Balloch to Clydebank Half Marathon

RESULTS    BALLOCH CLYDEBANK HALF HOMEPAGE

My preparation for this half was strange.  I ran 7 miles yesterday with Paul and Arun. Although a bit more than I should have ran it was comfortable.  Paul's achilles injury came back and that will be him out again for at least a week.  Worrying now as it is getting close to the London Marathon.  I also didn't give up milk and coffee as I normally do (I find it gives me a dodgy stomach, Debbie says it's in my head) and I didn't have dinner last night.  Strange but I didn't feel hungry and felt like I ate enough for breakfast this morning.

The weather was meant to be very stormy.  Windy and rain was forecast and during the night I wasn't let down with the rain lashing the windows.  The morning was a different matter though with the sun trying to peak out.  I warmed up with Davie Bell, one of the WHW crew, and then the rain came back again.  The Lore of Running book had said if you are not cold at the start line of a race then you have too many clothes on.  I was certainly cold and so took comfort in that my running vest is adequate protection for Scotland in the beginning of March.  Chris Upson was here today and I was a bit worried.  I don't want him to beat me in this race as well.  He leads 2-1 in the competition that I am having (which he doesn't know about)  It certainly keeps me focused although maybe he is at a disadvantage not knowing.  Then I saw John Kennedy had arrived.  This was worse.  Not only had he well beaten me in Prestonpans he was also a member of Clydesdale and so qualifies for the first Dunbartonshire prize.  I had won it last year and was here to defend it. 

So it was off to the start.  Familiar faces and a good turnout from Garscube.  Said my hi's to Andy, Kenny and Matt from Bella and then bang on 9:30 we were off.

Ready Steady

I know the route of this half off by heart.  This is my third year running it and the start is a stones throw from my front door.  I ran behind a full time triathlete called Catriona Morrison for the first half mile.  I felt good so I went to overtake her when suddenly just before the right turn onto Balloch main street she veered straight into me.  "Right" she growled and I could only wimper "sorry" in reply.  Well if I ever become a full time athlete, don't snigger as I am sure there is a place in the woman's knitting team that  could join, then I must remember my manners.

By the first mile marker I was in a comfortable 6th place with 7th not within ear shot of me.  It was now I remembered what went wrong in Blackpool.  I kept up the fast pace of the start and so struggled at the end trying to keep my pace.  I decided to ease back a bit and try my best to stay at 5:50 /mi for the rest of the run and hopefully have enough left in the tank to have a strong finish.  Just in case I was yet again seconds away from my PB.

The course runs from Loch Lomond shores in Balloch then into Alexandria then Renton, Dumbarton, Bowling, Old Kilpatrick and ends in the Clydebank Retail Park.  For a race starting at the bonnie banks it certainly ain't scenic.

The first part of the half to Dumbarton is marshaled by Garscube.  So I just want to take this opportunity to say thanks to Rob, Charlie, Dave H, Dermot and Chris.  There was more people but I was in the zone!!! hee hee.  I also have to say a big thank you to Alex from Springburn. From Dumbarton onwards he seemed to be at every corner cheering me on and beeping his horn. 

Debbie has been trying to get me to watch my running form recently and as I came up a long incline into Bowling I felt my form slipping and I was starting to hunch.  At the exact moment I thought "Debbie wouldn't like to see this" I heard Rob shout "Keep your form!!" Instantly I straightened up and felt better for it.

As I reached Clydebank I was still in 6th position and hadn't really seen much of any runners.  A strange feeling in a half.  Then I started to hear people cheer me and then shout "Come on Nick"  there was someone behind me.  The footsteps came up behind me and I tried to keep him off but it was no good.  I was beaten and he overtook me like a gazelle.  I was never going to keep up with him.  Luckily he was a Bella runner and my first Dunbartonshire was still on.  Unless John was close by.

Then in the last mile I noticed that yet again it was going to be close to my PB.  Not again.  I wasn't going to be beaten by the odd second this time.  I picked up the pace yet again and noticed that the Bella lad in front was starting to struggle.  Perhaps he had overtaking me a tad too early.  Spurned on by this I picked up the pace more and overtook him with half a mile to go.  Rob and Rachel were marshaling the last turn and cheered me through.  Rob shouting out "Watch Marco, there is a runner 10m behind you".  "Ah but Rob, I have just overtaken him" I thought to myself with a wry smile.

10m to the finishing line, a glance at my watch.  I was going to do it. Finally.  My longest standing PB was about to be beaten.

10m to go, 10m in front of Nick

Over the line, what's my time. 1:16:45 (although the results released later say 1:16:46).  So officially that's 7 seconds faster than my last PB from the Glasgow Half in 2006.  A small margin but a PB all the same.  Still in 6th position I was first Dunbartonshire club runner.  Cool.  No wooden trophy for me.  And I had finished before Chris Upson and John Kennedy with a strong finish.  I was never good with strong finishes before but a I think that all this really long endurance running is helping me with that.

At the finishing line as everyone gathered and compared times etc two guys came up to me and asked if I had got my PB.  I didn't recognise them but they said they knew me from my blog.  I was really touched by that and think that made my day more than my PB.  So I just wanted to say thanks to you both.  If you could post a comment cause I can't remember your names and just want to say hi.

Debbie, Not a hair out of place and another PB.

Debbie also got a PB. 1:42:56.  She is taking loads of her times recently.  So it's 3-3 in the PB's competition in the Consani house this year so far.  Sharon got a PB too.  And Ian B ran in Inverness today getting 1hr 24mins 30secs which I hear he is really pleased with.

Davie and me looking ultra glamorous. Debs n' Sharon must try harder