Islay Half Marathon 1/08/09
Friday past saw me team up with my Dad (Phil Snr.) Uncle John and cousin Kevin to ferry over to Islay for their half-marathon. Representing Portobello, Garioch and Springburn respectively, we were all looking forward to the challenge (and for me my first island half marathon) and then sampling and visiting the island’s wealth of whisky.
A rough crossing on Friday night gave way to an overcast and windy Saturday morning, with rain threatening. Our race preparation had also undergone an unwelcome test or two, with the hotel we were staying at doing a more than passable impersonation of both Fawlty Towers, and The Shining. Brown water, no porridge, banging music ‘til one in the morning – not happy!
We knew the course was to be undulating with a few hard hills, and so it was to prove. Personally, after just managing to shake off flu in the last two weeks (hence very little training) I was revising dipping under 1.34, in the hope of enjoying the race and beautiful surroundings.
Pre-race I managed a quick chat with Marc (hoping for “1.24ish”) and was delighted to see another Porty vest dotting about amongst the well-represented Bellahouston, Helensburgh et al.
From Bowmore square we set off at 11am, with the first mile all uphill, but passing surprisingly quickly. Despite knowing I had been under the weather, I still set out for 1.31, hoping previous experience would see me stick to the 7-min mile pace. The first mile marker appeared at 6.50min on the watch, despite being uphill, but didn’t feel too bad.
From here on in I settled to a decent rhythm, with myself and an Islay local being a distance ahead of one pack, and a distance from another. I am beginning to find this is common for me in a race situation – not quite fast enough for a chasing pack, and too fast for those behind me! Must improve. This did us no favours with trying to let a pack take some of the battering of the wind, but I found myself enjoying the pace, breathing well, and occasionally looking up to take in the stunning vistas.
Mile 5 was a wake-up call with a long incline and battle into a fierce headwind. Coming off of this I realised we’d lost a minute, and went about grabbing it back, but it wasn’t quite to be. Mile 7 saw us turn right at the airport, and head on the long ‘flat’ road for home. Throughout the race we'd managed to pick off a few runners, but the pack ahead contained my cousin, and despite best efforts we finally lost sight of them around the 11mile marker.
My only previous half had been at Loch Leven, which had seen me with a horrible empty stomach at 10miles, and this time I managed to take on a little water at 10, and a short sharp dose of tablet! Seemed to do a trick this time round, and I didn’t really start to hurt until the last mile (yet more bloody ‘undulating’!)
A 300m (ish) downhill finish saw me pip the Islay local (and his offensively lurid orange vest) and dip in, just, at 1.32. Pleased to clock a pb, but a little disappointed given I had felt stronger than expected, and coulda shoulda pushed harder.
No pics of Phil jnr finishing, so here's one of Phil Snr. instead.Still, I am still learning at this distance – and hopeful of improving again, and knocking on the door of sub-1.30 by the end of the year. A flatter course, and slightly more hospitable weather leaves me optimistic.
My cousin had clocked in at 1.28, Uncle John with 1.37 (and fifth Vet prize) and Phil Senior at 1.39 with a season’s best, and keeping him nicely on track for the Chicago marathon in October. Catching up with Mark post-race, as per usual he looked enviously fresh, I found out he’d just nipped under the 1.24, and would be happily heading for home on the 3pm ferry after a good few days camping on the island.
You’ll all be pleased to hear that post-race managed to see my family and I visit the Bruichladdich, Laphroaig, Lagavulin distilleries, and indulge in a lovely couple of Islay pints at the Port Charlotte hotel (home of many a fiddler). As well as supping the Ardbeg with the feet up at Saturday night's ceilidh.
Many thanks to all organisers, marshals, helpers for a fantastic race full of welcoming hospitality – and special mention to Ardbeg for sponsorship. If only every race was sponsored by a fine peaty whisky….
Results / website here
Happy running.
Phil Owens
