Having been slagged off from some quarters for not producing my own version of events from Livingston (well, from Charlie Thomson, writer's block to blame), here we go.
Reading back my report on the Clydesdale Harriers 5km, I note that I said that we were looking good for the Scottish Road Relay Championships. For once, a prediction of mine actually turned out to be correct. Anyone who knows about my attempts at the football fixed odds or the horses can vouch that Mystic Meg has nothing to fear from me. Whilst our senior men have achieved medal winning performances every year since 2011, from 2007 onwards, the golds secured by our over 40s and 50s in their own age categories in recent years have eluded us. That was all to change. The turning of the tide proved to be a gradual process throughout the race.
Back at the familiar Livingston venue with the tried and trusted alternate 3.15 miles (legs, 1, 3 and 5) and 5.8 miles laps (legs 2, 4 and 6), Iain Reid gave us a solid start, finishing in 8th place but only 25 seconds off the leaders (Corstorphine), thus, giving me plenty people to compete against on leg 2. I managed to gain 4 places, the last of which was former Central man John Newsom, now with Inverness Harriers. He was going very well and it took a considerable effort from me to catch then overtake him. I spent virtually the whole leg in the shadow of Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab (Shettleston) but couldn't make any inroads on the gap. I wasn't feeling great which usually means I'm running strongly. So it proved, my time of 29:21 being half a minute quicker than last year and thankfully reversing my trend of gradually slowing times on the long leg since setting my course best of 29:02 in 2012. I had a nervous finish with Inverclyde's Craig Ruddy (29:01) in hot pursuit. I (with great relief) held on by 2 seconds. A familiar name now lead, Central.
Craig Jardine then set off and, in clocking the 2nd fastest short leg of the day (15:41), hauled us into the medal positions. On the same leg, Johnny Glen ran the fastest time (15:30) to put Inverclyde into pole position. On leg 4, Robert Gilroy took us up 2 places into the lead followed by Corstorphine, Inverclyde and Central. The 4th change in the lead in as many legs. A narrow advantage of 8 seconds was extended to 46 by Ryan Thomson's 3rd fastest short leg (15:43). Central were now 2nd, Corstorphine 3rd and Inverclyde 4th. Kyle McLellan, currently enduring gruelling shifts as a junior doctor in the east of Scotland, kept his nerve to bring us in 24 seconds ahead of Central. Inverclyde were a further 18 seconds back and Corstorphine another 19 seconds after that. This was easily the most competitive edition of this race for several years and the most topsy turvy.
What it all meant was a 4th title win for Cambuslang's senior men, 9 years after our last one, not the 3rd as previously stated. Thank you to Charlie Thomson for the correction. He should know because he was in at least 2 of the teams! National gold medals are hard to come by. I now have 2 (Scottish 5km Road Race and this event), both team medals, and I certainly value them. No-one should ever underestimate how hard they are to win. I don't.
As well documented elsewhere in Scottish athletics circles, Cambuslang created some history with our over 40 and over 50 teams also winning golds, meaning a clean sweep of all the male categories. It's also worth mentioning our ladies team of 4 finishing 7th. We've never had a ladies team in this race before.
I can't put my finger on it as I write this but there's certainly a greater buoyancy about Cambuslang from top to bottom than there has been for some years. Whatever the reasons are, it's welcome and long may it continue.
Results from the day's races can be found here.
Reading back my report on the Clydesdale Harriers 5km, I note that I said that we were looking good for the Scottish Road Relay Championships. For once, a prediction of mine actually turned out to be correct. Anyone who knows about my attempts at the football fixed odds or the horses can vouch that Mystic Meg has nothing to fear from me. Whilst our senior men have achieved medal winning performances every year since 2011, from 2007 onwards, the golds secured by our over 40s and 50s in their own age categories in recent years have eluded us. That was all to change. The turning of the tide proved to be a gradual process throughout the race.
Back at the familiar Livingston venue with the tried and trusted alternate 3.15 miles (legs, 1, 3 and 5) and 5.8 miles laps (legs 2, 4 and 6), Iain Reid gave us a solid start, finishing in 8th place but only 25 seconds off the leaders (Corstorphine), thus, giving me plenty people to compete against on leg 2. I managed to gain 4 places, the last of which was former Central man John Newsom, now with Inverness Harriers. He was going very well and it took a considerable effort from me to catch then overtake him. I spent virtually the whole leg in the shadow of Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab (Shettleston) but couldn't make any inroads on the gap. I wasn't feeling great which usually means I'm running strongly. So it proved, my time of 29:21 being half a minute quicker than last year and thankfully reversing my trend of gradually slowing times on the long leg since setting my course best of 29:02 in 2012. I had a nervous finish with Inverclyde's Craig Ruddy (29:01) in hot pursuit. I (with great relief) held on by 2 seconds. A familiar name now lead, Central.
Craig Jardine then set off and, in clocking the 2nd fastest short leg of the day (15:41), hauled us into the medal positions. On the same leg, Johnny Glen ran the fastest time (15:30) to put Inverclyde into pole position. On leg 4, Robert Gilroy took us up 2 places into the lead followed by Corstorphine, Inverclyde and Central. The 4th change in the lead in as many legs. A narrow advantage of 8 seconds was extended to 46 by Ryan Thomson's 3rd fastest short leg (15:43). Central were now 2nd, Corstorphine 3rd and Inverclyde 4th. Kyle McLellan, currently enduring gruelling shifts as a junior doctor in the east of Scotland, kept his nerve to bring us in 24 seconds ahead of Central. Inverclyde were a further 18 seconds back and Corstorphine another 19 seconds after that. This was easily the most competitive edition of this race for several years and the most topsy turvy.
What it all meant was a 4th title win for Cambuslang's senior men, 9 years after our last one, not the 3rd as previously stated. Thank you to Charlie Thomson for the correction. He should know because he was in at least 2 of the teams! National gold medals are hard to come by. I now have 2 (Scottish 5km Road Race and this event), both team medals, and I certainly value them. No-one should ever underestimate how hard they are to win. I don't.
As well documented elsewhere in Scottish athletics circles, Cambuslang created some history with our over 40 and over 50 teams also winning golds, meaning a clean sweep of all the male categories. It's also worth mentioning our ladies team of 4 finishing 7th. We've never had a ladies team in this race before.
I can't put my finger on it as I write this but there's certainly a greater buoyancy about Cambuslang from top to bottom than there has been for some years. Whatever the reasons are, it's welcome and long may it continue.
Results from the day's races can be found here.
Above: team members from the 3 male medal winning teams. Photo courtesy of Scottish Athletics.
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