Altitude: 63m/ 207ft
Temp: 4°C/ 39°F
Weather: Overcast and blustery
To test my fitness at this stage of the training I signed up for a 10km race in my home town of Bishopbriggs. The course is theoretically flat and fast being on the Forth and Clyde Canal bank most of the way, but with the recent snow and rain it is very muddy today in places. To warm up I jog the km or so to the town's sports centre (Leisuredrome) and we are soon lining up on a side street for the statrt.
A short loop of paved roads precedes the canal towpath, and as the early stretch on the canal is narrow I've been told it's important to go off fast and get a good position where overtaking is difficult. With the muddy conditions underfoot requiring some zig-zagging on the path this is even better advice today. We turn at Cadder Bridge and the north path is much easier to run on, though the cold blustery wind can't seem to make up its mind which way it is blowing. Continuing past the Leisuredrome we hit a stretch that was really waterlogged last year, but improvements have been made and it is not bad underfoot.
I am going well and overtaking a few runners when we hit the final turn on the Lambhill Bridge and get back on the south bank, where on the whole the path is back to muddy and wet. There have been markers every km so I've ignored the distance on my GPS, but glancing at the time suggest I'll be close to my 10km best last year, and I'm sure my local knowledge will help in the tough last few km (I've run here quite a bit and played in the area as a kid as far back as 1975!). I know when the headwind will be blocked by trees (a relief), how the path will be (big puddles) and also realize that when I hit the 9km marker we have quite a bit less to run... my GPS says 9.3km. Sure enough the finish looms quickly and though I can't overtake the guy in front my time of 37.45 is a very pleasant surprise.
My parents are at the finish to meet me (another nice surprise, especially when my dad lends me his fleece jacket) and overall I feel good having kept a nice steady pace and felt strong all the way.
P.S. A final surprise later in the week, I get a cheque for £10 for 3rd male veteran. Blowing my amateur status (I've never won money in a race before!) I bank it to pay for the Nairn 10k.
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