One of the big city centre events, which isn’t everyone’s preferred style of event, as expected, we were treated to a Radio Clyde compere (Gina G was Mark’s guess), drum bands, choirs, clattering balloons and queues for the toilets a mile long. Being a men only event some inspirational event planning meant that the ladies toilets in the museum had been allocated as male facilities – this left me wondering where the “real” ladies were to go should the need take them!
Anyway – on the day me, Stephen Phimister, and Mark Saez met at Graham Ramage’s house so as we could all travel in together. Nearing our destination, the skies blackened and on it came, in sheets! Carol Kirkwood on the BBC hadn’t said anything about that being a possible turn of events. Once there we sat in the car for about ten minutes and the blue sky returned prompting us to stir, get out of our travelling garb and set about some warming up. A few perimeter laps of the museum caused us to bump in to Joey Shields, Davie Wardrope, and John McBride. The more the merrier!
All of the prep done, we took our spots in the starting grids, we convinced Mark that he should line up with the elites!
All of us had our own expectation on how the race might pan out, Mark looking for a sharp performance, me looking to build on last week at Kilmarnock, Stevie annoyed that he had picked up a virus mid-week which no doubt threatened to curtail him and Graham, with minimum training in the bank, simply hoping to get around in a reasonable time. Of the others, Davie W. was hoping to go at about the same as last week whilst Joe and John had reported that with minimum training they’d most likely be down on previous bests.
Elites (and Mark) on their way, the rest of us shuffled towards the rubber mats and off we went. The route, identical to last year had us run along past the Pumphouse and in to the SECC car-park (with the surface so bad this is like the trail running element of the course, although not intended to be so) along past the Rotunda and on to Clyde St. A sharp right turn at 3k over the squinty bridge, left along the river on the other side, back over the Oswald St bridge at the Casino and up on to Argyle St, under the Heilanders Umbrella, left in to Buchanan St, right in the St. Vincent St, through George Square (5k), heading down Glassford St, along Argyle St again and out towards Glasgow Green. Following that it’s a winding affair through the park, back up Trongate, Argyle St for the 3rd time and in to the Merchant City where two or three turns routed us to the eventual finish in George Sq.
As is becoming a bit of a habit me and Stevie started together but keen to bank some early time, I nudged ahead only to be startled at 2.5k by someone closing fast and shouting “I’ve been trying to catch you for 2k! Thinking that Stevie’s virus had somehow given him a boost I turned expecting to see him. Alas it wasn’t him, it was Ian Tomb striding out and gliding past me. That was the last I seen of him until the finish line. My first two miles went quite well, my third was rubbish and I found some reserves for 4 and 6 with 5 being pretty ordinary. Checking the watch (it’s never on the screen you need when you look!) I knew that I was going to be going tight for my first sub 40 for a while and in the closing metres just couldn’t find a stride to carry me along at the required pace, crossing the line in 00.40.10. with the Radio Clyde guy shouting on the PA “Oh there’s a guy from the Proclaimers!” If I had a pound an’ all that! They sing about 500 miles, we expect that from a pair of trainers!
Regrouping at the end, Mark and Ian were home and looking remarkably fresh, then me (not so fresh), Stevie, Joey, Graham and Davie battling to the line with Davie prevailing and then Big John.
Post-race chat pointed towards Mark being pleased with his performance, Ian being pleased but with work to do, me happy to have shaved another 40 seconds out of my previous time last week and again taking 3rd in my age category, Stephen being satisfied that running with a virus was still able to go sub 41 and Graham more than content given his recent training profile to have been only two seconds down on last years effort.
Collecting all the goody bags, medals and free Lucozade (which I thoroughly enjoyed) that we were allowed, 4 of us set about jogging back to the Riverside Museum for our much-anticipated post-race purvey and photo shoot, we are gradually working our way round the exhibits, this year it being the turn of the Ambulance as though to mock our state of wellbeing!
Anyway, here’s the scores on the doors
Mark Saez 34th 5th MV40 00.38.09
Iain Tomb 55th 10th MV35 00.39.05
Martin Howell 93rd 3rd MV50 00.40.10
Stephen Phimister 122nd 13th MV45 00.40.59
Joey Shields 365th 00.44.36
Graham Ramage 543rd 00.46.48
John McBride 1088th 45th V55 00.51.41
Martin
1 comment:
Great report Martin (as always) and very consistent racing. I understand that was a 10k PB for Mr Saez, so especially well done to Mark!
Alan
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