I didn't think I had managed enough long runs to have a proper crack at a half marathon, but we had a team prize to defend, and part of last year's prize had been complimentary entry to this year's race, so I thought it was worth a go. Joe had returned from injury just in time so the likely counters for Garscube were the same as last year. The race was also the West of Scotland Half Marathon Championship, so I had expected a strong field, but many potential rivals were conspicuously absent. The weather forecast for the weekend had been poor but on Sunday morning it was overcast but dry. I had left the Garmin at home to avoid any demoralising effects, and was planning to try to stick to 5:55/mile or thereabouts.
Right from the start I wasn't feeling particularly great, but I went through the first mile in about 5:52 and expected to feel better after a few miles. I was in about 12th place or so and seemed to be moving away from the rest of the field. Ben was way out in front and Joe was in a pack of 5 or 6 runners about 30 metres ahead. It might have helped me to run with the pack but it would have been too much work to try to catch them up. There were two Bellahouston Harriers ahead of me so they appeared to be our main rivals for the team prize. At 4 miles, Ben was about a minute clear of 2nd place and I was still trailing the pack, only a few seconds outside my goal pace. The sea air was drying me out slightly but I ran on past the first water station. I noticed the camber of the road was causing a slight imbalance, but we'd have to run on the left for almost the entire race, so there wasn't much I could do about it.
As we crossed under the A814 and climbed the hill to start heading back towards Helensburgh, we passed the 5-mile marker, and I was just inside 30 minutes and not too far behind Joe. I took a quick look back at this point but couldn't see anyone. On 6 miles I started to feel not too bad and moved into second place for Garscube and then 10th overall. I picked up another place a bit further on but the runner from Dumbarton didn't let me get away and overtook me again on a long uphill stretch. Coming back into Helensburgh, I thought there was probably daylight between me and the next runner and that 10th place would be fine, although it was becoming hard work and I was losing a few seconds here and there. Then on West King Street the runner from Dumbarton stopped suddenly and I was back into 9th. I went through 10 miles only a couple of seconds outside 60 minutes, with a Bellahouston Harrier not too far ahead. At the top of what Joe dubbed "Heartbreak Hill" I took another look back but there was a large gap behind me, and coming down the hill to the main road I suddenly felt fine and increased my stride to move into 8th, but I was overtaken again shortly afterwards and wasn't able to pick it up again after that. I coasted slightly in the last quarter of a mile and crossed the line in 1:19:18, 97 seconds up on last year and 74 down on 2008. Average pace was 6:03/mile.
Afterwards I went for a half-mile warm-down and got back in time to see Natasha crossing the line as first lady for Garscube. We stuck around for the prizegiving and on account of it being the West of Scotland Championship, it turned out I had won a medal for third master. Garscube also retained the team prize.
In the afternoon I thought I could manage a few more miles so went out for one of my usual routes, down Garscube Road and along the canal as far as Shakespeare Street. Climbing the path up to the canal was tougher than usual but the legs felt OK later on. Got back home in 28:35 for the 3.88 miles, average pace 7:22/mile, HR 142. After going to the cinema later on I was limping due to chronic PF and a sore left heel, but I should be able to manage it OK.
Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:20 (132), 7:21 (143), 7:02 (144), 6:39 (150)
HR zones: 3.2%, 17.1%, 79.7%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 45 miles
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