2014- My Year In Running

2014 Statistics

2014 in words and numbers.

Races- 28, constituted thus:-

Road- 12

Track- 11 (10 outdoors, 1 indoors)

Cross Country- 4
Trail- 1

1st places- 3 (includes team position in Lanarkshire Road Relay)
2nd places- 6
3rd places- 5 (includes team position in National Road Relay)

Clubs and Regions Represented:-

Ronhill Cambuslang Harriers- 20

Whitemoss- 7

West of Scotland- 1 (Scottish Inter District Cross Country Championships)

Personal or Course Bests Set
9 (not including courses run for the first time)

Championship Results:-

Scottish Inter District Cross Country Championships (8km)- 27:01, 12th place, team silver
Scottish National Cross Country Championships (12km)- did not finish
Scottish National Road Relay Championships (3.15 miles, 1st leg)- 15:47, team silver
Scottish and West District 10 Mile Road Race Championships (both incorporated in the Tom Scott Road Race)- 53:44, Scottish individual bronze, Scottish team silver, West individual bronze
Scottish Track 10,000m Championships- 31:07, individual bronze
Scottish 5km Road Race Championships- 15:02, 7th place, team gold
Scottish Track 5000m- 15:45, 11th place
Scottish West District 10km Road Race Championships- 31:28, individual gold
Scottish 10km Road Race Championships- 30:34, 5th place, team bronze
Lanarkshire Road Relay Championships (4km, 4th leg)- 12:22, team gold
Scottish National Cross Country Relay Championships (4km, 3rd leg)- 13:43, 6th placed team

Scottish West District Cross Country Championships (10km approx)- 36:07, 11th place, team gold

Other Achievements
Scottish Road Running Grand Prix, 4th place
 

Longest Race
Half Marathon
 

Shortest Race
800m

Best Race
Any of the races above where I won individual and/or team medals could qualify. However, for the level of preparation and sacrifice put in (an overnight stay in Carlisle the day before the race), my 5000m personal best of 14:46.44 at the BMC meeting in Manchester gave me huge satisfaction.

Worst Race
I could easily point to the National Cross Country but I barely ran any of the race (around half of the first of the three 4km laps) to make a review worthwhile. Out of the races I completed, the 5000m at the Scottish Championships in Kilmarnock (result above) was so poor, I didn't write a report. The weather was against me (due to my asthma, I don't cope well with strong winds) but I still put up little resistance which was the most disappointing aspect.

A close second was my leg at the National Cross Country Relay. I was experiencing huge stress in my previous employment at the time and, on the day, I simply went through the motions.
 

Most Enjoyable Race
One run for the first time, the Kilmaurs Gala 5km Road Race. I nearly missed it because I couldn't find the venue but thankfully I did. An honourable mention also for the Dundonald 10km Road Race the following week, an old favourite I returned to in 2014 after a 3 year absence.

Summary
Initially, I think of 2014 as a patchy year but, on closer review, there is a lot to be proud of. Something I haven't mentioned until now was winning the first ever individual title of my near 20 year athletics career, the West District 10km at Kirkintilloch. A huge contributing factor to my National DNF in February was the huge mistake in October 2013 of running a marathon. It took me months to recover. When I did though, I got some rewards.

The perception of patchiness could be attributed to me racing only once in the final 2 months of the year due to turbulent employment circumstances. Still, what's happened has happened and I'm now re-establishing myself elsewhere in the hope that calmer waters will lead to more consistency of performance in training and races. I have said before that a boring, consistent training diary is my favourite kind. Should my 2015 edition turn into a cure for insomnia, you won't find anyone happier!