Club Training Thursday 29th June

For those who were not racing on Wednesday evening, Thursday's session is a 5k race pace session on Shields Road. Warm-up via Strathaven Rd and Greenhills Rd to the fingerposts where the reps start. The session is:

5 x 1km at 5k pace with 2 min jog in the same direction as the rep or jog around in circles near where you finished the rep. Do each rep in alternate directions along Shields Rd and aim for very even pacing.

Cool down by cutting through the new houses to Auldhouse and back via Langlands, Sainsburys and Strathaven Rd to keep the total miles up.

(for those who were racing, do this session as an easy run back and forth whilst the others are doing the reps).

Alan

Club Training Monday 26th June

Monday's session is a threshold effort session around the backroads of Auldhouse. The session is 2 x 9 minutes at threshold effort with 3 minutes jog recovery + 1 x 6 minutes at threshold. Run through the glen to the bridge over the Strathaven Rd and then along to the Crutherland and across the road to the backroads and the corner where we often start sessions. Start the first rep at that corner. Continue on to the junction with Leaburn Rd and turn left and right and continue climbing to the next junction. Turn right and follow the top road all the way along, through the cross roads until the road turns back down hill. When this meets Leaburn Rd, turn right and then left down the hill and up to Auldhouse Cross. Turn right and back to the club via Langlands, Sainsburys and Strathaven Rd.

Alan

Calderglen Harriers Trail Race Provisional Results

25/06/2023 - results updated following review against finish line video (files at links below have been updated except 5k which has not required corrections).

The provisional results for the trail races are at the following links.

1km Provisional Results

3km Provisional Results

5km Provisional Results

10km Provisional Results

It took a bit longer than usual to sort out but a big thanks to the finish line team for gathering the position data (Geo, Marie and Julie), to Russell for clarifying a few registration issues and to Allan McLellan who's finish line photographs helped solve a few quandaries.

Alan

Club Training Thursday 22nd June

Thursday's run is the traditional pre-trail race 10k course recce. The objective of this is to have an easy run around the 10k course in packs, looking out for any aspects of the course that might need attention and passing that information on to Jim and Davie. Once the 10k is done, those looking for a longer run can do an easy lap of the 5k and/or 3k giving a total of 15/18k of easy running.

Alan

Club Training Monday 19th June - Chatelherault

Monday's session is at Chatelherault and is an easy lap. As I always say, there is no easy way to get around Chatelherault as effort is always required to get up and down the hills, so don't make it harder than it need be by pushing too hard; in fact, the slower you run around, the longer the time you are working and the greater the aerobic training effect!

Thursday will be a trail race recce.

Alan

Loch Lomond 10k

Yesterday was a day full of excitement for the Calderglen Harrier running club, as 4 runners had the opportunity to take part in the Loch Lomond 10K race. 

The weather gods smiled upon us, providing  with ideal running conditions—warmth, a gentle breeze, and a rain-free atmosphere. This allowed our runners to focus on their performance.

First of all, congratulations to Catherine Boyd, who has demonstrated remarkable progress since joining our coach-to-5K team in 2022. Catherine's hard work and determination were evident as she took on the 10K challenge, finishing with a time of 01:01:51, her personal best this year. Well done, Catherine!

Further congratulations to Lorraine Buchanan levelled with a good time of 01:01:50, Robert Gibson, who  completed the 10K with a remarkable time of 53:31 and to Julia Pechlof who finished the race yesterday in 49:54.

Well done, Harriers!

Julia

(further photos here)

Grand Prix & Club Championship 2022/23 Final Results

The final results are in following the Vertical Mile. Follow these links to see the final tables:

Women's Grand Prix

Men's Grand Prix

Women's Club Championship

Men's Club Championship

Very well done to Frances (GP and Club Championship), Russell (GP) and Jim (Club Championship). A special mention to Julia, Gordon, Jason & Richard who all reached at least 11 races and made the competition strong. The category awards will be worked out in due course and presented at our annual prize giving, noting that we usually make it one prize per person to spread through the members.

The results highlight the old adage "you've got to be in it to win it" meaning that doing at least 11 of the 16 possible races makes a big difference to final positions. In the women's competition we averaged 4 Harriers per race whereas in the men's competition we averaged 8 Harriers per race. 13 women and 32 men participated in at least one race suggesting that the women are slightly "racier" than the men (i.e. about 1/3 of women and 1/4 of men participated on average). However, the numbers suggest that the scoring system needs to be adjusted next year to better match the lower than anticipated number of participants.

Well done all who participated!

Alan

Vertical Mile 2023

Mid-June, a run of cracking weather in Scotland and collective bunch of enthusiastic Calderglen Harrier runners makes an ideal cocktail to host the long-established Vertical Mile Road Race and the grand finale of the 2022-23 Club Grand Prix.

In normal circumstances Frances and I would be competing in this event, but both are in rest and rehab phase of our running due to different injuries. So, we paid forward and supported our fellow runners by undertaking timing duties and provided water refreshments at the finish line.

10 Harriers lined up to contend this years’ event with guest runner and last year’s champion Shaun Mochan. At the first brow of the hill, I had one foot on the gas and Frances shouted go pressing the hooter can provided by Russell. They were off…… Frances jumped into the car, and I sped up the hill to wait at the finish line where Davie Searil, Ruth Kelly, and Jim Mearns where congregating.

First to the top was our guest runner Shaun Mochan in 6.31. With little over a 30 second gap our first Harrier over the line was Graeme Lindsay in 7.07. Next up were our trio of sub-8-minute runners with Grand Prix contender Jason Grant crossing the line first in 7.46, next was Julie Beveridge, being first female Harrier home, in a time of 7.55 followed swiftly by Stephen Phimister battling the clock for a time of 7.58.  Our second and third female runners were Karen Allen and Julia Pechlof having a close battle towards the finishing line with a fast-finishing Julia crossing line just behind Karen. Karen ran 8.29 and Julia was 8.31.  With another short gap Gordon McNally was leading the second half of the race and crossed strongly in 9.14 to end his Grand Prix campaign for glory. Gerry Mullen was charging up the hill having done this race many times over the years as a seasoned Harrier finishing 10.17. Russell Couper, Grand Prix legend and this year’s winner (to be officially verified) finished his Grand Prix run for victory in 10.45.  Last but most important was Jacqueline Balmer, my training partner in pack 8 and ever improving was fourth female Harrier tonight. This was her first Vertical Mile and put down a solid performance in the heat running 10.45.

Well done everyone who ran the event its not an easy run. Thank you to Frances for helping with the timing and Jim Mearns being official photographer.

Congratulations to our Vertical Mile 2023 Champions, Graeme Lindsay and Julie Beveridge.

Richard

(all the photos are in this album)

Happy 70th Birthday Andy !

Another milestone today as Calderglen Harrier stalwart Andy Henderson celebrates his 70th birthday. He has been with the club,  I think, since our inception in 1984 (I am sure Chas could confirm or deny) and as well as competing in many races for the club at national/championship level and up to marathon distance, he has also served the club in a number of capacities with one of his later ones being the Club Secretary.  Andy is not on Whats App or active on Facebook a lot so it was fitting to put a post on the blog to allow past and present members to wish him many happy returns.

Club Training Thursday 15th June - VERTICAL MILE

Thursday's session is the final race of the Grand Prix - The Vertical Mile. Meet at the club as per usual and run out in your packs to the bottom of Auchentibber hill where the mile starts. There is no need to declare jokers as every joker each runner has remaining will be automatically played. Register as usual for training.

I have two volunteers for the timing and results, both of whom are injured: Richard Lawton (achilles tendon); Frances Ferguson (pain in the back....). We don't need any more than 2 people to time an event of this size, so please everyone else treat this as you would any other training session (i.e you don't come along to training to stand and watch!!) and run up the mile putting as much or as little effort into it as you feel comfortable doing. Imagine I had written here that tonight's session is 1 x 1 mile hill rep and its not a race. The conditions could not be better.

Alan

TTC 2023

Preparations for the 2023 Trossachs Training Camp are underway. The dates for your diary are Friday 8th September (usual start at around 1700 to 1730) until around mid-day on Sunday 10th September. The venue is the Dreadnought Hotel again, which has now been booked: 20 places in 10 x twin rooms, although being a hotel, we can add to this if we are over-subscribed (the hostel is not an option and may not be an option in the future when it eventually reopens next year due to a change in use). Dinners will be at the Lade Inn as per usual.

We will open for registration in a few weeks once some final details are sorted and we can determine the costs/pricing. The price is likely to be similar to last year, perhaps up a little as the hotel's prices have increased. Please make sure your calendar is free for Callander as your club needs you to make this event fun and a success! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Alan

Trail Race Roles

The Trail Race roles are here. Although the marshalls need to be in place by the times specified,  I will be in the park from 10am on the 23rd to set up the courses. Would be good to see as many of you as possible if you can help out" 

Thanks,Jim

Club Training Monday 12th June

Monday's session is a 10k pace session and is a slight progression. For those who were racing 10k in Kilmarnock on Sunday, run this session as an easy run by dropping down a pack or two and not increasing the pace to 10k pace.

The session is 16 x 90 seconds at 10k effort with 45 second jog recovery. The route is an easy start through the glen to the corner at the bottom of the hill at Langlands. Start the first rep there heading towards Park Farm. Turn left on Leaburn Rd and then immediately right, continuing uphill to the cross roads where you turn right. Follow that road all the way along and then eventually down until it joins Leaburn Rd again. Turn right and then left down to Auldhouse Cross. Turn right back to Langlands and back to the club via Sainsburys and Strathaven Rd. Take the warm up and the cool down back to the club after the last rep very easy indeed.

Alan

Club Training Thursday 8th June

Thursday is a threshold Thursday. Given the high density of races at this time of year, which need proper recovery, the threshold session is shorter in total duration than we have been doing. Please make the effort at the bottom end of threshold, meaning that you are in control throughout each rep and finish the second rep feeling you could do a third and a fourth rep.

The session is 2 x 9 minutes at threshold with a 3 minute jog recovery.

The route is a through the glen warm-up to Sainsburys and then use the Sainsburys circuit in a clockwise direction for the reps. Cool down back through the glen.

Remember that Saturday is the second opportunity to do the Victoria Park parkrun for those who did not do it last Saturday. I will update the GP on Friday night.

Alan

Club Training Monday 5th June - Chatelherault World Championships - Calderglen Grand Prix Race

It looks like perfect conditions for the annual Chatelherault World Championships on Monday evening. This is a straightforward race around the usual Chatelherault lap and is the only time when I say go for it on a lap of Chatelherault. Be extra careful not to trip, especially as fatigue builds in the second half. Pace judgement is vital and holding something in reserve for after the log jam may well be a good strategy.

Please register with the online training form as usual and indicate if you are going to the club for a lift or direct to the training venue. Please advise Russell of any jokers which you may be playing.

Alan