This is the second time I have ran this race, the first being two years ago and reported in this very blog. Big thanks to my sister, Kirsty for entering Kata and I into this race, and to Kirsty and her husband, Scott for looking after Ruby while Kata and I got to run.
3 Runners
As before the race started at Broadwood Stadium, home of Clyde FC and Cumbernauld Colts. It's a medium/large sized race with I believe 800 starters this year.
We set off out of the stadium, to the refrain of a pipe band. Cumbernauld certainly puts a lot of effort into this race adn it is very much appreciated. There are pace makers, but I noticed that the fastest pace maker was 45 minutes - I suppose if you are plannig on being faster than that, you don't need a pace maker? My plan was basically to stay ahead of the 45 minute guy.
The start of the race takes you out into an Industrial Estate and past the Irn Bru factory. At about 3km there is a long steep hill whihc is pretty much the only hill of any significance on the course, although the rest of the course is "undulating". Kata, who normally hates undulating, actually said later that she enjoyed that aspect this time around.
While Kata and I were running, Kirsty and Scott were completing the Victory Mile with Ruby. As far as I can establish, the Victoy Mile is a way for people of all abilities to take part in the 10k day. I beleive Ruby was carried around and was a minor celebrity. She got her first ever race number and medal. So proud :-)
Baby Sitters and Victory Mile Runners
The course is good and the support when you come back into the housing estate is fantastic. I received the usual shout of "HBT" in support from an apparent stranger. It's remarkable how will recognised and suported our little (World Famous) club is. The loch section becomes trail for a while, and is narrow. This isn't a problem because we are about 8km into the race by now and the pack is spread well out. One complaint here, at 8km a marshal shouted "Nearly there". No am bl**dy not!!! Nothing is more annoying for runners. Nothing. I don't want to hear "Nearly there" unless it is 9.6km into the race and I am back in Broadwood Stadium! Seriously.
I can remember glancing over my shoulder and seeing teh 45 minute pacemaker not as far behind me as I'd hoped. It helped push me on. I crossed the line (running back into a stadium at the end of a race, even if it's Clyde's stadium, makes you feel like a hero) and went stright to look for my family. I found them sitting on the grass playing happily. I immediately gathered everyone together and went to cheer Kata home. She appeared a lot sooner than she had lead us to expect, and we made sure that everyone (including Ruby) gave her a big cheer.
Ruby looks suitably unimpressed.
I finished in 43:59 which I was quite happy with. I notice that two years ago when I ran the same race, I finished EXACTLY 1 minute faster in 42:59. I was pretty speedy back then though and in better shape. I remember it was the first 10k in ages where I hadn't recorded a PB. Despite being nowhere near a PB, I really enjoyed the race. Big thanks to the organisers, and especially to Kirsty for entering us in the race.
Here's the link to my Garmin record of the race.
START!!! I'm front and center, Kata is on the left about 2/3 up.
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