Dunbartonshire XC Relays

The Dunbartonshire cross-country relays moved back to Garscube Estate this year and we were fairly hopeful of retaining our title. I was still carrying a hip strain which I thought I could run through, so I tried not to aggravate it with a minimal warm-up. Joe handed over to me in fourth place and well in touch with the leaders at the end of the first leg, but after a few hundred metres it looked like I only had a chance of catching the runner in third place (by now) while the other two were pulling away. I was also concerned about being caught by the runner from the University team who I suspected might not be far behind. Jumping down the first set of steps, where Garscube House once stood, I lost my footing and fell forward, sliding along the wet grass on my shoulder, although I got to my feet uninjured and ran on. At the top of the first major climb I ran on the wrong side of a taped-off area and had to go back, which cost me a few more seconds, although it turned out later that most people had made the same mistake. The two leaders were out of sight when I crossed back over the bridge, but I did move into third place just before the course turned away from the Kelvin and headed through the trees, and by now I had got the hang of spotting the white course markers. I had no trouble with the remainder of the course and finished in 14:39, only a few seconds down from my time from 2006, on a course which if not identical was very similar and probably slightly under 4K.

On the third leg, Marco kept us in third place and made up some ground on second place, which looked like being the best we could hope for, as we were 80 seconds off the lead, but Ben started demolishing this deficit straight away. The gap had been reduced to about 22 seconds by the time he crossed the bridge for a second time, which was just over halfway, and it was only 10 seconds at the access road from the roundabout, so it was no surprise when Ben appeared from the undergrowth in first place, having run the fastest leg of the day. I was third fastest for Garscube and only about 6 seconds slower than the fastest Vet.

7.2 miles moderate

Went out with the fast pack for the scheduled 7-mile club run, all the way along Canniesburn Road and back along Alderman Road. Wore the Lunar Trainers as I was expecting a steadier run with a race on Saturday. The first two miles were OK but by about halfway I was finding it a bit tougher. Nobody felt like pushing the pace so I managed to hang on, and in fact the other two slowed right down to chat to one of the other packs just before the finish so it looked like I was the first of the fast pack to arrive. Distance was 7.22 miles, time 48:45 for a 6:45/mile average. Pace splits: 7:02, 6:51, 6:35, 6:32, 6:33, 6:51, 6:58, 6:29.

3.4 miles slow

Played football and felt reasonably fit for once, aside from a lingering hip problem. Afterwards I ran my usual 3.39-mile route at a pace just inside 8:00/mile.

5.6 miles steady

I dodged the club's medium reps session and, on account of heavy legs and some minor strains, ran a shorter version of my usual Tuesday night loop, turning off Maryhill Road at Queen Margaret Drive instead of heading all the way down to St George's Cross. 5.59 miles in 41:04, 7:20/mile average. Pace splits: 7:56, 7:26, 7:10, 7:04, 7:28, 6:44.

4.5 miles hard

Ran another few miles in the Newtons, aiming for a more comfortable pace, although I soon started to pick it up a bit. I tried one of my usual Monday night routes along Station Road and through Westerton. The first mile was the slowest on account of an easy start and the climb up Pendicle Road. Tried to ease off in a couple of places. Distance 4.54 miles, time 29:06 for a 6:25/mile average. Pace splits: 6:46, 6:17, 6:19, 6:20, 6:22.

3.4 miles slow

Didn't feel like running at all but went out in the afternoon for a few miles with Natasha, our usual route extended slightly by heading down to Maryhill Road at the start, which made it 3.42 miles. Weekly total: 34 miles.

6.7 miles steady

I still needed a decent pair of longer distance shoes so picked up the Nike Lunar Trainer, half price in Achilles Heel, and tried them out in the afternoon, despite not feeling too great. I was going to run my usual Dorchester Avenue route but felt well enough to head along the canal to Lock 27, and added another bit on by continuing down Great Western Road and heading up Garscube Road. Distance came out at 6.68 miles, time 47:45 for a 7:09/mile average. Pace splits: 7:22, 6:50, 6:56, 7:02, 7:07, 7:31, 7:18.

6.2 miles hard

The club training session was billed as a 6-mile run. Natasha wanted to give it a try so I drove up instead of running there. This also allowed me to have another go with the Newtons. As I was still changing my shoes at the car I missed the announcements at the start, when the ludicrous new organisation of the club's Winter League was described. There were three of us in the fast pack and the route took us out the top gate, down Crow Road, up Gardner Street, over Cleveden Road and Cowal Road, and back along Maryhill Road. I did OK in the Newtons although it still felt pretty strange. I thought I might have to drop off later on through tired legs but I was still up at the front all the way to the top of Cowal Road, and I only fell away slightly in the last mile, which was still my fastest mile of the evening. The slowest was the one containing Gardner Street, not surprisingly. Finished the 6.19 miles in 39:51 for a 6:26/mile average. Pace splits (more meaningful than time splits, I'll go back and edit the others at some point): 6:52, 6:21, 6:17, 6:58, 6:22, 5:58, 5:36.

3.4 miles slow

Got through a game of football with far less difficulty than usual and went out for my usual run around the West End afterwards, clocking up 3.39 miles this time, average pace inside 8:00/mile.

2.8 miles steady, 6 miles fartlek, 2.9 miles slow

For once it suited me to run up to Tuesday training, 2.81 miles in 20:51 by the time I met the others who were just setting out. The fartlek route was the same as one we ran before, through Kelvindale and Jordanhill where we followed part of the McAndrew route. I had slightly tired legs from the outset and was only really doing it for the miles, so I didn't get dragged into any races and stayed towards the back. We jogged the last mile or so and it came out at nearly 6 miles by the time we got to the bridge over the Kelvin. Ran home at a much slower pace, 2.93 miles from the far end of the rugby pitch. Wore my old Nike Skylon.

2.5 miles hard

Decided it was time for a new pair of shoes after retiring the Nimbus. Extensive research suggested the controversial Newton running shoes might be exactly the type of thing I had been after for years. The staff in Achilles Heel seemed to take a bit of convincing but I insisted I ran the 800m on the forefoot, and my biomechanics apparently checked out OK. The only pair in my size were the motion control shoes, which I would normally never have considered, but apparently that aspect of the shoe is relatively minimal, and they did feel OK on my feet. I was told to run for no more than 15 minutes first time out, and work up gradually from there.

In the evening I tried a short route from Bearsden Asda, over West Chapelton Avenue, down Drymen Road to Canniesburn Toll, and back up Milngavie Road. I set out at a fairly cautious pace but soon got into it. The pavement at the bottom of Drymen Road was in a pretty bad condition and I had to watch my footing, especially in the dark, but other than that it seemed to be going quite well so I ran a second lap. It was hard work but I felt a lot better than on Sunday and I would have been OK for at least another mile or so at that pace. Distance came out at 2.51 miles, time 15:15 for a 6:04/mile average. Splits: 6:14, 5:59, 3:00. Can't think when I ever had a sub-6 split in a solo training run of any distance (over a mile). No worse off afterwards in terms of the ongoing hip or hamstring problems. I expected sore calves, but nothing so far.

7.7 miles steady

In the afternoon I went for a longer run along Great Western Road for a loop of Anniesland Road and Southbrae Drive. I was planning to run at a comfortable pace and decided to give the Asics Nimbus another go, but after two miles it was already becoming a bit of an ordeal. I eased off a bit when I realised what was happening. The Nimbus get great reviews but are apparently just too heavy for me and don't suit my running style at all with a large heel which seems to shift slightly underfoot. It's worse on the left, and it's the left side where I've had hip and hamstring problems since I got them. I suppose I could tie the laces a bit tighter but I don't like running with tight laces, and there's still the weight issue, so I'm afraid it's the end of the road for them. As well as shoe problems I also had trouble crossing the road in a few places. Time for the 7.73 miles was 58:44, average pace 7:36/mile. Splits: 7:31, 7:15, 7:56, 7:07, 7:48, 8:09, 7:32, 5:22. Weekly total: 25 miles.

McAndrew relay

For once I was on the last leg for our Veterans team. I wasn't in racing condition by any means and would have preferred a longer distance where lack of speed wouldn't have mattered so much, but my only real concern was a toenail problem from the marathon. It seemed OK while warming up so I ended up forgetting all about it. Competition was stiff and we were already out of contention for the Veterans' prize by the time I set off. It had been howling a gale all day and the wind on Anniesland Road was a real problem. Despite feeling in places as if I was hardly moving at all, I made it to the mile mark in 5:46 and expected to close down the runner from Clydesdale in front of me, but he stayed pretty much the same distance ahead all the way along Danes Drive, and by the time we got to the dip on Southbrae Drive I had given up any hope of catching him. I finished the 3.26 miles in 19:01 which is well down on previous attempts, partly accounted for by the effort expended in battling the wind early on. On a positive note, I managed to run inside 6-minute miles (5:50/mile average) without any injury problems, and it was the second fastest time for Garscube on the day. Splits: 5:46, 5:47, 6:00, 1:27.

6.27 miles steady

The club training session took in the course of the McAndrew relay. I might have considered running there and back but for the upcoming race. The top two packs were combined into one, and we set off at a fairly steady pace, again on account of the weekend's race, only speeding up a bit when we reached Anniesland Road. Eased off over the last mile. My right foot seemed to be dragging a bit but when we finished I noticed part of the sole of the Brooks Racer ST4 was peeling off. It can probably be glued but I haven't even used them all that much. Distance was 6.27 miles, time 44:32 for a 7:06/mile average. Splits: 7:38, 7:05, 6:51, 6:38, 6:40, 7:30, 2:06.