Anglo Celtic Plate 50k

Last Sunday morning found me at North Inch Park in Perth, a place I recall running a cross country race in a Calderglen vest many moons ago. This day, however, I was there for a slightly longer effort, namely the Anglo Celtic Plate, Scottish and British 50k and 100k Championship races. The beauty of this event is that while it is an international race between three (normally four) of the home nations it is also open to anyone, even old plodders like me. Three years ago, when a relative novice ultra runner, I read about this race the last time it was held in Scotland and resolved then to give it a go should the opportunity arise.

A strange start to my day, on arriving, was to see the 100k runners already running around the park, their race having started at 07:00. The 50k, by contrast, started at the much more civilised time of 10:00, allowing me to have a leisurely breakfast before heading to the Bells Sports Centre to register with plenty of time to spare. I planned to run the first hour or so without food or (much) drink before Alison, having had an even more leisurely breakfast, would arrive at the start/finish area with my ultra ‘hamper’ (rice pudding, mandarin oranges, salted potatoes, hula hoops, baby bells, electrolyte drink, flat pepsi, etc,etc).

Our race was to consist of twenty one laps of 2.381k around the almost pan-flat tarmac paths of the park, quite appropriate given that this would be my twenty first ultra. The race briefing had indicated a clockwise circumnavigation of the park which unfortunately meant we would be running into a strong southerly headwind alongside the River Tay while being relatively sheltered on the city side of the loop thereby gaining no benefit from said wind.

The 100k start

Rather dauntingly there were only 75 starters who were ushered onto the race route during a convenient gap in the 100k field and sent on our way. I had been suffering from a head cold for the previous three days and indeed had been unsure whether to run at all so decided to set out at a very conservative pace to test the waters, as it were. As it turned out my splits were very consistent for the first fifteen laps or so, steadily around the fifteen minute mark, and without any discomfort at all. Sadly the endurance ebbed from my legs from about that point and running into the wind on the riverside became more and more like running in treacle. Given that durability is usually a strength of mine and that I tend to pick up the pace the longer a race goes on I feel sure the illness had drained some of my stamina.

At my lowest ebb the cavalry arrived, not to the call of a bugle but with the sound of cow bells, in the form of Emma Mearns with Jim in tow who turned up just at the right time. Many thanks must go to them for braving the flying dimpled balls by frequently criss-crossing the golf course in order to give me some encouragement twice every lap. The sound of Emma's cow bells perked me up every time I heard them but even with their cheering the last five laps or so were a real grind and I was reduced to run/walking over the nineteenth and twentieth laps (200/100 if you’re interested). As often happens my competitive instincts kicked in once I heard the (metaphorical) bell and churned out a faster lap than I had managed for the previous two and a half hours! No, I don’t understand the human mind or body either! 

The closest I came to winning!

At last!

Finally coming across the finish line in 5.37.33 I was dragged (willingly!) to the food tent where I was handed a most welcome cup of home-made soup. Further refuelling and rehydrating soon took place (Alison putting her WHWR supporting skills to good use again, to my benefit) and it was soon off for a hot recovery shower and more food. I finished 58^th from 69 finishers with times ranging from 2.56.37 to 7.31.10. As you may have worked out there were only 6 DNFs, quite a low number given the strength of the wind on the day. I was mildly pleased to find later I came home as second M60, one place better than in the Devil O’The Highlands race last August.   

The 50k race winner was Ross Houston of Central AC in 2.56.37 in a new Scottish 50k record, beating Don Ritchie’s 31 year-old record by two seconds. Ross is clearly enjoying his conversion to ultra running having set a new course record at the D33 and took the ACP 100k title last year. To give an idea of just how fast he was travelling he lapped me four times during my first five laps and his consistency was also remarkable with his fastest lap, not surprisingly, being his first in 8:02 and his slowest, the penultimate, in 8:57 – a variance of only 55 seconds over his twenty one laps of the park. Keep an eye out for him at Livingston this coming weekend as I believe he intends competing in the National 6/4 Stage Road Relays.

Race organiser Adrian Stott can't contain his delight as Ross Houston breaks the Scottish 50k record which had stood since 1985.

Mark Pollard of Inverclyde AC was second in 3.07.17 and Ross Milne of Corstorphine AC completed a Scottish clean sweep of the 50k male podium in 3.18.13. The female race winner was Hannah Oldroyd of England in 3.36.33, coming home in eigth place overall.

England’s Paul Navesey won the 100k in a time of 6.58.52 while the female title also headed south with Melissa Venables in 8.15.54.  

All in all I had a grand day, having had the chance of a wee chat with eventual race winner Ross (we’re on first name terms you know!) before the race, had a brief couple of chats (as I overtook him – he was running the 100k) with a legend of Scottish ultra-running, William Sichel (google his name if you don’t him) from the Orkney Isles who probably holds more endurance records than I’ve had hot dinners (and that’s a fair number!) 

William Sichel

My verdict on lap races? Well, lets just say I’ve scrathed that itch and probably won’t be doing this sort of thing again. Being constantly lapped by most of the field doesn’t do much for your self-esteem, unsurprisingly, so going ‘round and round and round’ as Damon Albarn sang in ‘Parklife’ just doesn’t appeal anymore.

50k memento