kennys part in the relay

Running out of time relay I heard about the running out of time relay (ROOT) through the green runners, I had signed up to the green runners as soon as I heard about them, some of the founding members are my running hero’s, I am extremely proud to be part of that community, COP26 in Glasgow was a life changing event for me, the opportunity to take part in the relay thus combining my love of running cycling and environmental activism, made this event extremely important for me to be part of, this along with being a proud Scotsman who loves an outdoors adventure and a chance to speak out, I was determined to do as much of it as I could, at the time the stages went live and the relay organisers were looking for a crew, I was completing my long adventure down the UK`s flagship cycle route the NCN1, I had cycled it down the way from skaw beach on Unst Shetland isles to home then taken a break from it, but at this time I was approaching nearing the end point of that cycle adventure, when the green runners put an email round our group saying the ROOT relay was looking for crew, I messaged to say I was willing and able to volunteer my services for them, by the time I had finished my cycle in dover they had found a crew, which was perfect; the crew that the organisers had brought together were all much superior candidates to me, they would have managed it all without any help from me, but I wanted soo much to be a part of it that I decided straight away, that I would do as much as was possible to help out; I was in touch via email by then with the ROOT relay organisers, I signed up to do stage two right away, then I emailed them to say that I had taken a look through the stages to see where i could help, I had noticed that stage 4 (which was surprisingly to me) was not taken yet; and that I could do that stage also for them, this meant signing myself up for stages 2 3&4, then I looked at any other stages in Scotland that weren’t taken, while checking to see what sections were not getting filled and booked I noticed stages 13&14 these two stages were probably unpopular stages as it was through the night, I signed up for them also using my green runners discount code, I then had a look at stages that were not taken in England and Wales, there was some stages from Nottingham - long eaton, these were through the night in a nature reserve which sounded like fun to me. somebody had booked a stage in the middle stage 73 was booked but 72& 74 were not taken! I emailed to say I could do these as they were all near big enough train stations, ROOT relay booked me in for those I also had a look at stages 107-111 in Wales. This was 60km in an area I didn’t know. I hadn’t trained for that sort of distance this year yet! I said I would be prepared to do these sections if they were really stuck (but thankfully they managed to fill them somehow, I am super impressed by the efficiency of the organisers) I decided that would be enough for me to book for now! then I would look at some of the European legs later Stage one was starting in Glasgow green on Friday 30 September at ten AM until 14:00 with Glasgow Schools bringing 3,000 young runners for a slow two kilometre run around Glasgow green, the park was all set up with marquees for the great Scottish run that was happening that weekend, I was all geared up for a massive send off! But; its Glasgow! Travis asked the question once why does it always rain on me? Somebody shoulda told them its because you live in Glasgow mate, a storm hit that day How do you kit up for a 22km run in stormy weather with train journeys to get there and back? Its not my first rodeo! As they say; I knew I required warm dry clothes for the end I used my personal secret weapon against the weather my cycling cape over my waterproof layers and backpack, I got absolutely hosed on by torrential rain on the mile long walk from my house to the train station, the cape was dripping wet, I had to shake it out on the train, the walk from Glasgow queen street to Glasgow green was also torrential rain with wind, I arrived an hour early and took shelter in the peoples palace an excellent museum in Glasgow green, this was where the run was supposed to be going around in the morning, BUT by then I knew that the kids could not be taken out into the park in that weather, a nearby school hall was being used as the launch I believe? I had stupidly forgotten a drybag for my wallet I was using a crisp poke on my mobile to keep the worst of the rain of it, the café never had a bag but the shop assistant offered me some cling film (which I am totally against and would never buy, but in this occasion It was a great idea) drinking a warming coffee using the loo and drying my cape watching my watch tick that hour away, I was delighted to watch out the window, standing in front of a heater that the rain had died back along with the darker clouds,

The area Where I was supposed to collect the baton for stage two was devoid of humans as I strolled around the needle, it coincidentally (to me) has a boulder celebrating the story that this is the place where James watt had the brainwave for a fossil fuelled steam engine! How ironic: Scotland could actually claim to be the cradle of the industrial revolution the very shit that got us into this rapid climate change mess, coal oil and gas along with so many of the fossil fuel products came into being due to Scottish innovations, we actually owe the world an apology, perhaps starting the green revolution could be viewed as our penance and apology, I certainly pledge to do what I can to reverse or at least slow the damage done The baton is carrying a message, written in English and Arabic, from children at Sunnyside primary school in Glasgow, calling on leaders at this year’s climate summit to provide young people “with the skills and training to build a sustainable world”. “We are committed to help build a future that is inclusive and sustainable for all,” it reads. “Show by your actions, not just words, that you are too.” Being a man of many action-based pledges I stand firm with that message, people who know me stand witness to me living my life the way I want to see the world change At two o’clock I was standing with that baton for the first time, I had walked around stage one until I eventually bumped into a few of the crew, we had a great chat; I was introduced to the two other runners that would be doing the 5KM of stage two with me then we set of unbelievably in sunshine! my backpack was full of my wet weather gear, we had a pleasant chat running the streets, sharing the baton then; got a little lost in Alexandra park looking for the fountain handover point, when we left it was then me and a runner called zach who thankfully knew the route to sunnyside primary school! Yes the very place of the message, but I never knew that then nor did I know how big schools featured in the baton handovers, (more on that later) there was lots of kids and a few group photos taken, thankfully Zach knew this was supposed to happen, as I was clueless and would have just ran past the school as I was doing the next stage alone anyway

The 10km run from Sunnyside Primary School & Friends of Ashton, Glasgow to Grow73, Rutherglen, this address was a bit vague while using my phone to navigate, I made a slight navigation error causing a short delay, it had been a pleasant run up until then passed the forge and parkhead Celtics ground, but then I couldn’t find where the hell? grow73 was? It turned out this was a garden in overtoun park, it was in a corner nowhere near where it looked like on the map or could be found using my phones directions, I was four minutes late I had tried calling then spotted people over in the corner, everything was behind a fence out of view with a makeshift arch, through which was a garden party with council delegates newspaper journalists lots of children and teachers and the support crew, the baton handover went smoothly and I got my photo taken with people handing over the baton, I then heard a quiet polite voice beside me asking; excuse me could I interview you? I looked around and down! There was a wee girl I would later find out she was eleven, of course you can sweetheart I said and I knelt down so she didn’t have to look up, she smiled and opened her massive notebook with huge writing; to ask me why I was doing this? her teacher explained to me she was a young climate reporter for the schools, she then asked if it would be ok to record our conversation, of course I was ok with that, and told her I was doing this as a way to apologise to the young people for the mess us supposed adults have left for the children to clean up, I said I was sorry for the part I had played in making the mess, then she smiled and said its ok, I don’t remember the second question, all I knew was this was the nicest interview I had ever had and ever likely to get, the so called world leaders at COP27 should be doing some apologising also for what they are doing to that wee lassies future

I left for a run to the nearest train station it was sunny but I changed into dry stuff on the train, I had a busy journey to get to my night stages one of which I was no longer required for, I had 13km to run at 02:55 achinleck to new cumnock, I received the baton in Tesco’s car park then ran the distance alone head torch on, arriving in plenty time for the handover a pleasant night run with only one brief heavy shower, I spoke with the couple that took the baton from me, I told them I was jealous they were getting to hand the baton to the living legend Jasmin Paris, but I had to run I had a bus to catch Time had ran out for me on that run section