Sport Relief Mile

This is what happens when a lunatic middle aged runner takes an office charity Sport Relief run too far and challenges the youngest fittest club runner on his floor to a race.......

RACE REPORT

Amongst the joggers and those running with eggs & spoons - only two people had stop watches and were taking a full sprinters position at the start. Brian looked subtle, Craig looked ridiculous in pro-trainers, tiny shorts and tightest top.....all in every neon colour you can imagine. The pressure was on after opening a book on the winner and winning time (for charity of course).

This was not a course for personal bests with lots of tight turns, stairs, lose wood chips, stoney areas and groups of walkers blocking the path. So all thoughts of sub 05:30 times were out of the window immediately.

BANG.... and they are off, immediately clocking a 04:50 per mile pace. Screams of shocking and awe from the crowds around.

Craig, although heavily choked with the cold, was encouraged to hear the younger runner breathing heavily beside him from the start. Using his race experience, the older / wiser runner put the hammer down and opened up a gap - realising the opportunity to burnout the legs of the less experienced Brian as they lept over the stairs. The second half of the course was through the woods and trail paths, crowded by casual walkers. Now very much the fore-runner, Craig bellowed and knocked the pedestrains out of the way - only clearing the path and providing an advantage for the chasing Brian. The course became very twisty and it was now impossible to see how close the race was. Runners that start out minutes before were being passed, encouraging the two galloping fools to sprint for the finish.....

.....on the finishing straight the sprint was in full motion, stop watch was slammed - 05:53 was the finishing time (not bad for that course). Turning round expecting to see his challenger, CRAIG was very surprised to see no one!!! Then over the horizon came young Brian (10 years younger it should be pointed out), a valiant effort but not quite good enough on the day as he finished in 06:09. The early tactis to go out hard and burn out the youngester worked - brain over brawn on this occasion.

2012 Planned Racing Update

Planned races now at 22 for 2012, including eight ultra marathons and the full Edinburgh Marathon Festival race schedule.
See updated planned races at CLC-Running website... http://www.clc-running.co.uk/races/

Inverness Half Marathon - Food Poisoning, New Trainers and Nights Out

Mon 29th Feb: Arrgghh - I feel like death warmed up. Terrible food poisoning and swollen throat. Already had a terrible month of running because of work and birthday events etc and now this!!
Tues 28th Feb: New Adidas Adios Bostons just arrived in the post. Been waiting months as didnt have size 12 but now I am too weak to stand in them thanks to food poisoning!!!  Should be fast once I am back fit...hopefully try them in anger at Inverness Half soon.
Thurs 1st Mar: Started to eat (well soup) and take on a lot of fluids today, lost half a stone after three days of no food though! So time to try out the new Bostons - a miracle....I managed my second fastest 5km run this year and that was on slow loop round my house. It must be the trainers as I am as weak as a kitten.
Fri 2nd Mar: My new Brooks Cascadia arrived today. Hopefully a good comprise between a road shoe and the my big nobbly Salomon trail / fell shoes. Should be good for hard pack trails. That makes up this years trio of trainers.
Sat 3rd Mar: I will say it again my new Adidas Adios Bostons are amazing, so light, feel like gloves, fast gripping soles and just a little cushioning.  Managed a 19:29 5km at ParkRun which is my second fastest ever (fast for me anyway) - very happy after a week of food poisoning etc! It is all the shoes!!!
Fri 10th Mar: Still not a 100% after illness the week before and only managed a few 5 mile runs. So decide I will only go along for a couple of social drinks at my mates leaving drinks a quickly home....that was the plan anyway. Stick to a few whiskies as beer doesn't agree with me anymore, that plan worked but a bit too well.........5 hours and a lot of whisky later then I remember I have a half marathon on Sunday - idiot!!!
Sat 12th Mar: Whisky works, no hangover and the legs still work. Bit tired but a gentle run out at ParkRun for the first time with my son Lachlan lifted the spirits. He did 31 mins which is a good start for an eight year old.
Sun 11th Mar: A nice trip up to Inverness Half Marathon with Andy Kerr. I was optmistic of a good time close to my previous PB of 01:36:15 as in my bag the newly purchased Adidas Addios Bostons. Which had proofed very fast on the few runs I had then out so far. These are wonderful neon speed demons, that fit like a glove and are very light weight - bit worried about the reduced cushioning over a longer distance.
So as usually I started off fast, my mind set was to use it as a training event and see how long I can sustain 7 minute sub miles for. Assuming I would blow-up at some point I went for it. As I guessed it was quite flat and a decent climb from 3.5 to 6 miles - this is were my trail running and mountain ultras help as I could streak past people not breaking my tempo. So the miles kept coming and I didn't blow up - at 11 miles I saw my first sub 01:30 on the cards. However after a couple tight turns over a bridge, my legs seemed to say no and I could get maintain the 06:30 pace I need. In the end gutted to finish on 01:30:46 but very happy with new PB and the performance of the new Bostons, my feet have never felt better after a race. The Shoes Work

Inspired by John Tarrant...Fuelled by Stupidity

So Marcothon had ended in injury and sadness. As always happens these days when I stop running, I immediately pick up some virus or another to make me feel even worse. So the rest of December is spent cursing my knee ligament damage and sniffling around with man flu. The year was over and so was my plans to run the Liverbird Double Marathon on the 31st Dec and 1st Jan. Luckily I hadn't got around to entering anyway.....I have never pulled out of a race yet and have no DNFs to my name.
Between Xmas and New Year we were at my in-laws in North Wales. I had for company The Ghost Runner the story of John Tarrant and a crackling cold. By the time I got to 30th Dec I hadn't slept for a few nights and my knee seemed to be getting worse (I blame the bed) but had just finished the book. I could stop think about it that night and work in the morning inspired by John Tarrant and fuelled by my own stupidity....I am going to Liverpool.
So as it turns out 2011 hadn't finished and the was one last run left......the first part of the Liverbird Double Marathon. Giving my nose a heavy blow and strapping my knee everyway possible, I find myself registering for the marathon on a cold and dreary part of the Merseyside promenade. The race was dreadful. Running up and down the same stretch of promenade eight times in the rain was depressing. The time dire. However afterwards I felt great and had one more medal to add to the collection in 2011.
There was no chance I was going back for the second marathon on the 1st. However it did clear the cold and surprising did wonders for the knee to allow me to start full training again on the 2nd Jan, 2012 is going to be massive!!
PS. If you haven't read The Ghost Runner or heard of John Tarrant you need to. Start with this article from the Independant.... http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/john-tarrant-sad-shadow-of-the-ghost-runner-still-stalks-the-track-2305959.html

Marcothon 2011

Marcothon 2010 was one of the reasons I managed to step up my running and have the philosphy that we should try and run every day if possible.

The challenge from this Facebook community is to run everyday at least 25 mins or 3miles (my rule is 5km minimum) through out December - including Christmas Day!! Last year was great fun with bundles of snow to overcome.

So this is my blog of my Marcothon 2012  attempt (which didn't start well a week before December when I received a serious knee injury thanks to my stupidity of playing 5-a-sides)....

100 Ups

100 Ups and Barefoot Running

Just read a new article on the NY Times site by Chris McDougall (author of Born to Run). I am very interested in barefoot running and any principles of natural running - as I know I am heavy planter and very inefficent but mainly to avoid injury. It is all about getting back to ability we had as kids to run barefoot over any surface with a bouncy running style. I now do the majority of new training miles in Brooks Green Silence as I edge towards barefoot but it is more about the style than actually being barefoot for me.

Which is why this simple exercise called "100 Ups" from the 19th century that Chris talks about and demonstrates in the video interests me. I can understand the rationale why it could help. Think it is worth a try and will incorporate into training - will feedback here on any change as a result.

The first running of the Glen Ogle 33 Ultra

5th November 2011

Woke at 04:30am this morning for drive up to Strathyre to take part in the first Glen Ogle 33 Ultra. This madness was rewarded by stunning weather and an excellent course, with some good hilly challenges. One of the best races I have taken part in and was very happy with finishing in 04:58 and in 65th place (out of 130, so top half!!). While a slight change to the start (for the better I think) meant it may have came in around 31.5 miles - still meant it hit 50km+ so a "true" ultra.

As is the way with ultras, no medals for the effort (I love medals I do!!!) however very happy with a special edition bottle of my favourite Brew Dog beer. Free soup and pint afterwards were grand. Well done to the organisers and marshalls, definitely back if you promise the same weather!!!

Nice to see old friend Ross Laing out and some new ones. Final surprise was my Mum & Dad at the finish line to give me a hug - popped by to see on their travels up north!