By the Thursday night before this race, we were one short of the required team of 4. As previously eluded to, I am feeling the need to keep my running fresh so volunteered myself to make up the numbers.
The Shettleston Harriers organised Allan Scally Relay has a long history going back over 60 years. Two good articles to this effect can be found on Shettleston's website and also here. I ran the race several times over the old traditional course round Baillieston, including an interminably long stretch along Edinburgh Road, for both Calderglen Harriers and Glasgow University Hares and Hounds. My last appearance was in 2008 and, with the police forcing a change of course the following year, this would be my first time running the race in its new guise. The start and finish is now located in a park off Mount Vernon Road instead of across from Bannerman High School as before. A generally flat and slightly downhill first half and hillier second half took you through virtually every residential street in Mount Vernon. At least it felt like that by the end.
For the record, Robert Gilroy brought us in 3rd behind the host club and Edinburgh University, clocking 24:27 for the 4.8 miles. I took over in pursuit of both teams though could not see Shettleston's runner, Brian McGarrity. I pushed hard, eventually closing down and passing the Uni's runner. I had a glimpse of Brian and, after initially thinking it was a tall order, also overtook him but not without a huge effort. With no-one to chase thereafter, not even any runners to lap, I really toiled with the hills biting hard into my legs. I clocked 24:35 to finish with a 20 second lead.
Our 3rd and 4th leg runners, Peter Ogden and Simon Gold, gave it their very best shots to keep us in the top half, a tough task to undertake when aware there are likely to be faster runners chasing you down. Both put in very gallant efforts to maintain a top 10 position, 8th being our final result. The race constituted a good competitive workout for me. For a warm down, my Dad dropped me at Glasgow Green and I jogged a couple of miles from there to my Gran's in the Gorbals to pick up my Mum.
I refer to a postscript in the title of this post. I may elaborate further at a later date but for now I simply record my dismay at how a once proud race has fallen on such hard times. The statistics make for sobering reading. On my debut appearance in 2001, 41 complete male teams and 11 complete female teams finished the race. While the female numbers have actually remained steady (13 complete teams this year), the male numbers have fallen in dramatic fashion with 19 complete teams contesting the race in 2015. The Scally doubles as a university relay championship and 8 of those 19 teams came from universities. 4 of the female teams were universities. Take these away, you are left with 11 male and 9 female non-university club teams. I sensed a bit of malaise as soon as I arrived after finding a parking space at the school with great ease and with the start/finish area simply not feeling busy. The buzz of racing was replaced with a feeling of going through the motions and I found it extremely difficult to motivate myself as I warmed up and waited to take over from Robert. I set off however to put in an honest effort which I probably paid for in the later stages. Hundreds of people are turning out every week at what are essentially glorified training runs (Parkruns) yet races like the Scally are barely remaining viable. There has to be a reason why the customers are no longer turning up. Finding that reason is the easy part. Finding the solution less so.
The Shettleston Harriers organised Allan Scally Relay has a long history going back over 60 years. Two good articles to this effect can be found on Shettleston's website and also here. I ran the race several times over the old traditional course round Baillieston, including an interminably long stretch along Edinburgh Road, for both Calderglen Harriers and Glasgow University Hares and Hounds. My last appearance was in 2008 and, with the police forcing a change of course the following year, this would be my first time running the race in its new guise. The start and finish is now located in a park off Mount Vernon Road instead of across from Bannerman High School as before. A generally flat and slightly downhill first half and hillier second half took you through virtually every residential street in Mount Vernon. At least it felt like that by the end.
For the record, Robert Gilroy brought us in 3rd behind the host club and Edinburgh University, clocking 24:27 for the 4.8 miles. I took over in pursuit of both teams though could not see Shettleston's runner, Brian McGarrity. I pushed hard, eventually closing down and passing the Uni's runner. I had a glimpse of Brian and, after initially thinking it was a tall order, also overtook him but not without a huge effort. With no-one to chase thereafter, not even any runners to lap, I really toiled with the hills biting hard into my legs. I clocked 24:35 to finish with a 20 second lead.
Our 3rd and 4th leg runners, Peter Ogden and Simon Gold, gave it their very best shots to keep us in the top half, a tough task to undertake when aware there are likely to be faster runners chasing you down. Both put in very gallant efforts to maintain a top 10 position, 8th being our final result. The race constituted a good competitive workout for me. For a warm down, my Dad dropped me at Glasgow Green and I jogged a couple of miles from there to my Gran's in the Gorbals to pick up my Mum.
I refer to a postscript in the title of this post. I may elaborate further at a later date but for now I simply record my dismay at how a once proud race has fallen on such hard times. The statistics make for sobering reading. On my debut appearance in 2001, 41 complete male teams and 11 complete female teams finished the race. While the female numbers have actually remained steady (13 complete teams this year), the male numbers have fallen in dramatic fashion with 19 complete teams contesting the race in 2015. The Scally doubles as a university relay championship and 8 of those 19 teams came from universities. 4 of the female teams were universities. Take these away, you are left with 11 male and 9 female non-university club teams. I sensed a bit of malaise as soon as I arrived after finding a parking space at the school with great ease and with the start/finish area simply not feeling busy. The buzz of racing was replaced with a feeling of going through the motions and I found it extremely difficult to motivate myself as I warmed up and waited to take over from Robert. I set off however to put in an honest effort which I probably paid for in the later stages. Hundreds of people are turning out every week at what are essentially glorified training runs (Parkruns) yet races like the Scally are barely remaining viable. There has to be a reason why the customers are no longer turning up. Finding that reason is the easy part. Finding the solution less so.
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