First ran this race in back in 1991 when it was a actual relay and finished in Corrie. Back then you had to wait for your team mate to cross the line before you started your own leg and i can remember running 11 miles on the 2nd leg on the south of the island(which had the longer legs then) and not seeing another runner!
I didn't return to race again till 1994 by which time the race had changed ,with the north legs being the longer legs,now, and the race finishing at Brodick Town Hall. Another change in the few years that i missed was that clubs like Cambuslang,Kilbarchan and HBT had stopped travelling over to compete, making it a far less competitive event...
So, in 1994 i was sent round to run North 2 10.5 miles from Pirnmill through Lochranza and was told there was "a wee hill at the end"..In those days i hadn't ever been round that side of the island and had no idea what i was letting myself in for...somethings you learn the hard way! I was 23 at the time and really fit but after running as hard as i could through to Lochranza i was on my knees by the time i got halfway up that "wee hill" called the Bouglie.
With a depleted team going over this year i knew i would have to tackle the leg again. Wasn't in the best frame of mind going into it due to another bust up at work with managers over me getting the day off...was so stressed about it i never really slept the night before the race and the thought of running in the predicted 30 degree heat was really worrying me.
Anyway...i ran ok...not great but it was just good to be doing something i love and enjoy.
Ran with a water bottle for the first time ever,it was a bit cumbersome but found it a really good help in the soaring heat. The last few miles were absolute murder but scraped home in 66 mins ,2nd place (full 10 mins behind the winner!)..team wise we finished 3rd behind Killie and Central AC...Good runs from all the guys especially in those conditions. Hopefully we can get everyone over next year
Nearly 20 years since I first ran the Arran Half, in which time I've ran it about a dozen times , winning it about 6 times with my fastest time on the course being 69.20 and my slowest 79.58 (last year!)
This years race was in the right middle of my fortnights holiday and did a great weeks training leading up to it on the Isle of Seil ,where it poured with rain most of the week.The day before the race, however, temperatures soared as a heatwave began...great for holiday,not great for racing!
As the race kicked off at mid day it was boiling but i decided to try and push the pace as hard as i could.By 6 miles i was running roughly sub 72 mins pace but i was starting to wilt big time in the heat.I had built up a healthy gap by then and knew if i could just keep going i would hang on to win ...but ,bloody hell it was tough!
Finished in 76.35 to win by about 2 minutes...James was at the finishing line with his fireman sam scoosher..it was a god send! Great to see my cousin Craig running as well in only his 3rd half marathon, fantastic effort.
Decided after the race that i wouldn't race anything over 10k in this kind of heat again( apart from the Arran relay in a fortnights time.)Most people suffer running in higher temps but my performances take such a huge dip in both training and races .The recovery time from races also seems to take far longer.2 days after the Alloa Half in March i was able to do a great session but it took a whole week to recover from this one....ooooaft!
Race 2 of the Weekend!...been thinking back and it must be 20 years since I ran 2 races one day after another(I think it was the Alan Scally relay followed by the Stewarton CC next day in 1992!) In fact there has been a few years 2007-2009 where I didn't do much more than 2 races in a year!
Last time I ran this race was 2008 and I was probably the least fit I have ever been, hardly training and nearly 2 stone overweight .I remember finishing the race that day in 37 odd mins, absolutely exhausted and thinking it was time to pack it in altogether....I just didn't enjoy it anymore.
So 5 years on I was going into this race with a really hard 5k the day before in my legs plus the 3 sessions that i had done during the week...I wasn't exactly fresh but at least i'm fit and loving my running again!... My legs were stiff and sore during the first 2k ,which included a fair bit of climbing, but after that I felt not bad at all and got into a good race with Andy Little of Shettleston. Andy outsprinted me at the finish to claim first vet but I was happy with my time of 33.19 considering i'd raced the day before and the Vale course isn't the fastest. No more races for a the rest of June as I get ready for the Arran Half and Arran Relay next month.
Four years after registering for Parkrun I finally run one! The Eggy parkrun has been going since March this year but I've only been available to run once or twice in that time due to work. Couldn't have picked a better day to make my debut however! Arrived at 8.30 am and it was really warm even at that time of the morning and managed a good warm up.Having been off work the week leading up to the race I had taken the opportunity to get some quality training ,including 3 sessions...so wasn't sure how the race would go.Got off to a good start and was working hard,with Alex Allardyce hanging on round the first small lap. Heading into the next lap, a large one, I started pulling away and by the time I reached the final small lap I knew I was gonna win,it was now just about the time I could run.I knew the course record was 17.24 (which Alex ran) so was well chuffed to clock 16.29 withAlex beating his pb with 17.07.....this was only race number 1 of the weekend for me,Vale of Leven 10k the next day! I must have the running bug again!
A better run! Felt a lot fresher than Troon a fortnight ago and finished 9th in 32.54.Got into a decent pace straight away and went through 5k in 16.15 feeling pretty good. Got a bit isolated 2nd half and slowed a wee bit. Didn't realise till after I finished that the first 8 had been taken the wrong way near the end and had missed a bit out making me the first to actually run the full distance! 1st vet prize again so happy with that, starting to feel myself getting race fit again
This was my first trip to the Troon 10k in 4 years. I've always had a love / hate relationship with this race, having had some great runs (and some absolute stinkers) since I first ran it in 1990.That year ,aged 19, i hung on to Brian Craig and Colin Miller ,clocking 33.30, in what was my 2nd ever 10k.Over the years i gradually got my times down until the late 90s when i clocked my pb of 30.48 ( finishing 6th in the year that the first 12 were under 32 mins!!!)The highest placing i ever got was 2nd in 2004 in 30.57, just holding off Lee Richardson and Davy Millar who were just over 31 mins.
It was 5 years before i raced Troon again in 2009 and i just wisnae fit plodding round in over 36 mins.Injuries and lack of motivation had taken their toll.... So fast forward another 4 years to this years race and i'm fitter and training harder than i have for years so was looking for a decent run.... The first kilometre was slow into the wind but as soon as we left the prom and out of the wind the race changed and spread out .I was hanging onto Robert Gilroy for the first 4k but didn't feel that good and just before 5k my left calve ,that had been bothering me for the previous week, started to stiffen up. So from 5k to the finish i ran myself trying to consolidate what i had and hang on for 1st vet. Was really toiling by the finish but hung on to finish 4th in 33.42. All in all ,not a great run but not the worst I've had at Troon so can't complain
5.30 am rise on the first day of a weeks holiday ...must be mad. After cycling the length of the Crinan canal 2 years ago I really wanted to run this race, so entered last year but couldn't make it due to injury...arrrgh! So I was determined to make it this year....Set off at a decent pace getting to 3 miles in 15.20 and 6 miles in 31 odds but was tiring a bit over the last few miles. Was really happy to win with my finishing time off 46.17 though ,just 22 seconds outside Davy Millars from last year....good race and feel like the trainings starting to pay off now
