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Okay, I am back now after my bath and have read Muddy's report. Well done - that's spectacularly fast.
As for me, I went into the Alloa Half Marathon not really expecting a PB, as regular readers will remember that I got quite a big PB in October at Glasgow (81:33) and this remains my 'best' time for any distance in McMillan terms. However, I was hoping for a time comfortably faster than Reading half last year (84:53) as a point of comparison pre-London.
Alloa is a small town in Clackmannanshire, precisely the sort of place that is really quite hard to get to by public transport on a Sunday morning, and the half marathon is a surprisingly big event (2000-ish runners), perhaps because of the flattish-for-round-here course and generous prize money. Luckily I was able to get a lift with a friend's mum and we got there in time for a decent warm-up, which was just as well as it was bloody freezing. After 2.3 miles, some strides, and a wee in a bush, I made my way to the start and, feeling a bit warmer, threw my gloves over a fence. And then we were off! It was not so much flat as gently undulating (the only really serious hill was to come later) so hard to pace evenly, but I didn't get carried away and did the first two miles in somewhere just above six minute pace. Then there was an incline for the next mile which slowed me a bit. The roads were not all closed but they were not busy and there were some long straight stretches and some villages. The scenery was absolutely stunning.
I had settled into 5th place (of the ladies) and could see that even if I caught 4th I had no chance of beating 3rd, who was the same woman who always outsprints me. But I was feeling pretty strong and I managed to get into a small group of men and hung onto them so as not to get isolated. After a few miles into the wind (which was only moderate), we turned and there were some lovely slightly downhill, slightly tailwindy miles, and I felt great. Basically due to the undulations some miles were faster than PB pace and some were slower, but I could see that I was in a similar place to last October and that felt good.
At about 10.5 miles there was a massive steep hill for half a mile. I obviously knew this was going to happen and can report that it was not much fun. As we crested the hill an optimistic Lothian runner asked whether it was 'all downhill' from there. It was not all downhill, however, as we turned a corner and had to run up another bit of hill for half a mile. After that it sort of was all downhill albeit back into the wind. I don't look at total time in races, only lap time, so it was not until, somewhat knackered from the headwind, I rounded the last corner and saw the finish clock that I could see it was amusingly close to my PB. I mustered a very slightly faster pace that could not really be called a sprint, and stopped my watch on exactly 1:21:33. Haha.
Coda: actually, that would be a more entertaining ending to the story. I was delighted to see that I was in similar HM shape to October, when I was feeling really fit, and well clear of last year's pre-VMLM half time, which is a good confidence-boost for the marathon. However, the official results give me a chip time of 1:21:31, which is my second 2-second PB of 2015!
So the most amusing thing about the race will instead have to be the way that the finisher's medal (orange) clashes horrifically with the finisher's t-shirt (pink):
Heh well done on the 2 second pb.
I fancy the marathon one will be much bigger 
That t shirt clashes with everything.
ok, I am procrastinating with these chores now.
Woohoo! Well done, lit! These 2 second pbs must require some expert pacing, especially on "undulating" routes. You're clearly in great shape at the moment. Have you baked anything special for post-race re-fuelling?
Marathon PB better bloody had be a bit bigger than that. Pete - yes, I have baked date and orange loaf. Also I baked some rye/wheat currant buns which are a bit like teacakes, but I had those for breakfast in the spirit of carb-loading.
Sounds yummy! Reminds me that I tried one of the orange and cocoa flavoured Nakd bars that I think Skinny recommended. A tasty but, at 75p, expensive snack!
Hope your foot injury isn't as complicated as it sounds, marrows. Wishing you speedy treatment and a quick recovery. 19:46 sounds great to me on any 5k course!
Great run mcf and good skills getting a PB while mooning.
DT you seem to be in decent shape. Re the weak distance what do you think holds you back over 5k?
Well done lit! Did you get a prize?
No, I didn't get a prize because I was only 5th. If I had been 3rd I would have won £125! Or if I was old (2.06 years older) I'd have won something.
What is wrong with your foot in normal language? Hope it is easily fixed.
I did nothing more exciting than an 18.5 mile long run @ 7:37 pace. It was my most efficient long run ever at average 67% HR max, minimal HR drift and 945 beats per mile. I can see from those numbers that, despite my legs telling me otherwise, things are coming along quite nicely. I think I need to put in a few very slow recovery runs this week to let them catch up a bit ahead of this weekend's 20 w 14@MP
Yes, I am regretting not wearing my HRM too.
Unebelievable, Jeff. I can now barely match Muddy's 10k pace with my 3k pace. Different gravy and an outstanding effort - almost on the casual amidst a long run too. The progress, like his report, continues to border on the surreal.
Back in the realms of the almost mortal, that's a great effort from Lit at what doesn't sound like a particularly quick race. Did they have girls in garlands to greet you at the finish? Sounds like the medals and t-shirts were at least in the spirit of things.
Marrows - Cuboid subluxation is what I (self diagnosed*) suspect I had in the autumn, eventually in both feet at different times. Quite painful at times without ever preventing running, or feeling like it was particularly serious. Some self-manipulation seemed to help, but will be interesting what someone qualified comes up with for a runner.
* - So may have been complete bollox.
Sounds flippin' good numbers to me, Mace.
I will NOT be missing the long runs, McF - though they have at least been made a bit more interesting by mixing the paces up this year as I did yesterday. And Charlie - yep, I shall be making myself look a dick in Wollaton Park within the next fortnight attempting some of this nonsense. I particularly like the guy doing the downhill striding in his jeans. Think I might manage to at least get some running gear on...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VgxsEfeDqk
Just a grassy 4m recovery run with a few sharp strides to stop the legs from nodding off for me today, followed by some Mother's Day gubbins which mostly comprised eating and drinking.
Self-manipulation, Bob? Behave!
It was quite a quick race really, apart from the bit with the big hill. Lots of lovely straight almost-imperceptible downhill bits to make up for it. I slightly missed the big city atmosphere, though, which I suspect helps pull someone like me round to faster times (Reading, Glasgow, London).
I love long runs.
Interestingly (for me, as a non-Scot) there is a village near Alloa called Alva, and they're pronounced almost the same.
Busy 36 hours on here.
Good parkrun wins Mace and Mr v.
Great pbs MCF, Charlie, lit and muddy.
McF- was Lou stood next to you whilst you were calling charlie, Chris?
Bob- saw your session on connect. You look bang on to pb next weekend!
Marrows, hope your sore foot doesn't trouble you too long.
Re my next race, I have a 5 mile Easter Sunday, however that is purely a practice for the Leamington 10k two weeks later.
Marrows, I have just always achieved times in half (and possibly 10m if I do one) that are a fair way ahead of times in other distances. I guess its just a natural bias.
Going back to Saturday, I took tablets Friday night to try and stop the whole wretching thing. Seemed to work as I didn't wretch, though maybe I didn't work hard enough!
Finally going to get an LT session in this week with my new paces from the half a few weeks back.
DT - I used to think it was a natural bias I had too for better times at HM and marathon (remember all that time I spent NOT running a sub 20 min 5k?). But it turned out it was all down to training specificity, as we proved when I actually spent time focusing on 5k and 10k. And the genetic test I did suggested I actually have the DNA of a typical sprinter.
Yes, I have thought about my training historically, before I had any structure and it almost certainly lent itself to making me better at half's.
I have been looking at races etc next few months and want to set aside a 6week block, maybe mid June to end of July where I concentrate on 5k sessions (whatever that consists of) and get a park run in straight after.
Great running everyone - got about 2 hours in airport tomorrow so will post properly then. Hope foot is okay Marrows.
Good morning everyone - before I compliment everyone else I should complete the race reports for the weekend with the Cock and Biscuits 12.2 mile race.
Glenkiln 12 Race Report
I ran this small local club race in 2013 when 39 people entered and it was won in 1:19:43; I ran 1:27:38 and finished 5th. Last year I noticed it was won in 1:21:02, same winner, and I knew that both these times were within my scope although it is a very hilly course. However the past winner normally beats me in races and ran about a 61 min 10 miler in November so I expected to have to decide at some point if I wanted a good run out or a race (remembering this was in place of 18 miles with 14 at MP).
I arrived at the School as per the race details on the internet at 9:10 (race start 10am) ready to register and then set off for my 4 or 5 miles pre race but noone was about (strange) so I headed off for just 2 miles so I could get back, register and then do a bit more pre race running. Got back and there were two other people wandering around but no sign of anyone else - I wondered if it had been called off but they were from the club and recognised some of the cars. I ran off for another mile thinking that this was going to really scupper my run plans and arrived back to find the same two on the phone asking where everyone was - apparently race HQ had moved to the village hall this year but they had not changed the website info.
So walked the short journey to the village hall and found a gaggle of runners hanging around so at least there was a race on. Paid my £2 and went for a few strides and a bit more jogging - so a very broken up 3.5 miles pre race,
Looking around at the start I could see that the winner from the last two years wasn't there, 60% of the 25 people were women and of the 10 men only a couple had calves that suggested long miles on the roads.
So we lined up for the pre run briefing for the third running of the Glenkiln 12 and the organiser uttered the words I didn't want to hear, 'just so you all know there is no trophy for the winners, this is just an early race to get you all ready for the season ahead' -
so basically I was pot hunting without a pot to find. The other point of note was that due to the race start having moved the race was now 12.2 miles rather than the previous two years when it had been 12.1 miles.
Anyway the formalities out of the way everyone headed towards the start line (it was really quite funny because no-one actually started on the start line as presumably none of us normally did), there was a 5,4,3,2,1 countdown and the Cock and Biscuits 12.2 mile race was off and running.
Glenkiln 12 Race Report (continued)
I found myself running with the two other men I had noticed as my only competition following the lead bike (I found this very exciting!!
) and after about half a mile we were running along at 6:50mm and I thought to myself this could be the perfect morning, a lovely scenic 12 miles with a bit of company at MP with a chance of winning but then I was rudely disturbed from my daydream by the shorter of my two companions sprinting effortlessly up the road and establishing about a 20m gap and moving away.
I wasn't really ready for this and had no idea how good a runner he was but after about 20 seconds thinking about it decided that I was a bit annoyed not to be following the lead bike any more and did a 100m strides to catch up with him. On doing so he sounded like he was working harder than me but we went through the first mile together in 6:38 and then had a bit of a chat about scenery, cycling v running and again I thought this might be quite a pleasant way to spend a Sunday morning.
Just before 2 miles there is a short sharp 0.25 mile hill and we turned up it and I was surprised that almost straight away he was behind me rather than running alongside and by the top he had dropped 10 yards back. Knowing the beastly 1.5 mile that was to come I was pretty pleased that I now knew he didn't really like hills and I plodded on to three miles with him maybe pulling me back slightly judged on my many (too many
) looks behind me to see where he was. 7:05 (the sharp hill), 6:34.
This took me to the bottom of the hill and clearly the race plan now had to be to work as hard as I could up the hill and put enough distance between us so he had lost interest by the 3 mile downhill that followed - I was feeling it a little on my way up and pleased to see the top when it arrived but he had disappeared and I realised that the race was already won
- mile 4 6:44 (uphill all the way, mile 5 6:13 (half uphill, half downhill and past a cameraman where I was moving at 4:55 pace! - would love to see that photo).
The rest of the race was pretty straightforward - next 2 miles downhill in 5:51, 5:55 which included a wonderful moment where a cyclist coming up the hill responded to my 'it's easier this way' with 'you're number one' (and I was, I really f'king was!).
Somewhere around 7.5 miles was a drink station and I was able to stop for a couple of sips of water and look back to see there was still no sign of anyone. 6:29, 6:27 and that gave me 58 mins for 9 miles.
Hahahahaaaa! That is like when I did the Aston 10k. You do know you can't count it as a 'prize' if there isn't one, right?
I don't think I have 'calves that suggest long miles on the roads', do I?
Glenkiln 12 Race Report (continued even more
)
At this point some mental arithmetic made me realise that the course record was just about in reach and so I used that to focus on achieving some fast MP miles for the final 3 miles that were predominantly uphill.
6:49, 6:41, 6:32 with 1:23 @ 6:20 pace for the final 0.22 miles and a 1:19:18 finishing time (a course record
- a new Top Trumps category?). Average pace 6:30 and I won by a second short of 3 mins so I could have run with the other guy in MP 6:45 and still possibly won in a sprint finish but might not have been quite such a prolonged adrenaline rush - the race absolutely flew by even though I was on my own for most of it.
There was something really special about the claps and well dones and photos from the assembled masses (5 people) as I approached the finish as the winner and it must be the most thrilled I have felt whilst running - particularly the two fast downhill miles in the middle of the race where I was flying and knew I was going to win - Cock and Biscuits it may have been but it felt fantastic!
After a bit of a chat explaining who the hell I was and where I came from plus a fig roll and some orange juice I explained I needed a warm down and ran off to do the 2 miles to make up my 18. Upon arriving back I had to explain that my warm downs are not normally that long.
So a race win and a course record but still no prize - well you can't have everything and I said my thanks and started heading for the car.
The lady I was talking to asked me if I wouldn't mind hanging around a little as they had a little something for me for winning so after getting changed I went back and received my Cadburys Creme Egg Easter egg and had my photo taken with the ladies winner. I don't know if this classes as the worst prize but its a prize and that is making it onto the Top Trumps table as an individual prize!
Ahem. Surely a course record by default due to the change of course?
But nonetheless,
and not as shit as my Queen's Diamond Jubilee paperweight, even if made of the new, crap chocolate and not the old, slightly less crap chocolate.
My first first prize!!!
Results below - note the quality and depth of the field
(but ask me if I'm bothered!!)
And after all that self indulgent nonsense I haven't got time to update the table for a quite incredible thread weekend.
Well done to Muddy for an amazing PB and to Lit for a great performance at Alloa which I would guess the locals pronounce (AlWa) - can't remember at what point I congratulated everyone on the Saturday races either but phenomenal running all round.
I'll pass on all the appropriate party hats when I update the tables which will be quite a job with CharlieChris jumping up a league and all the PBs - won't be till I am in my hotel in Denver so you won't get to see till tomorrow - sorry.
No need to be mean, lit, especially as the new course was longer than the old one! That's a super result and time, Skinny! Obviously pretending you are in the middle of a training run is the key to success in races. Really enjoyed your enthusiastic report too. Could imagine you bouncing along on an endorphin high
. Enjoy your 12 months as Champion of the Glenkiln 
. I hope you don't have to return the trophy next year!