60th Anniversary Sum4 Minute Mile 6/5/14 Markinch Miracle Mile

I entered this a few months ago thinking that it was a bit unusual and a bit of a challenge. However, it filled up within a few days to the maximum of 150. Many would say that it's only a mile and we do many, many miles each week, no big deal. That's all good and well, but when you are on the starting line you know it ain't going to be easy.
I arrived nice and early with 90 minutes to spare so decided to run the whole course. The first 25% was a gradual downhill, then flat until a hairpin bend at 300mtrs to go, through an open gate and heading in the opposite direction which was then kinda off road. I got talking to one of the race organisers and inquired how 150 were going to cope on the tar path without causing injury to each other? The girls start at 7.30 with the guys at 7.50 was his reply. Great, this wasn't mentioned and I was already warming up! As I ran back to the finish I bumped in to some Fife guys that I know and were about to run the course ....might as well do it again! So, that was me having ran 4 miles warm up and still had the best part of an hour to kill.
I had never ran a mile before and asked a few of the guys about pace judgement. I was told not to worry about that "as my lungs would decide that for me!"
Soon we are all lined up on the road waiting on the hooter to get us under way. I needed to get a good start as the road reduces in size by about 50% when you hit the tar path. I started well but ended up on the grass to avoid making contact. Everyone pretty much found their pace straight away as there was very little overtaking. I saw the half mile marker and clocked 2min 40sec, then the 1k marker 3min 23 sec. I felt that I was starting to slow a bit and it was really starting to hurt as I approached to 300mtrs to go gate......a wee sprint and it's over in 5min 36 sec. 35 place.  Interestingly enough the first male was V50 in 4.48 and first female V40 in 5.13 both seeing off the S and U20's.

Footnote, Carnegie had put this in their grand prix and was well represented. Just a though for Alan next year!

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George