It was a bittersweet day at the Pitlochry 10k as I secured a sub 50 minutes PB but failed to get in the top 3 for my age category but with a much bigger field than in recent years I was happy with my effort.
This is a race I always look forward to as its in my hometown and works in perfectly with my Loch Ness Marathan training.
It was a beautiful sunny autumnal day so ahead of the run I was a bit concerned it might be too hot but conditions were perfect.
Normally this race attracts around 200 – mostly club runners from Perth, Fife and Dundee and some locals taking advantage of a great course on their doorstep – but, this time around more than 300 had signed up.
The run didn’t have a very auspicious start as within moments of the runners setting out the wailing sound of an ambulance on a 999 call rung out and runners were forced to bunch up onto the pavement to get out of its way.
The route takes in some of the area’s most scenic parts including Loch Faskally, Loch Dunmore and some fantastic forest trails. I tried to keep my pace constant throughout with the hope I had enough left in the tank for a push at the end.
As 8 kilometres, a quick glance at the watch revealed 40 minutes down so I was forced to do some frantic mental arithmetic to figure out if I would get my holy grail sub 50 which was made tougher as I work in minutes per mile! Only one thing for it was to gradually pick up the pace which nicely tied in with having a mini battle with a fellow runner who had just overtaken me after I had previously overtaken him a couple of k’s previous. At kilometre 9 it was time to be strong and just go for it! I got past him and could hear his heavy breathing just a couple of metres behind, managed to come level with a lady who had passed me a kilometre before, she then picked it up and we strode side-by-side for a few metres before I got away from her. It wasn’t really about beating her but getting under 50! The course ends on a downhill section which helped push me on to the finish line. The stars aligned or something as a number of things pushed me to the finish. As I was gritting my teeth in agony I glanced at my watch to see 48:20, a man saw my pain and shouted “keep going darling, you are doing great!”, I was spurred on, normally if a man who I don’t know calls me darling, he gets an evil death scare! I then heard the commentator shout “just 200 metres to go”, then I spotted my family grinning and cheering me on and I turned the sharp corner towards the finishing line and with a quick glance at my watch saw it was going to be comfortably under 50 minutes, 49:26. The Joy.
First male: Tom Cunningham – 33:24 – Corstorphine AAC
First female: Megan Davidson – 38:32 – Falkirk Victoria Harriers
