Alloa Half Marathon

The start of the 2019 Alloa Half - the winner in Fife vest

What fantastic weather to run a race in! This was my deferred entry to the Alloa Half from 2018, when I had entered it as a training race for the Copenhagen Marathon six weeks later. Unfortunately, the famous Beast from the East (polar continental) air mass blew in from Russia and the race was cancelled due to ice and freezing winds.

Finally the date had arrived for my deferred entry and thankfully the weather was kind. When I pulled up in the chaotic King Street car park, the sky was blue, the air temp was 5C and there was no wind. After a quick look at the 3D map the race organisers had provided, I found my way to registration and orientated myself with the start/finish line.

Back to the car to pin on my number (incorporated chip) and tog up. Plenty of others doing the same and lots of club vests. At 09:45 I decided to head over to the start and had a wee jog to warm up. The starting pen was already busy so I squeezed my way towards the archway, eventually stopping about 50metres short among people who looked capable.

There was a good countdown to the starting gun from 5 minutes out and within a minute or so I was over the line and jogging. The great thing about larger races (~1800 runners here) is that they get permission to close the roads. This means a wider area to run in and less jostling at the start. Unfortunately, the first mile or so is a loop around a residential area of Alloa, where there were a lot of cars parked (quite rightly). But it made the track narrower, and for a long time I was on the pavement.

Eventually the field started to thin out in to one lane width and I found myself amongst runners at a similar pace as me, although I was definitely working hard to maintain it. Watching the miles beep by on the watch, I was heartened to see 6min20ish on average.

I am in this picture, but it requires a magnifying glass

We hurtled down  the hill into Tillicoultry, passing the Sterling furniture place and then turning sharp left onto the A91 and ascend the main street towards the second water station at 9km where I chose to stop, drink and stuff a gel down my throat. Onwards to the looooonggg straight road towards Alva and then Menstrie. I managed to hold my pace, but there were still some stronger runners coming through.

At Menstrie we left the road briefly onto a cyclepath, then back onto the road for the main hill of the route climbing gradually up for 500m up to a large roundabout. There were many supporters here, cheering us on. Gently downhill through Tullibody left turn towards the final water station where I stopped again to hydrate from the wee Strathmore bottles. I was pretty nackered at this point, not really worrying about my position anymore, just trying to survive.

Another long incline, and then fast running downhill towards Alloa and the finish, well marked at 400m out etc. The finish was a 'sprint' towards the big yellow archway and I was spent over the line.

01:33:11 237/1816