This is the first of a 4 part feature which does exactly as it says in the title. I begin with the Isle of Arran Half Marathon on 29th June 2008.
"Unsuccessful title defence. Steady in 5th for 7 miles, blew a gasket, dropped 2 places. Need to get into much better shape than now."
"Unsuccessful title defence. Steady in 5th for 7 miles, blew a gasket, dropped 2 places. Need to get into much better shape than now."
That, word for word, is the entry in my training diary following this race. After finishing my legal traineeship in mid June, I immediately went off on holiday with my brother to Torremolinos in the Costa del Sol for 10 days. I returned on a Friday night in time to defend my title in the Isle of Arran Half Marathon 2 days later. The year before, I won the race in 1:15:49 to record my first ever road race victory. I had the trophy to return and it was a nice excuse for a day out.
Above: the start of the 2009 race leaving Blackwaterfoot. I fared a little better that year, finishing runner up.
The Half Marathon is effectively a one man operation, organised by Whiting Bay resident Paul Emsley who enlists the help of locals for marshaling duty. Entry gets you a seat on the bus from the ferry terminal at Brodick to the race start in Blackwaterfoot, use of the showers and swimming pool in the Kinloch Hotel after the race, food and drink at the prize giving and a bus back to Brodick. All this for £6. Oh yes, and the race.
While not expecting to win again, I had done a wee bit of jogging under the Spanish sun to break up the long hard days sunbathing and evenings sipping pints in bars watching the Spanish football side reach the final of Euro 2008. Surely that would be enough? Warm weather training albeit with copious amounts of alcohol consumed and no early nights.
Paul Emsley duly set us on our way out of Blackwaterfoot onto the B roads leading us to the small hamlets of Shiskine and Machrie. I settled myself into 4th place at a pace I felt I could maintain. The first test came at 3 miles with a climb up Machrie Moor. I was a little breathless at the top but I had a fast, flat section leading down to the coast to get a breather. I dropped down to 5th which didn't concern me too much because I was keeping my pace up. The leaders were long gone.
At around 6 miles, the course turns inland up a steady climb then, at 8 miles, joins the ring road connecting Brodick and Blackwaterfoot. From there, you essentially follow the bus route back to Blackwaterfoot. My Spanish training camp had not encompassed any hill reps and I was really starting to feel it in my legs. I was barely halfway. I gratefully took water from a nice local lady manning a water station near her cottage and battled on. My legs were like lead. I had another problem. A blister was developing on the sole of one of my feet.
On the ring road, I sensed I was going to start getting caught. Sure enough, Toni McIntosh of Ayr Seaforth and Irvine's Brian Craig bounded past me. I held on to them...for around 30m. More ailments were developing. My blister got a companion on the sole of my other foot where the skin was starting to split. My shorts were also starting to rub my thighs, developing a rash on each. I battled on gamely keeping a running action going counting down the miles. Like an oasis in the desert, the sign "Welcome to Blackwaterfoot" manifested itself. My Dad gave me a polite applause as I hobbled across the finish line 7th in 1:22:24. From 9 miles or so I had been down to 1:30-1:35 pace. Quite a spectacular title defence! I made use of the swimming pool where my whole body hurt and the rashes on my thighs nipped in the chlorine.
I wasn't worried about this result and had enjoyed a pleasant day (well, pre and post race) in one of Scotland's many beauty spots. I was also glad to have 3 days recovery time before starting my new job. However, as I sipped an "Arran Blonde" beer on the ferry back to the mainland, I gave myself a target to get into shape for- the 5000m at the Scottish Senior Track and Field Championships on 31st August. That's the subject of part 2.
While not expecting to win again, I had done a wee bit of jogging under the Spanish sun to break up the long hard days sunbathing and evenings sipping pints in bars watching the Spanish football side reach the final of Euro 2008. Surely that would be enough? Warm weather training albeit with copious amounts of alcohol consumed and no early nights.
Paul Emsley duly set us on our way out of Blackwaterfoot onto the B roads leading us to the small hamlets of Shiskine and Machrie. I settled myself into 4th place at a pace I felt I could maintain. The first test came at 3 miles with a climb up Machrie Moor. I was a little breathless at the top but I had a fast, flat section leading down to the coast to get a breather. I dropped down to 5th which didn't concern me too much because I was keeping my pace up. The leaders were long gone.
At around 6 miles, the course turns inland up a steady climb then, at 8 miles, joins the ring road connecting Brodick and Blackwaterfoot. From there, you essentially follow the bus route back to Blackwaterfoot. My Spanish training camp had not encompassed any hill reps and I was really starting to feel it in my legs. I was barely halfway. I gratefully took water from a nice local lady manning a water station near her cottage and battled on. My legs were like lead. I had another problem. A blister was developing on the sole of one of my feet.
On the ring road, I sensed I was going to start getting caught. Sure enough, Toni McIntosh of Ayr Seaforth and Irvine's Brian Craig bounded past me. I held on to them...for around 30m. More ailments were developing. My blister got a companion on the sole of my other foot where the skin was starting to split. My shorts were also starting to rub my thighs, developing a rash on each. I battled on gamely keeping a running action going counting down the miles. Like an oasis in the desert, the sign "Welcome to Blackwaterfoot" manifested itself. My Dad gave me a polite applause as I hobbled across the finish line 7th in 1:22:24. From 9 miles or so I had been down to 1:30-1:35 pace. Quite a spectacular title defence! I made use of the swimming pool where my whole body hurt and the rashes on my thighs nipped in the chlorine.
I wasn't worried about this result and had enjoyed a pleasant day (well, pre and post race) in one of Scotland's many beauty spots. I was also glad to have 3 days recovery time before starting my new job. However, as I sipped an "Arran Blonde" beer on the ferry back to the mainland, I gave myself a target to get into shape for- the 5000m at the Scottish Senior Track and Field Championships on 31st August. That's the subject of part 2.
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