Jim Young Marymass 10k

Race reports and buses - you wait weeks and weeks since Julie's Run the Blades post and then two come along in the space of two days.

Only two 'official' harriers made the trip to the seaside on a horrible night for any outdoor activity never mind running. Gordon's other half Marion was also in the car and John Boyd ran as part of his works' team, Brodie's Engineering I think, who are one of the main race sponsors.

Despite horrible weather on the way there and on the way home the rain relented for around two hours allowing us to warm up and race in almost dry conditions. I can't say the same for the wind however, it continued to blaw a hoolie all night with gusts of up to 40 miles an hour. At one point crossing over the railway line I felt myself blown to the left across the path such was it's strength. An upside was the puny nine meters of elevation which on a calm night makes this a potential pb course which I did run here many moons ago. Near the end, around the exposed boating pond and just behind the site of the old Magnum Centre, the route took us straight into a headwind which almost stopped me in my tracks, and this is where Gordon came surging past me and it was all I could do to tuck in behind.

In the end I was first harrier home (loved typing that 😂) in 49.39 (sub-50, after narrowly missing out on Sunday!) closely followed by Gordon just nine seconds behind. We had been no more than a few meters apart right from the off and that was easily the biggest gap between us all night. Meanwhile John came home not much later in 51.07.
I was only eleven seconds away from third MV60, still fourth from eleven wasn't too bad.

Puffin and blawin

Gordon keeping me honest along the finishing stretch

Meanwhile, well in front of the guys, Marion not only won her category by an astonishing 6 minutes she also won the FV50 category by two thereby winning a bit more cash and a medal hanger.

Marion on the way to victory in both the FV50 and FV60 categories!

John enjoying the strong tailwind along Harbour Street to the finish 

Gordon later pointed out the irony of the fact that there was no medal awarded at this race!   

There were 218 finishers with the race winners being previous Calderglen trail race champion Neil Renault of Edinburgh AC in 33.09 and Toni McIntosh of Ayr Seaforth in 39.42. Neil's wife Katie topped up their family winnings by following Toni home for a fine second place in 42.39, a productive trip from the east on such an awful night.

Previous WHWR winner David McLure from nearby Kilmarnock Harriers finished second in 34.22 proving that ultra runners are capable of running fast (just not me then!)

Once again the free ice cream from one of the other race sponsors Vanilla Joe's was a major hit with most of the runners taking up the offer.

Photos once again courtesy of Kenny Phillips, what a man! A thought - given his services to running in the west of Scotland shouldn't Kenny be recognised or rewarded in some fashion by Scottish Athletics? Discuss...

And finally...
It's worth noting from the results that after the last placed finisher is recorded a DQ for 'Unauthorised number swap with a younger runner'. I won't name him here but anyone interested can look it up on whatsmytime.co.uk. I'm pleased for a number of reasons, firstly that they actually caught someone doing so, secondly that they took decisive action and thirdly that an MV60 (who should know better) and member of a nearby club who thought he could flout the rules that we all operate under has been publicly named, shamed and presumably reported to Scottish Athletics for further sanction. Well done Irvine AC! Another rant over, angry emoji here...😡 

Paisley 10k

Five harriers made the short journey to Paisley last Sunday having prepared for all weather eventualities contained in a typical Scottish summer forecast - extra tee-shirts, waterproof jackets and...sunglasses! Jim and I, having decided that club vests only were required, weren’t too downhearted when, right on cue and only a minute before the 10k was due to start, the rain began to fall. At least we wouldn’t overheat.

The pair of us somehow managed to get ourselves stuck behind a group of orange-shirted charity runners complete with collection buckets, it’s wonderful what they do but did they have to do it so near the front of the race? I spotted a gap, went for it, and found myself way ahead of Jim who (as he told me afterwards) panicked when he saw me heading into the distance and accelerated far too fast once he got the chance. 

Jim and I captured by Martin before our fast starts took their toll

A sub-seven minute first mile and a 7.04 second left him in oxygen debt only repaid by slowing to just under 7.30 pace for most of the remaining miles. Not that I was any better at judging my pace either, who knew that training for ultras and running 16 minute miles (and more!) could skew your judgement so badly? Just like Jim my first mile was also my fastest, we’ll have to practice this short stuff before we get the hang of it.

Most of the remainder of the race for me was an exercise in hanging on as best I could, painful though it was, until I regrouped a little and picked the pace up again at the 7k mark.

Jim running alongside SA chairman and WHWR director Ian Beattie, back on his old stomping ground. Jim was likely asking him why he added half a mile to this year's race!

Near the end there was a nasty wee kick up past a magnificent old church ( I couldn’t have been all that bad if I noticed the architecture!) and the museum before the welcome sight of a long steady downhill to the finish. I had just enough left in me to muster what may or may not have been a sprint and passed a few runners just as Martin was taking more photos and shouting welcome encouragement.

Kevin (almost) enjoying the downhill finish

John running his umpteenth Paisley 10k

Kevin was leading harrier in 41.12, a time I assume he was pleased with as he had said earlier he wanted a big improvement on his performance here last year. Jim came home in 45.10, me in 50.09 and John McBride in 55.33. A lesson to be learned is that both Jim and I would have achieved our targets (sub 45 and 50 respectively) had we started more conservatively.

Kai Wheeler ran the 3k ‘fun’ run (I don’t know why organisers feel obliged to use that word, is it ever really fun?) in a time of 12.28 to finish in an very impressive 68^th place from an enormous field of 1,189 finishers. Well done young man. 

The winners were Sean Fontana of Inverclyde in 31.40 and Morag Millar (who seems to win every race I see these days) of Central AC in 35.26.

Worth noting that the leading MV50-59 came home in 34.47 and fastest MV60 was 38.46, not much chance for the rest of us!

All photos are courtesy of Martin Howell and Kenny Phillips, big thanks are due to Martin for his support on the day.

The final sprint

At least I thought I was sprinting

One of four sightings of our trail race tee

I've also included the Scottish Running Guide report below;

Ahead of yesterday's Paisley 10K, runners would have been pondering the vagaries of the Scottish weather. Would a cooling breeze become a battle into the wind, a gentle drizzle turn into a downpour?

Fortunately conditions were favourable, if not perfect, for the 1,600 plus who lined up in the town's County Square. A pre-race warm-up and encouraging words from Bryan Burnett on the PA system and they were off.

The first kilometre saw the field turn back on itself so those in mid-division were able to catch the action at the head of affairs where Inverclyde AC, Shettleston Harriers, Kilbarchan AC and Central AC vests were prominent.

Runners had to work hard against the wind in the early stages although St. Mirren fans would have got a boost at around 3k as they passed their club's ground, and all runners would have relished the support of the enthusiastic policewoman at 4k.

That section was the most difficult with narrow stretches and puddles at the roadside kerb. However having negotiated the underpass just beyond half way runners were happy to get some wind assistance over the second half of the course.

They would also have enjoyed the cycle track section – flat, sheltered and on fast tarmac – as they made their way back to the town and the welcome sight of historic Paisley Abbey before being roared home by the town centre crowds.

Inverclyde AC's Sean Fontana (31:40) claimed first prize with teammate John Bell (31:48) in second; Shettleston Harrier Alasdair McLeod (32:19) filled the other podium spot.

In-form Morag Miller (Central AC) was fastest woman in 35:25 with Gemma Rankin (35:45) from local club Kilbarchan AAC second and Leeds AC's Lorna Young (35:52) third.

Post-race runners praised a well-organised event with great marshalling around the route, a Paisley-themed medal and a flat course.

The town's big running day of the year also included 3K Fun Run which attracted a 1,200 strong field of whom Sam Rice (Kilmarnock Harriers) and Katy Donnelly (Giffnock North AAC) proved the pick – 9:25 and 10:54 the winning times.

Hundreds of charity runners added welcomed colour and enthusiasm to the event, notably the big contingent from Erskine, the official Paisley 10K charity.