National 4k Cross Country Report

Conditions were almost perfect for today's National 4km Cross Country Championship in Bellahouston Park and impressive times were posted by all the Harriers in action. There was a cold wind of course but this year it was blowing across the long straights rather than up and down them so that was a welcome relief. However the long, shaded section under the trees parallel to Mosspark Boulevard was frozen and rutted providing a test of ankle strength. Thankfully our weeks of training on the snow covered golf course meant that we were in some way prepared for that.

Twelve Harriers' men lined up on a crowded start line for the two lap course. Sharpest wit in the field was Russell Couper who loudly declared to much laughter that the young whippet who false started should have been disqualified under the new IAAF false start rules introduced for 2010. At the second time of asking we were off. Not as quick at running as we are with the jokes, the Harriers quickly migrated to the middle of the field. Alan Cullie set the initial Harriers break and it took until the high flats half way round the first lap before I managed to catch and pass Alan, being dragged through the remainder of the race by a speedy young Glasgow Uni Hare & Hound. I ended up with a time of 13:37 and Alan C did 14:32 both fast times compared to recent years. Meanwhile Eddie Reid was having a race long tussle with Graham Haddow of EKAC which Eddie eventually won in a time of 14:47, 1:13 faster than last year. Andy Henderson stole an initial lead on Jim Holmes but by the end Jim had closed down to within 2 seconds of Andy, finishing in 15:44 and 15:46 respectively. Jim was 2:16 faster than last year. The next Harriers' grouping was no doubt fuelled by intense rivalry as David Herbertson, George Stewart and Graham Lindsay finished in close succession. David's time of 16:20 was a 2 minute improvement, George had an amazing improvement (or should I say amazingly, improved), finishing in 16:27 (1:29 better than last year) and Graham improved by 2:08, finishing in 16:32. All three of these Harriers have interrupted training for work, injury or other reasons but the potential for even greater improvements is there. David Wardrope made his début at this event and also premièred his new spikes with a time of 17:39. They won't be going back to the shop as David seemed to find the only muddy bit on the course. Biggest improver was Richard Lawton, racing in spikes for the first time to record a time of 17:53, 3:23 faster than last year. The punchline also came from Russell Couper, finishing in 19:55, a 3:02 improvement. Frances Maxwell was our solitary representative in quite a sparse women's field. However, racing is part of our training and Frances is definitely benefiting given her time of 17:21.

As Russell pointed out, its a pity more clubs don't support this event in the numbers that Calderglen do. We often hear "its too fast or its too short for me" but its not as if the people saying that are going to win longer races either, so you may as well add some variety to your racing and get the training benefit of a short but very sharp race.

David Wardrope is clinging on to a 2 point lead over Alan Cullie in the men's Grand Prix but Alan is edging away from Eddie in the Scratch Championship. Frances remains unchallenged in the lead of both lady's competitions.

It was great to hear so many shouts of support around the course today. Thanks to Elaine Henderson, Scot Hill, Martin Duthie, Geo Ferguson and others (who I couldn't see because my good eye was watering so much with the cold cross wind) for coming in to cheer. Race photos from Frances and Geo are now here.

Alan

National Cross Country Championships 20 / 2 / 10

The following young athletes have been entered the above event at Callendar Park in Falkirk :

Under 13 Boys 3,200 metres 11.30 am - Alistair Crawford, Jai Lawson, Michael McAllister, Andrew McGurk, Paul McMonagle, Paul Mullen, Greig Mulholland, Andrew Reid.

Under 13 Girls 3,200 metres 11.45 am - Amie Mulholland, Megan Brady

Under 15 Boys 4,000 metres 12 noon - Ross Barrie, Stuart Hill, Ross Paterson, Ian Rae

Under 15 Girls 4,000 metres 12.15 pm - Emma Campbell

Under 17 Boys 6,400 metrs 12.55 pm - Richard Campbell


All the athletes should arrive at the park a minimum of 30 minutes before the start of the appropriate race time. Race numbers should be collected from the club coaches present at the event.

4-Hills (or is it)!

After all these years of running the 4 hills in training, it turns out we have been cheated! There are in fact only 2 hills according to the route profile from my Garmin, one big down hill and one big up hill.

I've no idea how this route was named the 4-hills; there are at least 8 separate climbs in there.

Alan

National 4k Cross Country

Just a reminder for tomorrow that you must pick up your own number from Bellahouston Sports Centre at least 30 minutes before the start of your race. The men's race starts at 13:00 and the women's race starts at 13:30.

Alan

Scottish Masters Road Relays - Strathclyde Park

We had a great turnout of Harriers today in Strathclyde Park for the Vets Road Relay. For many it was their first ice and snow free hard run of the year and that was indeed a shock to the system.

The postponement of the race by one week and some seasonal illnesses had cost us a couple of teams but even so we still fielded 4 teams of 4 men and a 2/3 complete ladies team, each runner completing one 3.7 mile lap of the loch.

First leg duties went to Colin Freeman (A team), Eddie Reid (B team), Brian McDougall (C team) and Ian McKenzie (D team). With the benefit of some major endurance training over the last year, Colin ran an excellent 21:47, a minute faster than last year and finished in 10th position. Confirming the hard year of work Eddie has put in, he ran 30secs faster than last year to record 22:13. Brian has been training away on his own over the Christmas period and he was clearly a team out of place finishing in the excellent time of 23:32. Ian McKenzie is also improving rapidly, finishing in 28:ish (tbc).

For the ladies, Genevieve Freeman did her first running only race since this event last year but is clearly much fitter and stronger with the benefit of an Ironman behind her, improving by 1:10 to finish strongly in 27:11. Frances Maxwell has been injury free for a while now and that is reflected in the fine run of 26:16, 1:47 faster than last year.

The remainder of the first team comprised Charlie McDougall, literally minutes faster than any other M60, finishing in an incredible 21:15. Alan Cullie must have been on a work to rule last year because this year he ran 3:22 faster, recording 21:40. Between them Charlie and Alan pulled the team back to 6th position. Martin Duthie was coming straight from a warm up at the Vets indoor Championships at the Kelvin Hall to run the 4th leg. The text I didn't want to see arrived during the 3rd leg when Martin advised that his suspect calf muscle had torn 600m from the end of the 3000m (still finished 1st M45 though!) and he was now at the physio. Time to pull the sub off the bench. Unfortunately that was a travel weary me with hamstrings like piano wires. Still, nothing like a surprise as a substitute for a warm-up. Fortunately Genevieve's vest was a good fit and nicely warmed up (or more accurately, sweaty). Despite poor pace judgement, struggling over the middle mile, I recorded 20:56, more than 30secs faster than last year and only a few seconds outside my best of two years ago. This brought the team home in 5th position, exactly the same as last year.

Andy Henderson has been transformed since last year. On the 2nd leg of the 2nd team, Andy recorded 23:41, 3:04 faster than last year, handing over to his shadow Jim Holmes who recorded 23:57. The close inter-Harrier competition is helping Jim a lot and Jim improved by an excellent 1:12. Stuart Waugh is a key part of that very close middle training pack and this was confirmed by his time of 23:52, a few seconds ahead of Jim and just under a minute faster than last year.

David Herbertson was on the 2nd leg for the third team and recorded 24:10, on the coat-tails of the 2nd team. Former medallist at this event, George Stewart is on the long road back to form. Unfortunately, George doesn't like long roads so he needs a lot of encouragement! George recorded a time of 25:32, half a minute down on last year but hopefully the start of a comeback to that middle pack. David Wardrope made his first appearance at this event, finishing in 25:58.

Richard Lawton has run a variety of longer races in Strathclyde Park but never one this short, so his time of around 28 minutes was a fine début performance. Russell Couper ran the parkrun 5k yesterday in a new course best and was on equally good form today, recording 30:45, some 3:44 faster than last year. Finally John McBride ran a lonely last leg for the 4th team and seemed to be moving well. John's time will be confirmed when the official results are published.

The event confirms Calderglen's strength in depth on the men's vet front and gives us some confidence for the forthcoming 6-stage. Hopefully the ladies will be fit and well to support Frances and Genevieve in the forthcoming team events.

Well done to all.

Alan

Masters Road Relay Teams

Thanks to those who have confirmed their availability for Sunday's Scottish Masters Road Relay Championships at Strathclyde Park. Still an impressive turnout despite a few call off's caused by the date change. Click this link to see the running order for each team. Please be at the Water Sports Centre for 10:30 at which time we will declare this final running order to the organisers. If you can't make it for 10:30 then please contact Russell or I by mobile or txt and let us know whether you are coming or not.

Alan

In the spirit of competition...

Ahead of Sunday's race I thought I would share this article from The Guardian today. If you don't believe me go to their site and check it!

Despite what their PE teachers might have told them, for many of those who competed in a Chinese marathon earlier this month, it was not the taking part but the winning that counted.

Almost a third of the runners who finished in the top 100 have since been disqualified for cheating in the race in the southern port city of Xiamen.

Some of them hired imposters to compete in their place. Some competitors jumped into vehicles part way through the route, Chinese media reported, while others gave their time-recording microchips to faster runners. Numbers 8,892 and 8,897 both recorded good times - but only thanks to number 8,900, who carried their sensors across the finish line.

Jiefang Daily, the Shanghai Communist party newspaper, said organisers caught the cheats when they scanned video footage. The paper said most of those involved had apologised, but that those showing an "unco-operative attitude" would be prevented them from competing in future events.

There was more than just prestige at stake in the marathon. Competitors stood to gain a crucial advantage in China's highly competitive university entrance exams. Those who finished in under two hours and 34 minutes could add extra points to their score in the gaokao, helping to explain why several of those disqualified came from a middle school in Shandong province.

The exams are so crucial to the future of Chinese children that both students and their families will go to extraordinary lengths to guarantee success. Last year, eight parents and teachers were jailed on state secret charges after using communication devices - including scanners and wireless earpieces - to help pupils cheat.

Organisers of the international event in Xiamen have vowed to increase surveillance in future, saying that they had only 200 monitors to oversee 50,000 runners in the marathon and accompanying races.

The problem is not a new one; in 2007, 19 competitors in Beijing were caught with multiple timing sensors.

Nor is such cheating restricted to China. Rosie Ruiz remains infamous in the United States for her victory in the women's race in Boston in 1980.

No one could understand how an unknown amateur runner had triumphed - until it emerged that she had ridden the subway almost all the way, joining the route barely a mile before the finish line.

Fred Lorz easily claimed the men's title in the 1904 St Louis Olympics with a time of three hours, 13 minutes. Officials soon discovered the secret of his success: the 11-mile ride he received in his manager's car.

National Cross Country Championships - Young Athletes

The above championships take place on Saturday 20 February at Callendar Park in Falkirk . Race details are as follows:

Under 13 Boys born between 1/9/96 to 31/8/98 race starts at 11.30 am . Distance is 3,200 metres.
Under 13 Girls born between 1/9/96 to 31/8/98 race starts at 11.45 am . Distance is 3,200 metres.
Under 15 Boys born between 1/9/94 to 31/8/96 race starts at 12 noon. Distance is 4,000 metres.
Under 15 Girls born between 1/9/94 to 31/8/96 race starts at 12.15pm. Distance is 4,000 metres.
Under 17 Men born between 1/9/92 to 31/8/94 race starts at 12.55pm . Distance is 6,400 metres.

I will be entering all eligible young athletes from our club towards the end of next week . Further details of the event will be posted in this blog in due course.

MASTERS ROAD RELAY POSTPONED

The masters road relay has been postponed for 1 week and will now be held on 24th Jan at the same time of 11am.
Anyone who can not make the new date please leave a comment on this blog or let myself or Alan know at the club

Russell

National xc

This years event will again be held in Falkirk on 20th Feb
ladies start at 1.25 and men 2.30
cost is £4.50
please leave your name using this form or see me at the club if you want entered
i need to know by 25th Jan

(see who has entered here)

Russell

Masters XC

This years masters xc will be held at Forres so anyone that wishes to go please let me know either at the club on by comment on this blog
i need to know by 18th Jan
the date of the event is 6th Feb
cost is £4.50 and race start times are ladies 1.30 and men 2.15

Russell

Great Edinburgh International XC and Inter-District Championship

Today saw a fantastic performance by a young Calderglen Harriers athlete. Craig Ferguson finished 10th overall representing West District in the U13 Boys race at the Inter-District Cross Country Championship in Holyrood Park. Craig's time was 11:08, only 29 seconds behind the winner. congratulations to Craig on doing himself, the club and district proud!

(Ewan Murray, now running 2nd claim for the Harriers, finished an equally impressive 9th in the U17 Men's race, also representing West District. Well done to Ewan who is coming on leaps and bounds with every race).

Alan

Grand Prix Events

For those who missed the link to the Grand Prix Events list in the Blog before the first race of the season (Houston Relays), here is a link to how it looks at the moment.

Alan

Grand Prix - Nigel Barge

On the basis that the current cold weather is to worsen by the weekend and given the existing state of the roads and pavements in and around Glasgow, I am pulling the Nigel Barge from the Grand Prix. It would be irresponsible to ask the members to risk broken bones for a race and indeed it would not be much of a race given the very cautious approach required to stay on your feet. There are plenty more potential races we can enjoy in the Spring. This view had universal acceptance from those at the club last night but I thought I would wait one more day to see the latest weather forecast. Of course anyone still wishing to do the race irrespective of the conditions is free to do it. Hopefully ground conditions will improve by the Vets Road Relays on the 17th January.

Alan

Those who had pre-entered the Nigel Barge should have received the following message from the race organisers confirming that the race is postponed until March 27th:

Nigel Barge race rescheduled for 27 March 2010 due to bad weather

Due to the weather and specifically the poor underfoot conditions the Nigel Barge 10k Memorial Road Race (and associated 3k Junior Race) will not go ahead as advertised this coming Saturday 9th January.

Both events have been postponed, and will instead take place on Saturday 27th March 2010 with the venue still Garscube Sports Complex.

Those who have pre-entered can retain their place for the new date, secure a place in the 2011 race, or alternatively contact Kenny Stevenson for a full refund (ken.stevenson@hendersonloggie.co.uk).

Further details are available at www.maryhillharriers.com.

Callander Crags Race 2010

...... was cancelled due to sheet ice on the lower paths but that did not stop about 15 of us completing the course anyway as is the tradition. In fact if you could get yourself over the first 100 metres of ice the conditions underfoot were amongst the best I have ever experienced with hard packed snow changing to deeper snow once you got above the tree line. So fuelled up with mince pies provided by the organisers Shiela and Alastair off we set. Spikes were the only viable foot wear and I soon found myself leading the pack AGAIN (argh!!!) as those without spikes went nowhere fast. This was supposed to be an easy, social run but the truth is there is no relaxed way to get up The Crags so best to just keep the pace going and get the climb over with! Surprisingly I ran all the way to the top without stopping in just under 15 minutes which was about 3 to 4 minutes slower than at race pace. The view from the top was spectacular as we huddled around the cairn sheltering from the fierce wind. Continuing over the top onto the descent was an exercise in blind running as the wind whipped the snow straight into my eyes but the deep snow made the under foot conditions more grippy than usual and guaranteed a soft landing if you got it wrong. The middle part of the descent is on a steep, single track tarmac road but that was also under snow and was a pleasure to run down before the final ascent/descent through the woods to the finish and another mince pie. It was good to see everyone finish with smiles on their faces and also to see local hill running star Prassad Prassad waiting at the finish having missed the start. His excuse was he had just been up Ben Ledi in the morning.........

Happy New Year!

Alan