As there's only 4 days left in 2016 and I'm closing in to finish my second Marcothon, I thought I'd write some notes on my race running year.
At the start of the year, I committed to running an organised race in every month of 2016. Just for a laugh. No targets aimed for, just the participation and chance to keep fit throughout the year.
In February, I started with the Glentress Trail 10K. I don't recall how I'd become aware of it, but it was certainly not on my radar having never been to Glentress before. In Dec 2015 I had completed my first Marcothon, so was obviously maintaining some underlying fitness level which permitted me to come in 5th position. It was a good race, over interesting terrain with a good atmosphere and quite well organised. The fine weather helped. 5/113 48:58
March was a bit of drudgery, not a good selection of races available. I chose the Kilomathon to finish at Murrayfield Stadium. That was about the highlight. It was a little dull with far too much razzmatazz at the start and the route was more than contrived with a strange wandering sojourn in Victoria Park and then a ridiculous appendage before entering Murrayfield Stadium at the end. I'm sure the organisers could improve the route with a little more imagination. 79/1329 56:33
In April I wanted another trail run so headed up to the Balmoral 10K on a cold and snowy Spring day. I had never been to Balmoral (like Glentress) so enjoyed the bit of associated exploration. It was a big event, clearly well established with a strong local following. Everyone sounded like they were from Deeside/Aberdeen. It was a long way to go for a short(ish) race therefore am not sure I'd do it again.
133/1734 45:10
May passed with no organised race due to other commitments so that I packed two into June. First of all starting with the ultimate Highlander Mountain Marathon which we had booked many months previously. We knew what to expect from an event perspective having previously competed in the 2014 event but not the venue. Such is the spice of life that we were kept guessing until the bus departed from the registration building in Cannich. We had a great two days of trotting over the Affric/Mullardoch/Strathfarrar hills in some spectacular weather and not a midge in sight. 15/46 (Class C). Then at the end of June, still in fine weather came the highlight of the year, the Seven Hills of Edinburgh event. Missed the registration in 2015, fast on the mouse click for 2016 we managed to get into the Challenge. It was everything I had hoped it would be, and my few days of reconnaisance seemed to pay off and found me in first position at Craiglockhart until passing Pollok Halls. My fatal mistake was ignoring the Gutted Haddie going up Arthur's Seat and I lost the lead, then coming off the Seat my calves started to cramp up. I slogged over the finish line after a wonderful race. 5/290 2:18:56
Again July seemed to be lacking decent Lothian races. so I ended up entering the Moffat Festival of Running on a Tuesday evening. Information was light and I failed to find a route map anywhere online but made a guess from a description on the event site. It was a 15km job up an undulating valley then a steep climb to the Edinburgh road before returning to Moffat. After work I drove south and parked up on the outskirts of town. The race was pretty intense with a real club feel to the other competitors and a stonking pace to match. I tried hard but suffered from abdominal pain on the long descent back to town. 58/218 01:09
In August it had to be the Coll Half Marathon. I had supported Sally in 2013 on a windy day, but she was happy to return. We were lucky with the weather and enjoyed a fast run round the island making sure to beat Rob Wainwright on the way! Calmac even laid on a return ferry service for us back to Oban on the same day so we could relieve the oldyins of their childcare duties as soon as practically possible. 24/161 01:41:15
I had initially planned to enter the Edinburgh Half-Marathon in September with promises of fast times due to a flat course, but soon binned that idea when I discovered the entry price was beyond my means. And ridiculous. So I found another race on a similar weekend...that was asking £4! However (there is always a downside), it was an event on the British Hill Running calendar - the Merrick Hill Race and I found myself amongst some leggy ants trotting as fast as I could across some of the hardest terrain of the year. 123/197 02:02:00
In February after the Glentress Trail 10K, some kind fellow had planted a leaflet on the parked car windscreen advertising the inaugural Tunnel Trail Race for October. Sadly the registration and start in Hay Lodge park was beset by freezing fog but was almost clear as we trotted along the Tweed. This was a dibbing start as opposed to a mass start which made for an intriguing pace as you weren't sure who was fastest or leading. It was probably best to just run your own race and enjoy the route. Fortunately some of the scenery was good with good technical terrain through the forest and eventually through the disused tunnel. 18/140 01:41:33
In November I entered the Edinburgh Mens 10K after a friendly recommendation of good 10K timings on a fast course. However, with a field devoid of women at the top of the Mound, the first 1k was was challenging few minutes of elbow jostling and positioning. The straight flatness of the Western Approach road was hardest and I struggled to keep the pace as we entered Murrayfield Stadium for the sprint finish. I've already entered 2017! 154/1190 41:51
Hardest - Merrick
Fastest - Glentress
Slowest - Moffat
Won't repeat - Kilomathon
Will repeat - 7hills, Glentress, Mens 10K
And so...to end the year I decided to challenge myself to the Marcothon again.
