A bizarre start to a half marathon/10K combined race - that's the first time I have ever been involved in a false start on distance race ! - literally hundreds of runners had crossed the start line when we were all shunted back again - the gun had failed to go off and I guess that meant the timing wasn't working. Frankly I'm surprised the manoeuvre worked  (turning round a supertanker might have been easier) and we didn't have a situation like that Grand National of a few years ago (well maybe more than a few) when someone ran the whole race and crossed the finish line but it was all void, and on the way no one knew if it was a real race or not.

Anyway, on "take two" we were off (to the sound of the gun this time) and time to settle into the stride and enjoy the experience of East Kilbride's many roundabouts for another year. The race is pretty much run on main roads which were well coned off from traffic, and was well organised - the only point to be really careful of was around 6 miles when the 10K runners went left and the half marathon runners right - the usual yells of "10K, 10K" with wild gesticulation from marshals aimed at people who had inadvertently turned right and needed to veer back again to avoid the rather surprising issue of having to run 13.1 miles instead of the 6.2 they'd been planning (that would have been exceptional value for money though on a per mile basis!).

The weather was about the best you could expect for late June for running - mildly warm but certainly not a hot day, if bit humid and virtually no wind, with the threat of some rain coming on but never quite making it -  so possible pb territory as the race itself is not very hilly ( a few gentle ones only).  There were plenty of water stations too and all well stocked so no danger of running dry.  

A good few Kilbarchan runners were in evidence - Jacqueline (suffering a little from post Edinburgh intensive training I think) , Anne, Lynne (who's family provided exceptional Kilbarchan support throughout !) and Eddie - I also spotted Leanne up near the front of the field at the starts (both of them). 

The finish was in the stadium on the running track, which does have a bit of a special feel about it as there was a good cheer from the crowd for suffering runners. All in all a good day at the races, a lot of fun at a well organised event, and for me a "recent-years" pb, just dipping me below that previously elusive 1:40.  

Cheers

Richard