McAndrew Road Relays 2011

1st October 2011

Results | Photos

Westerlands men had assembled a full team (or a team of fools?) for this long-established event, but heads were down at the start. Niall's still beasting through brutal long tempo runs in preparation for the Dublin marathon, Chris had given blood instead of taking EPO, I had only slept for a few hours the night before, and John Quinn 'just didn't feel right'. In short, everyone was tired. That said, it's just a bit over 5k per leg (3.3 miles? 3.5?) so it's fairly short, even in the torrential rain and tropical humidity.

However, we were there, with a complete team for once. 25 years ago we fielded 3 teams (including founder and legend Bill Sheridan; also Dave Calder, Archie Cameron, Al Campbell and Ian Struthers, still of this parish to this day), and even today's best performances wouldn't have made the A team. Indeed, I'd have struggled to make the C. Even Manny has been known to partake of this road race in days of yore!

Ronhill Cambuslang took the men's race, and Garscube took the women's title. Host club VPCoG were runners-up in both. Westerlands opted for the same strategy that had served us so indifferently at Houston. Niall set off with the flyers on Leg 1 (and they were seriously quick this week), clocking in at 18:12 but further down the field than at the George Cummings. Chris was like Don, but with hair, and faster, so not really like Don, and only slipped one place (19:08 for the second leg). Once running, I felt a lot better this week. Think I only lost 1 place, but ran the team's slowest time of 20:51. Glenpark were breathing down my neck at the changeover, so it was a tough shift for Chip Shop from the start but he coped admirably. 3 places were lost but at 20:29 on the clock the man's clearly on top form. The team finished 16th out of 26 male teams, or 17th out of 37 when the veterans' teams are included.

Ellie+1 provided welcome support, as did familiar faces John Bell (Garscube) and Stevie McLoone (Greenock Glenpark).

This week spitting was not prohibited and I took full advantage, making free with the phlegm like a Tourette's sufferer at a wine-tasting. Although there was spitting, there were nae afro wigs, nae trophy for the team, so nae luck.

PS Is it Mc or Mac? The VPCoG page is called mcandrew.htm but reads MacAndrew! Very confusing.

Posted by Johnston Orr on Sat 1 Oct 2011 | 4 comments

Category road race