KIRKIE 12.5KM RACE 16/2/2014

1st race of the 2014 Run Kirkintilloch Series organised by Kirkintilloch Olympians.

The first test run to see how the winter training has gone and after a week in Fuerteventura all inclusive I was not starting this race with much confidence of a fast time but I did want to run it at a steady pace even though it includes 7 sharp climbs.

8:2016:4025:0033:2041:4050:0004:0005:0006:0007:0008:0009:00Pace (min/mi)Pace:07:39 min/miTime: 14:42 h:m:s

This was the first team the full Team Craig had lined up on a start line together for 6 months and only the 3rd or 4th time ever so it would be an interesting event seeing who would catch who (ha ha). Plan for me was meet Michael in Bishopbriggs and have a warm up 5 miles over to the start, race and then 6 mile run home. Michael was meant to follow the same plan but there were several doubters in the camp on the outcome of that.

The warm up run to the start lulled us into a false sense of wellbeing with a calm canal and a gentle breeze almost springlike with a welcome blue sky for a change after weeks of wind and rain. The race started promptly and a few runners blasted off along the first half km which is flat until the climbing and descending starts. The first couple of miles were fine but a stiff breeze ensued for the next two but I managed to keep the splits quite even without blowing up with the knowledge that miles 5 and 6 would be with the wind behind us with the out and back route. Mile 6 and the finishing straight were also even so I was delighted to have held them all comfortably and the only disappointment was I just did not have a finishing burst to reel in 2 guys who had been about 10 mtrs in front of me for the last 2 miles.

Splits were : Mile 1 - 5:50
                   Mile 2 - 6:23
                   Mile 3 - 6:32
                   Mile 4 - 6:34
                   Mile 5 - 6:23
                   Mile 6 - 6:23
                   Mile 7 - 6:23
                0.8 mile - 6:32     Finishing time 49.33  

Miles 3 and 4 then 7 till the finish into a stiff headwind.

Michael finished in 51:24 , Chris 56:05 and Kate 77:06 all delighted to have taken part but not particularly joyous and bursting with energy to accompany me on the recovery run.

Fellow VP-Glasgow runners were Alison Kerr 50:57 2nd lady and Andy Law 50:40 .

Michael, Chris and Ada await their coffees.

After a recovery coffee a recovery run of 6 miles took the total for the day up to 18.2 miles.

Another excellent race organised by the Olympians and many thanks to the marshalls and timekeepers standing in the cold for our enjoyment.

Strava details here

Race results here