“What marathon are you doing Kev?” “The Wrexham Marathon………what do you mean you’ve never heard of it?!” That’s been the standing joke for months, most people were left scratching their heads wondering why Aaron and I had chosen this obscure race. The original plan was to run the Meadows Marathon in Edinburgh, I was all set until the awards night when Aaron announced he’d found this little gem in North Wales. Unbeknown to me he’d been frantically searching for an alternative to the 14 laps of the Meadows as he hates running loops. It doesn’t bother me, I’d run round my back garden a few thousand times if I had to. My plan was to use an early spring marathon to gain the elusive GFA time for London which I’ve failed to achieve in the last 3 years. It suited marathon junkie Aaron’s plans too, he’d still have 6 weeks before his next one in London. Our target was sub 3.15 so it made sense to work together. Anyway, we signed up and started the hard work. On the morning of the race, Aaron announced he had injured his thigh, not too badly so he was happy to start off and see how it progressed through the race. The start and finish were at the same location in Wrexham town centre so there was no deadline for bag dropping and toilets were nearby too, the only strange thing was the lack of crowds, a big comedown from London last year! We agreed to start together then see how things go. All 170 marathoners and 130 twenty mile runners set off together, our first mile was way too fast but we soon settled into a steady pace. A fair bit of banter was had with the local runners but that tailed off after the first few miles. Aaron stuck with me for the first 9 miles until he had to drop back as his thigh was becoming uncomfortable. Not long after that we passed David Hulse with girlfriend Sarah, it was fantastic hearing “Come on Bella” so far from home. The course was fairly undulating with a mix of country roads, industrial estates and housing schemes. It was pretty lonely so to take my mind off the increasing pain in my quads, I was mentally comparing scrabble points for the Welsh road signs as against the English. Welsh won, by a huge margin! With 8 miles to go and beginning to snow, we were rejoined by the 20 milers and half marathoners, which really helped. The mile markers were accurate but the signs for the 20 mile race were great as they told us exactly how far was left without having to worry about the significant last 0.2 which can be anything from 0.1-0.5 due to the inaccuracies of GPS watches. Thanks to my cocktail of salt tablets and electrolyte gels, I managed to stave off the dreaded calf cramp until the last mile so I had to tough it out […]
Racing
Great club day out at the Scottish National Cross Country Championships in Callendar Park Falkirk, well done to everyone who took part and a big thanks to the marshals and organisers. Full results here: Scottish National XC Championships 2016 – Full results
As I am currently training for my first ultra in April (Glasgow to Edinburgh) I figured I really should do a marathon first. So in December I decided to sign up for Glentress Trail marathon, having never really run on trails either. Due to take place 5 weeks before Ultra race day I figured I should be in a healthy enough state to manage such a tough event as long as I never got carried away and entered into a race or set any target times,which could ultimately jeopardise my #1 goal which is G2E. Up at 6:30am to make the journey down to Peebles, it was a pleasant -3 degrees rising to -1 at the start(should have been 9:30am but delayed until 9:40am due to crowd disturbances also known as long queues at registration). There were three separate races 10k, half and full marathon, and this being the inaugural event nobody was too clued up on how it would pan out. Of we went and immediately into an ascent, and this carried on for around the first 6 miles with the odd mini descent for variation. Sticking to my plan of no racing and with no target in mind I casually took in the sights of the Tweed Valley national park from high up the mountain we had just climbed. Once at the highest point, snow became part of the obstacles that apparently come naturally with rail running ie.. razor sharp rocks, tree roots and with it being February ice, lots of slippy ice, that only seemed to be there on descents where stopping was not too much of an option. I was joined by a runner from Edinburgh who kept me company until the halfway point (back at the start). He stopped for refreshment but I decided to carry on as I was carrying my own nutrition as a test for the Ultra marathon. I didn’t see him again. However, after a mile back into the climbing I realised having the guy with me was a boost, I was now running alone up the cruel ascents for a second time and it wasn’t easy. Its amazing how chatting rubbish with a complete stranger can distract you from the total elevation of just under 6000ft. Coming down the final descent tired legs and A tired mind, I lost my footing 3 times on the aforementioned ice and razor sharp rocks. No cuts just bruise after bruise after bruise. If nobody broke a bone that day I will be surprised. Finally after 4hrs23mins and 26th place the finish line came and and I had survived a very cruel unforgiving training run. Although it was painful with the falls, the scenery once up high was amazing the people were very supporting toward each other and the organisation for the first ever Glentress Trail marathon, in my opinion was a success. I would obviously recommend as a training run for and aspiring ultra runners and definitely as a race to any avid […]
I have it from a good source that this race was described on Monday, in a Spanish newspaper, as a ‘ great race in windy conditions’.The journalist has obviously never been to Greenock !!! This is a fairly flat, well organised race (apart from the number of porto loos !) but who cares when there is a local park nearby. Don’t know how many runners there were but it wasn’t too congested at the start with the run taking the shape of a figure 8 through the wide boulevards of the city, finishing where we started. I made the trip with three ex Bellas – Anne Marie, Frances and liz and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. The only incident was me tripping over a bollard at 12k, falling flat onto the road and completing the race with blood pouring down from both knees, hands and elbows- it is the first time I have done a negative split in a race- well worth it !! Shona Photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/ok-apartment/12844126063 by www.flickr.com/laiabuira
A great way to add an extra element to running is to give races, events or challenges a shot that you’ve not taken part in before. The Kirky 12.5k is certainly a unique – as far as I can tell – race distance. Having heard many great things about this event, I figured it was high time to give the event a shot last Sunday, 14th Feb. Number collection at the primary school had me briefly pondering how good it’d be if all running events used primary schools for registration: The fantastic posters and art projects on the walls a pleasant start to the day, and reminder of primary school times, and then the small tables, chairs and facilities offered a pre-run comedy experience: I’m sure parents attending PTA meetings will probably feel differently! To the event itself, and the main challenge was going to be the underfoot conditions on this undulating course. A sharp dip in temperatures on a clear night meant lots of scraping to get cars ready, and snow on the hills as we approached pretty much told us what to expect. Sure enough a large expanse of ice in the start area outside the school. But the sun, and vigorous attempts to clear away the worst of it by volunteers made it safe to start, but out on the course itself constant vigilance was required by participants to avoid expanses of ice mostly caused by runoff from fields where the sun hadn’t quite reached. For me, with the Balloch to Clydebank half marathon my principle target just now, I’d decided I’d aim for Half marathon effort (if not pace; I had no idea what the hills would be like!). Largely managed to stick with that plan, and settled in with a group of runners running from Springburn and Maryhill Harriers for the first 6k or so, but – surprisingly for me at least – started to build out a bit of a lead on them after the large hill (reminiscent of the gradient on the steeper parts of the Sherbrooke Hill loops, just several times longer!) coming out of Kirkintilloch for the return leg. I was myself soon passed by Michael Lancaster running an excellently paced, and surely negative split effort: he quickly eased away I and only just managed to keep him in my sights through the second half, even as I struggled to remember whether there was an uphill or downhill section around each corner as we traced our route back to the start. A total of five Bella’s took part. Michael was first Bella home in 54:26. I was pleased with my time (55:17), pretty much spot on my HM target pace, then Paul McGunnigle (57:18), Terry Nimmo (69:16) and Lynn Reid (75:50) completed the Bella field. First runner home was James Stewart of Victoria park, City of Glasgow in a time of 45:41, and first lady Joanna Murphy of Carnegie Harriers in 49:28. Full results online at kirkintillocholympians.co.uk. A Strava segment for the […]
Short and sharp race at the Emirates Arena this afternoon. I think a few others from the club would have fancied this but some had niggles and others were doing the final race of the Borders XC series or the Kirkie 12.5k. On such a fine winter day it almost seemed a shame to be running indoors. If only this race had been last Sunday and the Greenock 5-miler today! I’d noticed some much faster guys on the start list for the V35 race and thought they’d quickly establish a lead. Instead we ended up in a tight bunch. I looked at the clock at about half-way and the pace was just a shade slower than I’d have needed to repeat last year’s time. I couldn’t say it felt comfortable at all, but just not quite as uncomfortable as it should! No-one wanted to make a move. Reluctantly I took the lead with about 3 laps to go but I knew I wouldn’t be there for long! There was an injection of pace and three guys went by me one-by-one, at a speed I couldn’t live with. It felt like I was going backwards but I managed to hang on for 4th place out of 7. A bit slower than last year but happy enough with it. This one as well as the 3000m at the start of January are good opportunities to run at such a marvellous venue. Hopefully we can get more Bellas involved next year. Iain
The Renfrewshire AAA 5 mile road race took place at Battery park in Greenock on 7 Feb 2016. The wind is always a challenge for this Club Championship race, but this year high winds and heavy rain had caused the approach road to Greenock to be blocked causing long travel delays. Just getting to the start line was therefore a major achievement and unfortunately not everyone made it, with several turning back or arriving after the race had started. Battery Park had its own flooding problems with 30m long puddles, knee deep in places, a major obstacle for runners not expecting “cross country on the roads” as one competitor put it. In the latter stages of the race, submerged kerbs in these water features were tripped over causing a number of runners to fall and one competitor even broke his ankle. Although the rain held off for the race, the wind was particularly brutal this year. On re-entering the park after the out-and-back along the esplanade the gale force wind was like a solid wall slowing everyone’s progress. Well done to everyone who took part but particularly well done to Ann, Claire and Katie who took Bronze medals in the ladies competition, with Claire coming 2nd V40. The men’s team were 4th for the second year running. Full results Runbritain Rankings Photo by Gordon Goldie
Results from today’s Scottish Athletics West District XC can be found on the Scottish Athletics website here: West District XC 2015 results
A wet and windy Glasgow University Hares and Hounds 5 mile race took place on Saturday, with 16 Bellas running as part of the Club’s Winter Championships. The race was one by Deeside’s Robbie Simpson in 24:34 with Garscube’s Lesley Chisholm first lady home in 29:09. Provisional results are available here A video of the event by Gordan Curran is available here:
Course maps and competitor information for the Scottish Athletics West District Cross Country Championships on Sunday 6th December 2015 in Bellahouston park can be found by clicking the button below and are also on the Scottish Athletics website.
Today I joined my fellow Bellas in Gourock for 3 hilly laps of a very Muddy park. Lynn R very kindly collected me and Maz at our old ski centre haunt and off we went to deepest darkest Inverclyde. Lynn was a fellow XC virgin and we weren’t too sure what to expect. I was most afraid of the weather- Hurricane/tornado/Storm Abigail has been showing us her worst for a few days and I was fully expecting howling winds and driving rain. Maz had warned me to bring loads of warm clothes, so as I can go often blue I packed silver blankets and a heated sticky patch thing just in case. To be honest, the reason why I have never entered a XC race before was because I thought they were for “proper runners” and I’m not sure I’m one of them…But I’ll try most things once so I was aiming to get myself round in one piece. The ladies did 3 laps and the boys were doing 5- initially I thought this was a dreadful sexist travesty but by the time I got to lap 2 I was so relieved and thought it was after all very sensible. Oops- no-one tell Beyonce, I don’t think she’d approve! Although Lynn R was having such a great time, she nearly went round for a fourth… The start was signalled by a gun , which gave me a fright and then off we went. The course appeared to me mostly uphill, had some very tight turns and some sections were like running in very cold chocolate mousse. Maz managed a very impressive slide onto her back after just a few metres and retains her title of “runner most likely to fall- and no, she wasn’t pushed!” Kirtseen was then at a disadvantage as this made it harder for her to run because she was laughing so hard! Apparently one of the men got hit on the head by a football too which knocked him down- Gordon Goldie was on duty with the camera and captures this and many other golden moments! About halfway through I had my usual thoughts of “this is crap, who’s idea was this and I hate running” and then came the final wee hill which George pushed me up and I had finished! Hurrah- I didn’t fall over, I wasn’t last and the rain stayed off! All in all not a bad first XC experience It was a pity our poor gazebo ( may he/she rest in peace) wasn’t around to provide us with shelter, but thanks to my Bella mates for the cracking race day banter! Bring on the next XC race.
Well done to everyone who completed the Jimmy Irvine Bella 10k yesterday in dreadful weather conditions. Particular congratulations to our winners: Congratulations to the 2015 prize winners: 1ST MALE Neil RENAULT – Edinburgh Athletic Club 00:31:32 2ND MALE Robert GILROY – Ronhill Cambuslang Harriers 0:32:12 3RD MALE Paul KERR – Edinburgh University Triathlon Club 00:32:36 1ST FEMALE Shona MCINTOSH – Hunters Bog Trotters 00:36:20 2ND FEMALE Megan DAVIDSON – Falkirk Victoria Harriers 00:37:03 3RD FEMALE Donna McHUGH 00:39:34 MV40 Chris WALSH – Bellahouston Harriers 00:34:55 MV50 Wattie MACKAY – Strathearn Harriers 00:36:03 MV60 David KINGHORN – Jog Scotland 00:43:35 FV35 Karen KENNEDY – Carnegie Harriers 0:40:23 FV45 Susie HUBBARD – Ayr Seathforth AAX 00:42:17 FV55 Lorna COYLE – Greenock Glenpark Harriers 00:47:47 MALE TEAM: Bellahouston Harriers :Colin THOMAS, Jack HEATHWOOD and Darren MCQUADE FEMALE TEAM Bellahouston Road Runners : Debs GRAY, Louise ROSS, Ann ROBIN Provisional results are available here: Jimmy Irvine results
Bella Results from the Jimmy Irvine Bella 10k on 8th November 2015 are shown below. Full results available here
I really wanted to do the Dublin marathon. Seeing as it is the home city and I remember being brought in as a child to watch my Dad and uncle run it, I thought if I only do one more marathon, that’s the one it’ll be. So I signed up. With only three months to go. Not ideal preparation time. But I had an ok base and looking at the calendar, I could just about fit in the long runs and a few build up races. But then life got in the way and as it happened, by the time it came to taper I had only done 16 miles as my longest run. Eek! So I was a bit anxious heading into it not properly trained. Lining up at the start, I was helped keep calm by a man’s voice over the tannoy. I don’t know who he was but I was enthralled by his ramblings over motivation, pride, inspiration, personal bests, descriptions of the crowd, such as people wearing “high-falutin lycra suits”, musings over what brought people here, in all shapes and sizes, the great and the good, the veterans and the first-time, on and on like a priest saying mass. Such a lovely experience and in stark contrast to the usual high energy pop that’s belted out at race starts. He called it “an emotional experience in a material world”. We got an indian blessing of “Namaste” then a garda sang the national anthem. It was all very surreal and I loved it. Off we went through the streets of Dublin and it was wonderful to see city landmarks and old haunts from this perspective. The route starts on south side of city centre, heads past Christchurch cathedral and onto the quays of the River Liffey. Crossing over to the north side and into the Phoenix Park. A great expanse of autumnal views across Europes largest city park. All along was great support and crowd energy. There are some gradual hills but nothing severe. The route exits and enters the park again, down into the liffey valley and back across south side. It crosses the canal and loops through residential areas, taking you back to the city centre finish. It was a very well organised race with plenty of water stops (flip top bottles) and Lucozade and energy gels at the latter stops. Easy bag drop and start area, but not so easy to find travel information on the website. The crowds were really amazing. I have never experienced anything like it. Very funny shouts and signs. Lots of “Fair play to ye” and “yizzer great” and my favourite “Yer not really bollixed, ye only think ye are!” I optimistically thought I might get 3:45 if I kept it under 8 and a half minute miles, which I did easily for the first half, then I slowed down after that and struggled to get back up to pace. I was scoffing the energy gels too which I […]
