And runnin', son, is racin'

When I decided to go to the jogScotland sessions at the start of 2016, taking part in any sort of competitive running was far from my mind. I felt running a mile in one go would be a struggle, let alone several of them. Against other people. And against the clock. It wasn't happening.

When I realised I wasn't totally useless, my tentative aim was to run the 10k race that is held at the same time as Kirkcudbright Academy Half Marathon - in 2017. I usually have to cover the race for work so this would be a handy way of getting out of doing that and surely, 18 months or so after starting running, I'd have a chance of completing what seemed a ridiculously long distance.

I soon realised I was being rather unambitious. I could run 10k without stopping no problem, although with my times I wasn't going to be troubling anyone at the front any time soon. Suddenly I was considering running the half marathon itself - in 2016 to boot. Then came the knee injuries I'd mentioned in my last blog. It seemed that goal was going to have to wait.

A rather shorter race was being held a few weeks before half marathon day - the Holywood Stroll. A-list movie stars wandering about were in short supply here, instead this was a five-mile race organised by Dumfries Running Club that went out to the nearby village of Holywood. It was described as an ideal first race for folk who had taken the jogScotland race so seemed perfect for me.

Not the Hollywood Stroll in question

Even better was the week before the Monday night session involved covering the route. After a couple of minutes I reckoned it was time for me to step up to the more advanced Tuesday night sessions. Five minutes later I realised this was a ridiculous notion as I just about killed myself trying to keep up with the lead group! For the most part I managed it and discovered the course was pretty flat, making it ideal to give racing a go.

However, there was a slight problem. Unless I'm running with someone else I hate running without my headphones. As mentioned last time, I like listening to podcasts while I'm running. It stops me getting bored and it means I don't hear my breathing, which seems incredibly loud. However, I was told headphones weren't allowed on the Holywood Stroll. UK Athletics rule ban people from wearing headphones if you're racing on open roads. It's for safety, which is fair enough, but I'd like to think any motorist would notice a big group of runners and be able to avoid them, regardless of whether or not the runner was paying attention.

One way round the no headphones rule I suppose

There was another, rather different problem. It was hot - ridiculously hot, something you can't legislate for in Scotland in the middle of May. For people, such as myself, taking part in their first race, it wasn't ideal. I loaded up on water, necessitating a couple of pre-race toilet trips behind some bushes.

I'd arrived for the race about an hour ahead of the start. I thought this would be far too early but the time seemed to fly past, maybe through nerves. I wasn't in the pre-race team photo as I didn't have a team shirt but I wasn't too fussed. To be honest, I was somewhat nervous about signing up as a Dumfries Running Club member in the first place for fear I'd be a bit of an embarrassment due to my slow pace.

I was given some good advice just before the start, namely don't get over-excited at the start and fly past loads of folk because you'll almost certainly pay for it later in the race. This was handy to know and I'd like to think I executed perfectly. Once the race had settled down after the first mile or so I don't think anyone passed me - something I've managed to carry into my other races. Either I'm doing something right or other people are doing something very wrong.

The bacon sandwich equivalent of me trying to drink while running

The heat and lack of headphones made things hard. Having never tried to take on fluid during a race, the welcome water stop wasn't particularly useful. I tried to down the cup while running - about a quarter went in my mouth, a quarter went over me and the rest was wasted. It was of no use thanks to my own incompetence.

As the final mile approached, I managed to pass a few folk who'd been just in front of me the whole way. I passed someone else but felt I'd started my final sprint for the line too soon, upping my pace almost as soon as I'd passed the four-mile marker. I kept expecting the person I'd pass to come back passed me but he didn't and, as the line approached, I edged away from him. Must have been the incentive of some post-race custard creams.

Never underestimate the motivating power of biscuits

I'd been hoping to finish in under 45 minutes, which would have been an average of less than nine minutes a mile. The dream scenario would have been under 40 minutes, taking me to under eight minutes a mile. I don't wear a watch while running and, with no headphones thus no phone thus no tracker, I had no idea how fast I was. I asked the guy I'd been racing with who finished just behind me and his watch said 39.19. Wow!

Even better news was to come. My time was 39.13, so that was one target smashed. I'd also hoped to maybe sneak into the top 100 and, if possible, finish in the top half of competitors. I was 71st (tick) and there were 155 runners (tick). All three aims met. OK, there weren't exactly many men in my age group behind me, but I wasn't last in my class. Another goal met.

Pretty much all my targets met. Job done!

All in all, a productive start to racing. I wasn't setting any world records and the folk in charge of handing out the trophies weren't going to be rushing to find me (hence why I went home rather than hang around for the prize giving). If you didn't know me and weren't looking for my name in the results you wouldn't have noticed my performance. However, on a personal level I'd done better than I'd hoped and hadn't disgraced myself. I couldn't have asked for any more.

Next stop... Kirkcudbright.