Rouken Glen 10k

Six harriers headed west last night to Rouken Glen for Giffnock North's 2018 Festival of Running. Sadly Chas was unable to run due to injury but turned up anyway to support his club mates on a lovely warm night.

Five of the six harriers, guess who's missing!

Some heavy clouds and a few minutes of rain brought the temperature down to a pleasant level on the start line. My nephew Gavin was also taking part which gave me a little extra motivation but despite pushing hard from the start he soon overtook me while still within the park. The two of us were nip and tuck until he opened up gap of around one hundred meters due to me walking up the big hill beside Deaconsbank golf course. I was able to chip away at his lead on the latter downhill sections of the route and finally eased past him on the very last slope, race experience and route knowledge still counting for something! The sun was very handily casting long shadows from behind the runners on the extended finishing straight so I was able to see that he wasn't catching me, just as well as I had nothing left and was caught just before the line by another runner who had followed my surge from about 300 meters out. I crossed the line in 49.20, pleased to be under 50 minutes after running the Alloa half last Sunday and with Kilmarnock's Roon the Toon to look forward to next Sabbath. Gavin was only seventeen seconds behind in 49.37 - if he were to join a club, as I pointed out to him later, he'd soon be leaving his uncle trailing in his wake!

Gavin and I after the race

Leading harrier on the night was Callum Wright on 45.08 with other half Kirsty Wilson closely behind in 45.24. Alan Cullie came home next in 46.17 with ex-harrier David Wardrope crossing the line in 48.40. I battled to the finish next followed by Colin Banks, a regular at this race, in 54.04 and Holly Rankin ran 57.04

Women's race winner was Ruth Fraser-Moodie of Springburn Harriers in 39.10 and the men's winner was Iain Reid of Cambuslang Harriers in 32.54.

Thanks to Chas and my brother Brian for some photographs and to both Chas and Neil Green for coming along to support, it's greatly appreciated guys.