manchester, 1st June 2013

Photos courtesy of Adrian Royle Photography. 

With a 2 week holiday coming up in the middle of July to break up the summer, the 5000m at the British Milers Club (BMC) meeting in Manchester formed my target race for this first half. Having run 15:14 after an earlier race that day and 15:09 on another day with heavy training in my legs at previous Mens League meetings, I felt this race was my chance to go under 15 minutes on the track for the first time since Bedford last August. I pulled back training in the week leading up and got a good night's sleep. I then simply hoped for a hassle free drive on race day. Thankfully it worked out that way, getting to Manchester without a hitch. I called in to a garage to fill up with diesel and asked directions to Sport City just to make sure. The track is located next to the Etihad Stadium which was used for the 2002 Commonwealth Games and is now home to Manchester City FC. Out the garage, turn left, end of the road, turn right. Easy....or it would have been if I'd been going to Old Trafford because that's where these directions lead me! A minor blip.

The track was the warm up area during the Commonwealth Games. The whole complex had a huge buzz about it with thousands of concert goers waiting to see Muse later that night. After getting a bite to eat in Asda then a bit of general milling about, my Mum, Dad and brother left me to go to declarations and gather my thoughts. My race, the C race, was quite early in a packed programme, at 6pm, which was a relief since I'd be driving home afterwards and being in either the A or B races after 9pm would have meant a very late departure. Next time I enter one of these, I'll do an overnight.

Club vests were acceptable but I felt I'd worked hard to earn my BMC member's vest so pulled it on for my debut race as a member. It had lay in the polythene since the day I got it, the same day as the Battle of Inverkip (see my 2012 West District Cross Country write up). I recognised VP City of Glasgow's Sean Fontana, who now works down south, but everyone else in the race were unknown quantities, as was I no doubt to them. I had my target pace in mind and knew I'd get the result I wanted if I managed it. Position would take care of itself.

Lining up in a large field of 18, I slowly worked my way up to 3rd behind the pacemaker and a guy in a green vest. Strangely, a first lap of 72 seconds felt very comfortable. This is exactly 15 minute pace so actually slightly slower than I wanted. I trusted the pacemaker to do his job though and soon enough, the pace did quicken to 70-71 seconds per lap. I knew I would have to work to sustain this later but, in the meantime, just tried to get a few laps behind me without feeling too strained.

 Above: tucking in behind the pacemaker (blue vest) and early leader (336).

By 2km, the pace at the front was around 14:40 pace. Once the pacemaker stepped aside, the green vest in front seemed to almost literally die a death. In a 75m-100m stretch, I gained on him stride for stride and overtook into the lead. I was now out in front working on my own. I passed 3km in 8:49, still on for under 15 minutes. All the work was being done on my own though. I front ran, ticking off the laps, doing my utmost to keep my shape. The 4th kilometre was a lonely one and my pace suffered. No-one caught me though and I rallied in the final kilometre. 

Above: being pursued in the later stages.

Sometimes, you have a sense someone is about to pass you. Sure enough, on the bell for the last lap, Sean Fontana came alongside and overtook. I tried to keep in contact but I'd blown a gasket. Still, a 69 second final lap brought me 2nd place and a time of 14:50.24, just outside my track best of 14:48.03. A good performance having taken on the pace alone. Sean clocked a deserved personal best of 14:46.88. He was one of 11 athletes out of the 18 finishers to run personal bests. Another 5, including me, ran season bests. However, I really need a sprint finish. My kilometre splits were 2:56, 2:53, 3:00, 3:02 and 2:59. I can see where the 2 seconds I was outside my best disappeared to.

On my warm down, I snaked through the last remaining folk still to take their places for the concert, turned down more than one bootlegger's offer of a ticket, gave Sarah Benson some encouragement in her 3000m steeplechase, chatted to Craig Ruddy and Elspeth Curran, both running 5000m races later on, then, after a hot dog and chips, set off home. I got in at midnight but my mind was too active to sleep so I had a wee beer with my parents and brother before finally going to bed in the small hours more than happy with how things had gone. As recently as 2011, these races weren't on my radar. Being in them feels fantastic. I know the improvement will stop sometime. I'll simply keep enjoying the rollercoaster while it lasts.

5000m race results

Auldhouse 5km Time Trial, 6th June 2013

Following a tough outing over 5000m in Manchester (report still to come) and a challenging few days in the office, I was in the mood to do something different and more light hearted in a training sense. I therefore paid a visit to my old club, Calderglen Harriers, to participate in their monthly summer 5km time trial. This is run by the Harriers as part of training on the first Thursday of each month from May to September inclusive. Incredibly, as I looked back at the times from previous years, I last took part in 2008. My fastest time in 3 attempts was 17:10.

 

Having conveyed my Manchester 5000m time (I'm keeping it a secret until the report is up) to Harriers coach Alan Derrick, a course record by a long way was the prediction. No pressure there then. Andrew Buchanan clocked the record on 7th August 2008 with 16:50, the same night I in fact ran my 17:10! The course is a tough, undulating circuit on East Kilbride's country roads, taking in the small village of Auldhouse, hence the event name, and Langlands Golf Course and nature reserve. I've run on these roads countless times but trying a sustained effort on them is another matter.

 

After a warm up on the road with Calderglen men Ian Hughes and Charlie MacDougall, a former Cambuslang Harrier, while the rest took a more scenic (and longer) route through the Calderglen trail, it came to the start. In the absence of Alan on work related business, Harriers secretary Russell Couper, with the help of Eddie Reid, set the participants off at 30 second intervals. Russell took great delight in telling me I would be setting off 23rd and it became apparent, as more and more runners were sent on their way, that there were only 23 participants. So, 11 minutes or so after the first runner began and with the sort of "encouragement" only a guy like Russell can give ringing in my ears, I chased down the 22 others.

 

The downhill start can be cruel since it is immediately followed by a long uphill drag by a farm then a right turn into another long, slightly uphill stretch. Another right takes you into a welcome descent leading straight into a climb into Auldhouse. This road is part of my usual long Windfarm run. The top of the hill brings you to the back gate of a property home to an Alsatian which always has a facial expression suggesting it would like nothing more than one of my limbs with salt and vinegar. Maybe I shouldn't antagonise the creature by waving every time I run past. A right turn (thankfully away from said gate) follows, past the Auldhouse Arms then out the village towards the Langlands area, following the country road to the finish, roughly 150m-200m from the start.

 

I couldn't tell how fast I was going but I worked hard and caught a few people before the finish line though definitely not all. The course record duly fell as I completed the circuit in 16:20. Ian was 2nd quickest and took 28 seconds off his May clocking with 18:07 while Charlie ran 19:06, well run by an over 60 on a testing course. The honour of fastest lady went to Joanne McEvoy with 21:45, only slightly slower than she ran in May.

 

Overall, this was a pleasant way to spend an evening. Pure comfort eating rounded things off, stopping for a half pizza supper. Again, something different if not so light on the heart, or cholestorol.

Round Up- Keeping Up with the Hawkins Brothers

Photo courtesy of Gillian Scott.

Races since the Troon 10k have gone well. My outing at the BMC meeting in Manchester will be covered in a separate post. This one contains a few words about two races I used as preparation. Often you hear people talk about "training through races." Generally it refers to races you don't see as targets but instead train as normal, hence, "train through" them plus, in my case with the first one, treat the Saturday night before like any other.

Scottish Athletics Mens League Division 2 Match 2, 19th May 2013

Whether it was my 14 mile run at Whitelee Windfarm the day before, having a beer or 3 watching Eurovision or a combination of both, I felt quite flat going to this meeting at Grangemouth. In sorting out team manager duties, I selected myself for a 400m and 5000m. However, as I went through my warm up routine, it became apparent my legs were not up for the effort required to run the minimum 400m points standard of 60 seconds on this occasion so intimated my withdrawal to the official in charge at the start. My legs were heavy before the 5000m but there was enough there and the weather was on my side.

 

As for the race, I gradually worked my way up to 3rd place behind a returning from USA Calum Hawkins of Kilbarchan, whose brother I would race later in the week, and Central's UK international Scott McDonald. They were together, working off each other. I strived to keep in contact to get the benefit as well but couldn't quite bridge the gap and ran much of the race in a bit of a no mans land with a gap in front and behind. Encouragingly I kept a consistent pace (7:32 first half and 7:37 second half) in clocking 15:09, 5 seconds quicker than my time on a more blustery day in Kilmarnock. It felt enough for one day. I had no energy for any more racing. McDonald won the race in 14:52 by 2 seconds from Hawkins while my 3rd place overall was sufficient to score maximum points in the Division 2 competition. I had given a lift to 2 of my team members, Craig Whyteside and Zach Bryson, so rather than keep them hanging around while I warmed down to ease my legs, drove back to East Kilbride with them and went a 30 minute jog from home.

Clydebank 10k Road Race, 23rd May 2013

I headed into this race with a 7.5 mile run home from work on the Monday, hill reps on the Tuesday and an easy 6 miler on the Wednesday behind me. Like Troon, I spent the afternoon in our East Kilbride office to ensure a quick getaway and some pre-race encouragement from our property manager Myra whose son Daniel takes part competitively in swimming. As I've eluded to in the past, racing midweek can be tough in terms of motivation straight after a working day so little things like a more relaxed work environment and a friendly voice like Myra's really help.

Having run well in a heatwave last year, I was keen to see what I could produce in more favourable conditions. The first person I saw at the start/finish area was Calum Hawkins' older brother Derek, a UK international who ran within the Commonwealth Games qualifying time for the marathon at the London Marathon in April. We were the first two athletes to arrive there and seemed to be giving each other sideways glances as we went through our respective warm ups. Would we be the first two back?

This course is more or less two laps on the Forth and Clyde Canal. Shettleston had a strong contingent in force. Once things settled down, I found myself battling for 2nd place with Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab having passed his countryman Amanuel Hagos. Hawkins had forged a gap but one I didn't consider insurmountable. Between 4 and 5km, we crossed a bridge going slightly uphill where I surged a little to move into 2nd. I also ran hard off the hill in an attempt to open a gap. I then looked ahead to Hawkins. I pursued him with all I had but couldn't surmount the gap. I did however do enough to finish runner up to  him which I was absoloutely delighted with. Mengisteab finished 2 seconds adrift of me.

Above: approaching the finish (prematurely as it turned out) with Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab on my tail.

That might seem a brief report. It's because I've plenty to add on other things. Hawkins crossed the finish line in 28:45 with myself in 29:14. As much as I'd love to have that as a 10km time, I knew it wasn't accurate and Derek acknowledged his wasn't either. It transpired that the lead bike took Derek the wrong way and I, encouragingly being close enough to do so I suppose, followed them. The next 6 guys followed me. The problem was the turning point was too early and cut 380m off the course. I can forgive the guy on the bike. Anyone can make a mistake. However, the marshal at that point, instead of paying attention, was playing on her mobile phone rather than watching the race. Had she been doing her job, the lead bike would have been noticed, corrected and kept on the correct route. None of this happened so the first 8 of us were cheated out of a true 10km race. In my case, I lost out on bettering my personal best of 30:41 which I was bang on schedule to do.

This is not the first occasion I've come a cropper in Clydebank. A few years ago, a marshal misdirection saw a number of us go off course and run further than the 10km route. The organisers also need to seriously revise the course because the 2 lap set up is no good to anyone. I, and no doubt dozens of others, found myself lapping countless people, most of whom were oblivious to me despite I, marshals and spectators shouting warnings. That's what happens when people choose to run wearing I Pods. They should be banned and any participant caught wearing them ought to be pulled from the race, no ifs, buts or maybes. As for the course, the first lap needs to be over a longer loop to let the field thin out and lessen the congestion.

Finally, this race is part of a series comprising other 10km races in Helensburgh, Dumbarton and Loch Lomond. The results system this year has been a shambles with numerous people, including myself, listed without clubs and, in my case anyway, losing out on team prizes. The race series is not cheap (£14 per race or £42 for all 4), hundreds participate and it is heavily sponsored. There is no excuse for this year's sub standard offering. I for one will seriously reconsider my future participation in light of this year's experience. Having been involved in race organisation in the past, I know mistakes can happen but this series has been established for over 10 years and the errors made this year are completely avoidable.

Cambuslang Results from Clydebank

2nd: Stuart Gibson, 29:14 (380m short)

7th: Robert Gilroy, 30:14 (380m short)

24th: Dave Thom, 35:25

34th: George Pettit, 35:51

46th: Robert Rossborough, 36:37