Glasgow Universtity Road Race, 8th November 2008

6 Westies turned out for a very unboring tarmac run at Garscube ( nb JD; no value judgements in this report about other events the same day!); 5 miles of real speed racing in our home turf! Gibbie charged off at the start but was quickly caught by Dave & Hamilton, the latter letting the side down by donning a luminous yellow thermal top under his Westies vest. 200 yards from the start, the race resembled the first style at Carnethy, as hundreds of runners queued up behind the pedestrian gate leading to the switchback. Somoene obviously forgot to open the big gates. I reckon this mistake cost me …ooooh about 4 1/2 minutes….well that’s what would have given me the 5 1/2 minute mile pace!

Great running conditions, as it must have been at Tinto. I finished ahead of Hamilton, who was looking good at the end despite the inappropriate kit. Behind Gibbie came Archie, followed by Grimorr, who ran in his hill shoes, having forgotten the yellow peril slippers.Ian finished not too far behind. Unfortunately no women tuned out.

YP Thomas of HBT nostalgically followed the original trail, rather than the modern two-lap trail. This involved him turning right onto the switchback when everyone else turned left. It was pointed out that to be truly nostalgic, YP would have headed into Lock27 for a “panic pint” during the race, as he did in the 1986 event. In the circumstances he was spotted heading off afterwards to the Esquire House, the traditional post-Uni Road Race meeting place.