This morning, I was umm-ing and ahh-ing about bothering to go watch the demolition of some high(ish)-rise flats just around the corner from me. I had a grand prix to watch, a few techie things to do, and coffee just brewed. But figured I’d never actually seen something blown up, so popped around the corner and found a good vantage point to watch the demolition of two blocks of flats in Shawbridge, Pollokshaws, Glasgow.
Of course, I hadn’t recharged my iPhone, so was worried throughout it was about to run out of juice, but it just managed to hang on long enough to record it. Hopefully embedded below:
All very impressive – quite a satisfying set of explosions, and the vibrations set off a good few alarms. Unfortunately the wind direction meant the debris cloud came straight towards us, so made a quick exit. They’ve been stripping the flats down for nearly a year, so I’m pretty hopeful they got rid of the asbestos, but goodness knows it didn’t look like the sort of stuff I wanted to hang about in.
There’s also something quite poignant about watching flats collapse. After all, these were homes for many people over many years, so I couldn’t help but ponder how many people around me were watching the place of so many memories, disappear into dust and debris. The stair or flat shaft in the second building to go seemed to hang on for just a little longer, almost reflecting the reluctance that some may have been feeling.
Nonetheless, impressive stuff, and back to watch the Belgian Grand Prix (one of my favourite races of the calendar), drink coffee, and eat chocolate, whilst Frances is away for the day on the Waverley. Can’t quite understand the appeal of spending 7 hours (down from the planned 10-12 hours) on a boat. Nice for an evening cruse with jazz.
Absolutely delighted to have just received an e-mail from the Save Pollok Park campaign that gives the marvellous news that Go Ape have withdrawn their ill-considered plans to build a course in Pollok Park. It seems there was an important change requested by the National Trust for Scotland, which meant new planning requirements (as well as expensive alterations) would have been necessary.
Most campaigners never had a problem with Go Ape’s business. I’d still love to have a go on one of their courses. It’s just that the idea of building an aerial assault course in an inner-city park would have completely ruined a stunningly beautiful, and already very limited, part of Glasgow. It just made no sense at all. So I’m delighted they’ve finally seen sense.
The council were also claiming it was about creating a “venue for health and recreational activity”, and at £20 a shot (despite supposed ‘free’ places), it never made sense where there’s so many problems with health, and poverty, in Glasgow. I just wish they had looked at other free, easy, accessible activities which wouldn’t have required chopping trees down, and are already open to all, such as this perhaps?.
Huge congratulations to Bill and Bob of the Save Pollok Park campaign for all their hard work. I’m absolutely certain the campaign would not have been as successful if it hadn’t been for their efforts, diligence and determination over the last couple of years.
In January last year, I headed out into a gloomy Glasgow evening to attend the a public meeting on ‘the future of Shawlands’. A lot was said, but at the time I was concerned it was all, er, hot air. I finished my write-up with this:
This meeting seemed to agree at the outset that there should be an action plan, but I’m still at a bit of a loss as to what the next steps will be, and/or who will be involved. I [agree] we don’t really need more ineffectualy bureaucracy or groups, so hope somebody will take a solid and active role in driving it forward over the next few months.
Perhaps I live in some home-worker, running obsessed bubble, but I’ve heard precisely nothing since last years meeting. I know I’ve not exactly gone hunting, but I’ve had a fewother things going on that have occupied my time.
So I’ve just read, on southside happenings, that there’s a survey out (see see the end of this post for links). If this is the first thing to have happened, and it’s just a request for more information and feedback, I’m not going to hold out much hope this is little more than a further attempt to be seen to be seeking opinion, rather than actually getting on and doing anything.
Cynic that I may be, so many politicians love ‘consulting’ then doing precisely what they intended all along (having created the impression of having listened), or – worse still – hoping the consultation process will be seen as a substitute for action.
I’d suggest the main feedback will, in any case, be ‘demolish the arcade’, which is the main and understandable demand of so many residents. However I very much doubt that’s going to happen any time soon, without demonstrating there viable business location for investors to fund such. It’s certainly not the councils job to. On that note I did provide a few ideas of my own – ones which are actionable – for how things could be improved under their own merit and perhaps lead on to redevelopment. There have been a few changes for the good in the area (a few new shops have appeared), but there have been setbacks (Woolworths has furthered reduced the arcade’s open shops), but I’ve not noted much determined effort. But I could have missed attempts to publicise this and other efforts since the meeting. But I really do look out for such things in the places I visit.
I’ll fill in the survey sure enough, but I do get the feeling there is no sense of urgency here, and this is very little more than window dressing on an effort that’s not going anywhere fast. I look very much forward to being proven wrong.
This morning I was up early (it’s starting to get a bit of a bad habit; Who’d have thought it a couple of years ago!) to help with the marshalling for the Ignis Asset Management Women’s 10k. Not a huge amount to do other than point a few runners in the right direction, and hold a rope to keep the pulses separate, but a useful job that the organisers keep asking my running club back to help with.
After watching the runners set off – all 12,000 of them – I headed out around the course to cheer on fellow club runners who were taking part, as many of the parkrunners as I could recognise, and take a few snaps. You can see all my pictures here on flickr. I’m glad the rain held off for most of the event – only coming on hard after a couple of hours, but still plenty of women out on the course, it can’t have been pleasant. But a great effort by all concerned.
I gather it may have even been a new course record from the winner (not seen that confirmed yet, just rumour). Plus I gather an age-graded world record holder was out on the course too. Excellent stuff throughout the field, from the first across the line to the last.
Yesterday I also rediscovered my photography passion, and popped along to watch the rain-soaked Dick Wedlock 10k, and invitational 10k for international firefighters.
Well, after 15 weeks of training, I finished my last long run on Saturday. Best of all, I bumped in to Frances who’s just starting training for the Race For Life she’s doing in June, and got an extra two miles with her. A great way to top off my training, and pleased to report Frances did very well too for her first run in almost a year.
The training has gone very well. My previous post summarised a few niggles I’d had, but all the issues have been put to bed. I’m only left with a bit of a sock and blister problem – something I’ve not experienced before – and one that I’ve not had a chance to properly sort out. So I’m going to have to take a tiny bit of a gamble with a pair of socks I think have been ok, and hope things work out ok.
My longest run was 23 miles, which I was very pleased with, particularly when compared to how I felt after a 20 mile run a couple of weeks before. The difference between the two was nutrition, and I’ve got that licked. I’ve also discovered that whilst I don’t have an adverse reaction to Gels, they’re not exactly nice, particularly if you get it on your fingers, and the sweetness is just icky. I really begin to crave solid food! So I’ll definitely be putting some food in my gear bag, something I can get my teeth into when I finish!
I’ve thankfully been injury free, which has meant I’ve followed my coaches training programme quite closely. The best thing about it having done that is I’m as certain as I can be that I’ll get around the course, and I’m told the atmosphere in London is something special, so should hopefully help pull me along when the going gets tough, after, I suspect, the 20 mile mark. It’s carb loading over the next week to ensure I’m as properly prepared as I can be.
The taper is certainly proving to be quite difficult. I had to stop myself running to pick up our car from the garage yesterday (a 30 minute jog away), conscious I need to be taking it easy and reducing my mileage and effort. It’s also confirmation to me that running is very much part of me these days. Certainly if I’m trying to find excuses to run places, and convincing myself not to!
I’ve also had so many great words of advice from fellow club runners, and park runners. Whilst I know it’s my own race, and I need to run it to my plan, I’ve absorbed as much from people as I can. It’s the only way a new-marathoner can really get an idea about what’s involved. I’m determined to enjoy it – I’ve heard a good few horror stories of setting off too fast, changing plan too early, or struggling through injuries. Finishing, I hope, with a smile on my face is my primary goal. Faster times can wait. I settled on a sub-4 hour time as my primary goal, with 3:45 as my ideal. Anything better than that would be delightful, but I’m not going to push myself too hard, at a distance that is such a serious test over the complete distance. I’ve never run more than 23 miles, and those last 3.2 miles will surly be the hardest.
This last week is busy on the work front, but I will find myself in London at the end of the week, and should be able to get registered with plenty of time to spare. An early start on Saturday to get out to see the Bushy parkrun so I can check out what a properly busy ‘funnel’ looks like, to take some tips away to Glasgow parkrun, where we’re experiencing phenomenal growth and, given we’re so far away from other parkruns, having to learn a lot through experience. Sunday morning I’m close enough to the railway station that will take me out to Blackheath it shouldn’t be too bad. My goal then is to get up, scoff my porridge, stuff a few things in my bag, and just get out there. I’d really rather be there very early, than stressing about not getting there at all. I’m a rotten traveller when there’s time pressure.
If you’re going to come along on Sunday to watch (and I’d highly recommend it even if I wasn’t running, it’s a great atmosphere), be sure to allow plenty of time to get around. It’s a bit busy, and crossing the course is very difficult. Drop me an e-mail, or a comment, if you’re planning on looking out for me. It’s hard for runners and spectators to see each other, given it’s so busy (and the runners can be a bit preoccupied!). I’ll post some rough times for key points if my race goes according to plan, but could be some way either side of that.
All that really remains is for everybody to keep their fingers crossed for cool and overcast weather. Sunny is not good. Rain is not good. But cheer everybody taking part, even if you don’t see me. The amount of training most people will (should!) have put in is, I can say from experience now, huge. The marathon is just the icing on the cake, and I can certainly say it makes a huge difference on short distances, it’ll be something else on a marathon course!
Firstly, very best wishes for a recovery to Shannon, who I understand collapsed during the race, and was airlifted to hospital as a precautionary measure. Look forward to seeing you at a run again very soon.
Last year I ran this race, and set a new 10k PB of 45:01 and came away thinking what a great race it was. It was a bit narrow in places, and the slightly icy conditions we’d had made it a bit perilous, but all in all it was a great run. This year, despite setting a new PB of 44:21, I’m feeling a bit disappointed.
Conditions didn’t help. Whilst the conditions had been great at the earlier Glasgow parkrun, the wind had picked up a bit, and the canal course was much muddier than last year. A much larger turnout too (347 participants, compared to 262 last year) meant a lot more passing, and my poor start positioning (I almost always start too far back) meant I had to do quite a lot more, and got held up a fair bit.
My splits tell the story: 4.21, 4.36, 4.22, 4.24, 4.29, 4.34, 4.36, 4.28, 4.36, 4.03. Whilst my Garmin got the course distance correct, I wondered along the way if the km markers were perhaps a bit squiffy. But from my own experience with the parkrun, Garmin’s are a bit of a nightmare for race organisers: So many experts are created with these GPS devices, and they’re usually wrong.
I’d been aiming for times consistently under 4.25 to get close to a 43 minute time. After setting off and winding through the housing estate, the 1km marker was a short distance along the canal. At this point I really realised my poor start position choice, as I was stuck behind a few slower runners that took me a while to get past. Too many trees, and the narrow canal path. I managed to squeeze past, and past a few others at the first turn when we crossed the canal. I settled in and set a good couple of splits, passing fellow Bella Iain, and setting my targets on Norman, who’s always been a great pacer. I decided to just hang on and see how I felt. Eventually I managed to edge pass Norman around the 6k split, but my timing wasn’t good, as we rounded a corner into a stiff and cold headwind, and started the gradual incline up for the second canal crossing. My splits between 5k and 8k are much worse than I’d wanted, and the stiff headwind and incline took their toll. Norman eased back past me between 7k and 8k, and it was all I could do to hang on.
The 8-9 km section was tough. The canal path gets a bit more uneven, and I found myself in a pack of runners. There wasn’t too much hope of finding enough in me to get past, but we all managed to keep each other going, although Norman was easing further away. Whilst I somehow managed to find a bit more in my legs in the last 1k, it wasn’t enough to catch him. Norman finished in 44.12, and I managed 44.21.
As fellow club runner Andy commented afterwards, “A PB’s still a PB”, and I certainly take some delight from reducing my 10k PB from last years 45.01, I’d taken a full minute off my Nigel Barge time last year. This year I managed to take only 15s off the time. But if I’m searching for excuses for not getting a 43 minute time, the larger competitive field, and less than ideal conditions, combined with my poor start position, are probably the answer. As well as finding my 10k times don’t quite fit with what I’d expect from my half marathon and 5k times.
This will probably be my last 10k until after I’ve finished the London Marathon. I’m taking some succour from fellow club runner Ewan’s comments that after finishing the Florence marathon last year, he’s found a new burst of speed in his legs. The marathon training improved his endurance, and it’s precisely endurance I struggle with, at the brisker 10k pace.
So, despite a new PB, I’m still feeling a little bit disappointed it wasn’t faster. But there’s a definite challenge for my post-London running, and that’s no bad thing
I was in a meeting recently regarding the forthcoming Glasgow parkrun, and one of the Pollok park representatives asked if I’d support the effort by Friends of Linn park to bring a pebble beach picnic area and improved pathways to the park.
I love Linn park – it’s Glasgow’s second biggest park, after Pollok, and absolutely delightful. It’s also one of it’s least well known. When I ran through there recently with some fellow runners, many commented that they’d never been to the park, and it boasts a few beautiful outlooks over the Cart. More about the park at the councils website.
The effort by the Friends of Linn park is competing with another project to win funding from the Big Lottery People’s millions, so needs people to phone up and support it. Lines open on Monday 24th from 9am, to midnight. Details on STV Scotland Today on the 24th, and via biglotteryfund.org.uk/peoplesmillions. There’s also more on the Linn park website.
I’m delighted to finally be able to announce the launch date of the Glasgow parkrun: A free, weekly timed 5k around Pollok Park. This joins the 10 other parkrun events that take place around the UK, and is the first parkrun event in Scotland.
The provisional start date we’ve agreed with Pollok park management is Saturday, 6th December at 9.30am, outside the Burrell museum. The all important sociable coffee and chat follows in the Burrell cafe. The parkrun occurs every week at the same time. Plenty more at:
If you want to take part in this, or any of the other parkrun events, you just need to register with parkrun before your first event: http://register.parkrun.com/ - It’s a one-off process. No need to repeat each week.
parkrun’s are run entirely by volunteers, so please get in touch if you’d like to help. You might be racing later in the day, want to give something back to the running community, or be recovering from injury and want to stay in touch with running friends.
We’re particularly keen to get names down for the first few weeks as the event establishes itself. See the Volunteer tab, drop me an e-mail, post a comment, or speak to me in person.
I’m delighted to hear, and fully intend to support, the creation of a new ‘Friends of Pollok Park’ group that will be launching after the Save Pollok Park meeting (Tuesday 28th October at 7.30pm, at Pollokshaws Burgh Hall, opposite Pollok Park). Members of Kelvingrove Park’s Friends Group will be along to explain how they operate. A constructive supporters group should be a great asset to the park. I’ve myself put forward one or two ideas as to how the park could be improved, without recourse to commercially focused development, and hope they’ll be considered at the public meeting next week.
The Save Pollok Park meeting that precedes it should be interesting too, as it’ll be covering the legal arguments as to why the Go Ape lease can’t be granted, and updating supporters as to progress and strategies. Hopefully a constructive series of discussions.
There’s a petition still open for supporters to sign. It closes next Tuesday, so be sure to get your name down on it before it’s presented to the council.
Things had been quiet over the summer with regards the Save Pollok Park campaign. The application was with Scottish Ministers (as the council has a financial interest in the proposal), and they were to decide whether to call it in.
Despite the fact that the council didn’t accurately portray the views of their supposed park management partners National Trust for Scotland, the Maxwell family (who bequethed the park to the people of Glasgow), and despite the views of over 5000 people who signed a petition, and despite the fact that the councils ‘consultation’ was woeful in the extreme, and countless other issues, Ministers decided not to call the application in, so it’s been returned to the council to proceed as they see fit (BBC news article here).
Personally, I’m appalled. It smacks of cowardice, a lack of concern, and despite their repeated deferral of a decision, not really understanding the issues and concerns that were being legitimately raised by the Save Pollok Park campaign, and brushed aside by the council. Call me naive too, but the rather populist agenda of the SNP had me thinking they’d surely see the campaigners view point. But I fear budgets may have been a factor, and calling-in notable other planning proposals has become something of a hot potato.
It’s far from over. There are numerous legal avenues to explore, and the campaign is moving forward with these issues. There’s also a new petition, which you can also sign online. This one asserts that the council is acting illegally in proceeding without the agreement of it’s partners in Pollok Park, the NTS and Maxwell family.
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