Polaroid 10K Road Race Series 2013

Round up of the Polaroid 10k Race Series.

Having finally made my mind up at the tail end of the Winter that I wasn’t totally committed to a Spring Marathon to do it justice, I decided (after a wee chat with Club President and Coach Jim Young) that a good goal for the early season would be the Polaroid 10K Race Series.

For those unaware of these races, the Series is a fairly simple format in that it consists of 4 10K Road Races just North of Glasgow, all taking place within a month. The races are usually well organised, good courses, each one attracts around 700-800 runners, and at the sharp end of the field some very good runners compete, hence you may very well push yourself towards a fast time. Jim had also given me a wee incentive of aiming for the overall Vet 40 prize, so with this in mind I took each race very seriously as you should try never to upset your Coach!

I was lucky enough to take a few seconds off of my 10k pb at Christmas, and I had also in 2013 lowered my lifetime best efforts over 10 Miles, Half Marathon, and the Livingston Road Relays (which I do annually). Coupled with this, I had come out of a good Cross Country season with my highest positions at District and National Level so I knew I was in a bit of form and training well.

Running a few seconds over 35 minutes at the very windy Troon 10K the week before the first of the “Polaroids” gave me a decent benchmark, so I figured that if I got under that barrier at the first race at Helensburgh I would be doing okay.

Perfect conditions here saw me run a time of 34.50, and although getting pipped for first Vet by a fast finishing Maryhill Harrier Gordon Curran, I was more than happy with my race and finished 11^th overall. As it was a 47 second improvement on my run 12 months previously at the same course, privately I was delighted.

Onto Clydebank the following week, and a course I have never really ran well at. Again however, conditions were great as the pre race forecast of gales never materialised.

On the 2 lap course, I clocked 34.38 which placed me 14^th overall and once again runner up in the Vet 40 category. This time I was behind Billy Richardson of Irvine in the Vet stakes, which to be honest I can live with as Billy is an all round good guy and a very, very talented runner. Again, what pleased me most about my own run was that this was a 70 second improvement on my best time on the same course so I had to be happy with that.

The 3^rd Race in the Series at Dumbarton was probably the one I found toughest. Running in heat I always do find difficult, and Dumbarton was roasting on the night. With that in mind my race tactics were simple. Pretty much knowing I’d slow down in the second half of the run, I ran hard at the start and held on as best I could.

When all was said and done, my prediction was proved correct as the second half was over 30 seconds slower than the first 5k. I was however very pleased to have finished 16^th overall, and 2^nd Vet (1^st M40, Dave Thom – a V50 was deservedly ahead this week). I ran 34.45 and again this was an 84 second improvement on my previous run at Dumbarton.

By this time, having never previously ran 3 consecutive sub 35 minute 10K’s I was pretty chuffed to have now done this to be honest.

The last Race in the Series at Vale of Leven is traditionally the toughest course, although one where I had previously ran my quickest Polaroid 10K. I figured that if I could run something around 35.30 or so, I should be good to win the V 40 Series, although never in a million years did I think a pb was on the cards.

Conditions however were like a dream. Knowing that the first 2K was mainly uphill, I started steady and when I got to the top of the hill, something unusual happened – I felt really good. Reaching halfway in just under 17 minutes I was delighted to find myself in a cracking group, and, working together we all finished strongly with a couple of personal bests amongst us. This included yours truly, as I had finished in 34.21 and was delighted to do so. Billy Richardson (again), Andy Little of Shettleston, and Crispin Walsh of Bella Harriers were the 3 Vets ahead of me, but coming 4^{th Vet} (and 11^th overall), I would have snapped your hand off for at the start. Crispin was in the group I was running with and he too clocked a pb, so good news all round! Also, it was a 61 second course pb (I like to go by courses as they are comparable if you have previously ran the route), so I did have a few beers afterwards.

In summary, these are great races and I do recommend them for runners of all abilities despite a few problems this year.

And there WERE a few well documented problems – most notably the first 8 runners at Clydebank being sent the wrong way and cutting their race short by close to 400 metres (ruining definite pb’s for a few people including Stuart Gibson of Cambuslang), and there were a few errors at prizegiving, but the organisers assure everyone these problems will be sorted in 2014. The races have been going for years so “hopefully” it will be a blip. Over to the organisers…………

I did clinch the overall M40 Series to keep Jim happy for a few weeks (following in fellow Harrier Keith Haining’s footsteps, who did likewise in 2009), although the fact that people like Billy didn’t complete the Series, and the likes of Kerry Wilson wasn’t in the field did help my cause quite a bit! Some very good runners were running however, so as I say I’m chuffed with my months work. I also picked up some good prizes along the way which is never a bad thing.

As a footnote, these events are great for meeting many people from different Clubs, and it’s brilliant to see so many people improving (half of Kirkintilloch to name one Club!) over the course of the Series.

Now for the rest of the year……onwards………..upwards………….and hopefully towards more new goals.