Theresas training

Managing to build the running back up a bit this week,
although not quite to the higher levels it was at a
few weeks back.

Tuesday night was another summer series race, this
time in Musselburgh. The route was a shade under 5km
but still around the 3 mile mark, running round the
race track. It was nasty weather – raining with a
cold breeze, but deceptively warm (which you only
figured out when you where running and feeling a tad
too hot). I did ok, although 3 people passed me
(cheeky). Did 24.05 and came 5th female. What was
scarier was the chat in the pub afterwards when Stuart
was getting advice from all parts on how to get under
3 hours for a marathon (involved lots and lots of high
mileage running). Anyway one useful titbit of info
was for anyone training for a marathon to run a 10km,
10 mile and half marathon race in the 6-8 weeks before
the marathon and to add the times together to get
quite an accurate view of what time you could do in
the marathon itself. Interesting huh?

On Thursday night Fay and I went for a run about
Dunbar. Some of the club had headed down to Norham
for the two banks challenge – about a 2 mile race. I
needed to head out for something a bit longer and also
was a bit late leaving work so wouldn’t have made the
Norham run anyway. We ran down the back road, along
shore road and up past the hospital to Eweford. From
there we ran up the right fork in the road to the
pleasance, and up to Wester Broomhouse, down the
closed road and back to Spott roundabout. From here
we headed down Kellie road, along a trail onto Lochend
road (one of many shortcuts to use in the next 5km
handicap around those parts) and along into town. We
ran round the harbour before getting back to Fay’s –
about a 7 miler.

And today Sheila M and I headed over to sunny East
Kilbride to take part in the Diet Coke ½ marathon.
Well it seemed a good idea at the time (and that time
was shortly after finishing Loch Leven ½ frustrated
due to the head wind!). We left Dunbar at about 7.15
am but everything ran pretty smoothly and we arrived
at the park and ride in EK at about 8:30. A shuttle
bus took us to the start where there were toilets and
an area to leave your bags etc. We started on the
race track to take part in a two loop race, as there
was also a 10k event on. The race basically loops
round loads of roundabouts, you go up a hill, then go
round all the roundabouts again, go up the hill and
then a couple more roundabouts and a trail through
some trees and then you finish. The organisation was
great, the marshals good and probably as many
spectators as you would get in an Edinburgh race
(which granted isn’t that many, but they were good).
The roads themselves were a bit uneven – I fell at a
hole in the road after the 2 mile mark, went down with
a bit of a thump, and left an even bigger hole in the
road. Lets just say I didn’t do that again on the
next run round.

So the splits (I think the markers were out again):
At the 2 mile marker (missed the 1 mile sign) 17.43
(average of 8.51 per mile)
Mile 3 10.09
Mile 4 8.48
Mile 5 9.23
Mile 6 9.26
Mile 7 10.15 (took a gel there)
Mile 8 9.03
Mile 9 9.52
Mile 10 9.09
Mile 11 10.07
Mile 12 10.25 (could have done with another gel)
Mile 13 8.18
Mile.1 1.01
Total – 2.03.45. Have just checked the website and
this is my official time. And that = a pb for me!
(previous pb 2.04.57). Even with falling over (which
might have been a smart move as next year hopefully I
will be able to beat this, so long as I don’t fall
then!) At last…….

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# posted by user : 11:59 AM  0 comments

I’ve not much to say this week – as I was so tardy
last week with my blogging, I’ve only done two runs
since my last entry (its not only my blogging that is
getting tardy).

On Thursday at intervals we were doing 16x300m in 2.15
mins (I think). I missed two to enable breathing on
most of the others. It was a good session (as the
interval was less than 400m) but tiring!

On Friday Sheila M had a curry night, as some runners
from her old running club (Whitehorse Harriers) were
up for the weekend. It was a good evening – Sheila
has started early on the wine so it was an interesting
night. Although you have to watch out when you head
round to hers for coffee in case you get the dodgy
mug. Very off-putting. Still Karen hasn’t had her
baby and Clarissa has about 3 weeks to go! Ann had
provided a lovely chocolate mousse cake for pudding –
will need to build in some extra runs to burn it off.

On Saturday I fully intended on going for a run to
burn off some of those calories however the last few
weeks have wiped me out and I was far too tired to
even think about running. Instead I persuaded Brian
to go for a walk with me round the bottom of Doon Hill
and then back over the top to home. We probably
covered about 4 miles, which is better than nothing.

On Sunday (today) we were meeting at Sheila’s at 10 to
go for a run along the beach with the Whitehorse
Harriers. I had already decided to add some distance
on by running down to Sheila’s via the cement factory,
the golf course at Whitesands, and the golf course at
Winterfield. Unfortunately the detour would have
taken more than an hour and I couldn’t drag myself out
of bed early enough. I ate a banana flavoured Go
(SIS) bar for breakfast when still asleep and dragged
myself out of bed at about 8:30. (In the words of
George Gilhooley they are “minging by the way”) I left
the house at about 9 and ran to town and then round
the cliffs and the golf course at Winterfield before
picking the others up at Sheila’s. From there we ran
through John Muir to the sandy bridge and came back
along the beach. It was tough going along the beach
as the tide had just gone out and the sand was a bit
gloopy. Also everyone else was quite fresh whereas I
was knackered!

For some reason I have entered the East Kilbride half
marathon next week so I was glad to get a longer run
in before that (I think the run today was about 10
miles). I knew the course was a two loop route before
entering but only just figured out that means that I
will probably get lapped by the really fast runners at
the front – that might be a bit demoralising!

I am now surfing the internet for some new toys to
buy. I’m thinking of a nice pair of MBT’s (not very
trendy looking but apparently good for joint pain,
muscle pain, back pain, posture and getting rid of
cellulite! And all for just over £100…..sounds too
good to be true)

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# posted by user : 8:10 AM  0 comments

Well this has been a bit of an uneventful easy week
for me. Due to the change in weather – a few shorter
runs but nothing substantial.

On Tuesday I was late for club and as it was AGM night
I only had time for a short one. Good job really due
to the heat. I ran along the road to the Hospital,
through and up to Eweford, under the A1, along the
other side of the A1 to Spott roundabout, crossed over
and back to Halhill via the trees. As I knew I only
had time for a short one I tried to go fast,
unfortunately I had not taken any water with me and it
was sooooooooooo hot that I was more than glowing upon
my return to Halhill.

On Wednesday it was the first of the East Lothian
Summer Series races in Haddington. I remember this
one from last year – it took place on a hot evening
and because of that it was a pretty tough run. This
year as well as Haddington, Musselburgh and Dunbar
runners there were a Jog Scotland group as well – the
Georgettes (as George Armstrong is “coach”). It was
good to have some other runners there and a greater
variety in speed. It also meant there was less danger
of Sheila M or I going first and getting half of the
runners lost in a field somewhere! Anyway Sheila M
set off with a handicap of 27 minutes and I went with
27 mins and 30 secs (1 min less than last year!) and I
ran it in 27 mins and 22 secs, and managed to beat
Sheila M time-wise (she did 27 min 42 secs but every
second counts!!!!)

On Thursday Sheila M and I had intended on getting in
a longer run as all the runs so far this week had been
quite short. Initially it was going to be 12 miles,
then 10-12, then 8-10 and we actually ended up going
on quite a flat 8 mile route, and walking bits of it!
We think we managed to run about 6 miles though, and
it was very hot. We set off from Belhaven and ran
through John Muir Country Park, crossing over the A1
to run round some farms (Biel/Ninewar????) and back
via North (or South?) Belton Farm and along the A1
back to Belhaven. We were starving by the end (well
it took us a while due to the walk breaks, and getting
lost in some trees when we were trying to find a new
route).

At the weekend I had a 5k in Glasgow – the women’s
race for life. It is the first race I ever ran and
have now completed 5 of them in a row. Unfortunately
my successive streak of improvement stopped this year.
My first race for life I did in 32.??, the next in
28.??, then 26.?? and last year 24.41. So it was
going to be a hard task to improve on last year, and I
didn’t manage to. Excuse wise again it was very hot,
and also I managed to put my back out getting into the
car on the way there which nipped a bit for the first
couple of kilometres. Splits were – 1st km – 5.26;
2nd km – 5.07, 3rd km – 5.20, 4th km – 5.00, 5th km –
4.29. So I had managed to pick it up after the 3rd km
but just too late to do my time justice, final time
was 25.25. Anyway, I beat Heather from the Weather
(and probably over 10,900 others) with my dad saying I
was within the first 20-30 to cross the line. So I
guess its not all bad (also shows you that not many
club runners run these races!)

And tonight is Tuesday – club night. The woman’s
section is growing and growing. So tonight a pack of
9 women headed out – and this wasn’t all of our female
members. We ran up through the trees at Halhill to
Eweford, ran under the A1 up to Wester Broomhouse,
down the closed road (Ossie Dean), across and up Doon
by the farm, through the field and down through the
farm. We came to a locked gate so had to climb the
wall and drop down at the other side. It was a bit of
a sight with me being the only scaredy that didn’t
want to drop (and didn’t want help in case I hurt
anyone!) From there we headed back down to the A1,
crossed at Spott roundabout and back through the trees
to Halhill. It was a good run (apart from the hills)
and I gave my new trainers an airing. I have no clue
now about trainers and what I need. It seems to
change every time I speak to someone different (and I
think it depends on what the most expensive shoe in
stock is). I’m now running in a pair of Asics clouds
– they are nice and fluffy! Let’s see if they last
any longer than my last two pairs….

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# posted by user : 2:29 PM  0 comments

Oh dear – things went a bit downhill after Loch Leven
– especially the food! Sheila Morrison and I headed
along for a mid afternoon snack to an Inn in Kinross
that had been recommended to Sheila – think someone
was having a rather cruel joke. Good old Scottish
hospitality won the day though – we asked for a
starter each with a portion of chips and vegetables to
share however you would have thought that we’d asked
for monkey brains and crocodile meat the way they
looked at us. In the end we got our starters with
chips on a plate like you would a main course. The
food was so good….not! Sheila had salmon quiche made
with tinned salmon, frozen chips and frozen veg (it
was hot when we ate it but clearly had come from the
freezer…) and I had lovely battered mushrooms (so good
that I gave Sheila one to try with absolutely no
hesitation) that were pretty greasy with the same
frozen chips and veg. Nice….

On Monday Sheila M, Val and I went out for a run
through John Muir Country Park, reverse of the 5km
handicap route we run. It felt hard although we kept
it going – not bad for me two days after running a
half marathon.

But Tuesday was a different matter….Sheila M, Sheila K
and I were all pretty knackered so only managed to run
through the trees to the Spott roundabout, along the
A1 at the other side of the Spott roundabout, through
to Eweford and round the farm and back to Halhill.
Think we managed about 3 mile in all, with walk
breaks! Not so good hey? But then we took Sheila K
out for her birthday tea (well only two months after
the birthday but at least we remembered!)

On Thursday I couldn’t make it for the 5km handicap
run but arrived in time to see the finish – Sheila M
won! She did a good time given the surface, and the
handicap must have been well timed as everyone did
just about finish at the same time. I was going to go
out for a wee trot on my own but had a stinking
headache and my heart wasn’t in it so did some
hovering instead – well its sort of exercise isn’t it?

Saturday was Haddington 5 mile race. I’ve never run a
5 mile race before so anytime I did would be a pb.
With this thought in mind I’ve scoured the fixtures
list for other funny distance events that I’ve never
run before, as this is definitely the easiest way to
get a pb. So some useful races are: Milnathort Dash –
5.5 miles, Moffat Gala festival – take your pick from
15km, 4.5km and 2.5km, Dundonald 10.5km, Ceres 8 mile,
Canal Canter 7km, Graham Clark Memorial 3.9miles and
so on (note how I didn’t quote the 50 miles and 100km
races – I’m not that desparate for a pb!).

Also if you are really cunning you would run the first
one at quite a steady pace so you could quite easily
get another pb next year when you run the distance
again! Although I would like to point out that my not
so good performance at Haddington wasn’t due to this
thinking but more due to eating far too much too close
to start time and giving myself a pretty major stitch
which required both hands gripping it and some walking
just to manage to finish. I’m not even going to
embarrass myself by putting my splits in my blog!
Well done to all the other Dunbar runners though!

And today….Sheila and I had a 15 miler planned, which
would be the longest run I’d ever done. Sheila said I
wasn’t to put this in my blog and just to tell
everyone how long we’d been on our feet, however I
must say that we probably only ran between 12-13 of
the 15 miles (or 14.7 according to GPS). The route
had a few hills in it, and although cooler than
yesterday when racing at Haddington, it was pretty
humid and hard when running through the sheltered
bits. We ran from Belhaven, through John Muir Country
Park, along the Tyne to East Linton, up to Stenton
(that’s where the walking started to come in) had a
quick peek in the art gallery and got some extra water
there, along to Pitcox (luckily running as Jim and Val
passed us on their bikes), along and down to Eweford
and back to Belhaven.

And one of our key topics of conversation was the need
for better running pants – last week at Loch Leven we
didn’t have enough time to sort ourselves out before
running which led to some nasty chaffing (for Sheila).
Also cotton numbers are just no good in this hot
weather (as per cotton t-shirts they are not very
breathable, hold the sweat (nice) and don’t dry very
well) but also man made fabrics have their own
problems. Sheila thinks she has come up with a
cunning plan to stop pants chaff…..although I think
it’s a bit dodgy and not sure Ann Summer’s stocks
enough pairs to sort out the all of the female runners
in Scotland. Do men have the same problem? What is
the answer?

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# posted by user : 11:46 AM  0 comments