Alloa Half Marathon

Results 

Race HQ for the Alloa Half is the Leisure Bowl. Innocuous enough from outside, but home to such delights as the Vibro-Gym, indoor bowls and a cafe where the pre-race air was thick with the aroma of bacon butties. More bacon than air probably.

Alas, it was an outdoor race, so it was goodbye to the Leisure Bowl and hello to a chilly March morning. There were plenty of speedy runners on the startline and excitement got the better of me for the first mile or two before I reined it in and settled down to a healthier pace. The route snaked out of Alloa and a sightseeing tour followed; past Dougie Donnelly’s sofa shop, a long stretch in the shadows of the snowy Ochils, a misty view of the Wallace Monument and then, after a wee uphill at 11 miles, back to base, where the delights of the Bowl meant I had a few minutes to catch my breath at the finish before the support crew appeared.

Yared Hagos (66:04) and Hayley Haining (75:42) took the wins, and I was happy with a PB 77:19 and a bright yellow t-shirt.