AYR TURKEY TROT 10K

Well today was another wet and windy day for running. Nevertheless 3 Harriers made their way to Ayr for the Turkey Trot 10k. After picking up my number I bumped into Phil Marshall and Ian Hughes. Unfortunately David Searil couldn't make it due to injury (speedy recovery David) and Graham Ramage had been put off by the weather and perhaps too much Christmas pudding. Anyway onto the race and with a full entry it was going to be a busy start so I made my way to the start with 10mins to play with just to get my starting position but then it was announced the start was delayed for 10 mins. No choice then it was too cold to hang about and went for another warm up. Finally we were lined up and away. Feeling kinda full I didn't think I would be able to run too well but try I must. I passed the 1k marker in 4.58 which I knew was too fast as my last 10k was over the hour. By this time we were getting exposed to some heavy gusts of wind and Ian had moved out of sight. Through 1m in 8.06 which again was too fast but that was the 1st k. Settled in and through the next 2 miles in 8.38 each and hit 5k marker in 26.00 mins. Ian had passed me on his way back just before I went into the turning loop but knew Phil was still behind me somewhere. Back onto the seafront with 3k to go and I was struggling with the wind but still pushing hard as I knew a good time was on the cards. My 5th mile was my slowest but not by much 8.50. Through the 9k marker I just had to keep pushing and Phil made his pass on me exclaiming he had been chasing me for ages. I tried for about 10metres to stay with him but it just wasn't happening. Approaching the finish and time for one last push passing someone that had not long before passed me finishing in a time of 52.51 which is my fastest for years, with Phil having finished in 52.22. Ian had finished a while before in 40.09 . Thanks to Louise Beveridge for the shout during her warm down.