Glen Clova Half Marathon 8/11/08
I thought John had eluded the camera but there he is far right!half marathon number 96, 10th glen clova half marathon. this is one half marathon i look forward to every year maybe some people dont like doing the same ones year in year out not me this is my favourite half. i was lucky this year in that i managed to get a room at the hotel this time. the day after the 2007 race i phoned up and made enquiries about rooms available for 2008, none. it did not put me off though i tried again in july still nothing then about a month ago i emailed the hotel i nearly fainted when i got an email back saying three rooms available no point in hanging about i booked up straight away. the way the weather was friday night it did not look promising and even on saturday morning the mist was right down the hills but there was not much wind which was good as it can be a bugger if it is against you in the second half but for the 2nd year in a row you had the advantage of the breeze heading home.
met up with fellow portys willie and scott and went for a run. last year i decided to start right up the front this time with not having done much since the loch ness marathon i started in the middle. even though the first three miles are undulating i went through them in 22 minutes and felt good so the main objective was keeping the pace going i had settled into and getting to the turn.
between 5/6 it is a bit of a long drag and i lost a bit of time but reaching 6miles in 43 minutes meant i was only a minute down on last year and kept it going until 8 miles i dont know what happened but the legs just did not want to know so going to just over 7's i ended up running two 8.15's i honestly thought that the wheels had come off. having got to 10 miles in 73.30 and being 2 minutes down on last year it was now a case of trying to beat my dunfermline half time(1.35.00) anyone who has done clova will know that the last few miles its back to the twisty turny up and down course that we all like and a look at the watch (maybe i should not wear one and just run) saying 1.27.30 i thought "need to get the finger out" and with the finish in sight it was a case of going for it and made it with 5 seconds to spare 1.34.55 down 3 minutes on last year and when i crossed the line my legs were like lead maybe running 21.25 for the last three miles might have had something to do with it.
Crooky likes to give it 100%so thats the road running finished for me this year and as always its a great one to finish on although i almost did not make it due to royal mail managers being total ________s AGAIN but i wont go into that as the job itself is bad enough.
report john pickard
Willie Jarvie 13th 1.24.14 (first o/50 again)
Scott Jarvie 44th 1.31.05
John Pickard 69th 1.34.55Many thanks yet again to the tremendous roadrunpics for the use of their pictures - go see the rest here.
