A Local Race For Local People (and not locals too)
Going back over my stats and medals, this would be the sixth time I’ve run the Scottish 10k, and what a mixed bag of results it’s been! It’s been the race where I’ve got one of my slowest times (1hr 3mins) but it’s also the place where I got my PB back in 2019 (47min 15s). HUGE varience!
This year I wasn’t going in to it with any ideas of zoom zooming around the course and told myself it was just another training run for Yorkshire Marathon, although this training run would have a few thousand others and a medal at the end.
The Scottish 10k is run on the same day as the Scottish Half marathon, they both finish at the Musselburgh Racecourse (races for horses, but today for people) though they start separate. The 10k starts and finishes at the racecourse but the half starts a little way away at Meadowmill Sports centre. Never actually done that half (and judging by the kafuffle at the start of the half I’m glad I didn’t!)
Left home at 0800 and got on the bus at 0815. Got into Musselburgh at 0825 then headed to the racecourse and got there at 0835. Reading that sentence back I think I might’ve missed my calling as a travel writer?
Had my little support crew (of two) with me so gave them both a hug and I got into the starting line up. I was in the Gold section (second from last) because I’d put an hour (I think) when I entered. I’ve been staying nice and steady with my training over the summer but I’ve not been training for speed so sub hour seemed doable. The race count down counted down and we were off!
The route of the 10k is a nice, pretty much flat, out and back along the East Lothian (few miles outside Edinburgh) coast. You don’t get to see a lot of the sea (Firth of Forth) because it’s a little built up along the way but it’s still nice and scenic. My plan was (because it was HOT) was to walk the water station but otherwise stick to running and other than that just to get round.
Some support on the course by the locals but it’s not really set up well for family/friends to cheer on the route, told my support to just hang around the start/finish and have a nice relax. I’m nice like that. At 3km the lead runners were already coming back (so they were at 7km) and everyone gave them huge cheers.
I got to 5km in just over 29 minutes (29.12) so sub hour was looking good, and I’d run the whole way so far. Oddly the water station was placed around 7km (not the usual half way point) which I guess is to line up with how the half marathon runners need to take on water? Or maybe they just forgot and added it in late? Anyway! As planned I walked the water station (means I can concentrate on filling my bottle) and then set off running again.
I used to live along the course so I know the route well and it’s a nice boost knowing what’s coming and how far there is to go. Obviously you can see the distance left on your watch or by looking at the signs, but when you’ve run the parts before then you get to visualise the rest of the race.
The Racecourse was in sight, I could hear the commentators on the mic, and before I knew it I was over the line and done.
Official time of… 58.02. Damn those three seconds…
Got my medal, finisher pack (that included t-shirt, energy tabs, water, and a flap jack bar) then met up with my crew and my son claimed the flap jack bar. Good job he’s cute. That’s pretty much it! Made our way for the bus, got home, and had a picnic in the garden (because it was even hotter!) and even cracked out the paddling pool.
Medal number 91 (I think) is proudly hung up and the next race I’m entered in is the Yorkshire Marathon (12th time) in October. See you on the start line yeah?
P.S.
The kerfuffle at the Scottish Half was due to a problem with the transfer buses, so the race was delayed by a fair bit. Not ideal when it’s baking hot!
P.P.S.
I’m looking for readers! I’ve got two (TWO) books releasing (self publishing) in late September, both non fiction, one about ghosts of York and one about ghosts of Edinburgh. If you’d like a free e-book copy sending please let me know which you’d like.
Now, I’m not allowed to ask for reviews on Amazon (I don’t think) and don’t want to fall foul of them before I even drop the books, so need to make sure that you know that receiving a copy of the book doesn’t mean you need to leave a review.
In other news, I hope I manage to get reviews on my books when they release.
Marc Hemingway 