Start
Well as soon as it started I was slightly ahead and I quickly realised trying to run with someone with so many other people there was going to be difficult as your always squeezing through gaps. The first mile was straight up St Vincent Street so it was a long and slow climb with a down hill of the same gradient down the other side. At this point Stephen boosted off. I was quite happy with my pace and went through the first mile in 7.34 which is about what I was hoping for as I really wanted to make sure I didn't set off too quickly. Then we went to Finniston and round and over the Kingston Bridge. Mile 2 was 7.14, so bang on pace. Already my garmin, mile beeped before the actual mile sign. So I decided to ignore the time at the mile signs thinking they would level out with my garmin later. As that is what happened at the Alloa half earlier in the year.
Mile 3 and the first water stop then heads up Paisley Road West to Bellahouston Park entrance which is the five mile mark. This is a long flat stretch, lasting 2 miles. This is where I noticed Richard from park run was about 10 meters ahead so I decided to try and maintain the pace and keep with him. Then as we went through Bellahouston Park I overtook him just as were heading out of Mosspark as he sorted out his gel intake. So that was 6 miles done. These 3 miles I had done in 7.23, 7.20, 7.25. Now if I hadn't looked at my Alloa splits the night before I would have thought its not going to be my day. But I knew from Alloa I could step it up later and this was only the first half.
So over the bridge and over the 10k mat. Then along Dumbreck Road which was again nice and flat before turning into Pollock Park. This section I named Giffnock Fest. First of all I passed David L, who was walking at the time and he turned to me and said he was gubbed. But to his credit still battled on to the end. Then as the first slight hill I passed Martin from my club. Then going up the next hill which goes up to Pollock house I passed Stephen. At Pollock House we turned left and I could see more Giffnock Vests in the distance. In past years you go straight down this road. But this year it turned up the road going to the Burrell Collection, another incline! This is where I passed Jo (yes another Giffnock N!), she was not surprised that I'd passed her on a hill! and she ended up getting a big PB too. It was weird going past the Burrell and up the road, as its the start of the park run and usually everyone would be use to going 5k pace down this road. So by the end of Pollock Park. This section is where I really did nail my pace despite the hills, 7.14, 7.14, 7.13. Then mile 9 up Haggs Road, Titwood Road then the climb upto Crossmyloof did in 7.09, I also saw David M from Bellahouston Harriers here. This is where I passed , Yvonne and Jacqui. I was starting to feel the heat here, even though it wasn't sunny, it was really humid.
But I kept it going knowing that it was about 5k to go. So mile 10 i did in 7.11. Just after mile 10 there was a water station. I usually go to the volunteers at the back as its less crowded there. But this time both of them were going back to get more water, so just bad luck. Luckily I keep water on me from each water station so I had enough till the next one. This is where I turned round and saw I was running beside Alan from park run. This is where i realised that even though I was passing people, I had know idea where they started in relation to me, so we could have started up to 5 minutes different from each other. Turns out Alan started, must have been way behind me, as even though I finished just before him, his chip time was 20 seconds faster than mine and chip times definitely count more than gun time in races the size of this.
The next 2 miles I knew were easy/flat/slightly downhill miles. This is where I overtook David M, Helen and Shelia from my club. I was flying at this point, it was sore but the adrenalin was starting to kick in as the finish was getting closer. So mile 11 was 7.04, the mile 12 was 6.54! I thought I might have gone too soon but then I remembered the final mile should be slower as its a long incline, and the crowds would keep me going. Here is where I saw Gillian and Frances from park run supporting and gave me a cheer, and I'm sure Janet from my club was there too supporting.
Photo just before the finish by Carlos Gonzales
Mile 13 I was sore! But at the same time I knew a PB had to be in the bag so I backed off a bit and tried to soak in the atmosphere. I saw Maureen from my club just where you turn right off the road and down onto the path by the river but she was out of reach today. The long gradual incline seemed to last forever but finally the turn came to go down the finish straight with the monument in the back ground. I looked up at the clock and it was 1.36.01! A PB and that was the gun time!! My actual time was 1.35.36 so I am absolutely delighted. I went off congratulated lots of people and headed home before returning to the club for a BBQ. My garmin actually recorded the course at 13.25 miles (meant to be 13.1), so either I was way off taking the racing line or it was a slightly long course. My pacing according to the garmin was 7.14 minute miles!
It feels like that is the end of my 'Going for times' races for a while. Now its on to more fun stuff to see me through the rest of autumn and winter. So Relays, hill races and cross countrys. I definitely won't be limiting myself to 1 race a month for the next few months!
Splits
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| 6:30 |
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