Kata had been at a night out in Glasgow the previous evening and had stayed over. I drove through in the morning of the race with Ruby, where I met Scott and Kirsty who would be babysitting while I ran. So it was that my sister, brother-in-law, and daughter waved me off from the start line. it was really funny because Ruby spotted me and kept laughing at me. I got one last cuddle (from Ruby, not from Scott) before the air horn sounded the start of the race and I started to walk slowly to the start line. There is a real carnival atmosphere in George Square (the start of the race) and the race itself is HUUUUUUGE. I think about 10,000 runners ran the half-marathon, not that there were quite that many in the first (white) wave that I was in. I started next to a guy dressed as a heart who was attempting some sort of world record for world's fastest mascot.
Ruby's Standard "Race Face"
Once underway, I ran up St Vincent St (steep and long hill - cruel) pushed on by music and cheering crowds. It was spine tingling. I completed the first 1km in 4:29 which was bang on my (sort of) target. I had no expectations of a PB but I did want to run under 1hr 40mins. The downhill section to Finnieston and The Kingston Bridge was completed in 4:21 and I made an effort to reign myself in a wee bit. I was taking it relatively easy - to enjoy myself, but to keep my time respectable.
Should have realsied I'd have to share my pre-race snack
I love running over The Kingston Bridge. I have driven over it countless times. I have been stuck in traffic jams on it countless times. Running over it, on the motorway no less, is just a lot of fun. How many races allow you to run on a motorway? It's fantastic. The city centre nature of this course is one of the main factors that makes it what it is and so enjoyable. There was however, just before the bridge, a bit of a bottle neck where the road narrowed but it was close to the start so there was still a large field of runners all bunched up. I found myself next to "Worlds Fastest Mascot" again and he appeared to have a friend running with him who was wearing a kilt and had a GoPro strapped to his chest. His job seemed to be to run ahead and make way for his mate. He was running ahead and shouting "Coming through! Excuse Me! Behind You!" etc. That was the last time I saw "Worlds Fastest Mascot" until the very end when I crossed the line just in time to see his TV interview finishing.
The weather was stunning, the view from the bridge was stunning, and I was in a great mood as I headed over the river and into the south side of the city.
My time stayed pretty consistent, always around 4:30/km. The next point of any real note was in Pollok Park where it started to get hilly and as we reached the 10km (6 mile) mark my legs started to get tired and I recorded a 4:52. My legs and lungs normally assume that after 10km we are done, so it was a bit of a shock to the body to receive the update from my brain that no, we were still going. The 4:52 was the kick up the backside that I needed to push harder, and I did.
About 15km in, at Bellahouston Park, I started to get really tired. Strangely, despite being tired, I rationalised that I only had "A Parkrun to go" so upped the pace. This worked for about 3km before I was absolutely shattered and only momentum and the shame of a DNF kept me going for the final 2km. Except it wasn't another 2km was it? It was another 3km. I wlways forget that a half-marathon is 21km and not 20km! In Bellahouston Park I spotted what looked like a brown vest in the distance. possible with a red head? Possibly Mairead? I thought she was too far to catch and I made no effort to, but I did pass her just as we were on Paisley Road West near Ibrox. I think she must have been injured. I saw two other club mates during the race. One at the start line, Brian, and another quite near the start just over the bridge, Chloe.
Reunited With Ruby!
Actually, I was on the home stretch, and I swear this is true with no exaggeration, I was about 20km into the race and heading for the finish line, when I was thinking to myself, "I think that this is the first race EVER I have ran in a brown club vest where no one has ever shoute.."
"HBT!!!!"
Just as I was about to complete the thought that no one had shouted HBT at me, someone did. Some teenagers sitting on a wall! I give them a wee wave and they cheered. So nice."
I crossed the line and finished in a respectable 1:35:52. I met the family at the pre-arranged meeting, point, rendezvoused with Kata, and headed home. I plan to run this race again next year. Maybe Kata will too next time?
Steven A Laverty's "Rendezvous With Kata"
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