2008 Glasgow Women’s 10k

I had an early start this morning, as I’d volunteered to help my running club with the start marshalling at the 2008 Glasgow Women’s 10k.

I’d not marshalled before, so was quite looking forward to it. The Women’s 10k is a big event (12,000 participants), and there are professional stewards and event organisers, but the club has helped with the start marshalling for a few years now: I was asked to help with the ‘pulse’ signs (to phase the runners so the faster runners were at the front), and ensure runners weren’t moving too far forward. With a complimentary pink t-shirt, and an impressive ‘Race Official’ tag, it was all very enjoyable helping out. Nobody seemed to want any of my safety pins though 🙁

After the start, and our responsibilities finished, we were free to go and watch the race and lend our support to the runners, so I barrelled over to Pollok Park to catch the lead runners pass by. There was an impressive Elite field boosted by a number of Eritrean runners who were, I understand, seeking asylum in Glasgow, and had been invited to take part. I don’t (yet) know the winning time, but it was *fast*.

I took a number of pictures (click here) with my old compact camera (I need a new one) during my travels. Sadly not much running for me today though: I’ve not been feeling too great this afternoon.

Running the London marathon in 2009?

I decided last year that running a marathon wasn’t going to feature in my running plans for 2008. I’d been aware of just how much training was required for a half marathon, so doing a full marathon along with running my own business, and having a life and time with Frances just wasn’t practical. Oh, yes, and given London was the marathon I wanted to do, that we were getting married the day before sort of put pay to any small notions I still had.

As my fellow running club members built up to London 2008, my appreciation of the time and effort required increased further. It’s a lot more than “just twice the distance” of the (easier) half marathon, and really tests mind and body to the limit. 20 mile training runs take a long time, and that means a large part of rare free time is eaten up for a good few weeks, and if the weather is inclement, it’s hardly a lot of fun getting out to get the miles done. The support of a running club geared up for the race would seem essential.

However, part of me still wanted to give it a go at some point. I get the impression it’s something every runner needs to have a go at at *some* point. Even just once. I’d also thought it’d be good to see about beating my charity total from Glasgow 2007. So I resolved a month or two back that I’d enter the ballot for London in 2009 when it opened.

Earlier this week I heard the application process had opened, just a week after the 2008 marathon finished. So to cut a long story short, and with a year and a day to go, I entered the ballot for London 2009 yesterday lunchtime.

If I don’t get through (which is likely given the huge volume of applicants for the limited number of places), I may look at a charity place, although the fund-raising required for such is a bit of a concern. Failing that, my running club usually gets a few places allocate as it sees fit (by ‘lucky dip’ last year after the Christmas 5k charity run). There’s always a big turnout at London from the club – it’s one of the clubs biggest races given the high number of ‘good for age’ runners – quite something for a club 400 miles away. But I’ve got my fingers crossed I’ll be lining up on Blackheath in a years time.

Ideas for a running challenge?

The joys of writing a weblog. A marketing company associated with Salomon have been in touch with me as a result of my weblog and are I’m surprised to discover, inviting me to test out a pair of their new XT Wings trail shoes. I’m also getting a free N82 phone (I suspect on loan, but it’ll take quite something to beat my iPhone), which has a GPS tracking facility (useful as my Garmin packed in and is off to the Garmin health clinic). It all appeals to my geek sentiments, although I’m not enamoured by the prospect of running with a phone, I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Anyway – the reason for this post – I need to come up with an ‘interesting sports challenge’. They’ve suggested things like ‘run a marathon in less than 3 hours’, ‘climb 2 mountains in the same day’, ‘get from East to West London in 45 minutes’. I get a widget, blog about my experiences on http://mobileblogs.salomonrunning.com, and they get free publicity and so on. Works for me, and them.

Anyway, my nice little problem is the best challenge I can come up with is to break my 10K PB below 45 mins (it’s 45:01 right now, at the Jack Crawford 10k). And it’s not really *that* exciting (or new – it’d be rude to let that stand as my PB for too long!), and I’m quite hopeful of doing it. So beyond the “not getting mugged for your new phone and shoes”, or “not getting noticed by club coaches for wearing non-muddy shoes for 2 weeks in a row”, wondered if anybody had any ideas?

Save Pollok Park: Suggestions for Glasgow council

The council, in it’s dismissal of the Save Pollok Park campaign – like to suggest its opposition to Go Ape in Pollok Park is a negative, single-issue campaign, devoid of constructive suggestions for how the council could meet it’s goals and targets to improve the use of the park.

So to counter that, I thought it’d be worth putting up *my own* suggestions to Glasgow council. These are just the results of a mornings thinking (aided, I should add, by a wonderful 14km run this beautiful spring morning through Maxwell, Queens, Bellahouston and Pollok Parks).

Cycle hire

We have a hut in Bellahouston park where you can borrow some putters for the pitch and put facility there. With Pollok park, why not introduce similar for bikes, so that better use can be made of the parks mountain bike circuit? It seems woefully under-used: I don’t recall seeing even one biker on it this year, that I recall. Bikes are obviously a bit more valuable than a putter, so a returnable deposit would probably be necessary, although free-bike schemes do operate in some cities.

Rename Pollokshaws West railway station

Pollokshaws west station really needs to be renamed “Pollok Park”, because it’s, well, extraordinarily convenient for the park – but you wouldn’t know it from the name! The free shuttle bus service operates there. Perhaps then visitors to the city, staying in the city centre, would be more inclined to come and visit if they could look at a train map and immediately know where to go?

It’d make sense on another level too. Even *locals* (myself included) get confused at times as to which station is which. A recent new member at my running club, a long-term Glasgow resident, understandably got mixed up between:

* Pollokshaws West (for Pollok Park)
* Pollokshaws East (on the Cathcart Circle, and at least a 10 minute walk from the Park)
* Pollokshields West (also on the Cathcart circle, and a full 20 minute walk from the Park!!). This is the most confusing name of all. Pollokshields vs Pollokshaws? Throw in, perhaps, a strong Glasgow accent from the person selling you a ticket, and it’s easy to imagine most people getting confused, and winding up in the wrong place.

So we’d actually solve two problems: Understandable confusion, and making it clear Pollok Park is easy to reach, without using a car. On which note…

Traffic

It’s a bit of a bind that cars dominate the central part of Pollok park, and I’m not entirely sure why it’s necessary that the two car parks need to be joined up. It’d be really rather nice if they could look to pedestrianise (at least during peak times/weekends) the section of road that runs from just by the Burrell, through to the back of Pollok house.

Cars also frequently drive at speed, and often (I feel) without due consideration to other road users. Getting rid of them would make the main paths through Pollok entirely traffic free, and more conducive to walks, running, cyclists and more.

If they also reviewed the traffic lights at park exits (they’re not green for long enough at weekends), they might also prevent accidents as cars race to exit, also ruining the benefits of what was supposed to be a relaxing stroll in the park, for many visitors.

Improving existing spaces and facilities

This sounds fun, doesn’t it? But the fields to the east of the park, at the exit on to Haggs/Shawmoss Road, are very poorly drained, and frequently flooded. So they really need to improve the drainage to enable better use of the field to be made. If there have been efforts to improve drainage into the stream, it’s not really worked.

It’s such a great green space, it seems woefully under used, largely just as an overflow car park, and by occasional golfers. Such an open space could be useful for fairs, fetes, parties, camps, and perhaps even markets.

Similarly, the clay courts by this same exit have not – in all my years visiting and living in Glasgow – *ever* been used. Other than, it seems, to provide a short-cut for cars/vans judging by the damage to the grass verge. Quite simply, they should either be turned to some other purpose, or they should be approaching local schools and clubs to find out why they’re not playing fields of choice.

More events

There seem to be a few ‘big’ events at Pollok park, and elsewhere, but it’d be good to see more events making use of the parks in a structured, but perhaps smaller way. I’m working on my own suggestion (which I’m hoping to be saying more about later this month, after I’m married), to bring the successful UK Time trial events, to Glasgow.

How about also working in partnership with local groups and organisations that already make use of the parks (my running club, and Jog Scotland, for instance), to enhance it in ways they suggest. I’m sure there are other groups (football clubs, cycling clubs) that’d help.

Anything else?

These thoughts are just my own, from a bit of thinking as I ran, and as I avoid some boring accounts work I should really be getting on with. I’m sure that the people of Glasgow, and the Save Pollok Park campaign, have even more suggestions. It’s important that the council realises that the energy and passion demonstrated by *thousands* of people here in Glasgow for Pollok Park, and many of our other similarly threatened green spaces, is not seen as hostile, but enthused and passionate about our parks, with ideas and suggestions: If only the council would reach out and *listen*, rather than running flawed consultation exercises that merely give them the result they want.

So when the council finally sees the error of it’s ways, hopefully they’ll start listening to the park users, and then discover – if they do it properly – that we’re not a bunch of nimby’s (as they’ve accused), but an engaged, passionate, and *constructive* group of people who would actually like to see better use being made of our parks, without selling it off, and charging people unrealistic amounts for the privilege, in some dressed up attempt to “improve” the park.

Club winter handicap

I’ve a few posts lined up, but figured I’d start off with news on the running that I’m quite pleased with. I came 2nd in my running club winter handicap championship!

This is an annual competition, where the points are awarded based on overall improvement from last year, rather than pure outright speed. As my 10k time last year at the Barrhead 10k was 49:52, and I’d improved to 45:01 (at the Jack Crawford 10k), I got a decent number of points. But I was pipped at the post by a very deserving (and fellow ‘B’ group runner) Ian Goudie, who cut his time from 48:20 to a *very* impressive 43:04. Third was Greig Glendinning (in the ‘A’ group, no less), who took almost a minute off his last years best to go from 39:30 to 38:43. The ladies competition was won by ladies captain Claire Thompson, 2nd was Sarah Dowling, and third Jackie McGuire. Well done to everybody!

The races in the championship were quite varied: I just used 10k times to illustrate relative speed. My first ever cross country race was one of the races, but I hadn’t realised it at the time! Maybe I’d have pushed a bit harder if I’d known I was in with a chance of winning! Of course, next year I’ll have a faster time to start from: I’m really hoping to break through the 45 minute barrier this year. But that just keeps the bar high and me on my toes. A challenge is a good thing, and being a relative newcomer to a sport can have some advantages 🙂

The main club championship is of course based on outright speed, which, you’ll be shocked to hear, means I don’t have anywhere near the same chance of winning. But I am still hoping to complete the criteria (which means a couple of half marathons later this year!), and to see how I’m doing across all the race distances.

It’s all good fun, and now that the winter training is coming to an end with the clocks going forward at the end of the month, I’m really now able to look forward to lots of interesting training runs in Pollok Park, and getting a few more races under my belt after the wedding.

Scottish 4k Cross Country Championships

DSC_1697I’d intended to take part in Scottish 4k Cross Country championships today, but an extra long run yesterday (22km, the longest I’ve run since the 2007 Glasgow Half Marathon), and not feeling 100% last night and this morning meant that I just fancied going along and lending some moral support to my running club, rather than run. I was also going to get the chance to snap a few photos with my camera, which I’ve not done in a while.

Bellahouston Park had resembled more of a lake than a park yesterday evening, and that had played on my mind. But today it seemed the drainage – presuming there is any of course – had worked, and things were a little less sodden. Still *very* muddy with large pools of water, but a lot better than I’d expected. I’ve only managed one cross country before, and thoroughly enjoyed it. You don’t get many opportunities to get muddy as an adult, so missing this one was a shame, especially as it’s right on my doorstep. Due to a mix up in entries (and unsympathetic organisers) our club didn’t have enough race numbers to go around, so I (will) actually appear in the official results, but it’s the club treasurer Russell who used my (lovely low) number ‘3’, and deserves the credit for the no doubt decent time he’ll set. Quite pleased that my decision meant he got to enjoy a run he might otherwise have missed out on.

The club had a decent turnout for both the men and womens races. Both events required two laps of the 2k circuit – It’s always puzzled me that women’s cross country events seem to frequently get shorter distances to run. Sadly no top ten results for the club, but to an extent that was understandable – there was a very strong field of entrants: it was a national event after all!

I made good use of my camera, and grabbed a few good shots of the start. Plenty more at my flickr page. Good fun, and very well done all around, especially to Louise who was taking part in her first XC. You can see before and after shots of her new spikes 🙂

Help start a Glasgow Time Trial!

Update – 06/Nov/08

Big news! parkrun is at last coming to Glasgow!

See glasgow.parkrun.com for more information, register and sign up. Please see the Volunteering pages to pop your name down on the volunteer register. Just once every now and then will help ensure this event continues!

 

Update – 02/Oct/08

There’s a mention of our efforts to start this up in the latest issue of Scottish Running Guide. 

We’ve now advanced matters with Glasgow council, and are currently arranging a meeting with Park managers to discuss arrangements, health and safety issues and so forth. Note it’s more likely it’ll be in Pollok Park, rather than Glasgow Green as previously suggested – the Green is so heavily used, it’d significantly interfere with the sort of weekly event. But there are some great course options open to us, even if they’re not quite as flat!

The conversations so far have been extremely constructive and enthusiastic. I’m now a lot more confident that Glasgow council staff are supportive of the initiative, and it really is now a matter of when not if.

You can help by adding yourself to the google group, or posting a reply below, and we’ll keep you posted when there’s more news.  

Update – 12/Sept/08

Progress continues. We’re progressing matters with Glasgow council, but it’s taking more time than we’d anticipated. The good news is Glasgow’s Sweatshop store are providing support, and we continue to get positive noises from everybody we speak to. We’re hoping it’s just formalities now, and are eyeing the end of October to start things up.

You can follow the threads at fetcheveryone.com, or at at the Google Group (which you’re encouraged to join to stay informed), or post a comment below, or complete the contact form.

Update – 23/June/08

Things continue to progress, right now I’m really hoping to get a few other keen runners together to help get things started. If you’re interested, drop me a note, post a comment here, or Join the new Google Group (link). There’s also a topic on fetcheveryone (link). Or call. 07788 674494.

Original post 01/Jan/08

I’m currently trying to build support for Glasgow to get it’s own regular, fun, free, sociable 5k time trial in the UKTT model that’s been such a success down south. If you’re a runner, you may already be familiar with the Bushy Park Time Trial, Richmond Park Time Trial and the follow-on events that have been growing over the last year or two. You can find out more about each them at the UKTT website.

The time trials are a series of small, friendly, weekly running events. Athletes of all abilities are encouraged – from beginners through to Olympians, and from juniors through to pensioners. You can never be too slow, but you can also never be too quick! It uses the same course every week, and encourages a friendly level of competition. In short it offers the athletes the opportunity to track progress over weeks, months, seasons and years.

It is also free, a huge amount of fun, and run by volunteers using a very simple system. I’ve run in a couple of the events myself when I’ve been down in London (See my BPTT and RPTT posts for more). From a total of 12 runners on the first event, the original Busy Park Time Trial is now regularly featuring several hundred participants. There are also new time trials in London, Leeds, and Brighton.

Runner’s World magazine also recently featured a special article on the phenomena here, and they’re spreading. Perhaps even to Glasgow, with your help.

What’s also special about the events is the atmosphere: Largely because it is run by volunteers (often runners who’re racing later in the day, or are taking it easy, or perhaps have an injury, and want to stay involved), and uses a simple system which keeps stress and organisation overheads to a minimum. Plus that it builds a community of like-minded people, across clubs, running groups, and people involved in sports. It appeals to runners, and encourages people into exercise. As well as the running, there’s always coffee and cake at a nearby cafe afterwards!

So what about Glasgow then?

I approached the UK Time Trial people last year to find out if there had been any enquires or developments about one starting up in Glasgow. I had thought it was rather inevitable, but, well, turns out I was the first to ask. So I’ve started to work on it. I’ve now approached Glasgow Culture and Sports via my very helpful local councillor. Surprisingly, certainly for a cynic like me, the Culture and Sports people have come back to me with some very positive noises, and have got in touch with UKTT themselves: In short, they’re taking it seriously.

So it’s still under discussion there. It’s no done deal. So I’m now hoping the running community in Glasgow could lend a hand and help make it a reality.

All I’d like to do is ask you if you let me know if they think the idea is a good one, and whether you’d be interested in supporting it in some way, from taking part, coming along to cheer people, or even to help volunteer in the first few weeks.

Certainly the more people – runners and non-runners alike – from the Glasgow region that express an interest, the more likely it is to happen.

Pop your details in a comment below, or drop an e-mail to me: richard@LEYTON.ORG – I’ll keep you posted on developments.

Also please feel free to mention it at any running club or group you may belong to. I’ll hopefully be getting in touch with many of them myself quite soon, but it’d be better coming from club members. Feel free to print this post out, or mention it. It can be easily found: Just tell people to type “Glasgow Time Trial” into Google!

Update

I’ve setup a Google Group for anybody interested in staying informed:


height=26 width=132 alt=”Google Groups”>
Glasgow Time Trial
Visit this group

Starting a Glasgow Time Trial

The UK Time Trial phenomena has been gathering strength for the last few years. It boasts a number of free-to-enter 5k time trials around the country, but with one exception they are largely focused in London and the South.

I had such fun at the two events I’ve taken part in when in London, that I got to wondering if there was any chance of a Glasgow event starting up. I made contact with the UKTT guys, and as I was the first to ask, I decided to find out if the idea had legs. So with UKTT’s words of advice, and the assistance of one of my local councillors, I approached the Glasgow’s Culture and Sport department.

The good news is that Glasgow council seem very keen to support the idea. Perhaps the Commonwealth Games in 2014 helped, or maybe the idea of a regular volunteer driven event that has proven such a hit elsewhere in the country in their city, or that it fits so well with their health and fitness objectives.

Either way, a *free*, *fun* and weekly 5k Time Trial is sounding like a very real definite possibility for the city of Glasgow.

Which is where you come in. We need volunteers to come forward to help with the organisation in the first month or two, to get it on it’s feet. If you’re a runner and would like to see a regular, free to participate, 5k time trial come to Glasgow, get in touch. Initially, we’ll need 5-10 volunteers, but the more the merrier.

If you’re injured or taking it easy, this is a great way to stay in touch with, and make new, running friends. If you’re a fun runner, it’s a great way of measuring your progress. If you’re an elite runner, it’s a great way to start off a longer training session.

Just as important as the running and the taking part, the UK Time Trials always retire to a local cafe for coffee, cakes and chat. Building a fun, enjoyable and supportive running community is a key part of the UKTT movement. Just because we’ve done the run, doesn’t mean we can’t have fun too 🙂

Where will the event take place? That’s not decided yet. I suspect it’ll either be Pollok Park or Glasgow Green. Pollok Park would be ideal as everything we need is there, but it’s a little “undulating”, and does have some mixed purpose roads/paths. Glasgow Green is much more central, and flatter, but may not be quite as convenient.

2008’s Nigel Barge 10k

Start as you mean to go on, they say. My running goals 2008 running are, hopefully, a sub 45:00 10k time, and getting under 22:00 on 5k. Perhaps even sub 01:40:00 on the half marathon too.

So on the first 10k of the new year I was somewhat surprised (and very delighted) to find I’d taken *almost* four minutes off my previous personal best 10k race time, and am already just a minute away from my 2008 10k goal. Perhaps I need to rethink my targets!

Today’s race was the 2008 Nigel Barge memorial 10k race. I’d certainly not been feeling too confident earlier in the day. For a start the weather was decidedly dreadful. Driving rain and cold, it was almost as bad as people who have never visited Glasgow seem to think the weather is like all the time here. I was worried it was even sleeting at one point. It wasn’t, but it was very close to doing so.

As usual, my pre-race routine is a bit faffy. I always end up forgetting things, and this time I forgot both my wallet (for the excellent post-race raffle) and my gloves and hat. However, I almost always regret wearing hats and gloves, given I soon heat up when running, and they’re a hindrance. I headed off with time to spare to pick up my race number, and bumped in to a few Bella’s at the Bellcraig Community Centre. Frustratingly I think for almost everybody, it’s a good mile or so away from the start of the race itself. Not quite sure why the sports facilities at the Garscube estate aren’t used, but presumably it’s much more complicated than I realise. Rather than jog up to the start, given the atrocious weather, it was a short drive for me and fellow Bella runner Sarah, who was more than happy to grab a lift.

No matter, the very minor inconvenience meant all my bits were at close hand, and I could stow everything, as well as quickly change into dry clothes afterwards. We were certain to get wet, and it’s surprising how soon you feel the cold after you stop running.

The race is two loops around the Garscube estate, with a short loop of the buildings at both the start and finish. The route is described as ‘undulating’, so my goal of approximately a 47 minute time (against my previous PB of just shy of 50 minutes at the 2007 Barrhead 10k) was starting to sound a bit optimistic. Over 4000 fetch betting points were on me too… However, Barrhead was certainly hilly and wet, so still some hope. After a good warm up, a quick nip to the facilities in the sports centre were necessary (Oh, the joy that is drinking plenty of fluid before a race). Unfortunately, these were described as inaccessible on the organisers website, but an un-bothered receptionist was happy to let me through the security barrier to my great relief. There were probably seven or eight Bella runners. Not as many as I’d expected, but given the weather, proximity to the festive season, and the number of races that folk had taken part in mid-week, perhaps understandable.

The race was off with a bang, and a good start by all. Everybody I was near seemed similarly paced, unlike at Clevedon. I imagine that the race was a more serious affair helped. There was an award for the ‘king and queen of the hill’, the first male and female runner to the top of the first incline. I was very safely out of contention for that prize! The only other serious hill was the second encounter with the river Kelvin, which was nasty first time around, but much better second time. The joy that is a multi-lap race: They might not be to everybody’s liking, but it helps substantially in getting up hills if you know they’re coming!

I’d worried I’d set off too quickly, as usual, but my pace seemed manageable, so I just kept going as best I could. A few tough sections towards the tops of the hills, but overall it’s a great course. I was caught out a little at the end as there was an unexpected extra loop of the buildings. It seemed like it was going on for ever.

So I’m delighted to report I’ve absolutely demolished my previous PB (which was 49:52). I completed this race by my watch in 46:08 in an official time of 46:09, an improvement of 03:43 – almost four minutes! I’d been aiming for 47:00, so this was a complete delight. I think it’s fair to say I smiled quite a lot at the end! My average pace was 04:41, safely ahead of my target of 04:45. I’ve now got my sights set on next weekends Jack Crawford Memorial 10k, which is significantly flatter. It’ll be the first flat 10k since getting serious about running, and I’m really hoping I’ll be able to further improve on my times. Weather permitting of course!

Returned to the Bellcraig Centre for tea and cake, which was delightful. A great raffle too, and lots of well deserved prizes for some superb performances in less than idea conditions. The Maryhill Harriers did an excellent job in making everybody feel welcome. Definitely one of the most enjoyable and well-organised road races I’ve yet taken part in.

Update Results from the race are available via Maryhill Harriers download page.

2007: A year in running

Sharon and David Rowe pipped me to the post with a “review of your running year”, which is something I’d been thinking of writing for a while now.

I managed to run about 750 miles over the course of the year, peaking in August ahead of my entry into the Glasgow Half Marathon. 168 kilometres that month, which is 104 miles, so that was peaking at about 25 miles/week. December has shaped up to be another big running month too.

The story of my running ‘career’ to date has, I think, been my own surprise at my perseverance. I’m very pleased that I actually started running in the first place, then kept at it, then found that I was enjoying it. Despite the best of Glasgow’s weather in the winter months: I’m looking out the window now, just before I head out for a run, and it’s grey, drizzling, cold, and overcast. At least I’ve got the benefit of the daylight, which makes a pleasant change. But starting running seems to get rapid progress, which is it’s own reward. That first weezy walk/jog around a small circuit in Pollok Park was a shock.

Of course the first ‘non-stop’ run was every bit as good as my first sub-30 5k, sub-25 5k, sub-50 10k, and finishing my first half marathon. Of course, PB’s are getting a bit harder now: Real effort is required to improve them.

My goals for 2008? Well, I’m not planning on running a marathon, at least, not too seriously. My first marathon – hopefully London – will be in 2009 and I hope to run that for a charity. The time required to train for a marathon, properly, is now apparent to me, and I don’t expect to have the time this coming year. I’ve decided that 2008 is about consolidation and getting my 5k, 10k and half-marathon times down. 5K PB is 23:18, 10K PB is 49:52, and my half marathon 01:52:38. If I can get below 21:00 on 5k, Sub 45:00 on 10k, and sub 01:40:00 on half marathons I’ll be delighted.

But it’s not all about running faster. I