After a week or so of crappy weather it “turned out really nice” for the Portobello 4 mile race.
A race that I’ve always enjoyed but a bit of a strange distance. It really is “eyeballs out” all the way round the (mainly) flat figure of eight route. My pace is usually slightly faster than my 10k and probably more in line with what I’d try for a 5k….but it’s a mile longer, and that last mile really hurts.
Another good thing about this race is that I know the route very well as it makes up part of one of my training runs when I’m working in Leith.
Started off in a group that included Grant and Ian Sills and found the first mile just a bit too quick to be honest. It turns out that so did most of the others I talked to afterwards. Surprised though that I actually managed to pull away slightly from Ian and spent the later part of the race expecting him to pass me at any point.
Bit of a head wind for the last mile or so. So when an HBT runner passed me as we passed by the swimming pool I tried to tuck in behind him and get a bit shelter – exactly the kind of thing that annoys me when people do it to me J. The fact that I wore a pair of Brooks Adrenaline that are about three generations old has convinced me that’s that is what I should be buying to replace my tattered ASICS.
Not the fastest time I’ve had for this race but happy with 22:38. Even more so when I found out it bagged me third vets prize. A good night for the club actually with us getting three vets prizes (Grant first, me and Anne 3rd FSV), second lady (Susan) and Andrew claiming first place overall with, what looked like, about as much effort as I put into a Sunday run. Though no team prize!
Don’t know who he was, but top marks to the marshal at the corner of Seafield Road and Kings Road. I threw my cap to him as I passed (knew it was a mistake wearing it), and it was returned to me before the race had even finished.
A load of us went out afterwards to the Shish Mahal Indian restaurant afterwards where I was shocked to see that for the first time in 26 years (that I know of) its been refurbished. Gone are the authentic wall hangings and flock wall paper, its all white and chrome now. Most importantly the foods as good as it was 26 years ago when I first went. As per usual, I ordered exactly the same as I did back then as well!
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