My warm-up for the race was a walk/jog down to the Kelvin Hall, during which I thought I'd managed to strain something (and subsequently contemplated pulling out right up until the gun sounded). I put my PB on the entry form as 2:12 - no point in telling the truth, SB will have to suffice - and expected time as 2:12. For once the seeding worked out quite well as the first heat had 3 entrants who must have anticipated running inside 2:10, although only 2 appeared. I fancied my chances in the second heat and was drawn on the inside lane. After a comfortable 32-second first lap I was placed three of four, and I moved into first shortly after 300m in another 32-second lap. After that I tried to maintain the same pace and 33 for the next lap was fine. I reckoned at this point the race was in the bag although I could hear a battle for second place behind me. Then I made a stupid mistake, not having run 800m on a 200m track in over a year, and only kicked in the home straight, which is of course only about 30m long. I was accelerating as I went through the line - should have done it before the bend as I still had enough in reserve. My watch showed an SB of 2:11.78 but a few minutes later my official time was announced as 2:12.07. I only have myself to blame though!
In the evening I dropped Natasha off at Asda and ran across Bearsden to have a go at Chesters Road. Planned to run three reps, time permitting. In the event I only ran one because it was pitch dark - no street lights! - and the hill was huge. I didn't have my head-light thing or running jacket with the lights but it's doubtful they would have helped. It was hard to gauge just how steep the hill was because I was in darkness all the way up. Probably a great session to try in daylight.
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