In the morning Natasha and I took part in the Jack Shirley Memorial Hogmanay Handicap, a 4.2-mile race through the countryside near Milngavie. There was a reasonable turnout of Garscube Harriers, Kelvin Runners and friends of the organisers. Some of the Harriers had had a club cross-country race the day before, including Marco who joined me as scratch man. I set off at a brisk pace to make the most of the flat first mile or so before we got into the hills, and by the halfway point I had caught more than half of the field, some of whom were treating it as an easy run after the previous day's race. At the foot of the last climb on Baldernock Road I passed the leader and went on to finish in 23:04, only 17 seconds outside my course record from 2002 and my fastest time since then by a big margin. This works out at 5:29 per mile which I am quite pleased with for such an undulating course. I think it may also be my first handicap victory from scratch.
Later on I went out for a few more miles up Maryhill Road as far as Canniesburn Toll, although I followed the path through the wood beside the main road, and home via Anniesland Cross and Great Western Road - 7.68 miles in a steady 55:22. Weekly total: 54 miles.
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