OBAN 2008

[4th gen Suthen']

Jeezo, the things we do to run a race....it is 4.00 am and I am up getting ready to go to Paisley!!

Thanks for your good wishes Katfer, Fiona28, Pans Lass and Ice Blue

No PB this time but will certainly enjoy it.

here I go!

[4th gen Suthen']

Home now.

40m 45. Loved it.
Flat course, not as well marshalled or as efficient as the MoK but pretty good.

Slightly disconcerting that all the mega training and gut busting effort for our 10k only produced a 50 second better time!
Maybe that just shows what a few wee inclines and strong winds do to the times....
I'll see if I can find someone who ran both to compare....winner today was 30.03 which is fantastic. Paul Accari who romped the half marathon here was 3rd in 30.29.

Radio Scotland's Bryan Burnett did well too 35 16. He beat one of my St Mirren supporting buddies by a second!
Burnett is a 2h 50 marathon runner.
Now I have a notion for the Oban half again

Right, enough from me....lets hear all about the Glasgow Half now girls.

[iceblue]

The Oban 10k today was not at all what I was expecting ...... after the relatively flat run out to Ganavan, the new cycle path started with a steep undulation, then another and another ..... If that wasn't enough the tarmac run out and we were onto a hardcore/trail type of surface. It felt just as hard on the way back as the undulations really sapped the energy from my legs . At that point I gave up on any pb attempt and just tried to maintain my position within the race.

Once i got off the cycle path I managed to pick up a bit of speed again and was going along quite nicely until I reached the foot of the hill at the Corran Halls. My garmin was showing around 46 mins I think and I thought maybe a pb and sub 50 mins was on, but the hill was a killer and I slowed considerably and just wanted to finish. But with around 100m to go I thought "go for it" and managed a massive sprint finish to finish in 49.57, just under the magic 50 mins mark

[iceblue]

Well done 4th Gen ...... that was a good time you ran today, sounds like you enjoyed it

Like you say the inclines and wind can make a big difference to your time. It was flat calm in Oban today, and really perfect conditions for racing

You know you want to do the Oban half now

[4th gen Suthen']

They seem to be trying to make things difficult in Oban now....I think NOT the way to attract runners.

but, well done Iceblue on beating 50 mins....that hill at the Corran Halls is a real killer! can we not run DOWN it to finish the Oban races

[Katfer]

I have to echo everything Iceblue has just said, it was a killer!! The hills completely zapped my energy to the half way point and even on the way back the downhill sections were a struggle . Also struggled with a stitch on the way back into Oban and then of course the mountain up to Atlantis Leisure, enjoyed every minute of it (ha ha!)

Sorry DJD, was nowhere near sub 45, but managed 47.18.

Well done Iceblue on your PB

[Katfer]

....and well done 4th Gen on your 10k today - flyin machine as usual

[websterf]

Congrats to Iceblue - especially since this was a really tough one. Just think what you can achieve now on a less gruelling circuit! On the plus side the weather was almost perfect, bit of breeze coming back from Ganavan, and the cycle trail was dry despite all the recent rain - probably not surprising given its roller coaster nature, that first hill made Lossit feel like a ladybird ride. Managed a reasonable time running most of the way at half marathon pace (excluding hills) in anticpation of next week. Totally in awe of the times the rest of the gang ran, you are all amazing. Best thing was the t-shirts - they fit, even coming in at over knee length!

[Pans Lass]

....and well done 4th Gen on your 10k today - flyin machine as usual

Yes well done 4th sounds like the Oban lot would have been better heading to Paisely by the sound of their race post.

Congratulations Kafter and Iceblue on achieving PB's despite the difficult course....you must be delighted iceblue breaking that sub 50 mark just think what time you would have achieved if it was a flat race. Glad I gave it a miss .

[peenkles21]

Has anyone done the half marathon and what are your opinions on it?

[iceblue]

I did the Oban half marathon last year and it can only be described as hilly ....... certainly much more hilly than the 10k, and that was hard enough It definitely isn't a pb course, I ran Oban over 10 mins slower than I ran the Glasgow half. But if you like the thought of the challenge of the hills, then it is something different to try The route is mostly rural, over single track roads along the back road from Oban to Connel and then back to Oban again.