Race Reports

Latest race reports appear on this page. Links to previous race reports are given at the end of this page.

Nairn 10km - 7 March 2010

Reported by Kevin Shaw

A Lust for LIfe? The story of my Nairn 10k:

I don't work very hard at my running. I tell myself that I'm just too busy, and the time isn't there for me to train and run better. At the same time, I want to stay fit and healthy, and can just about run 10k, so maybe I've reached the limit of my running ambition. This is good enough for me until something like the Nairn 10k comes along, because now that I've turned up to the start line, I want to do well. There is a frisson of anticipation all around as runners chat and smile; we all know that whatever our ability and objectives, we are out there on the line with a good run in mind. For some that just means getting round the course, for others it means actually racing to a winning time. For me, today, it means doing better than last year, when I ran the same course in 57.27. My Personal Best (PB) is 57.07, so I've set myself an objective - I want to run under 57 minutes and impress myself.

Training hasn't gone so well, because I've been missing out on the gym, and I've got a painful 'knock' on my knee. Just an ache, no swelling, but if I run too fast, it hurts and I have to stop. Didn't feel it on the two visits to the gym I managed this week though, so I'm here with achievement in mind, and off we go! Down the High St, under the railway bridge then turning right into open country. I need to run each mile in around 9.30, leaving a bit of sprinting to do at the end. Runners of all shapes and sizes overtake me, disappearing never to be seen again, but I don't mind; I'm not racing them, just my own target, and I wish them all well. I even have good wishes for the three small children who overtake me just before the first mile mark. They are running on the grass verge, harder than running on the road, but still pass me at shoulder height with apparant ease. A little further, and they disappear left on the 'fun' route, so I cheer up a bit, they aren't doing the full 10k.

Alan Sillitoe was right, it is lonely being a long-distance runner. The run is all in your head, and the first thought for everyone is 'how am I doing today?' You never really know until you begin to run, some days it is great, some days really tough, but you learn, every time, a little more about your own strengths and limitations. Just after one mile, my knee starts to hurt. Not much, but its there. Am I going too fast? I try to ease up, but it isn't easy; a pair of MacMillan Cancer runners glide effortlessly past, and a guy in a red tshirt, then some more people. How am I feeling? OK if the knee will let up a bit!

Two miles, and I get a shock. Looking at my stopwatch it tells me I've been running for 17.30 - about 90 seconds ahead of schedule. For all my trying, I've gone off too fast, not for the first time. I try to slow down a bit, thinking that the next mile in a round ten minutes would be ideal. Needless to add, my knee is now hurting properly, telling me all about my pacing mistake, but I'm pressing on - can't stop now!

Women are better runners than men. I know men can be faster, but women seem to know how to pace themselves, and faster isn't the same as better. It must be a testosterone thing. I throttle back and more runners come past me.

At four miles, I know it's all over. I'm there in 37.30, having paced two miles each at ten minutes quite successfully, but this is the point where I need to go faster to beat my best time. My left knee isn't on board at all with this, and my lungs are having a chat with the brain too. My legs are OK, they've been out hill training, but the lungs are really starting to complain, and the knee is encouraged, it knows it is winning the battle with the rest of my body. I'm not going to stop though. At least I'm going to get to the finish in one piece, and, to cut a long and difficult run short, I make it in around 58.30. Nowhere near my target, and with a genuinely yarking knee. I speak briefly to a few friends from the club, some of whom have had a really great run - Sandy and Lisa in particular are high on the day, and I'm pleased for them, but I've got to drive, so with a sore knee I make my excuses and head off home.

On the drive back the scenery is achingly beautiful, competing sucessfully with my knee. Maybe I shouldn't have drunk that wine this week, or eaten that chocolate. I definitely should have made it to the gym at least one more time, and didn't rest the knee properly. You are always learning, and today is a 'limitation' day. 'A man's got to know his limitations...' Thanks to Clint Eastwood for that one! I stop at the highest point on the way home, press cold snow into a ball, and apply it to my knee. The ache starts to go away almost immediately. I turn on the radio, and it's Iggy Pop, singing 'Lust for Life' - how did Iggy Pop get onto Radio 2? We were rebels in 1977, Iggy and me .....
I drive on, feeling better and thinking about the next day's workload. Perhaps today I just expected too much; after all, I ran really well last year without a knee injury, so why would I do better today? And a PB is just that, you have to work to beat it, not just turn up and expect to run faster than ever before. My Cairngorm Runner friend and personal trainer Lisa Lawson appears in my ear 'Kevin, how many men your age can even run 10k? Train sensibly and stop giving yourself a hard time!'

Iggy is still laying it down, and I'm tapping along on the steering wheel;

'I've got a lust for life....' he sings, 'yeah, a lust for life....'

Me too. I'm glad I'm a Cairngorm Runner!

Full Cairngorm Runners results:

Well done to Sandy and Wendy's son Iain who ran a great race in 47th place in a fantastic time of 39:29.  Man of the match goes to Debbie Simpson for a superb run.

Army Cross Country Championships - 10 February 2010

Reported by Melissa Wall
 

Chairman Steve Wall qualified for the Army Cross Country Finals by running in a number of Army Cross Country league events culminating in the District Finals in early January when the Vets team from the Defence Academy won the gold medal.  Steve's team of vets joined the male and female senior teams from the Academy who also qualified for the Army Finals.

3 days of snow and very cold temperatures threatened to add interest to the 10km hilly course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.  The girls went first on their 5km race and finished 7th out of 14 teams with the team captain winning individual silver.  The males encouraged by the girls results ran out hard battling for position in the field of 300.  The Army finals always produces amazing times with the winner coming in at 31:04 over the 6 mile course.  Half way round the sun came out and those that wrapped up against the cold suddenly overheated!. Steve ran a tactical and hard race despite being plagued by a calf injury causing him to ease up in the last km.  He was pleased with his time of 42:14 although not his final position of 233rd! 

The Defence Academy vets team won the silver medal to go with their Divisional Gold and Army Team Championship Bronze back in October, not bad for old men!  The senior mens team came in 4th place despite all 10 runners finishing in sub 38min times.  Steve was happy with 3 medals in 3 championships but is now contemplating hanging up his spikes. 

North League Cross Country, Forres - 23 January 2010

Reported by Dave Henderson

I decided to start the new year with a cross country to blow the cobwebs away, Forres certainly did that. The course was challenging, hilly and in one part more like a fell race but condititions were ideal, the ground was clear of snow most of the way with nice winding forest trails and the rain held off. I finished in 41 mins but am not sure of exact distance, it felt longer than it probably was but it was good start to the racing year, now to find another race!

Previous Race Reports

Reports from just some of the events that Cairngorm Runners have participated in can be found on the following pages:

• Autumn 2009 - September to November 2009
• Summer 2009 - June to August 2009
• Early 2009 - January to May 2009
• 2008 reports