Kenny and I took the short hop over to Springburn for our first 10k of the year to compete in the Jack Crawford Springburn Cup 10k. The weather was perfect cool and dry with what seemed very little wind.
The race starts at Bishopbriggs sports centre and works its way uphill and around a housing estate for about 2.5k before a steep downhill onto the canal via Cawder Bridge, out by the Stables pub to 5.5k, turn then a straight back along the canal to Bishopbriggs Sports centre again.
Kenny who mostly gets the better of me in club nights, by his own admission, falls down during races as he goes out too fast, a common mistake, so the plan was to stick with me for the first 3k, keep the heid, and then do his own thing how he felt after that. After 3k Kenny was still running well alongside me but blowing a bit and I tried to suggest he slowed a wee bit but this is hard to do during a race, so we ran on together to the 5.5k turn, that’s when we discovered there was a wee bit of wind after all and the second half was a wee bit more taxing than the first.
At this point Kenny started dropping back, he had gone so fast he had nearly hit his 5k pb on the first half, I just tucked in behind an old woman and let her take the wind for me, as you do. At the 8k mark I heard some heavy breathing from a bit behind me and a quick glance saw a blue top and thought Jeez I’m going to have to get going here so I pushed the old woman out the way and tried to stretch a bit but the breathing got louder and finally I gave in, but to my relief if wasn’t Kenny, it was an old man out walking his dog, but I managed to fight him off.
I ran on to the finish which came in at slightly over the distance but not much and was pleased enough with my time considering the wind, and the surface, though flat doesn’t give much bounce, and I for one need to bounce or I wouldn’t move at all, Kenny came in shortly after and was rewarded for his efforts with a shiny new pb taking a couple of minutes off his previous best, I’m sure he will do a sub 50 mins soon.
A good race well organised by Springburn Harriers thanks to all the officials and marshals
The race was won by: Michael Deason, Shettleston Harriers– 32m 15s
1st Lady: Ruth Fraser- Moodie, Unattached — 39m 23s
Maryhill Harriers:
Chris Hever –149th–49m 44s
Kenny Henderson –164th—51m 17s PB
215 Finishers
