Musselburgh Festival 10k 25/07/09
A good turn out of PRCs and a good turn out overall for this popular annual 10k. The course has changed a bit in the last few years - it used to double twice round the lagoons and finish on the lumpy racecourse track. Today it retained the best aspects of the cinder paths round the lagoons but did only one circuit after looping round the Loretto fields and doing the out and back to the Quayside. It then finished with half a lap of the closely cropped fields again making a flat mostly off road event which, if you were on good form might even make for a pb course.
I saw Rachel's man Alex (on the organisation team) before the race and he was looking nervous. (I believe he had measured the course time and again in the last week.) However it all went very smoothly and the hideous weather we've been having let up for the day making for a bright, sunny and slightly breezy race.
I had had just half a breakfast, knowing if I ate too much near the start time I'd be seeing it again around 8k. Moray left it later than I did getting up just 45 minutes before we saw him arriving in a sleepy state. However he woke up sharpish with the gun going off and ran a stormer. He is in marathon training for Berlin again and aiming to go under the 3hrs this time not a handful of seconds over as last time.
I really enjoyed the race - after a fast start I got overtaken by a couple of younger dudes before settling down. Going round the lagoons I had to overtake a tall guy who was taking the best line and I didn't want to run directly behind him. I thought I heard Jonny behind but it was just paranoia. I had a look back at a couple of the sharp corners but could only see Stuart Hay of Dunbar. He stuck with me for the second half of the race and after we had crossed the bridge back towards Loretto we passed the tall guy for the last time. I was happy the finish line was after a long stretch of grass with the wind behind us. I picked up the pace to avoid a flurry of sprinters and it seemed to work.
As I approached the line I could see the clock saying 35.53 and lifted the pace but it wasn't enough to beat 36 and a few seconds. I found the last couple of ks tough but felt I did a reasonable job and enjoyed getting out the new camera and taking photos of all the Porties coming in.
Douglas rockets to the line past Mary
Jenni and John ran together
Afterwards a mountain of sandwiches and homebakes. It was pleasant enough to sit out on the grass chatting. Top marks to the organisers who also host a fun run round the fields and big thanks to the enthusiastic Head of Loretto who was more than happy to have us trampling his well looked after playing fields. (Good goody bag also.) Traditionally this race was always held the day before Donkey Brae. However not this year. Those in search of the double should check out the race at the Highland Gathering in Holyrood tomorrow, though some were off to run another race immediately after this one, perhaps Tweedside Border Games, at 2pm.
Musselburgh and District Athletic Club website (results will be here)
Stuart Hay's blog
Mary's blog
Roadrunpics will be putting up photos shortly
Report pb
Photos pb and Sally's husband Niall Olds. Many thanks Niall for uploading the photos to facebook from where I was able to download them. There were so many I have made a slideshow - see below. Due to the software, compression etc. they are a bit mashed so apologies.
