Theresas training

well can't even remember what I've to say but since the last time I've written I've achieved a few firsts:
first adventure race
first run where you have to run through rivers
first run where you have to run through thigh high mud
first heptathlon (same as first adventure race but actually giving credit for all the different skills used - hiking, swimming, fence climbing, mud bathing, hurdling (obstacle avoidance), rock climbing, and running!)
first race where I've come last
first race where I didn't actually try to race (I enjoyed it - funny that)
and first race of 12k which = pb!!!!  and given that the pb is over 1 hour and 50, shouldn't be too hard to get another pb at that distance!!!!

So, yeah - have a look at the photos on the running club website.  Braemar was something else.  Managed to persuade Brian it was a good idea.  Was not in a good place when Jane didn't turn up for the bus in Dunbar as everyone else going was going to be waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay faster than me.  But phew, they met us in Perth.  Jane and I ran together and didn't attempt to race.  If so, no doubt I would have hated it, got an injury, had a stitch most of the way, fallen about a million times, and at best finished a maximum of 5 minutes faster.   Given it took us 55 mins to do our first 4km we did well on the second 8 I feel.  Hilarious.  Couldn't stop laughing.  Especially when I splattered mud all over myself which Jane kindly helped me wipe off, otherwise I'd have been mistaken for a very large dalmation.  Hmmmm.
And since then on nearly every run I've done I think that I've been in training for the next adventure race.  Take last Thursday nights intervals for instance.  As the pitch was flooded someone decided it would be a good idea to do intervals on the beach.  I asked the question as to whether the beach was dry (meaning was the tide in/out/had it just gone out and left big puddles) to which everyone looked at me as if I was stupid.  But.....very clever question actually.  Tide was in and coming in more, big metal bridge was impassable.  So we ran across the salt marsh (the clue there is in the name - it's marshy in dry whether never mind following the monsoon rain we've been having).  So after running through some more little rivers (jumping just wasn't working) I got to the beach eventually.  Did one interval and decided it was a bad idea as my hamstring was niggling and then ran back to Halhill.  Daft. 
Hamstring pain came on in Musselburgh Summer Series race last Tuesday.  Nothing serious and have had a massage already.  Massage found many painful points, so will have to go back for follow up soon I fear.  ITB sore, quads bad, calves bad and glutes very very bad.  Must be using these muscles sometime then?   Did ok in the summer series but not as well as i'd have liked.  Although I passed 3 people and any time I pass anyone it's a miracle.  Just a shame about the 7 or so who passed me. 
Was out a week ago on the Saturday on what was meant to be a long run (think I did about 11 or 12 though) but struggled with it.  First hour was fine but sticky and muggy heat.  I feel that takes it out of you.  Plus I met Fiona and stopped for a 10 minute chat which I'm sure didn't help.  Anyway could hear the thunder over Haddington/North Berwick direction when I still had 3-4 miles to go and started to panic.  Had planned on going back over Doon Hill but didn't fancy getting struck by lightening so changed my plan and trecked through the jungle that is the path from the bottom of Doon Hill to Pinkerton.  Big mistake.  Would have been quicker running up any hill - even Starvation Brae.
On that note I tried starvation brae.  Ran for 2.5 mins and stopped.  When I could breathe again I did another 2.5mins.  Then a final minute and I was at the top.  My legs had gone all wobbly - like they used to when I sprinted in swimming and couldn't walk when I got out of the pool.  Disastrous.  Can't believe people can run all the way, and keep going.  Mad people like Anne and Clarissa who run up it for fun on a club night. 
So in between crappy wet weather, there has been muggy, sticky, nasty weather.  No decent running weather really.  So not really any decent running.  Well apart from Musselburgh 10km.  Where I did 52.55 which is only about 3-4 seconds off the pb.  Although most people got pbs.  And big ones.  Which leads to the usual it was short (with 2x GPS telling you that).  Quite like my dads view - a trundle wheel will be more accurate than GPS so lets count it as a 10km!
Anyway a bit of a ramble but thought no point in telling you about all the sweaty runs in hot sticky whether where I walked up hills.  Best keep the excitement for the next episode.................

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