Roukenglen 10K

 As many of you know the old Roukenglen course had a 4k hill climb and wasn't known for being a fast course. So when the pre-race blurb advertised a new ‘faster, flatter route’ then it was worth a go. Over the years the Harriers had a big turnout at this event but our numbers were lower on a decent night for running. It takes the usual ‘festival’ format and Evan Hughes of our young athletes section ran in the 1k primary school races. His dad Ian Hughes chose the 5k event to save the family hanging around too long and finished 2nd in 18:18.

 

The 10k has been promoted to a chipped race and we lined up in the normal start position at the bottom of the park. Concerns were raised when the organiser announced over the PA that this was a challenging course and quizzed looks all round for those looking for the faster, flatter route.

 

For those that have ran the course before its a similar first loop but this time you remain inside the park and head up to the pond. There is a short sharp climb up onto Davieland Rd then its the usual outer loop past the park entrance and the start of the climb at Stewarton Road. The difference this time was that we came into the golf club car park and then its onto an ‘undulating’ section of trail that includes a lung bursting climb. Descriptions ranged from ‘the top part of Lickprivick’  to ‘the log jamb without the logs’ . It was 2 of these bigger loops then back past the pond and the usual finish down the path.

 

Estimates range from it being 30s to 1 minute slower than a flat course. Challenging it certainly was. Faster and flatter ... ? well only if you compare it to the previous course which had big uphill.

 

Best performance of the night went to Chris Wilson who stormed round in 39:39 - not bad for his first 10k race ! We’ll give him honorary Harrier status for the night but he needs to get a vest or Russell will withdraw such generosity ! Next home was Stephen Phimister 40:56 who had hoped for better - although strangely the chip time was 3s longer than the watch time. Stuart Waugh had a reoccurrence of his leg injury but made it interesting as Joanne chased him down the home straight, just managing to hold her off over the line although both with chip times of 43:41. Richard Lawton (47:16) was next over the line followed by Colin Jarvie (48:38). Russell Couper was out for a training run ahead of this weekend’s events but also had injury problems near the end and finished 55:42.

 

Nearly 400 ran with the winner crossing the line in 33:45.

 

As long as you accept that its not the fastest of courses then its a decent local race and probably well suited to our country park style of training. It has to be said that its one of the better race t-shirts although green, white and gold might not be to everybody’s liking !!!!

Thanks to Stephen for the report