Buchlyvie 10K - Saturday 23rd January 2016

Each January the village of Buchlyvie hosts a 10k event and this year it was their 10th anniversary year.   They limit it to 300 entrants so it’s a smaller event but it’s certainly big in terms of enthusiasm and hospitality.

Parking in available in the main street and surrounding areas.   There’s also a large layby which has toilets and a mobile catering van so you can arrive at the venue refreshed and hydrated having stretched your legs on the uphill walk to registration / sign-in.  This is in the Village Hall where there are toilets, plenty of seating and refreshments and snacks in the foyer.   I was a first-timer at this event and there was a real buzz in the hall so it was hard not to feel energized.  

The start line is a short stroll from the hall so ideal if the weather had been inclement but on this occasion the conditions were fine.   There was a bit of jostling to get to and over the start line which is downhill on a narrow lane and those are vital seconds for those looking for good times.  Once out of the lane you turn left into an open road and run for 1k on a slight downhill.   You then turn right and the next 4K is on an old railway track which is now a forest track.  This was relatively flat and because we returned by the same route it allowed opportunities for you to give nods and words of encouragement to friends and fellow runners.

The underfoot conditions were not too taxing, there were a lot of puddles, hollows and loose stony areas but most were avoidable without too much trouble. I’m reliably informed in previous years after a deluge runners were not so fortunate.  At the 2km mark, Marion, my significant other passed me, so I knew I had gone out quite fast.   One of our friends who’d done the race in 2014, said the lead runner passed him on the way back at the 3km mark (7km for the lead runner), so I took it as a good sign when the lead runner did not pass me until I had passed the 4km mark.

At the 5km turn I was closer to Marion than I had been for a long time (“oo-er” as Frankie Howard would say) so was still keeping up the pace, however after 6km the wind was starting to get up and I realized I’d missed my opportunity earlier to take advantage of this on the outbound section.   I noticed on the return I was leading a number of friends who were participating, with one exception, David Bonham, and I was sure that he had not passed me.   As I hit the road again I was ready to attack the final kilometre.  I was keeping up the pace and even managed to push up the only short section of hill.  

I saw the finish banner ahead and glanced at my watch ready to take the turn right up into the narrow lane which we’d come down at the start.  The clock was just over 48 minutes so I was sure a PB was in the bag.  As I eased myself to the finish line trying to avoid the large puddles in the muddy lane I heard heavy footsteps and splashes as the said David Bonham sprinted passed to beat me by 2 seconds.  Apparently he had been pacing me virtually the whole way, but so close I couldn’t see him.  He did say he was trying to beat another friend who’d beaten him in 2014 but watch out Mr.B, your cards are marked for next time.  If I’d been a bit more savvy at the start line and attacked the puddles I’d have achieved a sub 48, so game on next year.

To celebrate their 10th anniversary year the prize giving was followed by birthday cake.  Marion was fairly chuffed to come third in her category and was sixth female overall.   I had committed to running the Veterans road relay the following day in Strathclyde Park and I was nervous I’d put in a poor performance and let the team down.   Although my time was impacted by tiredness from the Buchlyvie it was still respectable and I enjoyed participating in the relay and look forward to taking part in other events.

My time for the Buchlyvie was 48 min 9 secs, my best since the late 80’s.   It’s my PB in the last 5 years.  Since joining The Calderglen Harriers in July 2015 my 10K times have been steadily falling so the training is definitely paying off with nearly a 5 minute reduction in just over 6 months.  Target for the end of the year sub 45 min 10K and a PB at the Brampton.

Gordon McInally