November...

I guess it followed October, but it wheeched past almost as quickly!  What did we do in November?  Not a huge amount of running, I should have done the Glen Ogle ultra, but my month of one wee sniffle/illness after another that was October culminated in a stonker of 3 days off in bed and feeling miserable at the end of the month, so although feeling better by Nov 2nd I knew I wasn't fit to run 33miles on some tough terrain.  We did however head up to support and dressed in many layers to ward off the foul weather, we rung the cow bells and handed out haribos to the hardy souls who competed.  Another great BaM event which as usual culminated in a fine wee 'evening in the pub'!
The following day dawned bright, warm(ish) and sunny, complete contrast to the day before, and as I had entered months ago and was feeling reasonably ok, we headed down to Strathaven for the Run with the Wind 10k. Dougie who had run his first ultra at Glen Ogle was going to try for a wee gentle leg stretch and so I asked him to pace me round (BIG mistake!!!)  I didn't realise that he couldn't pace... that aside, it was a great day out, I didn't get a PB but I did get fastest 10k so far for the year, and the sun shone on us.  It is an undulating course, which I will definitely go back and do again, well done Striders for putting on another great race.
The following week was the Jimmy Irvine 10k at Bellahouston park and we were both entered - again months ago, so John agreed that he thought he was fit enough to pace me round -  now he CAN pace - he does it brilliantly!  I took another minute off my time, so again no PB but an improvement for the year and still not 100% fit, happy with that.  Not such good weather this time, heavy rain at the start and a strong wind to contend with.  That was it then, I had said I was going to rest in November but I have agreed to be a guinea pig so we headed up to Abertay university day after Jimmy Irvine to undertake some interesting and tough tests.  So, while I rested as in didn't do much running, I've been training and have been thoroughly enjoying the change and the company - John has been doing the training with me.
Before we knew it, it was December 1st and of course that signals the start of the annual funfest that is Marcothon along with almost 1600 other hardy souls we are out running every day :-) whatever the weather - and today we have had weather!  It was also the opening for entries of the Glenmore 24 (G24)  This has been to date the most memorable running experience I have ever had, I loved it so much that when I finished in September I made the commitment that next year I was going for the 24hours.  I was fortunate to get a place and I am excited already - even though there's the small matter of  the D33, G2E, Big Sur Marathon and Great Glen Ultra to get through before then! (busy year next year!)
Last night I took a wee bit of a tumble and banged my knee - however,

I still completed my run and I was able to get out again tonight, thought it's a bit achy now and I'm hoping it doesn't interfere with our plans for the rest of this week - we're on holiday so as long as I stay in one piece and John's achilles continues to heal, we've got a few miles planned over the next few days.
Before we know it, it will be 2014 and then it's the frenzy of entering the D33 :-)

It's almost over...

Christmas day is almost over - kitchen cleaned up, including oven cleaned, food all wrapped and put away in fridge and freezer.
Proper Rock n Roll Christmas here, this is the first year there's just been the two of us in the house and we've consumed about 25% of the alcohol we would previously have had and we've eaten way less than before and we're both sitting here with coke and fizzy water :-)
But we're happy :-) Santa was good to us and I can't wait for the snow and rain to come so I can use my new omm kamleika pants (trousers to us Brits) and my kahtoola spikes!!!  Dead excited!! 

Marcothon is also almost over, we've only 6 more runs and that's us into 2013, it's amazing how many people are still 'in' a few have dropped out due to illness or unforeseen circumstances, but there are heaps of us still 'shuffling on'.  I thought on Sunday I was finished, I woke in the middle of the night with an incredible fever, really shivery and icy cold, then sweating and thought I was coming down with the lurgy which has afflicted some of our friends.  I got up on Sunday morning feeling like I'd been to the fitcamp from hell, every big muscle in my body ached.  However, a couple of spoonfuls of yoghurt, a coffee and half an hour hugging a wheat bag and I decided to give it a shot, I stayed close to home just touring the streets near ours and seeing different houses I'd never seen before and I managed to do 26mins worth so that kept my marcothon streak intact.  John on the other hand had set off about 8am to run up to Dunblane and meet me in Bridge of Allan for breakfast before we went to M&S to pick up our Xmas Dinner - not just any old Xmas Dinner...
We'd to wait in a queue for 45 mins and I had another shivery spell, but after a wee nap and 2hourly medication, I started to feel a little better.  On Monday morning I felt a fair bit better and woke at 5.30am so I managed another wee half hour shuffle - and then after waiting an hour and a half in dentist for an emergency filling - it broke on Friday!  I went to work.  It was a quiet day and we got sent away at 2pm so after a quick toddle round the nearest Asda 'just in case I'd forgotten anything' then a stop to deliver Christmas cards to a colleague who'd been on holiday, I was home by 4pm.  I felt wiped then so another wee power nap taken.  Then it was into the Christmas eve routine of wrapping, writing cards for neighbours, delivering parcels and cards then a wee nightcap as we settled down for some chill time and listened to the radio - telly is cr@p and Jarvis Cocker had a great show on :-)
Toyed with the idea of going for run 25 at 00:01 but John was feeling a bit wiped and 'bunged up' so bed was calling. 
Poor soul  he got an interesting wake up call at a 7 this morning lol!  I woke with a really gritty eye and having recently had problems with my eyes, knew that I had a bottle of drops on the bedside table.  Unfortunately I also had a bottle of ear drops - from ages ago!  Guess which one I picked up in the dark and put in my eye?  Yep and it BURNED!!!  Thankfully I also had a glass of water to hand so it was quickly rinsed and the lights were on by then - accompanied by some earthy oaths, so I also used the eye drops... it's fine now :-)
Anyhow, that was us up then so we had coffee and went out for our run with our Santa Hats on.  After the recent foul weather - right up until last night, it was a lovely morning and we were able to get out in shorts and t shirts - and santa hats - much to the amusement of the few car drivers out and about who tooted or waved, and the dog walkers who responded well to our 'Happy Christmas' as we trotted past.
This morning I managed to complete the full 5km albeit slowly but it shows a further improvement in my health so that's reassuring.
Home to open presents, quick breakfast of yoghurt and banana then we dressed up again as Mr & Mrs Claus (for photo see previous post) and went to a Charity fitcamp with the pinpoint crew.  About 30 folk came along to join in, some regular campers and some friends and family, well done to all!
So having had our quota of pre-turkey exercise, it was home for a shower, brunch and champagne.  A gentle (lazy?) afternoon cooking dinner, then eating it, then watching a magical documentary about Killian Jornet - A Fine Line - well worth a watch - even if you're not in to running - the scenery is magical and he is a phenomenal athlete with a wonderful philosophy.
Tomorrow it's off to Ayr for the Turkey Trot 10km, hopefully I will be up for the 10k that I entered us both for but if not I will see if I can change to the 5k.  Nice day out catching up with friends old and new and hopefully the weather will stay fair so we'll have a nice drive down too.
Happy Christmas everyone and hopefully I'll get back before this becomes the 2013 version :-) xxx

Bah Humbug!! (no it's not Christmas yet...)

I sincerely hope that this is true...
I have had a sinus thing going on since I had a head cold 3 weeks ago and whilst it hasn't killed me it has severely ticked me off!  Please, please let it have made me stronger!
Up until this week I have managed to keep up my fitcamp session on a Monday and my running Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday with pilates on Thursdays - Friday is a rest day :-)  This week however I managed my fitcamp session on the Monday - which I REALLY, REALLY enjoyed :-)  but I haven't run all week :-(
Tuesday I ended up having to work late and was tired and stressed, Wednesday I was up at 5.30am to travel to Inverness for a meeting, getting home at 7pm, Thursday I had to travel to Glasgow in the morning and got soaked walking back to the train at lunchtime then it was mad, mad, mad at work... I came home last night absolutely shattered and feeling totally crap :-(  To make matters worse, I stress about missing my training sessions, and this was probably the toughest week of my program, it's the last week before taper starts.  I have a 12 mile run to do tomorrow at race pace (I hope) and then a 20mile long run on Sunday.  I fully intend getting both of those in the bag, as today I woke feeling much better than yesterday so am hoping that things are on the road to recuperation.  If not I guess I need to make an appointment with the Dr :-(

Last week (almost 2 weeks ago now) I had a good fitcamp session on Monday then went to the Wee County Harriers training session on the Tuesday.  I really enjoyed this session though I found it tough, and thanks to Anne and Jess who kept me company at the back of all the speedy blokes and couple of speedy girls!  Wednesday I did a mammoth session of 11 hill reps on Menstrie Brae then on Thursday we'd a good old 'stretch' at pilates.  If anybody ever tries to tell you pilates is gentle or for wimps - don't believe them!  It's a bloody tough workout!

So, to conclude, it's not been the best week - apart from Monday which was a total blast! Hard work as well!!  Work has been hectic, weather hasn't been great and I've not run... however it's less than 3 weeks now til we get our well deserved trip to Canada and I will get my runs in tomorrow and Sunday then it will be taper time :-)  Next Sunday I am doing the Inverness 10k with 3 guys from work as part of the Corporate Challenge so that should be fun, I'm looking forward to it :-)

On the same day, my son and his friend since school are both running their first marathon in Berlin and at the same time raising money for Help for Heroes, if anybody is feeling generous and has a spare pound or two, you can sponsor the boys here
Thanks!

When is a PB not a PB?

When you run a race and get the time, but you're not registered to run the race - so someone else gets the time :-)
My friend Margaret had entered the Cumbernauld 10k but was unable to run it due to family commitments.  I had been struggling with a grotty head cold all week and was due for a 9mile run today, but decided to run the 10k instead.  The motivation and effort of the race gave me much more than I would have got from plodding round on my own and the first time under an hour 59:06 was an added bonus :-)
So I got the PB in that I know that I ran the distance in the time, but it's not recorded against my name anywhere.
It was a great race, a good course, and a very well organised event - well done NL leisure!

Last weekend was the Great Scottish Run 10k and Half Marathon, lots of our running buddies were doing one or other of the races, so it was a good crowd of us who headed off to Glasgow on a nice morning for a run.  Everyone acquitted themselves very well, I didn't get a new PB that time, but I woke up in the morning knowing I was starting with the cold so took it steady and treated it like a good solid 13mile training run, which it was.  I was only a couple of minutes outside my pb for a Half so not at all disappointed with the effort.  After we'd all caught up with each other, a few of us headed off to the old Templeton's carpet factory now a German microbrewery and pub/restaurant where the non drivers ( I was driving ) enjoyed sampling the local produce and the food was also very good :-)  We had a great couple of hours socialising and catching up on each others tales.  So much so that they have organised another post-race social for after next week's Stirling 10k.
I'm not running this race next week, my program has my longest run on it for next weekend, 22miles!  I will do this on the Saturday and then I can support and socialise on the Sunday.  So hopefully today blew away most of my head cold, and I can get another good week's training in this coming week, next race is Loch Ness 10k on 30 September and then it's Taper Time....

Like the Parson's nose

- it had good bits and bad bits...

Didn't run much during last week, felt a bit under the weather, and my leg was incredibly sore. I had a physio session on Thurs evening and it was the toughest I've ever had to endure, I almost swore and almost cried :-( Then came the DOMS!!! It was awful! Saturday morning I really had to haul myself out of the door for a run, I so did NOT want to go! Ironically I had a really pleasant and reassuring 15km run, once I was warmed up it all kinda fell into place and I was able to toddle along quite comfortably and in control. This gave me a huge confidence boost - thank goodness! On Sunday I ran the GSR 10k race in Glasgow and whilst I would have liked to have gone faster than I did, I still knocked 1minute off my previous time so I'm pleased, especially as I had tired and stiff sore legs. Congratulations to the guys from Runtime Error who also all ran well, and special mention to Janette who ran her first race :-) Commiserations go to John who has pulled a soleus and couldn't run this time :-(
So if that was the good bits, the bad bits are that I haven't run again since Sunday until today at lunch, I have been incredibly tired all week and also struggling to walk never mind contemplate running...
I nearly gave up at lunchtime the first mile hurt like hell, but eventually things stretched out and warmed up and I had a reasonable session. This Saturday coming I MUST do a long run I hope to do about 20miles, it's only 2 weeks to Berlin, and although I've done lots of running this past few months, I don't feel as if I've trained properly for this and I do want to go and give it my best shot.