Little by Little – The Clydebank 10k 2016

Dreich. Windy. Wet. Pouring.

Now I know it’s not words that you would normally associate with the wondrous place that is Clydebank, but after last week’s Heat Hell in Helensburgh a Cloudburst Carnival in Clydebank was lying in wait. The M8 was crazy, crashes everywhere as the rain lashed down but got there in good time in order to get properly soaked before the race. Arthur promised me it would stop at 7.10 but I wasn’t for believing him. Blog titles already milling around. “Only happy when it rains.” “William, it was really nothing” (the rain falls hard on a humdrum town…..). Sure enough though, just like last year the rain stopped just before race start and stayed off until the run was over. The Polaroid witch doctors dance working for the punters, so having turned up just for a Meh sort of run it was suddenly looking like it could be a good evening for a run.

Another great MAC turnout and the usual hellos as we got ourselves into the pen.Buzz and away. I started myself a wee bit back from the front, never quite sure where is the best place to not get boxed in but also to not be in the way of the fast runners.

This is where the blog gets rather dull. I didn’t go mental with it. I ran steady. Every time I went to push it I reigned myself in. After the first of the two canal loops I was feeling fine. Conditions perfect.

Through 5k in 19.28, 2 seconds faster than last year, a good bit slower than last week. For the first time I started to think if I kept it steady I could maybe sneak under 39 again and trouble my 38.59 PB. Second loop and steady again. Few times wanted to up the pace, but a wee bit of trepidation after last week. Got to 8k and was still able to run, so that’s an improvement. In a mirror image of last year I caught up the group containing the ladies V40 winner Melissa Wylie.

I was feeling good as we hit 9k so decided to up the pace and go for it. Through the windy section and the tunnel and then the uphill stretch towards the finish and I was leading a group out as I hit for home.

I would love to say that I ran away from them all, but was more than happy to be pulled over the line in a new PB of 38.43.

New PB by 16 seconds so happy with that. This 10k thing is a difficult one to master. I feel I could knock another wee bit off that on a good day and with a bit more endurance work but have no idea how to go about running the race. Anyway back to this one. Another fast one living up to it’s reputation. Great running from team MAC with a LOT of PBs, particularly pleased for Arthur, Sean and Marcus.

Great PBs for David,Iain and Paul of RHC and Scott of Bella as well, delighted for those fellas. So it’s Dumbarton next week. Hot or cold? Dry or wet? Who knows. Let’s just train, turn up and give it laldy. As runners it’s all we can do. Thanks to all the organisers and volunteers for a brilliantly organised run.

Little by little by Groove Armada Featuring the late Richie Havens. Because after last weeks mad attempt at smashing my PB it was back to the little by little approach.