Monday 19 April 2010

Bridge of Allan 10k and a tour de strathearn

Yesterday I did a new race in Bridge of Allan. It was billed as the toughest 10K in the UK.
It was run in a fine drizzle which was ideal. Four of us from the harriers went over so it was good to have a team spirit.
It was a pretty tough event with over a 1000 feet of climbing on rural roads. Thankfully I was feeling good and after a slow start I passed a few runners and by the time we left the Uni campus and started climbing I was in 5th place which is where I stayed.
The long hill I remembered from a cycle. It is a v steep and long hill. After this hill there is a steep descent then a not so bad hill. After about 4.5 miles a long descent starts. It was great belting downwards. At the foot of the hill was a marshal who said that it was all downhill. Almost immediately after that we started going up again!. Anyway I finished in 41.18 although the course was abit short.
They do need to sort the distance out but apart from that it was a great event and I won a nice running top for being 1st MV!
Today I had the day off and had planned for some time to do a TDS.
Conditions were good but cool. Again I felt good from the start. Apart from a couple of walks on the steepest hills I ran strongly the whole way round and finished in 3.02hrs.
I clocked it as 20.5m which is .5m longer tham Ian had it when we along with Phil famously went round in 2.51hrs. So perhaps we took a slightly shorter route that day.
I am delighted to be running well again. Long may it last.

6 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your 1st MV prize. Back with a vengeance methinks.

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  2. Great to hear you're back to top form. Can't help but thinking that the TDS would make legendary event on it's own or even stretched out slightly to somewhere around 30miles. Pretty much covers the whole of Scotland in one run [without the midges too!]

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  3. Congrats Phil. Sounds as though you had a great run .... and a prize too!

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  4. Yes, Kenny, I know it would make an amazing race. However it would be a logistical nightmare.I think I will keep it for personal use. Have you done a TDS btw.

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  5. Fair comment Phil. Not done the whole TDS yet but have done most bits and the northern half and back from Comrie is a favourite. Definetly on my 'to do' list this summer and would love to see it back as a yearly Harriers relay event. Last year's was brilliant

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  6. Well done Phil I saw your name in the Glasgow Herald Atletics results on Friday. Back to full strength eh?

    allan

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