Smokies 10, Arbroath. 5/3/06
A friend who runs with ERN had recommended this race, and a change from Lasswade and that run out of the glen seemed like a reasonable idea, so I signed up last September, as did Jill. Tracy had also registered and at the last minute changed her affiliation to Portobello so we would have a team entry. Despite various other runs being cancelled, and the Brechin footie being called off, the website announced the run was to go ahead so we set off on Sunday morning. Conditions were pretty good, it was bright and dry and the snow and ice had melted. This was the 18th Smokies and so predictably well organised. Neither Jill nor I had run the course before so didn’t know what to expect. I had been led to believe that it was less hilly than Lasswade so was fantasising about the possibility of coming in under 80 minutes. Jill led off with the very front of the field and soon disappeared into the distance. The route was quite windy and there were high hedges so it was a bit maze like and I found it hard to work out where I was in the field. At the first hilly bit at around two miles I settled into running with a group. I think the pace judgement sessions have paid off as I stuck close to this group for most of the way, though fell from the middle to the back and then behind, keeping them in sight till the finish. And I promise not to moan about Colliesdean any more as I actually was overtaking on the hills. Yes, the hills. Not as minor as I had been led to believe and I am also becoming increasingly convinced that undulating = hilly.
I have read race reports wondering how people (Peter) can remember so much detail - I had intended to try to remember where and what but it is all a bit of a blur. There was a manic sheep at the top of one so called undulation who was running right up to the fence and baaing incessantly. I will assume this was in general support of the runners and give the sheep the benefit of the doubt. I can remember the half way point, thanks to the very large ‘half way’ sign - I did begin to feel a bit panicky at this point, thinking that I had run the first part too fast and would completely mess up the rest. I really needed Theresa there to set a pace for me! I had no way of checking my time accurately as the battery on my stop watch had given up the ghost that morning and I had made the decision not to refer to my very inaccurate wristwatch. Somewhere between four and six miles some of the runners behind began to overtake and it was all feeling a bit too much of an effort. Shortly after that the Porty top came into its own when the Clydesdale Harrier who had caught right up with me asked ‘Is Karen Munro running?’. This was Karen’s friend Kath Scott. She and I ran the rest of the race together and I certainly don’t think I could have kept my pace up without her. The last few miles were straighter than at first, but I am sure mile 7 to mile 8 was double the length of 6 to 7. It was great to have company, though conversation was pretty much out of the question. The final stretch was round a playing field. This was a nightmare for people like me who fall over regularly on the flat without aid of alcohol. The ground was uneven, frozen in parts and soggy in others and I was aware of slowing down somewhat. Kath and I moved up a place in the field when some poor soul ground to a halt within seconds of the finish. I came in just after Kath and was aware that I had managed to go under 80.
Jill had been cheering me at the finish and I jumped up and down incessantly going on about how chuffed I was with my time before I remembered to ask her how she had done. She very quietly answered that she had won at which I jumped up and down some more. Jill had pulled away in fourth place and quickly moved into second. She had overtaken the leader on the hill at 2 miles (Bakery Hill paying off as well) and had maintained her lead from there, following the car with the flashing lights and eventually finishing a full minute ahead of the second placed runner, who had won last year. However, Jill did find it rather lonely out there on her own for so many miles so perhaps some of the faster Portobello women would like to keep her compa
ny next year as it was a wee bit beyond Tracy and I!
We cheered Tracy in a couple of minutes later and went off to shower and change prior to the famous Smokies tea. The reputation is well deserved, an excellent spread including home baking. There followed the prize giving and Jill was awarded a cup, wine, flowers and Body Shop Goodies. A brief stop to pick up more spoils in the form of Smokies the fish and we were on the way home. I then spent my evening with George Clooney - him on screen and me in Cameo 2, but I had managed to realise one fantasy, finishing in 78.05.Report Fen Parry
Jill Morrow 65.33
Fen Parry 78.05
Tracy Lazenby 82.57
Photos Tracy Lazenby
Results here
