Smile – Crackerjack racing – 5 to 5 including Clydebank 5k and Scottish Masters 5000m champs

So here’s the thing, running is my go to hobby and I love it. I really do. I may get anxious and stressed about races but I love my easy running, I love the hard efforts in training, and I love the buzz of race day once the anxiety goes. I am not the most confident of people in all areas of life, not just running, so I was of course naturally terrified how I would come across on the Young Hearts Run Free podcast that I had been asked to do. If nothing else I hope I did get across what running does for me as an individual and a big thanks to everyone that listened. The feedback I received for it was way above anything I could have expected and was very humbling, so thank you.

The last time we met on the roads though I had just done Edinburgh marathon and was on a massive high. Hindsight is a marvellous thing and I should have taken more time after it than I did, but I am an old fool, like so many of us are, and with the nice weather and the PB drug coursing through my carbon plated veins I started running sooner than I should have, convinced that a little speedwork on top of my marathon endurance would have me smashing races out the park.

It simply didn’t happen like that.

Ah I do deserve to be the victim of the “I told you so” brigade and although the first few efforts were tough I thought it would get easier quickly, but it got worse. I started to struggle to hit my markers. This time last year I had a track group I could work with and even if I couldn’t make the sessions I knew what it was meant to do and what I was working towards but now, trying to do it on my own with my body protesting more each week, it was pretty horrible. Couple of races I had contemplated? Dropped. I had had a focus on a couple of 5ks, one road and one on the track and the road one was approaching soon and I was nowhere near where I had been during my marathon block. I was ready to scratch from everything.

Listen I already knew that as more and more people came into the age group that my days of challenging for titles were over. I had to remind myself that that isn’t why I am in the sport to begin with, it has always been a big bonus. I still wanted to run them and see where I could get to. Strip it all back you daft old baldy goat.

I’ve got two weeks to the track 5k, and half a week until the road one. I don’t even think I am in sub 18 shape let alone the sub 17 I had been hoping for but decided to play the Crackerjack game. It’s Friday, its 5 to 5 it’s Crackerjack. There was a chance, in just over two weeks to do 5 5ks. 5 to 5. Crackerjack, crush a grape and all that malarkey. Oooh I could jump off a doll’s house. I just wanted to get 5ks in the legs and see where I could get myself to.

Strathclyde parkrun 24/6 – try and move the legs and if I could I would try for a sub 18
SVHC Clydebank 5k – no longer a focus, but look to improve on the parkrun, a case of getting back out there again in a race environment
Either Sewerby or NYWP parkrun 1/7 – I would be down south on a wee break. Change of scenery. Just enjoy it.
Strathclyde parkrun 8/7 – the day before the 5000m track race. Just get the legs moving a little
Scottish Masters 5000m track champs 9/7 – just enjoy it and try and not be off the back.

24/6 and along to Strathy. One of the great things about parkrun is it can be whatever you want it to be, a jog, a workout, a race against the clock, and it doesn’t really matter to anyone but you. Conditions weren’t too bad and my nerves gone at the start after meeting up with an old pal I hadn’t seen since I was at uni.

During my block I had cruised round here coming first over the line in 17.04. Today I had to work so hard and felt like I had given everything and just scraped into the top 10 in 17.40. I was a mile off where I had been but it maybe wasn’t as bad as I had feared. Ok happy to move to phase 2 and try chip a wee bit off at Clydebank, and maybe aim towards 17.30.

I love the Clydebank 5k, I really do. My last two runs there I had gone sub 17 in 16.38 and 16.53, placing first M50 both times. Suck it up Marko, this is going to be a course PW. You are not going to be age group competitive but you need to get the hard run in. I considered not wearing the club vest for this one, but let’s just say that wasn’t a popular suggestion with my fellow club mates. Still burning from that one… I knew Mark King and Dave Thom from my club were both aiming low 17s if not sub 17 so had a gameplan of trying to hold onto to them for as long as I could and that gameplan lasted about 200m. I simply didn’t have the legs to hold on. They were gone and I couldn’t do a thing about it, Mark getting his first sub 17, and Dave narrowly on the other side. I did end up with a good wee group though with a few of the Greenock boys and first female Jenny from Inverness and was really pleased to finish well in 17.12. Aye a course PW and behind a clutch of M50s M55s and even M60s, but was actually really pleased with the progress I had made, 28 seconds in half a week and getting there again.

Decided on Sewerby parkrun when down south as I had been told it wasn’t your typical parkrun. NYWP likely to be faster but the opportunity to run on a cliff edge and past a stately home, through trails, on park and up steps appealed to me. A good work out and a bit of fun. That’s what I wanted and needed. It was windy but sunny and so welcoming and after getting the evil eye from a llama it was time to start. I was everything I hoped for. Downhill start into 20 mile an hour winds then the trail path up along the cliffs. At this stage I was in third and feeling pretty good. I upped the pace and went into first then realised I had no idea where I was going so was happy to let another fella take the lead on as we went over the grass, round a cricket pitch and back onto the path before going past the stately home. I knew where I was now with a mile to go and kicked off as we entered the path and trail section. Great fun, round the trails, up the steps then round to the finish in front of Sewerby Hall. First over the line in 18.30 and a great work out, but more importantly I had loved every second of it. If you are ever down Filey/ Scarborough/ Bridlington way give it a visit, you won’t regret it.

I enjoyed my weeks break down there. Couple of rest days, a session on the beach as it was the only flat place around, exploring on my long run, was great fun.

Back on the Friday then number 4 on the Saturday, along to Strathy and I just ran round without a care in the world. No clock watching, just have the legs primed for Sunday. Home in just over 21 minutes and felt fine. 4 down and a wee smile at the end of every one. If nothing else I had my spark back though. Mr Mojo was having fun with me again.

All about Sunday now. Did I feel in superb shape for the Scottish Masters 5000m champs? To be honest no. Looking at the starting List I was 5th fastest this year so there was nothing to lose, and nothing to stress about. I would be happy with around 17.30 but had half an eye on my track PB of 17.08. I knew if I wanted to compete for the medals I would have to be around there but didn’t really expect to be able to do that. I didn’t fear blowing up though. It genuinely felt good going into a championship track race knowing I wasn’t a contender, because the previous two years had been all about that. I won’t lie, I did have a gameplan, and no I am not going to tell you what it was, but here we are now about 9 ½ laps in, with about 3 to go and I am sitting on the shoulder of second, with a buffer over 4^th, and on PB pace. I feel that I have enough over 4^th that if I go for 2^nd place here and blow up I should hopefully be ok to still finish in bronze. And I go for it. And the legs remain intact. And for the first time since the marathon I feel strong. At the bell I know an 80 last lap would bring me in sub 17 and give all that I have. I finish in a 16 second track PB of 16.52 with a national silver medal.

I know I am by and large self-deprecating. I also know I’m just a wee baldy lad the wrong side of 50 with a wee daft hobby, but I am so proud of this one. I have worked for this one both physically and mentally and getting on that podium after being more than sure that I wouldn’t trouble it ever again is something that I am proud of myself for. I have no further championship races planned, so I can now sign off from them on a high knowing that I probably haven’t ran a more pleasing race than that one. Crackerjack pencil!

I can write all that I want here about how good it feels etc. etc. etc., but they do say that a picture is worth 1000 words. Here is that picture, as far as I am concerned that smile in that picture says it all. This in one pic is what running means to me.