You’ll remember in my last journaled ramblings of how he’d enticed me in to running (well at entering, at least) a marathon – well he’s been at it again, all for a good cause I must mention.
A good while back he’d asked me if I wanted “a wee role” at our Trail Running Festival. I quite like stuff like that so aye, I replied, I’d be up for that. How about taking on a race – no problem.
Facebook Messenger da da da!
“Morning everyone, how about a wee Trail Committee meeting Saturday 20th, 10am.”
The night before;
“Evening Martin, how do you fancy a Parkrun ahead of our Trail meeting.”
“Funny I was just thinking the same thing – yip good for that but come pick me up, having a barby, there’ll be drinking involved.”
“See you at 9”
Going about my morning pre-run routine a bit blurred and with a nagging thump in my frontal lobe, t’was a good barby, nine o’clock crept up on me from nowhere. Jim at the door, we gingerly made our way to the Strathclyde Parkrun, getting there with no time to spare to give any warm-up a slice of respect.
Lining up at the front like the elites we are, it was good to see a few other of our Harriers there too. Davie Wardrope, there with his daughter Rachel, Richard Lawton, Kay Conneff primed like a coiled spring for her upcoming marathon, Stuart Gibson, fresh from his track 10k at Crownpoint the night before, Stephen Phimister (aw naw – that means trouble), hill and fell runner extraordinaire, Mark Wheeler, my old mate and marathon legend Ian Birch and a few other running pals all out on a beautiful morning to take on the Lochside paths and the clouds of flying insects, a mouthful of which would have surely choked you!
Bang went the gun (or rather, the guy in charge shouted GO) and we were away like the Greyhounds at Shawfield chasing a tin of Chum, albeit momentarily. Jim went off so quickly he soon disappeared in the masses of sprint starters – ooft, I thought, the Pinot Noir has finally caught up with me.
“Morning auld yin” surely not directed at me? Phimi was alongside me, cheeky so and so!
The pace was blistering, Jim was leading our bunch, I looked at the watch, 5.40 m/m it told me, this is ridiculous, bloody hell never knew my Saucony’s were able to go that fast – far less with me in them!
Neck and neck me and SP were jockeying for position – don’t see that very often, he lied! Through 1k, we saw Jim walking at the side of the course “Felt a twinge” he hollered and waved us on our way. He has a busy season of big events lined up and so sprinting off at a Parkrun was probably not the wisest thing to have contemplated. Anyway, as it transpired his morning wasn’t a write off by any means.
Round by the trees, a mile done (6.10), the pace beginning to feel alien to me (you need to remember all of the Marathon training prep – I never done!) so speed only happens to me when I’m driving my car these days. SP is keeping the pressure on, I need a break, he’s relentless, I still need a break – that’s it, I’m coming off the gas, I’ll crash and burn if I try to keep this going. Half thinking that Phimi would take the opportunity to catch a breather too he swooshed past me, me conceding it was to be his day.
Approaching the turn, I saw the front runners heading back with Stuart in third place and looking very comfortable – almost effortless in fact. He went on to complete in third with a time of 16.28.
I stoated on trying to keep the speed up but the felt the pace slipping and the splits really back that up; 6.12, 6.24, 6.47. All starting with 6 all the same so not slouching too much.
As you all know the run in to the end at Strathclyde feels like it goes on for 50 miles. The finish line starts as a dot on the distant horizon. They’ve even moved it back a bit further these days. Trying to stay motivated, blawin’ oot yir bahooky is sometimes a big ask and especially when you’ve a wee whipper snapper breathing over your shoulder.
Anyway, the finish line beckoned and I crossed it, stopped the watch and it read 19.59.9. YES, sub 20! On the back of all that Marathon training I didn’t do.
Nah – no such fortune, Connect rounded me up to 20.00.00. Bloody hell – mind games or what! Going in the right direction though.
Phimi did manage to prevail on the day coming home in an impressive 19.32, edging his recent other 5k outing at the Scally (19.46) and looking good for an impressive season. He and I, it turns out, have the exact same PB on this course of 19.00.00. Long season it is though and old adversaries will for sure be on the hunt! Wonder who that could be?
Then me and then next home the previously seen “walking it” Jim Mearns. Somehow, he managed to administer some swift rubbing action to the sore bit and get on his way again not least passing three of the aforementioned runners in the process to come home in a really solid 21.22. No bad for having stopped off for cheese sandwich and a glass of apple juice!
Next home was Davie Wardrope looking steady and familiarly unfazed in a brilliant time of 21.42, less than a minute away from his course PB and an admirable burst of pacy running given that he has been concentrating on the long stuff this year. Rachel, his daughter ran home in an impressive 24.15, again less than a minute away from her PB.
Then a battle to the line between Kay and Richard with Kay prevailing at 21.50 with Richard literally two paces behind and crossing in 21.52 only 9 seconds behind his course record – I’d blame the heat and the beasties Richard!
Mark Wheeler was just behind me at 20.07 and looking strong and Marathon Man, Ian Birch was ahead of me and running to a new 4-year course PB of 19.42.
Strathclyde Parkrun, when I first started going about 4 years ago had a regular 250 weekly runners. Today there were 457 registered finishers and I believe both Pollok and Victoria are reporting similar growth. Great for our wee past-time but massive pressure on the teams of volunteers that turn up week after week in all weathers to provide this absolutely brilliant event free of charge and without overly prohibitive rules and regulations – I take my hat off to them.
Martin
3 comments:
Yer some man, Martin Howell.... and a great blog report writer too! Well done to all on impressive times. There is so much more to come as this weather will surely continue......
Alan
Great report Martin. It was a crackin morning for it. If I'm honest it wasn't so much of a niggle as an exercise in going out far too fast. Another race, another lesson learned.
Entertained by the report. I didn't realise you were (nearly) sub 20.
I'll need to look over my shoulder a bit more often …
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