Jimmy Irvine 10k 2017 - Race Report

Post date: Nov 15, 2017 9:29:00 PM

The annual Jimmy Irvine 10k at Bellahouston Park took place on Sunday 12th November 2017 on a glorious sunny but bitterly cold day. Organised by Bellahouston Road Runners the route had changed from previous years and runners thought (hoped) that this would be an easier, flatter route. They were wrong.

I had taken part in this race before. In fact, I had vowed never to do this again after the first time. I had found the multiple park loops mentally demoralising and hate the inclines within the park with no support of the crowd. Naturally, I had returned a few times to put myself through the pain again (as you do as a runner) and here I was again! Stuart had signed up after finding out it was a new route. Ideal to finish off the racing year after a tremendous year of great performances, hoping to get another strong finish or even PB. I hadn’t really raced at all during the year, trying to stay away from tempting speedwork that aggravated the injury but I decided to go along to cheer on Stuart and the CRC gang. However, with my injury gradually, hopefully improving (and with the promise of a paid lunch to Wagamamas) I entered the week before. I decided I’d give my injury a test, I’d race it and see how it coped.

When we arrived at registration at Nethercraigs, which was now over a mile away from the park, Stuart bumped into one of his ‘fast friends’ (Crispin Walsh of Bellahouston Harriers) who instantly told him the changes to the route made it “not a PB course” with more hills and lots of twists and turns. Fantastic! A gathering around a few vans indicated the start line and we jumped in for the gun start – and we were off! Straight up a hill. Well that certainly slowed me down but I kept Johnny McCormick in my sights who told me in the warm up he was aiming for around 50 minutes but really wasn’t sure. That would do me, I thought. By 1 km we had already turned around 2 cones and 1 sharp bend and I was wishing it was the end already. The loops allowed you to cheer on fellow runners. I tried to indicate with my eyes “this is bloody horrendous” and a few encouraging words hopefully slipped out instead. By around 4k you had an idea of what the overall route was like as you had to repeat this again and then a mini loop to finish. Johnny had now dropped behind, struggling with a calf injury but he is a trooper and I thought he would overtake me again at any minute. Johnny’s family were out in support so that kept him going and their cheers at the halfway kept me going too – always nice to see a friendly face. I knew Stuart and Jen were looking strong as we turned back and I managed to glimpse Johnny and Lorraine around 6.5k, also looking good. Maybe it was just me that was finding it hard.

By 8k I thought I better look at my Garmin, hopeful that I could still achieve a sub-50 and on quick glance I saw it still in the 30’s so I knew it was possible. I dug deep as I turned the corner for the last mile, wind in face and one last hill, finally setting eyes on Kerry who gave me some encouragement to push on. My leg was getting sorer. I had committed this far so might as well push on for the last straight, I could deal with the pain after. I crossed the line in 45.42. Ecstatic to have it over with, vowing yet again never to do this race again. I was shocked but delighted with my time! Stuart and Jen were already at the finish, looking fresh and happy with their performances. Unfortunately no PBs but that was expected with such a hard course but excellent positions in such a competitive race. Johnny, Kerry and Lorraine finished shortly after and we all departed quickly due to it being bloody freezing! I trotted along the road, adding in a few extra miles to meet Stuart at Wagamamas (keeping his promise), happy that my leg held out, despite a bit of pain now. The next day when processing the results I also realised that I managed to beat my 10k PB… by 1 second! I’ll take that! Considering the past 2 years I’ve thought I’d never get anywhere near that again, I’m chuffed! Maybe 2018 I will be injury free and I can aim for another PB. I live in hope!