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.
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