Two Harriers, Joanne McEvoy and myself (yes, Joanne has officially joined the club) made their way via varied routes to Kilbarchan for race 1 of the 2010 Tour of Clydeside, a four race series taking place on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of this week. A record field lined up on the disused railway line to Lochwinnoch (now converted to smooth tarmac and part of National Cycle Route 7) for the 5.5 mile race. The course was a straightforward out and back route following the (thankfully) meandering railway line through the Renfewshire country side. To say the course was flat would be an understatement, the largest undulations being a few piles of horse manure!
The initial pace was a relatively steady 35 minute 5k pace which gradually accelerated over the first mile to around 33minute 10k pace at which point I realised this was stupid for someone back down to single figure weekly mileage with screaming Achilles tendons and eased back to let the leading three go. A lonely few miles followed until the turn at which point I was joined by the Clydesdale athlete who kept the pace going for the next mile or so. Two approaching horses provided the "spur" for me to move ahead into single file and then to break away over the final mile, finishing well clear in 4th in a time of 31:11, although probably already an insurmountable 2 minutes down on the leading three. Meanwhile Joanne was having a little battle for 3rd placed lady with a Westerlands athlete, eventually settling for 4th place in a time of 37:02. There are plenty of races left this week for Joanne to turn that around. Next Clydebank and a 3 mile Canal Bank race; no hills there either then!
Alan
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