Sunrise

This morning I woke at 5.45am.  After hiding under the pillow for a while trying to go back to sleep I decided that, as I was awake, I should get up and go for my run.  This oppossed to getting another hours sleep then rushing around trying to get the right stuff ready, faffing and probably arriving at work late having not run as far as I would have liked!

So I left the house in the dark at about 6.30am.  The sky was rapidly beginning to lighten so I didn't need a head torch, but it wont be long.  After a couple of miles along the flat I entered Holyrood Park from the Duddingston entrance and took an immediate right.  This route, new to me, took me up lots of uneven stairs to the top road round Arthur's Seat.  I got 2/3 up the stairs and stopped, rested then finished them off then followed this up with a steep hill to the road.

I stopped again and turned to look at the view.  It was stunning.  The horizen was bathed in rose coloured light.  There was just enough light to see the city stretched out below but the street lights were also still on.  It really looked like half day and half night.  Very pretty.

I turned once more to face the hill.  I ran to the top of the grass section stopping twice to 'look at the view'/get my breath back.  THe hoizen was getting more and more beautiful as the depth of pinks, roses and oranges grew.  I thought, if I get a wriggle on, I may make it to the top for sunrise.  It was going to be tough.  It was going to be touch and go.

I dug down and stode on up.  Running isn't so possible at the top as you I need to use my hands to scramble up.  I stopped to check out the sunrise regularly, hoping to catch the sun break the horizen where ever I got to.

I made it to the top!  Three others were buried deep in their winter jackets waiting for the splendor to being.  I sat down with my arms wrapped around me to keep warm, and watched.

Sunrise is truely one of the most beautiful times of the day and today was no exception.

The big ball of fire suddenly burst over the horizen.  The underside of the clouds were bathed in reds, oranges, yellows and pinks and every shade in between.  The sun slowly rose from its night time slumber filling our hearts with joy and awe.  Blinding us and burning off any negativity to start the day fresh and new.

I didn't stay to watch the sun duck under its daytime cover of cloud.  I was getting chilly.  But I was smiling to myself all the way, still bathed in the joy.

What a great start to the day.

Training starts again

I have found it hard to get back into training.  My bodyclock was changed over the summer with log work hours and lots of socialising.  I was finding it hard to make that first step out the door for anything other than kayaking or my commute cycle to work.  Today I changed that.

   

Today I headed to Arthurs Seat on leisurely run to work.  I took the slightly longer, flatter route that meant I was more warmed up by the time I got to the park.  On a commute to work, I usually go down the hill but today I went up.  My destination was the top!

I got 2/3 of the way up, the start of the rocks and decided that that was enough for day one so I stopped to take some photo's.

This was the bit I didn't do and some more hills to do another day on my commute to work.

( I live behind this one)

However... after taking my photo's I had got my breath back and loosened my legs off a bit.  So I went for the top, half walking, half running, half scrambling (Oops, too many half's!).

This was the view I was rewarded with.  What a great first day back!

Edinburgh Marathon Photos

Here are some photos from the marathon

Start

About 2 miles in.

Some where in Edinburgh.

No idea where I am in this one or the next few.

The finish!

I did run it, honestly, but if you put my start and finish pictures together you would think I was lying!

Edinburgh Marathon

Just a quick update here, full report later.

I finished it in... 4.33 (Unofficial).

My goals were:

1. Not to get injured. I don't think I did. It might be a bit early to tell as everything hurts at the mo.
2. To keep fueled and hydrated. I had a SIS or Honey Stinger gel every 30 minutes, including at the start, for 3.5 hours. (I couldn't stomach one at 4 hours, I had already taken 8 by this point. I figured that would see me through). Hydration was slightly more tricky. I took on water at every station but the water station at 18 miles had run out! Other than the psychological downer, I was fine. I had already taken on enough to see me through.
3. To get PB's at 5k, 10k, 10 miles, half and full. I got a PB at the 10k (54 minutes, PB by 10 min), PB at 10 miles (1.30, PB by 1 minute), PB at half (1.59, PB by 3-4 min) and of course the PB in the Full (this was my first Marathon!). PB in 5k whilst doing a marathon? Who was I kidding. It would have been daft even to try.

I am really, really happy with my achievements for the day. Thank you Jen for now cooking roast lamb Sunday Dinner!

Edinburgh Marathon

The Plan

Edinburgh Marathon isn't a top priority race, the Antwerp is. I'm doing the Marathon for the experience. My plans reflect this.

1. Don't get injured. What ever happens, I can not allow myself to get carried away and then get injured. I am only 8 weeks away from Antwerp!
2. Keep fueled and hydrated, see weather below.
3. Get a PB's for 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon. This should be achievable as my training runs have all been quicker than my last races at those distances. A PB for the Marathon is a given, provided I finish, because this is my first one!

The weather

Scotland in widely know for changeable weather, however, we have a high pressure slap bang on top of us that has raised the temperature by a least 5C in the last few days! The forecast is for tomorrow is to be 18C (64F), clear Sky's with a gentle SE breeze. I don't believe I have ever run in temperatures like this before.

As a result, on top of running my first marathon, I have the following challenges:

1. Don't burn to a crisp. I planning on running in t-shirt rather than a vest. The vest would be cooler but I think I burn my shoulders badly if I don't cover them up.
2. Keep hydrated. To balance drinking lots but not so much that I need the loo, liquid sloshes around in my tummy and then gives me a stitch.
3. Balance the electrolytes. I'm not ashamed to say I'm a sweaty Betty. If I don't watch my salt intake, I'm going to cramp up, loose energy and probably get very ill.

If I fail at any of the above I'm going to fail all the points on my plan. Apart from the marathon PB that is, I am definitely going to finish!

The Preparation

I have:

1. Factor 40 kids, waterproof, one application, sun cream. I also have a little sachet to carry if I think I need it at the last minute.
2. Honey Stinger 'gels' for energy.
3. SIS gels (blackcurrant flavoured snot) for electrolyte and energy.
4. I'm heading out to try and buy some Cliff Shot Blocks (hopefully)

Now all I need to do is find away to carry it all! I have my race belt that has slots for gels and I have run with gels in my shoe laces before but I also want to try to find a small 'pouch' to carry the Cliff Shot Blocks.

And...

I'm feeling pretty relaxed. I'm quite surprised by my lack of nerves. Hopefully it is just a sign that I have done the training and the preparation that I need to see me through.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Long run

Did the same long run as last time but added a bit more on so it included a hill for 10 hill sprints. It was great weather again, although there was a little drizzle it was warm enough to be quite pleasant.

It was fantastic to be able to run 13 miles after my mammoth Saturday session but it felt great. It hit me at 4pm the when I started to get grump but a yogurt helped!

I also used up a Christmas gift voucher tonight...

A full body massage. Yum

I can do this!

Saturdays are a mega training day for me. The plan is to do swimming, cycling and running. Really push the body in these last few weeks before I can start to taper (only 11 weeks to race day!)

I have had doubts in my head in my ability to do my Half Ironman in Antwerp on 2nd August. Yesterday, I had a realisation. I can do this!

This is what happened...

I left the house at 7.30 and cycled 6.5 miles to swim training. Swam for an hour, about 2500m. Had some luck warm porridge then jumped on my bike. I haven't been cycling with this group before, but it didn't matter, they weren't cycling in their normal groups either! 40 miles later we arrived back at the swimming pool were I grabbed my swim kit and cycled the 6.5 miles home. When I got home, I stripped off some layers, put on my trainers and went for a run. The legs and body will always feel sluggish off of a long run so I just grinned, with my head held high and put one foot in front of the other. I was going to do 3 miles but after 2 I decided that I could, and should, do more. So I continued on my 5 mile route. At mile 3 I put in ten 10 second 'sprints' followed by 20 seconds of recovery jogging. The sprints got slower and slower and so did the recovery jogs but I kept it up. I then jogged the last mile, down hill, to home.

I did the maths.

I swam over race distance. I cycled 4 miles short of race distance. I ran over a third of race distance but also included 10 sprints.

I started the day at 7.30am and finished at 1.45pm. 6 hours 15 minutes. Including 30min faff before and after swim, including faff of taking my bike up to my flat and slowly changing my footwear.

I can do this race! Yippee!

Long Run

What a stunning morning for a run. There was hardly a cloud in the sky and just the right temperature to run in a t-shirt but not get too hot. (I did wear gloves though, my hands get soooo cold.

The plan was to run at race pace, put in some hill sprints at 3/4 of the way round and finish off running any way I could. I decided to run to work (drop the work bag), run to Portobello along the promenade, run to Holyrood park, do 10 short hill sprints, then jog back to work.

This worked a treat. When I got to work (3 miles), I had a wee drink. I then ran along the sea front for 5 miles. Stunning, simply stunning. The sea was as flat as a millpond. The sun was shining, there was a gentle breeze to keep me cool and the fresh smell of salt. At mile 8 I popped in to a gym for another quick drink and headed to Holyrood park.

I miss judged the distance a bit and didn't make it to the hill for 1.5 hours in to the run so I did 10 second sprints followed by 10 second easy. I was supposed to hurt. It was supposed to make me feel nauseous. I was supposed to find it hard to finish. The sprints did hurt, I didn't feel too sick and I didn't find it too hard to finish the run to work.

I was totally stoked by the run. 12 miles before work is great. AND in 1hr50min! That is a PB for me and would have ended in a sub 2hr 1/2 marathon if I had don't another mile.

As a result, I think that I need to either run quicker (?) or judge my distances better and get those sprints on a hill. I think I'll try for the later.

I'm loving my running now, even if I couldn't walk properly for the rest of the day!

ET training

On Saturday I joined Edinburgh Triathletes for a bonza training session.

It all started with a gentle ride to their swimming pool in Dalkeith, 6.5 miles away. It is a gentle ride, just up hill most of the way!

The swim session went well. There were quite a lot of us in the lane so we did lots of 50m sets. It would have been a mess if we did anything different, we would have been annoying the hell out of each other trying to overtake.

After the swim we went straight out on to the bike. My training now involves my cycling as hard as I can and when I think I can't go any faster, to spin really quickly for 30 secs. I did this for 30km and my legs felt like mush from the start. Never fear, the bike was followed by a...

You guessed it, a run. 4 of us donned our trainer and went to a run. For my runs, I am supposed to run at race pace, for that distance, and when I get to 3/4 of the way round, I'm to put in 10 hill sprints. We had no hills where we were so I had to make do with flat sprints, but that didn't really work either. My legs felt like mush.

I was pretty pooped by the time I got back to my bike but I simple changed my shoes and headed home. The journey home is mostly down hill, apart from the hill out of Dalkeith. That nearly finished my legs off! Half way home the heavens opened. I mean properly opened. Oh well, I'm sure it would have done my legs good AND I was going home.

Great day!

Heaven and Hell Half Marathon

With a name like this you don't expect your usual Half Marathon.

Elevation - Min: 59 ft, Max: 801ft, Assent: 1099ft, Descent: 1083ft

The Heaven and Hell Half Marathon was based at Perth Airport outside a village called Scone (Pronounced Scoon!), about 1 1/2 hours from home, but an 11am start meant I didn't need to leave too early.

I pitched up to the pre race 'talk' to discover a long table down the middle of the room pre loaded with lots of sandwiches. I was going to enjoy the post race scran I thought! During the race brief we were told that this course was one of the hardest 1/2 Marathons in Scotland! Well I know it was hill but I didn't think it was going to be that bad.

Start was a 5 minute walk from the hall which enabled me to do a wee gentle jog to get the legs working. I was able to give my jacket to a marshal to take to the finish 1/2 mile away. Fantastic news as I was on my own. I was having a stretch up when all of a sudden the crowd started moving. That will be the start then! I'm glad I wasn't looking for an accurate time, I would have been annoyed otherwise!

From the start we went along a very gentle incline for 3/4 of a mile which lead into a mile of varying decent. At 1.5 miles, I pulled alongside a chap, called Duncan, and got chatting. We were targeting the same pace so we decided to run together for a bit.

At 2 miles we started going uphill, sometimes steep, sometimes shallow, always up for three miles before flattening off. Duncan said we should slow down a bit as we crept up to 8.5 minute mile pace but I pointed out that we would need to to keep our average at 10 min miles. Besides, our pace felt comfortable. It seemed wrong to slow down when we were on a very slight decline/flattening. After another brief uphill the course went steeply downhill for a mile. It felt like this was where any pain would be inflicted, but felt later. Only time would tell!

We turned left at the 8 mile point and were faced with a sign saying 'Welcome to Hell' will a stuffed Devil toy on top! There is nothing quite like support to encourage you the hill! It did make me laugh though. The hill was tough but I was still running along side Duncan. We stopped taking at this point, focusing all our energies into the hill. 2.2 miles later we reached the top, Oh happy days! The last mile had been super tough as a strong head wind was whipped up.

The final 3 miles were great because they were down hill but the change of pace gave me a stitch. Concentration on breathing, altering the pace and giving my water bottle to Duncan really helped. The final mile was in to a strong, gusting head wind. It was the final mile though, so you just put your head down and ran. The finish was round a blind corner so I couldn't quite pace the last few hundred metres but I did sprint over the line. Maybe I didn't work hard enough?

I had only intended to run along side Duncan for a bit but it was nice to have company and it certainly was great whilst running through heaven, hell and beyond.

Thanks Duncan.

Oh... the final time? 2hrs 6min. I'm pleased. Really, really pleased.

Last week's training and this week

A good week last week...

Swim - 5,200m - 2hrs
Bike - 68 miles - 4hrs50
Run - 20 miles - 3hrs52
Gym/Core - 2hrs45
Total - 13hrs27

My swimming is stable to quick. I need to speed up my bike ride and improve my endurance. The run is coming along steadily. I really enjoy the morning core work and gym sessions. The core work sets me up nicely for the day. I can feel the improvements in the gym and I can feel the benefits in the other disciplines.

This week may be a little less successful as real life is happening but the plan is...

Swim - 4,500m - 2hrs
Bike - 37 miles - 2hrs45
Run - 24 miles - 4hrs20 ( Including Heaven and Hell Half Marathon!)
Gym/Core - 4hrs25
Total - 13hrs30

Let's see what happens!

Running

Now this may be a bad thing to do on the night before my long run...

Yesterday I had a fantastic 5 mile run. The first mile or so wasn't much fun, whilst I warmed up but then I really got into the zone. What is even better is that it only took me 43min, that is 3 minutes quicker than my last 5 miler.

Maybe, just maybe, I might one day call myself a runner...

Lasswade 10

My holiday in Glen Coe is over and I'm back with a vengeance with the Lasswade 10. A 10 mile race through the beautiful Lothian country side. Well it was beautiful most of the time. Not the bit past the land fill :-(.

Our route started in Rosewell, just south of Edinburgh. By mile 2 we were near the bottom of Rosslyn Glen, home of Rosslyn Chapel (Yup the one out of the Da Vinci Code). By mile 6 we had finished climbing out of the Glen and it was mostly down hill to the finish.

Here is the elevation plan.

I had a good race, I'm really pleased. My target was to keep an eye on my pace. Back in November I did Buchlyvie Half Marathon and totally bonked towards the end. This time I wanted to finish running.

I set myself the target of 10 min miles. If I had finished in 1:40:00 I would have been happy. The first couple of splits were about 9:20 which I was quite happy with. My third mile was 10 min but that was the steep section out of the Glen. After that I didn't quite record my times other that it was about 9:30. At 6 miles I felt good and managed to pick up the pace. At 8 miles I was on 1:14:00. I had an outside chance of getting in at 1:30! I picked up the pace again. At 9 miles I was on 1:23:00. I was saying to myself 'Dig in, you can do it, it is supposed to hurt now, dig in'.

My unofficial finishing time?

1:31:09

I'm totally stoked. 9 minutes quicker than my plan and an 8min mile sprint to the finish!!!!!!

Wooo hooo, I'm back.

Discipline

Up until recently, I was really enjoying my new found discipline and routine.

I was getting up at 6am, doing my morning exercises of stretches or yoga then stretches and then heading out for a run, swim or bike ride.

I was eating a banana each morning before heading out, followed by a small vat of porridge when I got to work. Pasta for lunch, yogurt for afternoon snack and vegetables and meat or fish for tea.

I was packing the next days kit before I went to bed for 10pm.

I was working for me. I was feeling great both from the diet, sleep and from the exercise.

I think I'm currently having a wee 'break' from my new routine. Chocolate is back on the menu, carbs are back in the evening meal (although this was needed anyway) and late nights are creeping in.

I think I'll start my routine again when I come back from my holiday at the end of February. I'm in London until tonight then I go on holiday to Glencoe on Friday, not back in to 'normality' until the following Monday so no point resurrecting the routine until then.

Oh well. At least I can try to be good!

Now that is what I call running!

Today I went for my first run since the Buchlyvie Half Marathon six weeks ago. Where did the time go?

I'm pleased to say that it was great! Andy and I went for a jaunt in Holyrood park to do a few hills. I have only just started considering myself a runner so the concept of running every hill in the park was a bit daunting. Andy only does hills! I managed five of them!

Here is my route...

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/gb/edinburgh/768422748293

The first, Salisbury Craigs, and second, Arthur's Seat, were the hardest but then the three remaining hills were tiny in comparison.

The weather was wild and windy, in true Scottish fashion, but at least it stayed dry until the last 100m when the heavens opened. The views from the top were as stunning as ever. The ever changing light of the swatches of rain blowing past. The white tops of the waves on the Forth visible even from this distance... Sigh

I got back to my office, Venture Scotland, hot, sweaty and totally buzzing.

When can I go again?

Buchlyvie Half Marathon, 16th November 2008

The morning of Buchlyvie half marathon was stunning. The weather could not be more perfect. It was a crisp, cool morning with no clouds in the sky and no wind.

I started the race from the back, keen not to fall in to the trap of running too quickly at the start.

I still ran an 8.30 split for the first mile. The second mile was worse at 8 min! I gave myself a talking to, I had to slow down or I wouldn't finish. For the next 6 or so miles I ran 9 minute miles. This was still quick for me but I felt comfortable.

I should have been stronger and slowed myself down to nine and half minute miles because by mile 9 I was hitting the wall. My splits got longer and longer. I probably could have walked quicker than I was running by the end!

I turned the corner on to the homeward straight only to be faced with 2 laps of a muddy playing field!




I started walking. The muddy field was too much for me. I walked round the final corner and started running again, sprinting to the finish line.

2:05.46 by my watch.

Whilst I was disappointed that I had not run under 2 hours, I was philosophical. I had only been training for 11 weeks and that had been mixed. I had enjoyed the experience. It had reaffirmed that I can keep going, even if I'm struggling.

Praying to the recovery god!

Half marathon training

Training has been a mixed bag. After I sprained my ankle I didn't run for several weeks, but rode my bike to and from jobs, cranking up quite a few miles.


Training started in ernest in September. I ran a short run on Mondays and Wednesdays with the occasional Tuesday. I then did a long run on a Saturday that built up over the weeks. My mileage varied from 6 miles a week to 21 miles a week.

Although I followed the programme from the Internet, I didn't worry about missing a Tuesday run. I continued to commute to work on my bike so it seemed daft to run if I didn't feel like it. Indeed, my fastest 5K time was after a rest day in which I was supposed to run.

I also had a series of trips away that made training hard. It started with a weekend in Glencoe where I spent 7 hours climbing Bideon Nam Bar on the Saturday. On the Sunday, Kate and I ran along the West Highland Way from Glencoe to Kinlochleven which was spectacular. I had five days in Glen Etive with work. No running could be done as the bothy is surrounded by bog! I came home with the worst cold that I have had for a long while. It eventually lasted about three weeks!

I followed Glen Etive with a trip to Frankfurt for five days to visit a friend. Although I was still recovering from the cold, I managed a 2 hour game of touch rugby that left me stiff for 4 days and a 5K run around the centre of Frankfurt. The run round the city was great!

Finally I went to visit my brother, sister-in-law and niece in High Wycombe for 4 days. This photo is from my 8 mile run along the Thames. A stunning day!

In the ten weeks of training, I certainly learnt that the normal runs in town could be very boring. I contrast, however, I learnt how wonderful running can be to see new and different areas.

Programmes, ankles and races

I searched the net for a half marathon training programme and I found one that would have me ready for a half marathon by mid October. I then looked for a race. Jedburgh half would do. Nice and close to home.

So I go south to visit the family, do a couple of short runs, visit the niece, go for a run in the woods and... sprain my ankle. Bugger...

Maybe I wont run Jedburgh half, maybe I'll do Eddie's half in Fort William in early November.

During the second week of working on the Tattoo fireworks I went over on my ankle again. Bugger... bugger...

During the Bank of Scotland fireworks I caught my ankle again! Bugger, bugger ... BUGGER!

Maybe I wont run Eddie's half, maybe I'll do Buchlyvie half, 16th November 2008.

Weakness's and bribery...

What is my weakest section of a triathlon?

Running.

I simply don't do it, if it can be helped.

So I set myself a goal... I would enter a half marathon. Easy!

I needed some kind of bribery to help me train... I decided on a new bike. If I followed my running programme, I would buy myself a new bike suitable for racing rather than commuting like my current bike.