GORDON CAMERON

I did the first Balmoral BUPA Great Caledonian 10k run in 1999 which started off as a bit of a farce. The race started before the pipe band cleared the narrow road and you had to fight your way through the fleeing pipers. Despite this, I still managed a sub 41 minute time.

I gave it a miss in 2000 as it was reduced to a 5 mile race and I had not planned to do it in 2001. It was only after I got an email from Onrunning about places still being available in the "Battle of Hastings" (Gavin v Scott v Jenny) on Easter Saturday that I thought - why not give it a go again. There had not been much on since Carnethy 5 and I was missing the Pentlands due to FMD.

In 1999, the organisation was pretty poor as competitors and supporters were bussed from Braemar to Balmoral and they had under-estimated the numbers attending which meant you ended up queuing for a bus for over an hour in Braemar and arriving as the race was starting. The bussing was on again in 2001 but there was parking at the castle for those coming from Aberdeen. We took the long route up the A90 and across from Stonehaven on a bright day and there were no delays in getting parked at the castle.

The organisers were prepared for wet conditions and had long mats laid in the fields to aid access and egress. KIMM organiser should take note.

A short walk to the castle where the professional road races were already under way. Helicopters flying above and a giant screen showed you all the action.

The 10k run started around 4 pm once the BBC Grandstand t.v. cameras had gone off the air. The main problem was that the projected time bands were not posted in visible positions so, as you joined the race from the front, there was a lot of bunching on the narrow road and a lot of slower runners were inadvertently caught up with the faster ones.

Fortunately, there was no pipe band this year - but there was a gusting wind. The course was not the same as 1999 (which was on tarmac roads and went through the distillery) but used a forest track which was pretty steep in place - walshes might have helped! I thought we were heading for Lochnagar at one point!

I was not hindered too much by the number of runners but the hilly course meant a PB was not on as I finished in 42.13 - just behind Jenny Hastings but well ahead of Gavin and Scott.

Met Kirsty and Steve in the car park. Kirsty was taking it easy in her run-up for London the following week. Took ages to get out of the car park and then back south via Glenshee. We stopped for an excellent meal in the Anglers Rest in Guildtown just before Perth. A good day with a nice medal and t-shirt at a cost of £2 per mile!