Sunday, 27 September 2009
East Neuk 10k 27/9/09
Not much to say about this one. Started off too fast as usual, suffered in miles 2 & 3 where I lost about a minute. The loose terrain is a nightmare for losing your stride and reminding me of losing your footing and breaking your ankle!!! Certainly wasn't expecting a PB so was surprised to cross the line in 49:20, 37 seconds off my previous PB!! Tommy at the end was great. I was happy enough to follow the girl ahead of me to the finish but no, Tommy was shouting at me to push and catch her so I obliged and sprinted as fast as my wee legs could take me. Bound to have got me a few extra seconds tho. Next stop Loch Ness marathon - yippee!!!!
Sunday, 20 September 2009
Flogging a dead horse....badly
It's taper time, I should be celebrating. Loch Ness marathon, my first, is but 2 weeks away. I've done all the hard work (in as much as my make-it-up-as-you-go-along schedule dictates) and now it's time for that "rewarded" taper. Last Sunday I did a fantastic 24 miles. I struggled to force myself round, but after the half way point I felt great and was able to ramp it up to finish the 2nd half way quicker than the first. Good right? Even on those tired legs I managed to blast my way round the club session on Tuesday (3 x 8mins with 3mins recoveries) doing avg. 7.30 pace (that's fast for me by the way.....). Even on Wednesday morning I managed a decent paced 5 miler and on Thursday at the club managed to run ahead of my usual group in the pyramid session. So it's all good then? Hmm. Friday, I decided to have a well earned rest and on Saturday go out for a shorter long run - 15-18 miles, depending on how I felt. Saturday came but what a waste of time that turned out to be. The first 6 or so miles were okay. I hit the trails and explored the fields between Fordell Firs and Crossgates, heading towards Fordell Village and back into Crossgates. The road bit was a nightmare. My legs had turned to rubber and I struggled my way around the next 5 or so miles, the last of which I walked in a strop. I don't know what's going on. Even today I'm still knackered. I can't decide now whether I've done too much, too little or just enough.
Monday, 7 September 2009
Facing the enemy...........and kicking its ass!!!
I've never liked this raced. Partly becuase it's a big race with big crowds but mostly because of 2 bad experiences there. I had planned to drive to Linlithgow and go by train to Glasgow, a journey I successfully made last year. However, my good friend Julie had a last minute entry and Pete was going to drive us instead which, despite being grateful for, stressed me big time. The night before I got a message to say that rather than collect me at 7.30am it would be 7.45am. By the time they arrived at almost 8am I was having palpitations. No matter, I had done all I could do - number on vest, chip on ankle, favourite shorts and socks on, spare clothes in bag, food in bag, etc. etc.
After finally getting parked we were desperate for the loo so headed off to George Square just as the 10k was starting. Great, no queue for the portaloos!! We watched the various waves start and headed back to the car for some last-minute organisation. I opted for vest only no t-shirt despite the chill and no hat as it looked fair.
We warmed up briefly before getting herded into our pens. Although we were likely to be running different times, I suggested we wanted to head nearer the front of the pen to get a clear run up the road. Unfortunately the pen was already stuffed so we shuffled in about halfway.
As the rain started falling we were off (maybe I should have kept the cap....) First the wheelchair racers, the white wave, the blue wave then us, the green wave. Being in the middle of the pen was a tragic mistake as the majority of people ahead were either walking by the end of the first mile, or had grossly underestimated their finishing time (okay so it was the fat blokes and the larger ladies and getting past them was no easy task.....)
I was shocked and panicking when my Garmin told me the first mile took 9.23, a minute slower than my planned race pace. I never seen the attraction of running over the Kingston Bridge but for some reason it's a highlight of this race but shortly after getting over it the field spread out a bit and I was able to pick up the pace a bit. Not too much tho, don't want to burn out too early like last year!
I reached the 3 mile mark in about 26mins. Good. I was picking people off with every step and feeling good. 6 miles in 52mins meant I was keeping a good steady pace. I was feeling sluggish around 8-9 miles so popped a dextrose tablet in my mouth. The bloody thing wouldn't dissolve tho and it was like sucking on sandpaper. An unofficial water station saved me and I greedily gulped a cup of water to wash it down. I reached 10 miles around 1.25. Brilliant, 6 mins off my PB, I'm going well. Unfortunately after 10 miles I got a stitch. I had felt it a few miles before but it went away. This time it wasn't going anywhere and I had to stop and walk. Damn! That's my race finished I thought. I'd just caught up with and passed Debbie and now she was going by again but the stitch wasn't for shifting. I started running again to see how it felt and if I ran in a strange crouched over kinda way, it didn't feel too bad. And then a couple of minutes later it was gone. I suspected it could have been the cup of water so at the next water station despite feeling deperate for a drink, I thought better of it.
I finally got to Glasgow Green, around 12 miles - nearly there. This is the cruel deceptive part of the race where you think you're finished because you're in the park. Luckily previous experience has reminded me that there's still over a mile to go and as I passed Debbie again I knew I was definitely on for under 2 hours. If I can just keep the momentum up for the last mile then I might even make 1.55. I saw Donald and waved, then Pete and Oliver and from nowhere the finish was ahead. I picked up my pace and ran as fast as my wee legs could take me, seeing that the clock had just gone past 1.52 and I could get 1.53 if I shift it. Wee sprint to the finish and hurray, I've faced up to the race that's haunted me for 9 years and well and truly kicked its ass.
Great Scottish Run Half Marathon - official time 1:53:21 - oh yeah.......
After finally getting parked we were desperate for the loo so headed off to George Square just as the 10k was starting. Great, no queue for the portaloos!! We watched the various waves start and headed back to the car for some last-minute organisation. I opted for vest only no t-shirt despite the chill and no hat as it looked fair.
We warmed up briefly before getting herded into our pens. Although we were likely to be running different times, I suggested we wanted to head nearer the front of the pen to get a clear run up the road. Unfortunately the pen was already stuffed so we shuffled in about halfway.
As the rain started falling we were off (maybe I should have kept the cap....) First the wheelchair racers, the white wave, the blue wave then us, the green wave. Being in the middle of the pen was a tragic mistake as the majority of people ahead were either walking by the end of the first mile, or had grossly underestimated their finishing time (okay so it was the fat blokes and the larger ladies and getting past them was no easy task.....)
I was shocked and panicking when my Garmin told me the first mile took 9.23, a minute slower than my planned race pace. I never seen the attraction of running over the Kingston Bridge but for some reason it's a highlight of this race but shortly after getting over it the field spread out a bit and I was able to pick up the pace a bit. Not too much tho, don't want to burn out too early like last year!
I reached the 3 mile mark in about 26mins. Good. I was picking people off with every step and feeling good. 6 miles in 52mins meant I was keeping a good steady pace. I was feeling sluggish around 8-9 miles so popped a dextrose tablet in my mouth. The bloody thing wouldn't dissolve tho and it was like sucking on sandpaper. An unofficial water station saved me and I greedily gulped a cup of water to wash it down. I reached 10 miles around 1.25. Brilliant, 6 mins off my PB, I'm going well. Unfortunately after 10 miles I got a stitch. I had felt it a few miles before but it went away. This time it wasn't going anywhere and I had to stop and walk. Damn! That's my race finished I thought. I'd just caught up with and passed Debbie and now she was going by again but the stitch wasn't for shifting. I started running again to see how it felt and if I ran in a strange crouched over kinda way, it didn't feel too bad. And then a couple of minutes later it was gone. I suspected it could have been the cup of water so at the next water station despite feeling deperate for a drink, I thought better of it.
I finally got to Glasgow Green, around 12 miles - nearly there. This is the cruel deceptive part of the race where you think you're finished because you're in the park. Luckily previous experience has reminded me that there's still over a mile to go and as I passed Debbie again I knew I was definitely on for under 2 hours. If I can just keep the momentum up for the last mile then I might even make 1.55. I saw Donald and waved, then Pete and Oliver and from nowhere the finish was ahead. I picked up my pace and ran as fast as my wee legs could take me, seeing that the clock had just gone past 1.52 and I could get 1.53 if I shift it. Wee sprint to the finish and hurray, I've faced up to the race that's haunted me for 9 years and well and truly kicked its ass.
Great Scottish Run Half Marathon - official time 1:53:21 - oh yeah.......
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Facing the enemy
This Sunday I'm off to Glasgow to hopefully conquer the Glasgow Half. This will be my third attempt. My first, long long before I started running "properly" was back in 2000 (??) where my training was nothing to speak off. Come 6 miles I was done in and had to run/walk the rest finishing in a pitiful 2hrs40mins :o( Last year after my post-illness comeback (it's a long story....) I had hoped to go under 2 hours. No way!! 2hrs8mins and some seconds too I believe. This year, despite saying never ever ever again, I hope to finally get that elusive sub 2hrs. It's achievable I know, but will my nerves get the better of me? Watch this space.....
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