Sunday 21 Dec 03 , the shortest day of the year and mixed weather on the Ayrshire Coast which by the time the race started had cleared up leaving bright , dry and cold conditions; it was certainly significantly warmer in
the Club Car Park which provided shelter from a chilly north wind and at that point in time wearing the thermal vest seemed like a good idea.
The race started at its usual hectic pace and that was almost the one and
only time that this particular Harrier was remotely near any Cyclists , such is the price of fame of "the man in the middle of the field drifting slowly backwards" ( tmitmotfdsb) to use that well know abbreviation
. A gentle opening over the first hurdle, settling down into a comfortable pace, with the plan to hold it to gether and no doubt pass people later on as they flagged; that well known Scottish expression of two positives
making a negative, aye right , springs to mind and proved to be the case. More than three quarters of the way round the rugby park ( a few choruses of Swing Low Sweet Chariot) , the low sun obscuring my vision and a nasty
collision with the second hurdle, avoided by some nifty foot work , followed by a few well chosen expletives; I have only run this race some half a dozen times so and you would have thought I should have known better.
The next significant event was passing a cyclist on the down hill from the road bridge and managing to get ahead before the ascent off the path, to be then followed by the first loop round the moor; not too many people
in sight of either persuasion and again the low sun causing problems as I stumbled through the path, turning into the north wind and managing to make some progress on my fellow but significantly younger male colleague from
Irvine ( Imran) and a young lassie in a Troon Vest . Indeed I seem to recollect passing Imran as we completed the first loop and my earlier cunning master plan seemed to be bearing fruit; this fell to pieces fairly quickly
as the Cyclist I had passed some time ago moved ahead as did Imran. All was not lost as I passed the lassie from Troon, but this seemed to spur her on and if my befuddled brain recalled the next sequence of events correctly
she stormed away only to be seen some way ahead on the run in being encouraged by George.
Back onto the rugby pitch and a successful clearance of the second last hurdle recognising in advance that it was there and a
fellow ageing male athlete in Troon colours in my sight and whom ( note the correct use of English) I passed on the last bend before taking the last hurdle in the manner of Red Rum and a strong run in for a time of .. well
modern technology is a wonderful aid if you can figure it out.
A good day , reflecting whether the thermal was good idea ; a personal best in the teas and cakes and a couple of can of Irish Stout to consume as I
slump in my armchair recalling past glories .
Well done to all for setting up the course , the marshals for their encouragement and Ron for the teas and cakes; a fine day had by all and not a cyclist to be seen.
