“This is a wonderful, GENTLY UNDULATING (my capitals) road, crossing suburbia, then wetlands, then a peat bog, & joining a motorway roundabout at the end.” Thus goes the official route description, which succesfully sold the event to me! Then I met Maggie D. before the start, who said, “it’s all hilly!”
The idea of a one-off race on a soon-to-be-opened new road, linking Kirkintilloch with the m-way, I found appealing, especially since it was in a very worthwhile cause, Deafblind Scotland, who are fund-raising for new premises, & was timely for me in my post-Devil torpor.
There was also a 5 k event, & later a 1k fun run, to be followed by a led walk, so the emphasis of the day was strictly on family fun, & inclusion for all; it was fun to see excited wee tinies with race no’s pinned to them, almost covering them.
A great atmosphere was created by the (male) piper during the 5k plus the enthusiastic announcer in the park, & the (female) piper who led the 10k runners to the start, which was, yes, a full k away, along the soon to be opened tarmac. All a bit surreal, with many workmen & road-building machines standing by, & 10mph works speed limit signs at frequent intervals.
The race route headed n. into Kirkintilloch, then roughly s. past various unopened jct’s to the new m-way line, then back up to Kirkie for a 2nd time & a finish in the park by the sports centre. Weather was kind, no rain but humid, but Maggie of course was right– all pure UNDULATIONS!
She had a great solid run, finishing in 49.05, 85th from 286 finishers.
I was happy to struggle round in 51.28, in 122nd place. (my pw bar one)
Although largely a fun run, I think the “undulations” were well reflected in the relatively slow winning time of Louis O’Hare (Kirky O’s) in 35m 14s. (Hell, that’s only 4 secs inside my pb!) 2nd was Anthony Devlin, FVH, in 36.59; First lady was Ruth Fraser-Moodie in 41.31, 2nd was Gillian Ballantyne in 45.04. (Caroline J, you could have maybe picked up a prize on reading of your recent form!)
A grand day out all round.
