Calderglen 2013

Turned out to be a perfect running night on Friday for the Calderglen trail races.

Spotted a couple of Westies vests warming up, Michael Sweeney and Chris McKuddie, Michael looked like he could give the front runners a good push along and Chris was having a full running day having done one of the 3k races I think at Glasgow Green at lunchtime on Friday too – glutton for punishment!

Whilst warming up I bumped into (literally) Don Reid and I think it was Ally (so sorry if I’ve got the name wrong again – I have a mental block) who were out on there normal running circuit, it was lovely to catch up.

I am making the slowish but progressive return from a torn hamstring and this was my first race back, my general fitness is ok but race fitness is not, and I was really testing out my gammy leg to see how it went.

I love this run. Every year I remember what a great course it is and how tough it is to push on, no different this year! Started pretty strongly and felt ok for the first 6k/7k but then felt like I was going backwards, the gammy leg was not sore (which is good) it just felt so fatigued it was a real struggle on the undulations but although I lost quite a number of places I hung in as best I could to finish 5 mins faster than last year when I had a poor run in the monsoon that was 2012, and 3 mins faster than the year before so I am happy with that. As long as the times are still progressing every year I can tolerate the pain even if there are a lot more people in front of me at every race….. There were some good over 40/45 and 50 women runners from Central and various other clubs this year which is great to see and a few HBTs had made the trip too. I think I was 9th over F45, ok with that.

The boys did really well with Michael keeping the fast young Westies Men in the results with a great 9th place in 38.24 and Chris in 36th in 43.04, pretty good on the second race of the day.

It was won by Stuart Gibson from Ron Hill Cambuslang in a great 34.24.

The midges weren’t too bad and there was a lovely spread in the clubhouse afterwards, it really is such a great event with all the kids running and the othere races, well done to Calderglen they always make this a super friendly and enjoyable evening in EK.

Thanks so much to Don and doggy and Ally for cheering me on and the boys too, it really makes a difference to have some supporters along the way.