A Flat 5.........

Rumour had it that the Corstorphine 5 Mile Road Race being held on Wednesday night was a flat, fast course and a number of the Harriers of a certain age were heading through as the race also formed part of the SVHC Grand Prix this year. So I made a late decision to try to get there, leaving work on the south side of the Clyde at 5:35 for a 7:30 start. After taking a half hour to cover the first two miles (of the drive, not the race) things were not looking good. Eventually the M8 cleared and I arrived on Turnhouse Road on the perimeter of the airport at 7pm. I don't know how Martin can do it as this would still be early for him! Race entered, I did a few bursts up and down the start area to try and loosen the legs and met up with Scot, Jim, Russell, Stuart and Graeme who didn't know I was coming.

A field of 143 lined up on the road for an ever so slightly downhill and straight first mile. I was immediately dropped by the high quality leading pack of a dozen but still went through the first mile in 5:15, peaking at about 4:57 pace in the first quarter mile. Way too fast for me. Shortly afterwards we turned sharp right onto a country road and the fun stopped when a 1 mile long 100 foot ascent appeared out of nowhere. After Rouken Glen on Sunday and a too fast first mile, there was no power left in the legs. However what goes up must come down and after about 2.5 miles we had an equally steep down hill mile. Unfortunately at just over 3 miles the course went all the way back up another 100 feet in three quarters of a mile. This finished me but spurred on by regular rival Paul Thompson of Helensburgh easing past me, I managed to re-start the legs and was motoring by the time we hit the half mile finishing straight. Not wanting to be out-sprinted two races in a row I was able to pile on a sustained effort for the final half mile to finish in a disappointing 27:58 and 14th overall. Scot Hill was the next Harrier to finish in 31:29 in 50th position with Stuart Waugh and Jim Holmes a minute behind in 32:25 and  32:31 respectively. Graham Lyndsay was able to make a rare race appearance, finishing in 35:17. Russell had a tussell with Kenny Gunrussell (poetry and I think the surname gives a clue to the result of that challenge) of Harmeny AC even resorting to my tactic of the long, sustained sprint home. Unfortunately Kenny Gunrussell outgunned Russell with Russell finishing in 39:43, still a very pleasing time given how he had struggled at Rouken Glen. Well done to all the Harriers and thanks to Maud for her support even if we were all too "focussed" to hear her cheers!

The race was won by Ross Houston of Central AC in a new course record of 24:14, with the first vet being Steve Cairns of HBT in 4th place in 25:45.

Course profile - definitely not flat.
Alan