I had just about managed to ward off injury by rolling out my IT band, which was just as well as various absences ensured I would have to run one of the long legs for the first time since 2003. Despite the ongoing hip problem, this was also the least injured I had been coming into this race for three years. I went for the adiZero Mana as the most minimal shoe I had which wouldn't give me blisters. We managed to get a vets' team together and I went out on the fourth leg, by which time we were way out of contention although I was hopeful of making up quite a few places. I had passed five runners in the first couple of miles but lost a place to David Millar before reaching Houstoun Road where we were exposed to a strong headwind.
Over the next mile or so I started to struggle and wondered if I had set out too fast, but I was still gaining on runners from Bellahouston Harriers and East Kilbride who were heading anticlockwise along a road off to my right as I ran along the path beside the railway line. I misunderstood the steward's comment about an S-bend and turned left onto Deans South and then right again. I soon realised there was no obvious route to follow and there were no arrows spray-painted on the ground, so I headed back down to Deans South and found the arrows again. My wrong turn probably cost me 30 seconds or so, but the two runners ahead of me had evidently managed to take an even wider detour as I could see them on my right, heading back out of the housing estate onto the course.
Despite my trouble with the route I was suddenly feeling great and started to pick it up as we headed downhill towards the River Almond, making up a few more places before the finish, although as it turned out we were still nearly 90 seconds behind the 5th-placed vets' team. In all I had a net gain of 8 places in the men's race and finished in 34:52, which gives me a 5:49/mile average for the 6 miles I ran. I had been aiming for sub-35 for the actual 5.85 miles so it went pretty well. We finished 7th vets' team, 33rd overall.
Jogged an additional 1K as a warm-up and again as a warm-down. After getting home Natasha and I ran our usual West End route, 3.37 miles in 30:14 for an 8:58/mile average, HR 130.
Pace splits (ave. HR): 9:33 (126), 8:40 (132), 8:33 (133), 9:17 (132)
HR zones: 2.3%, 97.7%, 0%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 39 miles
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