Swedish Memories

This weekend past stirred a few memories in me. The annual Eurovision Song Contest took place in the Swedish city of Malmo. This time 9 years ago, I was an exchange student in the town of Lund, a 10 minute train journey from Malmo. I can only imagine that Lund, especially the student population, would have had a party atmosphere with Eurovision in such close proximity.

I specifically recall, on the day of the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, I took part in the Gothenburg Half Marathon. After the race, I embarked on a 3 hour trip on the train south back to Lund. As the conductor came round to check my train ticket, he indicated that the first class area was empty and I should go through to help myself to a seat. I took up this offer and spread myself over two of them. I actually made it back in time to head out to watch the contest with my Swedish flatmates then party into the night. The Swedish entry was called "Det Gor Ont" which translates roughly as "It Hurts." I know this because there was an Engligh version of the song. I heard both versions on radio in Sweden often enough. I often found, as the refreshments flowed of an evening, the foreigners I became acquainted with had less difficulty understanding me. Similarly, my Swedish improved to the point I just about learned all the words of the song. That is both versions. The non-English one can be found here. Catchy!

Suffice to say, I reflected on some happy memories as this year's contest played out, even digging out my half marathon medal plus a CD of another song I liked which two of my Swedish flatmates gave me as a leaving present. The song is called "Var Ska Vi Sova I Natt." This translates as "Where Shall We Sleep Tonight." Don't ask! Listen to it here. 

Something I noted on TV was the use of a bridge on which the competing singers walked to enter the arena. This depicted the Oresund Bridge, a structure which links mainland Sweden to Denmark by road and rail. Given the Danes won this year and presumably the 2014 contest will be in Copenhagen, maybe the same bridge could be used to save on presentation costs and I can again write a nostalgic article like this one.

Above: Gothenburgh Half Marathon 2004 medal.

Troon Tortoises 10k Road Race, 8th May 2013

The Troon 10k and I have a bit of previous. This would be my 5th appearance over a period of 12 years. Troon was my 2nd ever 10k back in 2001 when I clocked a time of 41:20, a then personal best. Another best followed in 2002, 35:43, which proved a bit of a curse because a nightmare run of form followed for the rest of the year, capped by an asthma diagnosis early in 2003. I fared even worse that year, 39:50 on a rain lashed, galeforce night. 2009 was my most recent effort in one of my early Cambuslang races, 33:31 for 8th place.

I didn't ease off for the race, doing 2 runs totalling 15 miles on Saturday, 7 miles on Sunday, 7.5 miles worth of efforts on the road on Bank Holiday Monday and a 7.5 mile run home from work on Tuesday. This plus wearing new racing shoes and very windy conditions meant I remained realistic about what to expect. I managed to spend the afternoon in our East Kilbride office to prevent any hold ups in Burnside. My Dad came to direct me. My Mum came for the hurl in my new car.

Cambuslang were 5 handed with myself, Robert Gilroy, Stephen Paris, Dave Thom and Robert Rossborough. If only there had been a team prize. Sadly not.

It was one of those nights when you just wanted to get on with it. Eventually we did and a large group took on the first kilometre along the coast into the wind and sand blast. I was happy to try and hide behind others. Robert Gilroy was among those who took the early pace. Michael Deason (Shettleston) was in the field. I couldn't see him but sometimes you don't need to see someone to know they are there. Turning inland towards the 2km mark, I upped the pace which seemed to splinter the group because I was suddenly on my own in the lead. I wasn't keen on a long, solo 5 mile effort so in a sense felt relieved when Deason came up beside me.

With the course more shaded, we ran stride for stride for the next few kilometres. Knowing he had run the Tiree Half Marathon 4 days earlier and if it came down to a sprint he would have the edge, I tried to keep upping the ante, keeping a half stride or so ahead. We passed halfway in 16:02. Both of us have sub 31 minute 10km times to our name so this shows the intensity of the wind early on. At 6km we came to a hill which lead us over a bridge, down the other side then round a tight left turn towards the train station. Most people with sense will tell you to take hills gradually. I'm not blessed with much sense though so I took a risk, surging up the hill and throwing myself down the other side and round the corner. I'd gained a gap but regular readers (anyone?) will know my golden race rule of never looking behind so I didn't know by how much. I gauged it by measuring the time gap between spectators applauding me, stopping then applauding the next runner. Decent but not big enough that I could relax.

7-8km was another hellish windy stretch. From there it was back towards the coast then a final wind assisted kilometre to the finish. 8km in 25:41. I consciously increased my workrate again, covering the next kilometre in 3:02. I then surmised, provided I ran no slower than Deason in the last kilometre, I'd sealed it. 2:54 for the kilometre brought me to the finish in 31:35, a very pleasing time in trying conditions. Deason finished runner up in 31:57. Gilroy took 3rd in 32:39.

Above: final kilometre. Photo courtesy of Gillian Scott.

Sadly I sprained my left foot (probably on the corner just after 6km) so was in some discomfort on my warm down jog. I soon forgot about that when my Dad brought me in a fish supper while I waited for the prize giving and caught up on running gossip with various people including Kilmarnock Harriers Scott Martin and Kara Tait. This is the part of the sport I enjoy most. I maybe need to get out there and race more often in races like this, especially if the prizes are anything like the £100 I received.

So a good night's work. I trained the following night but had to call it quits for 3 days thereafter to let my foot heal. A course of deep heat and ice packs has worked so, as I write, I've long since recommenced training normally, continuing to tick along nicely.

Cambuslang results

1st: Stuart Gibson, 31:35

3rd: Robert Gilroy, 32:39

(Michael Deason split us with a time of 31:57)

13th: Stephen Paris, 35:56

16th: Dave Thom, 36:07- 1st vet over 50

37th: Robert Rossborough, 37:36

 As a footnote, thank you to Kerry Wilson for his support and treating my Dad to a chip shop dinner and Kilmarnock Harriers for allowing me use of their tent for my clothing during the race.

Ticking Along Nicely

Since the relay on Easter Sunday, I have ticked along nicely training wise. The content of training has been dependent on work commitments (a huge conveyancing and Court load) and racing so the consistency is found more in the numbers than the types of sessions. Since week beginning Monday 1st April, the weekly mileages have been 51, 54, 51, 56 and 52 with a good mix of sessions and runs. It's a case of making the most of the time available. For example, a run home from work (7.6 miles from Tesco car park in Burnside to my back gate in East Kilbride) has become more common, achievable by my Dad jumping the bus down, taking my work gear off me then driving my car home while I chase him on foot. Initially completing it in around 50 minutes, tonight, I broke 49 minutes. Racing the 21 bus from Burnside can be fun.

 

A 10 minute "out and back session" has also featured comprising a 10 minute effort on the road, 30 seconds recovery then turning round and another 10 minutes back the same way with a warm up to start and warm down to finish. It's a popular Cambuslang session but I've tried it on East Kilbride's undulating country roads. The first occasion I attempted it after my recent illness, I struggled to break 6 minute mile pace. Last week, in the company of clubmate, Alistair Campbell, I averaged approximately 5:10-5:15 per mile as did he more or less.

 

A mainstay which has returned though is the long Windfarm runs. A section of road on my usual route had been closed off, resulting in an unwanted diversion. I've now had a run at the Eaglesham Moor end of the Windfarm and two runs on my tried and trusted route, all on consecutive weeks. Little psychological boosts like that matter.

 

Amongst it all I've also raced, twice in the one afternoon. The Ayrshire Athletics Arena was slightly on the windy side for the first match in this year's Scottish Mens League on 20th April. In a moment of weakness, I decided a 3000m steeplechase and a 5000m was worth a shot (I'm the team manager so I've no excuse). This was my first attempt at steeplechase for 3 years so a personal best of 9:49.07 with some unsteady hurdling constituted success. Next up in the 5000m, I had a ding dong battle with Central pair Alistair Hay and Andrew Butchart, fresh from 800m and 1500m races respectively. Whether I had former two time Scottish Cross Country champion Hay worried at any time as I took the lead at various stages I'm not sure but I certainly had no answer to his final lap pace increase which took his team mate with him. Still, 15:14.82, 7 seconds adrift from Hay and less than a second behind Butchart and running the second half of the race quicker than the first went down as a satisfactory shift. With both races running Divisions 1 and 2 together, I had the consolation prize of winning the Division 2 contest in each.

 

So that's been my lot recently. No huge targets on the agenda. Simply racing when I want, training well and ticking along nicely.

Scottish Road Relay Championships, 31st March 2013

Covering for various absentees, I reluctantly agreed to line up for this race even though my preference was to get another full week's training behind me. I was allocated last leg and would be there to do what was required. Training in the week leading up looked like this:-

Monday: 7.6 miles easy (50:06)- no car so ran home from work with help from my Dad who drove through and collected my suit, briefcase and holdall from me.

Tuesday: 7 miles easy (46:19).

Wednesday: 8 x High Point hill reps, 7 miles including warm up and warm down- faster reps on a heavier surface which was encouraging.

Thursday: 2 x 10 minutes with 30 seconds recovery, (mile pace ranging from 5:30-5:35), 7.5 miles including warm up and warm down- again, faster pace than previous week.

Friday: Rest- off work but stuck to my traditional Friday rest day.

Saturday: 10 miles easy (1:04:04).

So little different to the previous week in content but an improvement in performance suggesting an element of fitness was coming. I had however warned the club to take me as they found me performance wise.

The race took place in Livingston for the 16th successive year with alternate short (3.15 miles) and long (5.8 miles) legs, 6 for men and 4 for women and male over 50 teams. Arriving just as the first legs were concluding, I learned that Jack Hamilton had us in 5th place with debutant Josh Lilly, a first claim member of Tipton Harriers in England, on the next leg. Given my history of taking wrong turnings, I took time to check out the latter part of the course. Even after 2 legs, some unbelievable gaps had opened up meaning, for many still to run, the race would become an individual time trial against the clock. UK international and 2:14 marathon runner Derek Hawkins hauled Kilbarchan into 2nd place with the fastest long leg of the day (28:03), 4 seconds adrift of Central's second leg man, Alex Hendry. Josh overhauled Corstorphine to take us into 3rd with a time of 29 minutes exact. Over the next 2 legs, we were in 4th while Kilbarchan gallantly held on to a medal position and Central and Corstorphine built up decisive advantages in 1st and 2nd respectively. Alistair Campbell and Ben Hukins though kept us in the medal hunt. On the short 5th leg, David Munro finally ended Kilbarchan's resistance, leaving me 3rd place to defend on what's often called the "anchor leg."

Being in a medal position, I knew what my job was. A Corstorphine runner in another team set off before me. I decided not to take any chances and set off assuming he was ahead of us and we were actually 4th. Thankfully, he was a leg behind me but, nevertheless, I felt better having passed him. The long leg is actually a better run in my mind than the short one since there are less twists and turns and more open parts where you can really push the pace. I tried to do just that. However, without any company, the motivation has to come from within though a shout at one point from Jamie Reid and Colin Feechan, warming down on the course, really helped. Eventually, I started to catch lapped runners which helped since it gave me targets to aim at.

Another thing about the course is the little inclines which eventually catch up with you the more tired you get. Whatever my final time, I was determined to leave it all effort wise on the course. My Dad had told me to imagine it was Derek Hawkins and myself head to head which isn't the worst advice he's ever given me! With half a mile to go though, it was hurting.

Above: the final straight to the finish.

 

 

I strode and groaned my way to the finish (beating my imaginary opponent in my head), consolidating 3rd place in a time of 29:45, 43 seconds slower than my time in 2012 but building our lead over Kilbarchan and only slightly slower than the anchor leg men for Central and Corstorphine, Ross Houston (29:35) and Dougie Selman (29:37). If anything, the race showed me my level of fitness and how far I have to go so was useful in that respect. It also eradicated Birmingham from my mind. You're only as good as your last race. Well mine was a DNF. Not any more.

 

Completing a medal clean sweep, our over 35 and over 50 male teams both took gold. An honourable mention also for Katie Bristow who was 4th on first leg (19:15) in the ladies race but sadly didn't have a team. Still, one more lady than last year. Maybe in 2014? A further honourable mention to my old club, Calderglen Harriers, who lead the over 50 race after 2 legs thanks to the efforts of Martin Duthie and former Scotland international David Watt before eventually finishing 3rd in that particular competition.

 

Above: bronze medal winning team, left to right- myself, Alistair Campbell, Ben Hukins, David Munro, Josh Lilly, Jack Hamilton.

 

Full race results are here. I daresay I fairly enjoyed my pint down the Monty on this particular Easter Sunday. With any luck, onwards and upwards.

 

 

Blast From The Past- Scottish Road Relay Championships 2009

Thanks to my Dad for both photos in this post.

 

With the Scottish Road Relay Championships pending, I've looked back to the 2009 race when I made my Cambuslang debut. The month before the race, I'd spent 10 days in the Algarve on a training camp, an experience I've unfortunately been unable to repeat since due to a combination of work and other race commitments in March. I was between clubs having run my last race for Calderglen Harriers at the National Cross Country and waiting for my first Cambuslang outing.

 

For the record, I took 2nd leg (5.8 miles) for the B team and guided the team effortlessly down the field from 10th to 12th. We eventually finished 17th. My time of 31:30 was a course best and a chunk faster than my 32:44 clocking the previous year in a very competitive 11th placed Calderglen team. The Cambuslang A team of John Macnamara, Stephen Wylie, Kerry Wilson, Chris Wilson, Jamie Reid and Robert Gilroy finished 5th. And so a new chapter in my running career began. It's still going.

Above: my first few strides in a Cambuslang vest.

Above: coming up a slight incline into the home straight.

 

 

Road to Recovery

Following on from the Inter Counties Cross Country, as I write this, I feel so much healthier. I guess I've joined illustrious company with even the greats like Paula Radcliffe and Haile Gebrselassie having at least one DNF (Did Not Finish) to their names. As long as I don't get any more.

 

In the days after the Inter Counties, I remained ill with persistent coughing and shivering and general weakness. The night after the race, I was in bed at 8.30pm and, from the Monday to Friday, only left the house to go to work. My daily routine was out to work in the morning then, once home at night, I didn't cross the door again until the following morning. The rest week was actually planned. Its housebound nature wasn't.

 

Last Sunday (17th March) I decided to run for the first time since stepping off the course at Cofton Park. I toiled through 7 miles in 47:26, coughing almost every step of the way and finishing (yes, I finished this one) with 2 aching thighs clearly not used to the exertion. My training for week commencing Monday 18th March has looked like this.

 

Monday: 8.25 miles easy (55:53).

 

Tuesday: Club, Hampden run, 7.8 miles (50:14).

 

Wednesday: 8 x High Point hill reps, 7.1 miles including warm up and warm down.

 

Thursday: 2 x 10 minutes with 30 seconds recovery, (mile pace starting at 5:55 and improving to 5:35-5:40), 7 miles including warm up and warm down.

 

Friday: Rest

 

Saturday: 4 x 5 minutes with 1 minute jog recoveries (4 miles covered in 22:42), 7.4 miles including warm up and warm down.

 

Sunday: 10.5 miles easy (1:15:31).

 

Mileage: 48

 

Monday's run felt similar to the day before- sluggish with intermittent coughing. Tuesday's run at the club went very well and gave me the confidence to go and see my old friend the High Point for a hill session the following night. My breathing was improving every day. I felt the need to sharpen up by Thursday so did a session we've done at the club a few times. At my peak, I'd do 5:10-5:20 mile pace so I've some work to do. I took Friday off to go to the Scotland v Wales game (yes, I know) and punished myself for my foolishness with a road reps session the next day. Today's run took place in an icy wind so I didn't worry about pace and took it relaxed.

 

One day at a time but definitely getting there.



UK Inter Counties Cross Country Championships, Birmingham, 9th March 2013

This year's UK Inter Counties Cross Country was my worst running experience in several years and brought a career first- the first time I've started a race and not finished it. The back story may explain why.

Training for the race brought no concern. Unavoidable work commitments saw me miss Monday's training but, if anything, that served to freshen me up. Just over 8 miles at the club on Tuesday was fine, Wednesday's hill session went extremely well indeed and Thursday's 8 miles were smooth. An underlying problem manifested itself on Wednesday though when I started coughing and sniffing. My mum had been unwell as had my secretary at work so I caught it from one or the other or both. I was unable to travel with the team on Friday afternoon so flew to Birmingham that night after work which wasn't a problem. Apart from the cough, I felt okay. I even managed to get a T bone steak at the hotel.

Unfortunately I had an unsettled night's sleep on Friday and did not feel rested on waking on Saturday. While it was a chilly day, I started feeling unusually weak and shivery. Even wearing three layers, I felt cold. I filled myself with the hottest drinks possible at every opportunity- at breakfast, in my room and at Cofton Park an hour before my race. They had limited effect as did my inhalers. I walked a lap of the course which, while muddy, seemed fine and worked out a race strategy. I went through my usual stretch and stride routine and tried to get psyched. My legs were wobbly though. Something wasn't right. Regardless, I got stripped and toed the start line. There were only two of us for the West of Scotland in the race. I couldn't leave Sean Fontana in the pen on his own.

The race was around 12km comprising one short lap and three long laps. I tried to get into a groove, hoping adrenaline would help me through. My position wasn't the worst and one I felt could be improved on as we progressed. I kept coughing intermittently though. My breathing was laboured and out of control. Each lap ended with a long, gradual hill. I felt awful on the hill and staggered off the top into the next lap.

I then started to lose ground and runners were catching me. I was also starting to feel light headed. I was no longer racing but simply going through the motions. The Scottish Athletics tent was close to the base of the hill. With the group I was with pulling away, me feeling gradually worse and still coughing and dreading another three climbs up the hill and two long laps, I veered to the right, under the tape and off the course where I fell into a coughing fit. I momentarily considered resuming but I'd lost too many places and what did it matter now? All this said, I couldn't lose the feeling of letting people down. This was a new experience and a lonely one.

I'll spare the details of the journey home etc. Suffice to say, little happened to make me any happier. Sean however, had a fantastic race, finishing in the top 20. Similarly, the East of Scotland team took team bronze and Cambuslang's Ryan Thomson was in the West bronze medal team in the under 17 race. Two of our under 20 girls, Alex Lamond and Katie Bristow, also had great races, counting for the 11th placed West team.

At the time of writing, my focus is on rest and recuperation. I'll be training again before too long. Race wise, I'm waiting for April and a clean slate. What's done is done and can't be changed. Never run with a virus. I learnt the hard way.