Men’s Health 10k – Glasgow - 21 June 2015

Today me and three other of the Calderglen Harriers set off bright and early for the Men’s Health 10K which this year was a total transformation on last years event.

Making our way to the Riverside Museum of Transport early really paid off in terms of getting a parking space and allowed us to have a relaxing saunter around and (me) a coffee before getting down to the business of a warm up ahead of the the gun.

Taking our places (legitimately) in the Purple Zone (elites and club runners no less!) we awaited the claxon. Without too much pomp and circumstance the starter got us underway. The usual stampede saw us going East to a (very small) roundabout, around which we had to swing (at a 45 degree tilt) before heading back along past the Museum and out on to the inside road leading to the SECC.

Mark Saez (MS) set off with a blistering pace, myself and Stephen Phimister (SP) happy to pace each other through the early stages whilst Graham Ramage (GR) sticking with us for the best part of 1.5 miles before deciding to reign in the bridle on the basis of his recent severe injury to both knees and overall long game plan of finishing in good shape and in a decent time.

Following the route along past the SECC we swung left in to Minerva Street and on in to St Vincent St before taking a right and down past the Hilton Hotel and on over the Kingston Bridge which has a surprisingly stinger of a climb followed by flat and then another wee climb. After the first mile I suggested to SP that we were maybe progressing at too keen a pace and whilst we both agreed we did nothing about it!

Coming down off the bridge and past the Saab garage I managed to sneak 10m on SP and felt fine although MS was a good way off. We ran along the south bank of the Clyde and turned left on King George V bridge (or is that Glasgow Bridge?) and on in to Hope Street before swing right in to Argyle Street under the Central Station tunnel and the inevitable smell of the Blue Lagoon chippy. Now, I normally enjoy a pudding supper from the Lagoon but this morning it was the farthest thing on my mind.

Along Argyle St and left in to Buchanan St we ran right up the pedestrian precinct before turning right, again in to St Vincent St and on in to George Sq. Rounding that turn I suddenly realised that I was no more than 10 paces behind MS eventually catching up with him as we ran in to Glassford Street. Mark told me his foot arches were extremely painful and he was going to back off the pace rather than inflict a damaging injury.

Heading on down past the old High Court I began to tire, this was 5 miles and I thought that my race was going to crumble and then, as if by magic, the inevitable always present, heavy breather started approaching from the rear and my primary mindset was, as instructed by John McGregor, I'm not letting this bugger past me. He pushed and pushed and pushed (no doubt being helped on, as I was, by decent doses of Ventolin) never managing to muster enough heavy breaths to pass me, even with a sprint (ish) to the line.

Hadn't it been for the heavy breather I wouldn't have managed sub 40, 39.56 being my official time.

Following my recent nightmare performance at Roukenglen, needless to say I was delighted to have returned to decent form so quickly having indulged in some honest graft and miles round the back roads!

Here’s how we all did from the official timings;

Martin Howell 39.56 46 / 1512 6th in age category
Stephen Phimister 40.31 68 / 1512 9th “     “         “
Mark Saez 40.39 73 / 1512 9th  “    “         “        
Graham Ramage 46.04 367 / 1512

Curiously Stephen was running as Martin Howell the 2nd as I made a schoolboy error in diary management earlier in the year and entered twice like a right trumpet! Good though that the number was put to good use and allowed Stephen to take part.

Weather wise, we dodged some pretty squalid showers and during the race it got quite warm in places when the wind was coming from our backs. A brief shower sorted us all out just after the finish and before we boarded the bus to go back to the Museum where Stephens car was parked.

Managing to relax with a cuppa and a slice of cake before heading home, we all agreed that all in all we had had a decent event – save for Mark’s cautious 2nd half.

Here’s a photo taken by a tourist for us at the Museum;

Thanks to Mary Goldsmith and family for their vocal support along the route.
Martin