Land 'o' Burns 10k Road Race
Tonight saw me running the Land 'o' Burns 10k; for the first time in many a years and on a new course as well. Its a twisty, turny course that doesnt lend itself to good times, but it was all good as was my time, well within what I wanted to run and faster than Troon and Dunlop so cant be all bad.
So how'd it go
This one starts off down the prominade road and runs back towards town for about 400 - 500m where there is a left turn and then another left turn onto the prominade and heading away from town. First disaster occured within the first kilometre, where the car keys that I had tied to the draw string on my shorts came undone and dropped to the ground like a stone, I had no choice but to stop, turn and head back into an oncoming crowd of runners all determind and mind set on getting to the end in as fast a time as possible; and this here dumplin regardless of reason who was running against the tide so to speak was'nt gonna stand in their way. It was a case of head down and spot the keys and run towards them, swipe them up and make the turn to follow the flow of runners in as fast a time as possible. Its strange how them few seconds seemed to last for ever and half of ever, yet when running the time seems to fly past and the distance seems to be stagnant. Keys firmly in hand I find my place in the field again and gradually try to find my pace. A few hundred yards up the road and it is clear that the keys in my hand are going to be a total pain to carry around with me for the next 9k, I know that carrying them I just wont be able to relax properly, so the choices are, I carry them and be done with it; knowing fine well it will piss me off, I could stop and try and re-tie them onto the draw-string of the shorts; that would waste time or luck would have it, my coach was there at the side cheering people on and giving encouragement, so I ever so gratefully passed them over to him, thanks Kenny for being a saviour that night :). (only problem now is that I dont have an excuse if I run rubbish).
Finding something to carry you along
Everyone has something they have to carry them along the road, a wee mantra, a song on an iPod, someone at a particular point in the race, me I never take them things with me, I just go out and run, never really relyng on things to get me moving, just in case they aint there when youu need them; thats not to say I dont have a mantra or that I on ocassions dont shout at myself to 'move your ass'; tonight I dont have anything, but sometime one will inevitably find something that will spur them on a bit, make them push that wee bit faster or that wee bit further. Tonight was no exception to that rule. What was it I hear you all thinking, well to those seasoned runners and race participants, to those who run for fun, to those who run for freedom, male, female or otherwise, you will all know what it is I speak of and so there is no need to tell...no need to give away secrets. I was able to use this to carry me along for about a kilometre, which was enough time to be able to get my pace back and sort myself out from the wee set back earlier with the keys, after that it faded away into the distant past as I ate up the miles. I am sure one day I will find the same motivation, I may even find the same one, but for tonight it is in the past.
'Time does fly, but not I'
Before I know it I have came past the half way point of the race, it seemed to fly by quite quickly, however when I look at my watch it would appear that I don't carry the same same proporties in this instance and I am actually slower than I would have hopped to have been at this stage. Never the less I push on determind to give it me best shot and to see how my training is coming along. I shouldnt be to hard on myself with regards to my half way time, after all to get here ir has been an excursion of twists, turns and slinks to the right and slinks to the slef, and even a right - left bend that would make any F1 or GP rider wonder just what was going on, on the track that night.
Emerging from the loop in the houses I am instructed to saty on the right until the road is clear, as I cross the road I notice a distinctive vest up ahead and wonder how I managed to be in such close quarters to this vest wearer. As I close in I realise that they have developed cramp in their calves and have slowed to a mere walk, followed by an abrupt stop. Apparently he said he had gone away to fast. I pass my team mate and turn the corner to begin the assent of what can only be described as a long drawn out hill of torment, after all you can just about see the top of it, and thats how it stays until you are just yards from the top, this is because it climbs up but there is just a wee slight flat section whcih you dont notice about 2/3 way up which lasts only about 50-60 metres, but is enough to give this un-reachable top illusion.
My Clim-b-ax and Desent-ax to the end
As I start the accent I hear the foot steps behind me of my previously passed team mate and although no one ever likes to be passed, I was some what releived to have him back in front of me, this releif was however short lived as once again he slowed to a halt and I ran past him. Pushing on up the hill I catch another participant and wonder if I should wait behind them or run past them, the answer is given to me by the sudden sharp bit of the hill and there is suddenly no way I can pass the fella in front o me. I just tuck in behind him and get what cyclist term as a 'wee draft', probably not as effective as when on a bike but surely it must cound for something. We reach the top o the hll and turn a left heading back down the was and I finally manage to pass the guy, only to have him pass me again within about 10-15 metres, only for me to pass him again in about 30 metres and then for him to pass me; this went on for about another 2 passings of each other, until he found his over-drive and went passed and kept on going. I tempted my legs and body to follow on and catch him, but sadly they never had anything in the reserve, so off he sped as we began to come down th hill, and suddenly it looked like I might catch him again, but it wasnt to be I started to feel the sicknes in the pit of my stomach, move up inside and so I eased off the gas a wee bit in expecttion of what is normally the inevitable, but nothing. I turned at the bottom of the hill and followed the road on through the 9k marker to find my running companin for the past 2 k striding along. The finish was in sight, it was just through the hole in the wall and left onto the gravel path (it wasnt just a hole it was a proper gap for the path). I just eased off and let him enter the park in front of me, once in the park I slowly eased onto the gas and then sped past him like we had done to each other earlier and he had done to me on his final escape, only this time I pushed up a gear as I ran past and pulled the distance out to a good 10, then 12 metres. It was all I could do, my gas was at peak performance all the twists and turns from earlier and the stutters and farts as we say in running speed and style had taken its toll on me, but I turned at the bottom of the park with about 50-60 metres to go, ever listening for the burst behind me and the approaching of feet I gave another wee burst for security and I was home and safe.
I looked at my watch and I hadnt run what I would liked to have run, but on all the positives, I was faster than what I ran at Troon 10k, I was faster than what I ran at Dunlop 10k, according to the garmin it was more than 10k (so I did run faster than I had hoped, mmm), I was still well within my minutes per mile pace for my marathon, I had kept the insides on the inside (again) and I actually felt good after such a hard run. (Although maybe, jusy maybe I should have took last nights training a wee bit easier).
Tonights total is 6.10 miles (Garmin actually says it is 6.26 miles (someone elses said it was 6.25 and another said 6.27)
Weekly Total is 18.62 miles
Moggie's Mony Money Miles Total 79.54 miles
Tonight saw me running the Land 'o' Burns 10k; for the first time in many a years and on a new course as well. Its a twisty, turny course that doesnt lend itself to good times, but it was all good as was my time, well within what I wanted to run and faster than Troon and Dunlop so cant be all bad.
So how'd it go
This one starts off down the prominade road and runs back towards town for about 400 - 500m where there is a left turn and then another left turn onto the prominade and heading away from town. First disaster occured within the first kilometre, where the car keys that I had tied to the draw string on my shorts came undone and dropped to the ground like a stone, I had no choice but to stop, turn and head back into an oncoming crowd of runners all determind and mind set on getting to the end in as fast a time as possible; and this here dumplin regardless of reason who was running against the tide so to speak was'nt gonna stand in their way. It was a case of head down and spot the keys and run towards them, swipe them up and make the turn to follow the flow of runners in as fast a time as possible. Its strange how them few seconds seemed to last for ever and half of ever, yet when running the time seems to fly past and the distance seems to be stagnant. Keys firmly in hand I find my place in the field again and gradually try to find my pace. A few hundred yards up the road and it is clear that the keys in my hand are going to be a total pain to carry around with me for the next 9k, I know that carrying them I just wont be able to relax properly, so the choices are, I carry them and be done with it; knowing fine well it will piss me off, I could stop and try and re-tie them onto the draw-string of the shorts; that would waste time or luck would have it, my coach was there at the side cheering people on and giving encouragement, so I ever so gratefully passed them over to him, thanks Kenny for being a saviour that night :). (only problem now is that I dont have an excuse if I run rubbish).
Finding something to carry you along
Everyone has something they have to carry them along the road, a wee mantra, a song on an iPod, someone at a particular point in the race, me I never take them things with me, I just go out and run, never really relyng on things to get me moving, just in case they aint there when youu need them; thats not to say I dont have a mantra or that I on ocassions dont shout at myself to 'move your ass'; tonight I dont have anything, but sometime one will inevitably find something that will spur them on a bit, make them push that wee bit faster or that wee bit further. Tonight was no exception to that rule. What was it I hear you all thinking, well to those seasoned runners and race participants, to those who run for fun, to those who run for freedom, male, female or otherwise, you will all know what it is I speak of and so there is no need to tell...no need to give away secrets. I was able to use this to carry me along for about a kilometre, which was enough time to be able to get my pace back and sort myself out from the wee set back earlier with the keys, after that it faded away into the distant past as I ate up the miles. I am sure one day I will find the same motivation, I may even find the same one, but for tonight it is in the past.
'Time does fly, but not I'
Before I know it I have came past the half way point of the race, it seemed to fly by quite quickly, however when I look at my watch it would appear that I don't carry the same same proporties in this instance and I am actually slower than I would have hopped to have been at this stage. Never the less I push on determind to give it me best shot and to see how my training is coming along. I shouldnt be to hard on myself with regards to my half way time, after all to get here ir has been an excursion of twists, turns and slinks to the right and slinks to the slef, and even a right - left bend that would make any F1 or GP rider wonder just what was going on, on the track that night.
Emerging from the loop in the houses I am instructed to saty on the right until the road is clear, as I cross the road I notice a distinctive vest up ahead and wonder how I managed to be in such close quarters to this vest wearer. As I close in I realise that they have developed cramp in their calves and have slowed to a mere walk, followed by an abrupt stop. Apparently he said he had gone away to fast. I pass my team mate and turn the corner to begin the assent of what can only be described as a long drawn out hill of torment, after all you can just about see the top of it, and thats how it stays until you are just yards from the top, this is because it climbs up but there is just a wee slight flat section whcih you dont notice about 2/3 way up which lasts only about 50-60 metres, but is enough to give this un-reachable top illusion.
My Clim-b-ax and Desent-ax to the end
As I start the accent I hear the foot steps behind me of my previously passed team mate and although no one ever likes to be passed, I was some what releived to have him back in front of me, this releif was however short lived as once again he slowed to a halt and I ran past him. Pushing on up the hill I catch another participant and wonder if I should wait behind them or run past them, the answer is given to me by the sudden sharp bit of the hill and there is suddenly no way I can pass the fella in front o me. I just tuck in behind him and get what cyclist term as a 'wee draft', probably not as effective as when on a bike but surely it must cound for something. We reach the top o the hll and turn a left heading back down the was and I finally manage to pass the guy, only to have him pass me again within about 10-15 metres, only for me to pass him again in about 30 metres and then for him to pass me; this went on for about another 2 passings of each other, until he found his over-drive and went passed and kept on going. I tempted my legs and body to follow on and catch him, but sadly they never had anything in the reserve, so off he sped as we began to come down th hill, and suddenly it looked like I might catch him again, but it wasnt to be I started to feel the sicknes in the pit of my stomach, move up inside and so I eased off the gas a wee bit in expecttion of what is normally the inevitable, but nothing. I turned at the bottom of the hill and followed the road on through the 9k marker to find my running companin for the past 2 k striding along. The finish was in sight, it was just through the hole in the wall and left onto the gravel path (it wasnt just a hole it was a proper gap for the path). I just eased off and let him enter the park in front of me, once in the park I slowly eased onto the gas and then sped past him like we had done to each other earlier and he had done to me on his final escape, only this time I pushed up a gear as I ran past and pulled the distance out to a good 10, then 12 metres. It was all I could do, my gas was at peak performance all the twists and turns from earlier and the stutters and farts as we say in running speed and style had taken its toll on me, but I turned at the bottom of the park with about 50-60 metres to go, ever listening for the burst behind me and the approaching of feet I gave another wee burst for security and I was home and safe.
I looked at my watch and I hadnt run what I would liked to have run, but on all the positives, I was faster than what I ran at Troon 10k, I was faster than what I ran at Dunlop 10k, according to the garmin it was more than 10k (so I did run faster than I had hoped, mmm), I was still well within my minutes per mile pace for my marathon, I had kept the insides on the inside (again) and I actually felt good after such a hard run. (Although maybe, jusy maybe I should have took last nights training a wee bit easier).
Tonights total is 6.10 miles (Garmin actually says it is 6.26 miles (someone elses said it was 6.25 and another said 6.27)
Weekly Total is 18.62 miles
Moggie's Mony Money Miles Total 79.54 miles
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