GERRYS RUNNING TALES: 2 HALFS A SPRINT AND A GALLOP

Tuesday, 15 October 2013

2 HALFS A SPRINT AND A GALLOP

No ultras to race or report on this last few weeks so I entered a couple of half marathons and put my name down for the cross country relays with my club to ease my legs back in to a faster pace with the shortish Glen Ogle 33 mile race on the 2nd November in mind.

So first up came the Dumfries Half Marathon on the 22nd September, a race which I have raced several times and always enjoy. This was going to be a wake up call to my fast twitch muscles which have largely been uncalled on since April and the shortest race recently has been a marathon (I did RACE the last leg at the Clyde Stride and that was not pretty only 3 weeks after the West Highland Way Race). Met Ian Beattie and Sandra at the start and had a chat and also Craig Reid and Peter Buchanan who went on to have excellent races. I rattled along comfortably finishing in 1:23.34 which is my slowest time ever in this race but I enjoyed it all the way and although a disappointing time a really worthwhile run. We tied this race in for the wee man to go and see his latest obsession at Dino Park just outside Dumfries where much fun was had afterwards.

Two weekends later on the 5th and 6th of October was a double header with a 3.25 mile leg in the 74th running of the McAndrew Road Relay at Scotstoun in 19min 24 secs and on the Sunday morning the Neil McCover Memorial Half Marathon in Kirkintilloch and surrounding areas. This half is a tough route and not fast contrary to the organizers description but I managed to chop a minute off my Dumfries time with a 82:23 finish, a minute and a half slower than last year but a step in the correct direction.

McAndrew link here : http://www.vp-glasgow.co.uk/mcandrew.htm

Dumfries results here : http://www.dumfriesrunningclub.org.uk/

Comfy finish at the Neil McCover Half

I have been asked a few times why I appear in several running vests throughout the year so to clarify :

Blue and white hoops is the original Victoria Park AAC vest which was changed to the blue with one green and one white band a few years back when we merged with City of Glasgow. I am a bit nostalgic and do actually much prefer the hooped vest. I also sometimes wear my yellow Scottish Veteran Harriers Club vest and another is my MacRitchie Runners 25 ( http://mr25.org.sg/ )

I was presented on the Saturday with my prize for winning first vet in the SUMS series ( http://scottishultramarathonseries.org/ ) by Ada who had kindly collected it for me at the awards ceremony.

Last weekend was the first race of the cross country season and a new venue for me for the first relay race at Hamilton Park Racecourse. 4km on a racetrack was a great experience and the surface was ideal and possibly the cleanest cross country I have ever ran. I ran the glory leg although no glory to be had a was pleased with my time of 15:03, hope the rest of the cross country races are as enjoyable but somehow I doubt it.