Balloch Park Cross Country

Last race in this years club grand prix, 7 of us set off for 3 laps round Balloch Park, about 4 1/2 miles all in. Started in 5th place, finished 4th, caught one runner at the start of the third lap. Managed to run a fairly even pace, all three laps within 13 seconds of each other

Duathlon

Only 5 of us for this years club duathlon, 4 mile run followed by a 12 mile cycle. Run went as well as could be expected, a bit slow but made it round, cycle didn't go as well, probably set off too fast, too many strava segment bests on the way out, lost 3 or 4 minutes in the last 3 or 4 miles!

5 Mile Handicap

6 of us set of in reverse order for our nearly 5 mile handicap, 4 finished within a minute, 1 got a bit lost and I was slower than I hoped. Good night for a race even though it was on the road.

Ted Baker

Ted Baker Pappert Well,  21st running of this club race, slight route change required, one of the paths is becoming overgrown as the fir trees close in. Shorter route, more direct / up and down as a hill race should be. Only 6 of us tonight, all made it round without getting too lost!

 

Club 10k Race

Latest Club Race, 10k road race round the Vale, 6 started 5 finished, route based on one of the previous Polaroid 10k routes taking in a couple of minor hills, one up through Balloch Park the other up past what was Davey Grahams car Sales. A minute slower this year missing my target by 20 seconds!

Ben Bowie Trail Race

6 of us set off on the Ben Bowie Trail Race, just under 6 miles with about 1000' of ascent. Warm evening until the skies opened and a refreshing downpour hit us. Starts on Upper Stonemollan Road at the end of the tarmac undulating up via the Three Lochs Way with a stunning rainbow on show on the short deviation up to Ben Bowies double summit, should have stopped for picture. Undulates down on the way back. Managed to get everyone to stand still just long enough to get a picture in the swarm of flies at the finish.

 

Fairy Glen

The latest race in the club grand prix, a short trail race, 3 laps round Fairy Glen at the end of Balloch Park, just under a mile a lap, 8 of us set off in early evening sunshine. Not an evening to push the pace, took it steady, time a bit slow, good fun.

  

Whinny Hill Trail Race

Club race, used to be a Cross Country run in January, changed to a Spring Trail race as most of the paths have been upgraded with hardcore for easier public access to the trail behind Balloch Park. 7 runners tonight, to start a loop round Balloch Park to the bottom of Fairy Glen, straight up the path beside the stream onto the Whinny Hill Trail, undulating up through the trees, clockwise loop at the top, on the way back take a left through the trees popping out at the back of the car park for a short run to the finish at the back of Balloch Castle.

 

Stoneymollan

Club Hill race, about 5 miles and 1200' of ascent, 10 of us set off in reverse order, I finished last but 5th out of 10 by time, Course quite muddy after a couple of wet days.

Riverbank 5k

Club race, 8 of us set off in a kind of reverse order so that we all finished roughly at the same time. Finished in 5th place a couple of minutes slower than usual.

Pappert Cross Country

New Club race, traditional cross country, grass, mud, ditches, undulations, 3 laps just under 2 miles per lap, 7 of us set off, a couple took a wrong turn on lap 2 and decided to stop after 2 laps, 1 dropped out half way round lap 2. We had reccied it the week before but race day was much colder, ground frost had dried out the worst of the mud and bogs making for good running, stunning views up Loch Lomond to Glen Finlas in the early morning sun.  

Polaroid Cross Country

First race in this years club championship, 2 laps mainly on paths beside the river Leven and the perimeter fence of the Polaroid Industrial Estate. 7 of us set off, clear and sunny morning, perfect weather for running, a few deep muddy patches through the trees after the start the rest of the course pretty dry, made for good times, managed to avoid too many scrapes on the way round.