Running Potter Running

Cameo Blogger

2011-06-27T06:29:00.000-07:00

RACE FOOD AND RECOVERY FOOD ALL IN ONE!

Yesterday I ran the Lairig Ghru Hill race. For those of you who don't know its a 28 mile race from Braemar to Aviemore over the drovers tracks. It was such a great race and route it has inspired me to write a little (a bit epic actually..feel free to skip to the end n the pictures) report about it. It will be a sort of Cameo in blogland as it has been a while- but if you've nothing fit for saying on a public forum I figure it's best not to say anything!!
Now don't get me wrong..I have done plenty of stuff over the last wee while..not as much skiing as I would have liked over the winter but a few Munros and a couple of ultras..the D33 and the Fling. A number of good and testing training runs in between..but I didn't figure they would interest you much..but here's a quick catch up..
The D33 is scenic and flat...cycle track out n back, ran well to 27miles then paid the price for drinking lucozade sport (breaking the golden rule of doing NOTHING different for race day) I staggered the last ten k running and walking and darting behind trees every hundred yards! It was a great weekend...having gatecrashed the girls outing, Jude, carol and Maggie D....do they know how to partay..before and after a race!

The Fling was so much better for me this year. I trained with Bk (work colleague, friend, drinking buddy-only cause he can drink less than me and training partner) It was much easier to hit the long training runs around the shift patterns this year which also helped. It was BK's first ultra..having only done 1 10k and 1 marathon before- he did it no bother finishing in 11:55 a great result.

I ran the race with Carol and we blethered the whole way.I had a brilliant support crew of one- some of you may recall supafit Dave..he was there with every thing I felt I needed and answered every whim I came up with! I got the nutrition better due to the support, and despite the heat finished much more comfortably than last year...feeling great. I'm even entertaining the thought that the whole whw race might not be totally out of the question for me?....2012.

And so to the Lairig Ghru. I didn't know much about this race until my friend Carol mentioned it after the D33, I looked it up and got a good vibe about it...decided it was well worth a blast and entered. I loved the name (dunno why that matters but it appealed to me) and I loved the fact it was in an area of Scotland I haven't really explored. I mentioned it to bk and he decided to enter too.

I was feeling pretty relaxed about the race...treating it as a training run (the Clydestride is only three weeks away)I started out at 3pm on Saturday and collected Carol then BK and we headed North East.
We stopped in Blairgowrie for toilet (wonder who for) and a carry out for the room...u can probably see where this is heading, I did buy a bargain box of the most delicious cherries too, it wasn't all alcohol and chocolate.
I think we finally arrived at the Fife Arms hotel about 7...where we checked out our rooms and had a Budvar..or Cider if your name's Carol, and did that...we're here we can now relax thing...a further Budvar and we decided to head down stairs for food..
As I walked into the bar i thought I recognised a face...however when i went over to investigate, having ordered food and the obligatory Guinness- it turned out we didn't know each other. It was however an ice breaker to introductions and the sharing of stories (not that excuses are needed-these events are so friendly) Their names were Kenny and Mark..a couple of guys who were also racing the next day...and had vital experience on the course...more on that later as I left them to eat in peace...having imparted my ultra CV and full name..(they did ask I didn't just tell them!)
Kenny and Mark

Our meals arrived and we ate.. a big bowl of pasta for me and errrmm more Guinness..race food. Looking around it was very easy to spot the runners...a marked difference..coach party or runner..it wasn't hard to tell. A few polite hellos and nods of heads..I think this means I was looking like a runner..not a member of a coach party which I take to be a good thing! In fact every time we walked past a CP member they stared at us as though they were looking at a two headed alien.

Through the course of the evening Kenny and Mark came over to join us and pass on their knowledge of the Ghru. I am wondering about the vibe I give off...as they had looked up the Fling results to check I was for real, modern technology eh!!! Kenny told us that the start is quite flat..but its all uphill to the 18th mile...hmmmm.

We proceeded to have a great evening with them. Mark has just run the Marathon de Sables and is getting ready to hit the Gobi race in three weeks!! Kenny had recently completed the 70 wild miles so you can imagine there weren't many gaps in the conversation.

Eventually we retired to bed..@ around 3 and I didn't open an eye until 8 am on Sunday...10am is a great race start time! And Carol DIDN'T snore despite her reputation!

Breakfast was included so I shoveled down a full cooked breakfast. Then we packed our things up, settled the bill and wandered about Braemar to find the start point and collect our numbers. There were a fair few runners milling about the street and it was easy to spot the blue parasol that represented the reg point! We attached our numbers and milled about it started to rain..quite heavily...finally the organiser got up onto the roof of his car and introduced the race...as the race is not signed he ran through a few instructions and with no pomp or circumstance or frills finished off by saying.."the race begins in 5 seconds four, three, two, one..go" and off we went!

BK, Carol and I hung back as the field shot off along the road a quite a pace..we were a little concerned about the cut off at Derry lodge..which was 90mins...but knowing this point was 8 miles away we were confident that a 10 min pace would be plenty fast enough..knowing from experience that reining yourself in at the start of an ultra leads to a massive boost at the end when you most need it...provided all goes to plan!

We struggled to keep the slow pace and were in fact last for the first 4 or 5 miles until we crossed the Dee at Marr lodge..the path headed up onto the trails.. We made Derry lodge in 85 mins, the Mountain rescue team were there..cheering us on..always appreciated..and hopefully not needed!

After Derry lodge we relaxed a little as did many of the other runners...we hit a very marshy boggy patch of land which required a fair few leaps and bounds just to avoid being sucked in by the bog monster. This is where the trail really started to get beautiful..weaving up Glen Lui to the stream crossing at Luibeg. (I imagine I was a bit of a sight at this point as the water was flowing strong and fast..I had my phone out taking pictures and ended up crossing somewhat haphazardly, using both hands to steady myself feet in the water on slippery rocks..phone in a ziplock bag clenched between my teeth..we know htc s and water dont mix well!)

The path then climbed more steeply by Carn a’Mhaim with the Devil’s Point on the left..quite a sight, as the Lairig Ghru appeared before us.

Devils Point

We chatted along..I felt great and was really working hard to hold back, it was great to be on a new trail, the landscape was so perfect it reminded me of those model villages that my parents used to take me to as a kid..(more to do with my brothers obsession with Hornby train sets) lush and green. I love running in such rich countryside you can almost smell the oxygen all that clean freshly produced O2 coursing into your lungs and around your body. who needs drugs!?

The infamous boulder fields, large wobbly rocks..'Bowser was here' rocks. LESS SAID ABOUT THEM THE BETTER..I quite enjoyed hopping from rock to rock... but BK and Carol didn't so I don't want to evoke the memory too vividly...Brian asked a walker going the other way how far they went on for...'forever' he said 'they just become less wobbly' this was not the right answer and we moved on quickly...Kenny had said they went of for about 2 miles...not FOREVER...! At 18 miles you just don't want to hear some things.....walkers take note! WHW'ers..imagine doing the whw for the first time and being told the loch side goes on forever!

Clearly the boulder field didn't last for ever..and as the chunks of rock got smaller and less boulder like. BK and I pushed on as we were both feeling pretty energetic still. We passed the check point..around this time Aviemore came into view.

As we started the descent I would love to have been able to 'disengage the brain' and 'fall doon the hill' but I need more practice at that..we did release the breaks a bit and had a ball flying down into Rothiemurchus Forest. We were also starting to catch people..I have no idea how many but to be running strong at 20+ miles is just about the best feeling. We were like two kids going to a party or something bounding down this mountain with big grins on our faces...exclaiming..'this is brilliant'..we were flying. The forest is a proper Scotch pine forest, and a beautiful trail to run down through.

As the path evened out we cut our pace..we were cruising along at 8-9 min miles,both feeling a bit unnerved that with 23/4 miles in the bag we were feeling so strong.I put my phone away at this point hence no pictures from here onwards) We kept picking off runners which just spurred us on more... we hit the road at Coylumbridge and had a couple of cups of water. I had Nuun in my camel back which had clearly done me well but I was glad to get some fresh water at the one and only water butt.

The road seemed long...we were still catching people all the way, we headed up the cycle path into Aviemore..really delighted to be finishing so strong..as we turned onto the main street we saw the Blue Parasol and ran into a lovely friendly understated finish. No official times yet but we finished around 5h35
i really didnt eat much along the route..but the big cooked breakfast at 8.30 and the guinness must have been enough..I drank lots of very weak Nunn and had half a go-ahead bar and a packet of salt and vinegars crisps.

There was soup and cake for every finisher .. and it was good seeing all the runners at the end..as we all had to wait until 5pm to get the coach back to Braemar. Kenny and Mark were already there..so we chatted to them and heard how their race had gone..Kenny had done a minuite faster than last year...in 4:26 a very respectable time..and Mark said he was about 20 mins ahead of us.

Carol came in about 10 Minutes later.

The prize giving took place...needless to say there were some awesome times. With a race cut off of 6hrs..this really is a runners race...

The coach journey back took forever...having sat in the same position for the 2 hr journey there would have been some worthy entries to the ministry of funny walks as we dismounted the coach. We hot footed it down the road to Bridge of Cally where we met up with Kenny and Mark again and shared some more laughs. (I would recommend the home made steak burger if you're passing) A perfect end to a brilliant couple of days.

Munro Tuesday

2010-05-25T08:13:00.000-07:00

Had an early start on Tuesday. Leaping out of bed at 5 30 (yes that was worthy of sarcasmaholics) and collecting Mick and BK for a hillwalking day just past Crainlarich.

Mick being our guide, I packed my tiny rucksack with lunch and a few layers and made the start by 8am!

It was a beautiful day and we got in a full 6h on the hills, The first Munro being Micks 100th! Meall Glas it was a marshy and boggy route up, quite steep in sections and a complete absence of paths, we were approaching from the South thus saving a longer time on the road through Killin.

We dropped and followed the ridge to the summit of Beinn Cheathaich which is to my horror NOT a Munro despite being over 900m! We then had another drop and climb to the summit of Sgaith Chuil which due to the route we took was a pretty steep climb before we could enjoy a stroll along the ridge to the summit.

The journey down was pretty straight forward until I went over on my ankle (the same one as I did in the Fling) and had to limp the last bit over the moor like ground. When we reached the river we all dispensed with the footwear and soaked our feet in the stream. eventually we pried ourselves away from the soothing water and headed for a bit of refreshments in the Bein Glas farm bar. bliss!

Total 6h

Reservoir

2010-05-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Ran three around the reservoir with Robert. it was a lovely day and the view was spectacular!

Wednesdays Mugdock

2010-05-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

Met karen and Mike for a run around Mugdock. Good patter good run. Legs definately starting to feel better and we even tackled a few muddy banks and 'inclines'! We ran from Karens through the park, across the road and the moor up the ridge and then back through the park again incorporating the horses field.

5.6 miles

Build up to training

2010-05-17T05:35:00.001-07:00

Ive decided to get a bit better at logging runs, this is mainly because I need to get back into the habit of 'training' and not just going out for random runs at a comfortable pace. Proper trainng is set to start in the second week of june but I need to get back in the habit! So here goes:
Ran 3 mile out and back today from clober along the whw with Daisy. Ran out easy in 14 mins then turned and picked up the pace a little making it back in 12mins. Feel a little bit less sluggish, foot feeling better. The weather was stunning and it was pretty warm. Took Daisy with me too.

3m- 26mins

This weeks runs

2010-05-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

Still plodding in the guise of recovery this week...last weekend I had the pleasure of being accompanied by Craig, he was visiting from Canada, a seasoned marathon and half marathon runner, and a friend of my much missed pal Lesley who emigrated a few years back. I took him out along the west highland way (where else) for an easy 6m and then back to mine for a BBQ with his wife Alison and Daughter Amanda.

On Tuesday I helped out at the club team race, brilliant turn out. 103 finishers...102 times..glad its up to Robert to sort that out!

I popped out for a three miler and a four miler through the week, both felt harder and heavier than they should have..and I've a few wee niggles in my left foot still.I know it's probably just cause my legs are still a bit tired. Today I met Robert and Karen for a wee 4 miler.

I'm informed that hard training for the 5k begins 7th June...better enjoy the lull before then eh!?

Fling photos

2010-05-11T03:25:00.000-07:00

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The Fling's Been Flung

2010-04-25T09:11:00.001-07:00

Well I did it, it was painful and long. I made a new friend. And boy am I feeling it today!

The night before was restless, getting drop bags ready and trying to anticipate what I may need. I laid everything out on the lounge floor and futtered about. Giving myself a 'latest' bedtime of 10pm.

I was up at 4:30am gathering things up and pulling on layers to be dropped or otherwise depending on the weather. I hadn't really thought about breakfast and so ended up shovelling a weatabix down..better than nothing I decided.

Robert picked me up at 5:15 and we headed for Milngavie, arriving at 5:30, the place was already buzzing with activity. People meeting up with people, faces being put to blogs! I found the relevant vehicles for my drop bags and realised with horror that my rice pudding was still in my fridge..bother...

Oh well I don't really like it that much anyway!

The weather was promising to be perfect, drizzling a little then fizzling out. I stood with Karen and her support team Robert, Mick and Mike under the bus shelter waiting for the race briefing. Watching from the side as everyone did their pre race thing.

Before we knew it the race had begun and we were gently running through Milngavie under the West Highland Way arch and out to the all familiar territory of the "way"

It felt so good to be doing it at last. I was planning to be conservative due to the patchy training and weak knee and felt no pressure other than to finish it.

I ran with Karen through the first part of the race, and to be honest I can't remember that much about the early stages, just the determination to keep the pace easy...walk up hills as instructed by just about everyone. As we headed past Craigallian Loch we started chatting to Mary who had been runnin around our pace up until that point.

The miles ticked by as we chatted and ran...walking every incline and before we knew it we were passing through the Beech trees and heading out towards Drymen. Dumgoyne was hiding in the mist, we were pleased of that as the sun was eager to burn it off and heat us up....I don't do well running in heat! Gate after gate was opened and closed and the wee winding paths were eaten up with out any complaints.

We approached Drymen and spotted Mike who had scouted down to chum us in to the check point. I was guided to the pad where my chip was swiped..very efficiently and we continued on up through the forest to Conic. That section to the hill always seems longer than I remember...even though I tell myself that..and given that the last time I had done it with Karen...our aborted conic attempt due to snow...we had missed the turn and got all mixed up. We managed not to go wrong this time thankfully and negotiated the forest well talked our way through the forest more like.

Conic Hill arrived and we kept a pretty brisk pace walking up, Karen firmly dictating a speedy ascent, then the slippery slide down the otherside. I usually love the descent but since the trouble with my knee I dread them a little and sure enough I started to feel my knee niggle.

Mike was waiting near the bottom full of cheer and crazy stuff..I hit the carpark and first drop bag station to find my kids there with an array of banners and smiles...a lovely surprise. Also Davie Hall and Jude were faces to behold...its amazing how seeing friends can lift you.

I should have stopped for longer though..I looked round to see karen disappearing and panicked a bit...grabbed a hand full of grapes and ran...Karen however had set her own pace which I know I would never have kept up with and so Mary and i didn't attempt to catch up.

We ran on during this section I was really starting to feel the pain in my knee, I was welcoming every climb as a rest from the running and wincing with every descent. I was also starting to feel nauseous, and the nuun in my camel back was starting to get too much. I realised the muller rice was going to be missed as I was starting to crave something more savoury than the contents of my drop bags...how stupid of me to have not realised this! Mary was amazing talking and pulling me through a real low as we descended into Rowardennan, I was trying to think what i could stomach and for some bizarre reason Tea was at the forefront of my mind.

As we arrived at the base at Rowardennan a marshal directed us to the swipe pad and bag drop..the kids were there with their banners and so were Mick Mike and Robert. Mike asked.."what can I get you..do you need anything?" Tea I snapped I need tea...I knew this was an unreasonable request but within seconds there were two flasks on offer...coffee or green tea..I took the green tea and immediately felt the nausea ease, Robert was shouting at me to eat...rifling through my drop bag hand feeding me pistachios and chocolate!

After a few minutes Mary and headed on our way..easing back into the run, ready for the section to inversnaid.

This section although a shorter leap between bag drops does go on and on...then suddenly u see a building through the trees and realise you're there. I was trying to ignore the pain in my knee but couldn't help but sit down on the floor and take the weight off at inversnaid...cursing the lack of savoury items in my drop bag Mary shared her crushed up ready salted crisps with me..they really helped and definitely something I would pack for future ultras (wait a minute did I just say that?!!)

I tipped out the NUUN from my camel back and Mary got the marshal to put water in it... I just couldn't stomach any more! I decided that it was time to take a couple of Ibuprofen tablets to dull the pain in my knee..I wouldn't usually do this but I just had to do this race.

We hit the Lochside which I must say I quite enjoyed. The scramble makes for a real adventure feel. I recall that by this time the sun was breaking through a little but still not enough to cause too much concern, I have walked/run this section in real heat in the past and it can be almost tropical against the rock.

I can't say I found the treck to Bein Glas easy. I was suffering, my knee was still sore and I felt like I was running on empty. But I was still going and I was determined NOT to stop! As I sit here typing this Im trying to remember where Marco passed me...I really cant but i do remember how fresh he was looking.

As we approached I could see the drovers through the trees to the left, What a welcome sight that was. Another pit stop.

I was craving something savoury and almost hallucinating sausage rolls or soup, but I knew I had nothing of the sort in my drop bag. i slumped down and shared my pistachios with Mary, she had spotted one of her friends who was having a Low so she went to chat with him. There was a lady in front of me giving support to another runner who promptly headed on her way.. she had a flask of coffee so I asked for a wee sip...hot n strong and welcome..so thank you that Lady! It was a tummy settler!

With less than a half marathon to go I knew that I was going to make it...even if I had to resort to walking. the pills had dulled the pain in my knee but I was not feeling strong. We started to set targets...a tip that Marys husband had given her..."even if you get really tired..run/walk...set targets and run to them" we did that biting away small chunk by small chunk. run to that cattle trough..run to that lamp post....run to that gate...walk for two mins. We came across the cow barricade and edged our way past them...they didn't bother with us as we opted for the cow sh*t slurry trench rather than barge right through the middle. There were calves and I wondered how the runners with dogs had negotiated this bit?

The killer hills through the forest were killers...I couldn't remember how many there were from the training runs but I knew they went on a bit. I knew we dropped down to the road just not how soon. At this point my garmin gave up too... seems I wasn't fast enough for it. It died at 47.5miles! Bother.

Well I really did limp home those last few miles. run a bit walk a bit.past the wigwams where we met a friend of Marys who gave us a good prep talk.

As we approached Tyndrum I could see the green welly 800m sign on the road and told Mary excitedly. Running past some backpackers as we approached the end of the community forest path I went over on my ankle..the air was blue and I was done..I felt I was going to have to sit there until someone brought me some wheels..I couldn't believe it...THIS CLOSE!!! Of course it was a total over reaction and Mary grabbed me firmly under the arm and said..."NO! You're going to walk on it a bit then in a minute we'll run and you'll see it will be fine!" and do you know what..it was.

We were met by her husband Hugh who had overtaken us and finished in an amazing 9:40 he chummed us along to the end...taking my camel back for me (could you carry my bag pleeeese)...yes I was that pathetic! As we came into the field the piper piped us in and the finish was in sight..Flags lined the path and we crossed the line. It was emotional..I was soooooooooo glad to have finished. The king of blogland John kynaston was there ready to remove the chip..I'm glad he was cause I was in no state to do it. I found a seat n sat down for a long time.

I could go on to write about the time since them...the legs the trying to undo my shoelaces in the tea room toilets....the inability to eat..until 4am this morning when I just HAD to have supa noodles. But I wont. What I will do is say a huge well done to everyone who did the fling yesterday. Specially Karen who did it in 11:52 and Debbie and Sharon who did it in 9:49 and 9:41 the three of them securing the team prize for Garscube. Marco who did an awesome time of 8:23...and was 3rd man. you're all amazing!

it was a brilliantly organised race and the Marshall's were fantastic.

I'll post some pics when I get them! Oh and I nearly forgot..my time was 12:41 !!

Countdown

2010-04-21T03:07:00.000-07:00

Karen finishing the 8 miler

Well here we are in the final run up to my first ultra. My thoughts are really pretty 'open' I would say. I've had a few problems with my left knee (ITB) on runs over 20 miles but this hasn't stopped me from running and the recovery has been pretty quick. I just hope that it doesn't get too bad on Saturday.

The last few runs have been pretty good although I really feel as though I'm p%$$ing in the dark a bit with this training having done REALLY structured training plans for past marathons!

In my favor i do know the whw like the back of my hand...although this didn't stop me getting lost on the 30 miler (I know) I know I respond well to a challenge and race day vibes so I hope that that will make up for the patchy training!

I ended up missing my longest training run of 42 miles and replaced it with some aimless wanderings of Clydebank-Knightswood-anniesland...just to get a run in! hardly the whw but better than nothing!

I ran back from the airport a couple of weeks ago-having abandoned my family in Essex with the outlaws. Anyone who hasn't done that it's well worth it! (Maybe not this week) There's no more liberating feeling than boarding a flight with only runnin gear on and a wee back pack...skipping down the steps of the plane...past the baggage pick up, out of the doors, past the taxi/bus queue's, and running home. I took the wee footpath that runs down the side of the Normandy Hotel and round the banks of the Clyde, passing the rather Dr Seuss like scrap yards (sure I saw a few Sneetches)It also gave me chance to use the renfrew Ferry which was well worth the £1:60 charge for the novelty and the avoidance of te tunnel or the erskine bridge. I'm not sure that nipping into the 'Ferry Inn' for a bottle of water and change was advisable however I got out unscathed..more I think because I had the priceless element of surprise on my side!

Last week Karen and i ran along the Strathblane railway accompanied by Robert on his bike. A nice easy 8 miler to mark the start of the taper..it was freezing and we just had to head to the strathblane deli for a coffee n snack afterwards.

Mick a fellow firey from clydebank and I headed up into the hills on Monday...early rise so I could be back for 3pm. I'm pretty random it seems..I'll climb anythin but Mick had a destination in mind..so we bagged Meall Buidhe making it to the top in 70Min's, thick cloud and hail/snow hammering us from the start. As if by way of reward as we left the cairn the sun burnt away the mist and we were treated to stunning views over Glen Lyon and the reservoir below.

So here I am... contemplating what I should put in my drop bags...hoping it doesn't snow! Forecast looks good though and i don't have to catch a plane anywhere. Good luck to EVERYONE running this weekend Fling and London, Debbie..I've packed my club vest for that team GH shot..if you can hang around at the finish for me that is!!

Oh and BTW just in case you haven't noticed Im looking for sponsorship for this race and the Tunnel to towers 5k in New York in September. follow the Just giving link at the top of the page...all donations appreciated!

Sparrow and the workshop

2010-04-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

This band was the support band at The Joy Formidable gig I was at on Saturday...brilliant

OK Go are at it again..nothin to do with trainin

2010-03-31T02:42:00.000-07:00

Ironic

2010-03-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

Well another age has passed and i am finding it slightly ironic that in training for the longest race of my life I am doing the least most disorganised training EVER!

Oh well it cant be helped...My life now revolves around my three little angels and Strathclyde Fire and Rescues 5 Watch Duty System! Runs must be shoehorned in where they can and often I just cant arrange them to coincide with my runnin Bud Karen...I have managed the key runs...since last blogging there was a 30 miler from Home to Rowardennan along the whw route. Last week was a washout-literally, and I just finished a dayshift and did a poxy 10.5 road route.

I now have to decide whether to go ahead with the 42 miler scheduled for this weekend...but I cant do it till next Thurs/Fri...or cut the mileage to 30-34 due to the proximity of the race....comments welcome. The fling is on the 24th for anyone who doesn't know!

Anyway I'm sure it'll all come out in the wash!

Aborted 30 and some other stuff

2010-03-02T02:59:00.000-08:00

Life.s just been too busy to blog but I have a few pictured from the last few runs Karen and i have done in trainng for the fling. so Ill post them...we ve done a 22 and and a 26 so far. Last Saturday we planned to do 30 Drymen -Inveranan. ill expand on that one!

I had just come off my second night shift...and thanks to the new duty system was lookin forward to two day shifts (sunday and Monday) before bein back on normal shift pattern on Wednesday. This really only left Saturday for the long one. During the day on Friday I had dumped my car at the Drovers (Inveranan)

I got home filled my camel back with NUUM citrus...not quite as nice as cola but a change. And stuffed other random snacks into the remaining space...these included raisins, rice pud and chocolate. See picture of our new favourite snack....pistachios and chocolate mmmmmmm heaven!

We made it to Drymen and headed off but soon found that that nights snow fall had hit the area badly, it was passable but running conditions weren't great. We plodded on, jumping into the footsteps of some walkers who had made an early start.
In parts we had to walk and watching the time realised that we were going to struggle to get to inverannan in a reasonable time frame at the kind of pace we were making.

As we came out of the forest trails the snow got instantly deeper, and the wind chill had caused a hard icy crust to form making it harder to crunch through. we litterally ploughed on...reconciling to a run based on time on feet NOT miles.

As we approached the bottom of Conic we caught up with the walkers. The had decided to turn back...the snow was now thich deep..which means waist deep on me!!
after some discussion and reluctance we decided to abort the run...it was bitterly cold and we just werent dressed for the conditions.

We bid the walkers good bye and headed back to drymen.

A little way into the forest trails we were starting to warm up and we met Marco heading the other way. We relayed the conditions but he was set to meet deb...and thankfully went on to make the rendez-vous... (see debs blog!) As we were talkin to him another runner came up on our tail..Dave..who had travelled up from keswick kto train for the fling and ultimately the whw race.

We ran most of the way to Drymen...and following a slight navigational error (well I dont think ive ever done it backwards before!) repeated the last couple of miles a few times!! Fortunately Dave is very fit and very chatty...

In total we did 12miles in 3 hours!!!! Now Im just trying to work out how to fit in a long run next week with a night shift on saturday and sunday!

Oh well we'll see.

Pictures are from a few different runs..along the whw.

Canal

2010-01-23T11:12:00.000-08:00

A run was had...given the icy conditions that are still present on the majority of routes we would like to take, Karen and I opted for an out and back along the Canal from Bishopbriggs. It has come to my attention that Karen has started reffering to me as 'The Late Rachel Stevesnon' can't think why..but determined to get shot of this tag I was making good progress..untill I hit a blockage on Boclair Rd, just by Dobbies. There's been a collision and so I turned round and headed back to take the other route...makin me 15 mins late..I think Karen thought I was fibbing as I met her stare when I pulled in to the Playdrome...

Anyway eventualy we got started, the first three miles I felt like my legs were lead but we managed to chat along. The canal was completely frozen still, the poor swans and ducks trying to find the water. We saw two buzzards, chris fron Kirky olympians..lookin strong in his mara trainin, and it really was quite a nice change to run along the canal. We both commented on how we usually have times and goals when we run the canal but today we just ran.

It wasn't an overly long run just 6 out and 6 back but it was a good start. My knee was a bit niggly..just keep on rollin it I guess.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-01-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

Forgive me I have sinned..its been so long since my last post.

Its due to a few reasons..one was that Nov was a pretty busy time at work..the 5th really does stir up the coals it seems. The chaos of Christmas, and the fact that the pc is rarely free nowadays!

I think I need a laptop!

The main reason however is that I really felt I had little to say about my runs..they've been made up of short 'fit it in run like sh*t' runs and non runs due to the ice which stuck around for ages!!

I did a few long runs with Karen before christmas among them...Milngavie-Balmaha. Balmaha-Bein Glass but I had a sore knee and got concerned that my plans for the fling were ambitious.

Tomorrow we are headin out again and I will write..am sure it will be good and get me back on track!! Hopfully no grief from the knee! Will post no matter what!!
Cody winnin the Jack Shirley memorial Garscube Christmas handicap cup.....after he ran so hard he spewed his dinner everywhere!! Nothin to do with Maz makin him run hard or me givin him his lunch less than an hour before...Looooooooong story!!

TATE

2009-11-12T12:08:00.000-08:00

last weekend was a pretty busy shift..with all the bonfires and such. KAren and I braved the horrible weather and did a short 4.5m round mugdock and last night we met at mine and did another 4..
I didn't run on Tuesday but I did do something else.

Some of u may know that I had tickets to see the amzing Airbourne Toxic Event, (TATE) at the ABC...with a plan to meet Mrs Mac, DQ , Dino and Subversive.

Well against all the odds I did...and the gig was fantastic...moshed my way to the front and loved every second....they even had a little dallience with the Smiths.. shyness is nice and shyness can stop u..from doing all the things in life u'd like to....moving from Ask to Panic..(I was the only one singing along to that bit..think they all thought I had a secret Toxic album) but for me it was the icing on the cake to have made it one of my top gigs EVER!!

After the gig Jeremy and I managed to catch up with the others in a bar down the road..(to the right Sub!) And a few more drinks were drank and it was good. I was trying to see how good the video was (of the gig) on my phone....which got smashed at the gig...Not great sound but specially for those who were there who I doubt will mind..here's S A M. (Anyone not a the gig I'll put the shiny new video below instead.).

And Now for something Different...a word from my running mate Karen!

2009-11-06T06:35:00.000-08:00

Having featured on Rachel’s blog more times than I can remember, I actually feel that I have accomplished my first Cameo Role……so without further ado, here goes!
Now I had a work meeting on Saturday, and Rachel had her usual run of hefty shifts from Thursday until Sunday this week, so we had to plan our long run around this. Let’s face it, she doesn’t exactly have a boring office job where she can sleep off the effects of a long run, combined with the all essential socialising tasks one must undertake of a weekend, so long on Sunday was off the table.
So, we agreed Friday night we would tackle 14 miles; now we don’t normally enjoy road running such distances, but being an evening run we decided to head off from Rachel’s, and meander through Milngavie and Hardgate until we reached the Erskine Bridge. It was a great night for such a target for the out and back run and the bridge provided a great vantage point for the variety of fireworks going off all around us.
On the return I needed to stop for the usual call of nature, and not running on our preferred terrain meant ‘the ever ready bushes’ to hide in were few and far between. Rachel suggested I use the loo of the pub The Lovat; now I’m not normally that shy, but hey, it was Friday night, and the last thing I wanted was to be spotted running into a pub with my running gear on, JUST to use the loo!!! I was already considering running in a balaclava incase anyone I knew passed us in their car; I almost made us a sign for the back of our rucksacks saying “it’s gin and tonic in our water bottles”. Anyway, on the way back the rain started and it didn’t seem to stop. It’s a slow slog back from the bridge with what seems to be a constant pull all the way back up to Milngavie; at times I felt I was running as slowly as treacle running through a sieve!!!
Well, one thing’s for sure, Rach and I can sure talk through a 14 miler, so I guess if we’d taken the G n T we’d probably still be out there:-)

Trig Point 365

2009-11-05T06:04:00.000-08:00

Was Dayshift on Thursday (5th) and should have therefore expected to be late...and so it was perhaps a little daft of me to arrange to run with the hill runners and invite Bob along..a Crew Commander from Springburn...who was also working!
But u can't not plan things can u?

As it turned out I recieved a txt from Bob to say he was on his way to mine...at 18:05...At that point I was heading down the Grt Western Rd in the big red truck..as the daylight faded the jets and rockets had decided to come out to play...giving us many oportunities to spoil everyones' fun by dumping a load of water on their lovely bonfires. Eventually we pulled into the station to hand over to N/S an hour and a half late.

Back at home Jeremy had been doing a little redirecting of his own and had sent Bob up the road to The Professor's house..the meeting point for the hill runners.

Knowing that they often don't leave on time I decided to try and catch them. This was not as hard as I had thought as I made it there before Superfit Dave!

And so it was, we did the trig point 365 catching a ww2 decoy bunker (Douglas Muir?) on the way.
At the top we had a pretty good view of the numerous fireworks being deployed and the occasional siting of a flashing blue light!! he he.

Mugdock-whw-Beech Trees

2009-11-04T06:20:00.000-08:00

Following the wee runs through the week which I can't even remember now, Karen and I opted to have an 'easy' week and aim for 8 miles covering the all to familiar start of the WHW.
Now I enjoy running in the rain, and I am looking forward to some good hard winter training runs, but on this particular morning it was absolutely bucketing down and really uninviting.

Rather than setting of from the clock in Milngavie we decided to set of From Karens which is in Mugdock Village. Looping down to the the West highland way and hopefully adding on the extra mile we needed to make the run to the Beech trees a round 8..(why is this so important to me I don't know. But a run always has to end on a .5 or a whole one!)

So we ran..it was cold and wet but a fairly good run, we are so familiar with this route and so we managed to get a fair amount of chatting done before reaching the pub...

Unfortunately the pub wasn't open and so, realising that we had arrived at the destination half a mile short and before our taxi (Karens Husband (the VERY handy and musical) David we ran on a quarter of a mile and back to make up the distance!

No pics of the run this time although David did mention that he wished he had taken a shot of us shivering and huddled underneath the little information post....so I'll post one of him..helping me with the shower room!

Rowardennan-almost Inversnaid

2009-11-03T02:18:00.000-08:00

OK So it has been noted that I haven't blogged for a wee while! I have however been running..so that's ok I think!
I have run around the local streets in the rain a few times and I've gotten very wet and deserving of much coffee and cake.
On 23rd of October Karen and I decided to drive out to Rowardennan and run almost to Inversnaid and back...almost cause we were limiting ourselves to 12 miles and we figured the whole distance would be 14.

In the week leading up to this Karen was off on holiday and she had done a substantial amount of research regarding our commitment to the Fling...never one to do things by halves!! And so as I rolled up..at her door..a bit late, missing a few items of clothing and a camel back full of water assembled wrongly. Karen was well prepared, she'd done the home work and had a camel back full of Nuun (cola flavoured), a 'bunch' of grapes, granola bars for the end and our very delicious favourite brand of hot chocolate.

Now this may sound excessive for a wee 12 miler and we have run this distance and more with a wee hand bottle but we decided to train as we plan to do the race..and get used to running with a bit of juice and whatever else we decide to test run.

And so that's what we did. We set off and hit the trail..a fairly undulating bit of the route (more so cause I had remembered it as pretty flat) and it was a bit drizzly...perfect for running. We took it easy as speed is not our focus and despite gasping up the 'inclines' at first we soon got into it, loving being out doing our long run on a Friday..while the rest of the world were at work or school.

The grapes were a big hit..and the Nuun was surprisingly good too..for marathons and training we've always used the sis gels...(or as we call them sensation breaks!) they do the job but I'm not sure I could stomach a whole 53 miles on them!!

When u get to the turning point on an out and back run in a location like Loch Lomond there's a temptation to carry on..it's just so beautiful and fresh and you feel so good...on this occasion there was further reason as a keen looking guy had agilely picked his way along the path behind us and caught up with a certain amount of ease. I wasn't surprised to find that he was a crazy man called Murdo (the other one) and by crazy I mean it in the nicest possible way..in the way that my friends have been calling me crazy woman since I told them about the race...ok they may have a point..but I mean that Murdo was instantly recognizable as a whw race regular. Underplaying his achievements..just out for a wee stroll kind of chat...yea right!!

Anyway we were so busy chatting to him we over shot a bit. The look on his face when we turned just half a mile shy of Inversnaid was a picture...like 'how can u get so close and turn here?'

Worry not..we will return and do it soon....and more. And hope to bump into Murdo...BTW

And so we returned just making it to the car b4 a really heavy downpour, steamin the windows up with the hot chocolate and munching on granola. Fabtastic.
13 miles in all.

Game ON!

2009-10-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

Something I think I forgot to mention in my last post was that I have finally done it...after months of reading and watching the efforts of mentalists who think that 26.2 miles is for sissys, I've decided that it's time to see what all the fuss is about...My name is on the list..for the Fling. And so 'game on!'

Upon mentioning my intentions to my good friend Karen..expecting her to do the honourable thing and talk me out of it..she also said..'game on!' And so it is that we have been hounding the experienced among you for advice (If we haven't yet we will!)...sorry!

So taking our committment seriously we set out today to make a start at upping our weekend mileage..a dreicht day but a good run all the same..we did the undulating strathblane route to Killearn and back..the shorter version as we really haven't been doing many long runs lately..10.4 in total.

It was a cold wet run..low mist clinging to Dumgoyne throughout the duration of our run...I'm sure it was a nice day above the cloud!

And the coffee, eggs and tattie scones tasted extra good afterwards!!

And now for a game of Spot the Difference!

DAAA XC Relays

2009-10-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

I was working Mon-Thurs this week so I squeezed in a couple of short runs through the week but nothing spectacular.
Thursday N?S I get a text from Maz..garscube Ladies captain, seems she was keen to get a couple of runners to make up a 5th team for the DAAA xc that was to be held at Garscube on Saturday..so, following the advice of one Davie Hall, to do as many xc as possible I felt I couldn't say no...I was going to be there as Registration official anyhow!

11:30 on Saturday I roll up to Garscube..it's a lovely day but I spend the following two hours in the basement allocating numbers....time flies when you're having fun!

Both Cody and Lucie took part in the U11 race with fab results...Cody was the 4th boy and Lucie was just a minute behind him! Well done kids.

Abandoning my post at 13:35 for a race that starts at 13:50 I did a very short warm up and hit the starting pen for the first leg.
Now I am not good at xc, it plays hell with my lungs and I am not good at short stuff but I do know it's good training...

So I set off and by the first corner I knew the pace was way too fast for me...The first leg runners were meaning business and I would have keeled over if I had taken them on! So I killed my pace untill I could breathe once more and tried to focus on my own race..not the fact I was so slow by comparison.

The Garscube course is pretty good as it's a bit trail and not too much gloopy field, I could do with out the bits around the pitches though...boring..

As I settled into a slightly more doable pace I could tell Mo wasn't far behind me, and I have to say it was her that kept me going...

I love the last bit of the route...through the overgrown path by the river..bamboos and all sorts..I take the kids along this route quite often as it's very jungle like! It was a great relief to get to this section as I knew I was nearly there...
I was up against some pretty nifty runners in that first leg and so I didn't do too badly with 9th out of 15th placing...full results are here

Stephanie and Karen made up the rest of the team both doing good times and a promise to do more!!

Well done to the Garscube ladies A team who wiped the board!

And I did work hard!

facebook friends

2009-10-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

Today I ran a few miles round Mugdock with Karen. Robert joined us for the first 1.5 but had to quit due to a calf injury.

It was such changeable weather I didn't know what to wear and I was a bit on the toasty side..still we werent exactly reaching race pace so I survived!

As ambled along one of the forest pathways we encountered a group walking with a border collie who was sporting a giant stick... We had one of those polite 'annoyed I have to stop running to navigate around your dog but I'm glad it's not biting me' moments trying to dodge the dog and not even looking at the owners we eventually carried on past them, they were a tad embarrassed.

I forwarded a couple of pictures of the run to facebook, and logged on a little later to see how they'd come out. A comment on the pictures already, from an old school friend Russell-used to help me out with my paper round on really ghastly mornings at 6am many moons ago.....

"Ah, so it was you my Border Collie tried to trip up! Sorry"
(note that school was 320 miles south of here in cheshire!)

Small world eh! And we didn't even recognise each other!

Anyway the run was the best part of 6miles followed by coffee eggs and tattie scones...bliss

3

2009-10-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

Ran 3 after work..trying to get out more! Really need some new road shoes...

4.6

2009-10-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

Having had a week of little running it was good just to get out of the door and the short 3 became a slightly longer jaunt of 4.6.

Once showered and fed I got round to watching the adventure show from last week, covering this years whw race....http://bbc.co.uk/i/n8rc3/ Boy do I feel feeble for having only ever done a marathon...I wonder...

McAndrew Road Relay Race 2009

2009-10-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

Well I bit the bullet and got my racing vest out for the McAndrew relay today. I woke up feeling pretty rotten with the start of a head cold.(..just in time for returning to work.)
I pitched up at 14.20 feeling slightly nervous as it's been over a year since I last did a race (not including the mugdock one which was too much fun to count!)There were tons of Garscubes there, I think there were 5 women's teams alone.

I was on the last leg of three with debs doing second and Emma taking first. That meant waiting around in the stormy conditions for a good 20 -25 minutes at least..Of course with 15 minutes to go I realised I really needed to p but I was a bit wary as I know Deb's has turned into a real speedster and I didn't want to underestimate her time. So I just crossed my legs and hoped that I would finish the run before I p'd my pants.

I had a good chat with loads of folk I haven't seen for ages. A really good atmosphere. Kept my mind off the race and the course which I wasn't sure of!

As the third leg runners were called into the pen it felt like the wind whipped up and reports were coming back from those who had done the first-or in some cases the second- that there was a hellish head wind throughout most of the course. Great!
Rain, snow sleet I can handle but wind...yuck.

So as Debs wee cap appeared over the brae, Jill confirmed my vision with a back up call, I readied myself at the starter..and went.

Round the first two corners...keep it steady..don't kill yourself in the first mile (I know but remember I haven't raced for a while...you forget basic race rules and start doing stupid things if you're not careful!) as I turned onto Anniesland Rd the full force of the head wind hit me...and it was definitely there! I glanced at my watch..thinking I would be happy to be doing 8mm and to my surprise I was maintaining somewhere around 7:15..would I be able to keep it up though..had I broken the 1st rule already?

Concentrating on keeping it steady I realised that I was closing the gap on the runners ahead and so I focused on them.

It wasn't long before i heard the sound of footsteps closing in behind me...the first on the men, on their 4th leg! Oh well to have legs THAT long and THAT fast...

I was feeling quite good, believing that I could keep the pace up for the 3.25 miles..then the hills started. it was on these that despite slowing I manged to pull in the two women in front..as hit the final stretch they put up a bit of a fight which brought out that little competitive edge that rears it's head occasionally and forced me on to stay in front of them...I hadn't worked that hard to loose in the last few hundred yards!

I have no idea about places but on a personal level I was delighted with the run and really quite surprised that i had it in me to pick up the pace. The will hasn't been there for a while and I hope that this really is the start of a new running phase!

Splits: 4:24, 4:35, 4:32, 4:37, 4:33...(last 0.15m 1:01)
3.26m 23:43 average 7:17mm

...

2009-10-03T02:17:00.001-07:00

I have been running..... a bit
I did go away for the September weekend for a short visit in a lovely cottage near Kelso en masse
I can't get my phone to upload any photo's cause it's rubbish. The only way I can do it is by mobile up load to face book. Hence no photo's cause of pc rage every time I try.

I have committed to doin the Mc Andrew relay later today..just a short one, I'm rubbish at short ones.
Will let you know how I get on!
I am also planning to do a x country race in Buckinghamshire with the SFR athletics club next weekend..maybe my running is about to pick up a bit more direction after all!

I'm also coming to the end of my 20 days off and am set to return to the action packed streets of Clydebank on Sunday...whoopeee!

Boring but necessary catch up.

2009-09-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

Ran on Monday with Karen up in Mugdock...not sure how far!!
Yoga tues...don't think I'm getting any better!!
Kids 3k race tues night..brilliant turn out of over 85 juniors from different clubs. Midgies feasted well that night!
Ran 6.5 tonight...decided to put a bit of effort in and go for as reasonable pace as I could...53 mins...speed work only thing that can help me now!! Was a lovely evening round the streets of bearsden tho.

Seems work just can't be without me for a whole 20 days..one shift in and they need me back...ahh, just for a day!
Adios

Turbo x magic

2009-09-13T04:19:00.000-07:00

Had a few good runs this week. Notably Wednesday evening I had a wee 5m saunter around Mugdock with Karen and her neighbour Mike...whom she has convinced to run the turbo x too. We did a recce of some of the course, it was pretty boggy due to the huge amount of rain, but then that's the idea I think!

Thursday and Friday slipped by with work and suddenly I found myself waking up on Saturday morning to a beautiful blue sky and blazing sun. Turbo x day!

So I zipped up to Karens where our team of two had grown to 5, Mike the aforementioned neighbour, Sharon and Carrie more friends of Karens, they were set to do the Monster this weekend but were let down by two of their team mates and so differred to the x instead!

We dumped clothes and piled into Mikes car. Drove the mile down the road to the visitor centre which was already buzzing with pre race vibes.

After collecting our chips we chatted to a few familiar faces including Robert McFarlane (who had a great first off road run), did a small warm up and joined the start queue!! As we lined up I was tapped on the shoulder by a big bloke...:"are you a firefighter?"
me : "err yes!"
turned out I had been spotted at the secc the day before...the crew I was with had been sent down to the Rescue on the clyde with the MIU. Bob turned out to be a crew commander from Springbun, he and Michelle were running to raise money for Ewan Williamson the Firefighter who lost his life in Edinburgh in July. With them and also running was a member of Ewans watch from Tollcross.

So the race began, the closest thing I have done to this kind of race was the Mont Blanc Marathon, all off road, few less hills!! The mood was great and everyone seemed up for what was to follow.

Given that we had agreed to run for fun and as a 'team' we slotted in at the rear, if racing you really would need to be near the front as passing places were few in many stretches of the course.

It was suitably muddy and some areas had been dug out and replaced with peaty slurry...thighs on some, waist high on me!!

Towards the end we hit the 'turbo zone' a timed mile section that is a little extra muddy-at one point I was pulling myself free using a tree trunk such was the suction of the gloop-i think the winning time of this section was about 10 mins.

The total course length was 10.3m I did a bit of running back and forth as I just can't do down hill slow and in a neat traffic jam, but I did double back a few times so my watch read 11.5m

It was a fab morning and the goody bag was great too. A salomon tec tee shirt, water bottle (although mine was missing) drinks, shakes, munchies, facepacks, soaps etc.

It reminded me of how much fun it is to take part and now I'm just looking for the next one....definately going to do the Mighty Deerstalkeer that I pulled out of last your...meanwhile...any suggeation?Karen and Mike

Thanks to Robert for the photos.

Another week's flown by

2009-09-07T05:12:00.000-07:00

Another week has flown in. What have I done? Few wee runs, ran 5 on tuesday, after yoga...which did nearly kill me! A wee run with Rory who did really good.

Ran a little over 4 with Karen on Saturday up and around Mugdock...we were both feeling gubbed and it was good that we had each other to get us out the door. I could have willingly not bothered. it was a wwet miserable morning. As usual felt great, after!!

Night shift went on for ever on Saturday night, didn't get home till 12 noon...making it an 18hr shift...then I volunteered to take Rory to the west distrct hockey trials. Thought I might snooze in the car while 'watching' but it didn't happen.

When the girls arrived for the ceramics in the evening I felt a little bad as I was knackered and one glass of wine just tipped the balance...so no running yesterday!

Today Karen picked me up in her brand new wheels :-) oooo yeeees the much anticipated, deep blue pristine SLK. Nice! Can I get one?

We drove down to garscube and ran along the kelvin to the Kelvin Grove and back, clocking up a sedate (trundlu=ing and slightly gasping)8 miles in 1h 11m.

All the movie catering vans were out in force...word has it that Euan McGreggor is filming his new film there K Grove), we did two laps of them but didn't lay eyes on a single celeb. Wonder if he'd remember me from the time I saw him in Guys and Dolls....???

Finally my Turbo x entry arrived just now.....number 1282. Check out this route...can't wait!

TURBO X

2009-08-31T11:56:00.000-07:00

Ran three on Friday around Tesco and Milngavie, 4.38 with Karen on Saturday out along the west highland way and back after a pretty quiet shift.
Hit Clydebank with the watch ridiculously early..17:30 which can only lead to well I really don't know...thought I would have remembered somethin by now but no luck...will tell you when I do! Not been sacked yet so it must have been within the law!

Anyway feeling pretty delicate on Sunday, Karen was good enough to meet me for a run along the canal, towards Dunbarton taking a few little detours to the Clyde along the footpaths. We followed the cycle path from Bowling hitting the top end of the Dunbarton 10k route before turning.
We weren't aiming to run fast, Karen having an Achilles niggle still and a little indulgence of her own....(almost new SLK..ooo.eerrrr. Let me have a shot;-))causing a bit of the favoured bubbly to be drunk in Hoose de K on Sat night. We did notice however that we kept having to slow down on the way back managing the odd sub 8mm....ooo way too fast for an easy Sunday don't you think!!

So I have today entered myself for the Saab Salomon Turbo X, Mugdock

For those who can't be bothered to follow the link here's what it says..

TURBO X IS PURE FILTH! The maddest, muddiest run of the Saab Salomon Trail Running Series and will not disappoint with 10 miles of the gnarliest mix of mud, sweat and trail! Hidden within a natural assault course of water, sand, marsh and muck lurks the SAAB X ZONE.... A 1- 2 mile section of the craziest trail terrain to push your stamina, agility and perseverance to the limit! You'll wade through watery wildness, clamber through mud, sand and bog, charging your way through the roughest off road track you can imagine!

Of course I run round Mugdock ever weekend...how hard can it be??!!

BTW I have titled this post turbo x with the hope that if I say it enough my running will start to be a little more turbo loaded....andn whatever the x stands for!
8m- 1:10

Who would of thought....

2009-08-28T03:14:00.000-07:00

Those of you from around here will know that there has been a proliferation of shiny new PPI secondary schools appearing over the last wee while. Most of them opening this term.

A timely turnout for me this morning found me scouring one such building for a randomly numbered smoke detector. Whilst in the process of executing this duty I found myself staring disbelievingly at a tidy row of hair straighteners in the girls changing areas!! I won't go into too much detail about my school way back when, it was a good school but a hair dryer was not part of it's inventory...and the thought of the mankey cracked tiles, the side sprinkler shower run and the PE teacher Miss Sparks who used to stand at the end of it 'checking you were 'wet' (WTF); even though Tom cruise in mission impossible couldn't have got through that thing without getting wet!) still sends shivers down my spine.

So here I am staring at this classy row of hair straighteners and this sketch just popped into my head:

another 3

2009-08-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

Ran three this morning out around Milngavie and back. Twas a very fine morning.
Any one else notice this story...http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8223989.stm (note to Subversive..don't get any silly ideas now!!)

Perfectly timed

2009-08-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

Well I was all set and ready to run last night when MR S got in, but as he did he reminded me that it was his yoga night...damn. Not that I take that away from him...but I was all set with garmin ready and shorts on adn there's nothing worse than taking your kit off without the run before!

Today I was on an RTC course cutting up cars and getting slightly overheated in the all black jumpsuit that SFR deem suitable for such activities. When I got home I was keen to get out and make up for last nights missed run.

I took the car down to clobber car park and ran out along the whw to the Carbeth huts, up the ridge back through the stock fields and the steps toreturn to the whw for the last mile or so. Total of 7 miles in an ok 1:02:04 (to be exact!!)

It was a lovely eavening despite a moody set of clouds, I timed it perfectly as I got back to the car just as the light was failing and the car park was becoming frequented by those who didn't look like they were there to walk their dog!

One of the randomly selected tunes on the old ipod was this which I hadn't listened to for ages.

All that I can I can be...so to myself I call.

Giant bike

2009-08-23T01:53:00.000-07:00

Ran three on Friday and Saturday myself then met Karen this morning to do 6 along the canal. Her Achillies had been playing up so we decided to keep it relatively flat and short. We left the car at Westerton and did three out towards clydebank...the Playdrome marking the three mile turnaround point and much needed loo stop! The above is a picture of KAren with the Giant Bike that marks the canal.

Three shorts

2009-08-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

Been out for three short 3 mile runs so far this week. Mon Tues and today. All took far more effort to get over the threshold than the actual runs themselves! Have been quite busy at work with one thing and another so it's not like I've been sitting on my ass!! Here's a few pics to prove it! The mobile fire training unit was based Clydebank and so Brooksy (the other newbie) and I got the opportunity to brush up on our skills!

Menacing Coo

2009-08-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

Not a bad weekend running wise. The heavens have been opened and it seems a more traditional Glasgow summer has reared it's head.
Yesterday the plan was to meet at Karens at 9 am. Lying awake through the night listening to the wind howling and the rain lashing down like something from a low budget movie...you know where the rain is clearly being released from a large container just out of sight! A few texts passed between us in the early hours but we decided to stick to the plan. The roads were flooded but the wee bike made it through them without aqua-planing or needing the services of Knightswood water rescue. And so a 6m run was had.

We ran down to Blanefield then back up the ridge, we were pretty soaked but it was actually good to be out in the more familiar weather, in some places up to our ankles in mud. Then back to K's for a coffee!

Today the plan was pretty much the same but we ran out from Strathblane along the old railway line. Wet and blustery. About 1.5m in we came across a large coo that had strayed from the herd..onto the path. Now I am generally not too bad around large beasts but this moo coo didn't look happy to see us, menacingly slapping her tail around like ermintrude on a bad day...we chickened out and climbed the barbed fence to get around her. Satisfied she trotted off down the path the other way (laughing to herself). A mile or so on we were ambling along when there was a very coo like snort right behind us...both thinking that we were being charged by the herd we leapt a mile only to find it was a fellow runner....how he made that noise I don't know!

Anyway we made it back against the wind...resistance is good...more confident to pass the menacing coo. Maybe she was off to Southend!

6m

Even 6

2009-08-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

Ran down to the clock today for 9 am to meet with Robert and Karen. They were doing a recovery 3. Chatting and ambling along at a leisurely pace, discussing Roberts plans for his 5 course charity dinner he's bravely organising this weekend in support of Breast cancer. I then ran the remainder home through Lennox park to make an even 6 miles. Pretty rubbish weather but not a problem for running.

4

2009-08-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

Ran 4 from the house. sluggish but out!

3

2009-08-10T00:33:00.000-07:00

Got out for a 3 miler round tesco loop after spending the day cutting up cars!.

Brief

2009-08-09T00:51:00.000-07:00

Time has slipped by. The family are all away visiting the outlaws down south. I thought I would have loads of time to spare but it has proved otherwise!

I've done the usual wee runs, had a great hill run with Superfit dave and The proffessor up the slacks last week....Superfit Dave led us to recent find of his...A very large metal safe. How/why do people get these things to the top of highly inaccessible hills?

I also went over to the Orienteering 6day event in Perth which was an experience. I didn't actually do the orienteering bit but having got the train to Perth Station I ran to the event which was as good as, since I didn't know where I was going!

I popped into Dundee to see my 'recently escaped from London' friends Sam and Gary and their two gorgeous babies...and Garys other baby below....

Cheshire

2009-07-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

Not much running as been to Alton Towers this week...lot's of walking and getting very wet!
Ran about 4 miles in cheshire this morning and was reminded how lovely the cheshire countryside smells...Farm fresh! Jeeesh.

It is good to hit familiar roads...with many secrets of a miss spent youth..lets just keep them that way hey!!

A lovely bit of wattle on daub don't you think!

Sunday six

2009-07-19T15:29:00.000-07:00

came off night shift planning to run straight away but the family had needs, Rory needed shoes for his holidays and so off he went with his dad while I entertained Lucie and Cody. It was 12ish before I could fit a run in and so I had to keep it relatively short. I ran from home round the reservoir, a route I cannot do without hearing Morrisey in my head....'you have never been in love, until you've seen the stars reflected in the reservoir.' I must pop up there in the winter one clear night and see for myself!

I was a fresh run, the cool westerly breeze present that I had heard mentioned by the weather girl! Got completely drowned in the last mile...twice. I love runnin in torrential rain...makes me feel about 10!!

Here's moozzer hisself! My kids love this track!!

Home run

2009-07-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

Ran home from work for the first time! It's not far but it is all up hill! Will take garmin and measure it tomorrow! Somewhere between 3 and 4 miles!

late 4 miler.

2009-07-15T23:15:00.000-07:00

Another busy school holiday day. I am no longer in control, before I know it the kids have made all their social arrangements and my diary is filled with accommodating them! Just when did that happen??

At 21:40 last night I sneaked out for a short run..4 miles down Milngavie Rd to Canniesburn and back. 32 mins. Off to see what the natives of Clydebank have in mind for me this week..

With life comes loss

2009-07-13T13:10:00.000-07:00

Went out for a 3 mile recovery tonight, Tesco route.

I was so lost in thought that I was shocked to look at my garmin and see that I had nearly finished without thinking about it. The fastest recovery I've done in a while.....
That's running for you, it clears your mind and creates a bit of space to work out what's actually going on in there!

My thoughts were with the news that today has brought, and why it should affect me. I have no real link with any of the tragic events that have occured. Dario the whw way race organiser. The L and B Firefighter or the latest young boys out in Afghanistan. Just a feeling of sadness that with life comes loss, and death is often so unfair in who it chooses.

A Run!

2009-07-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

Well you wait and wait and then all the buses come at once. I have had the busiest shift so far and have failed to fit in a run all week. Correcting this I headed out tonight but being aware that I haven't seen much of the kids limited it to around 9 miles.

It was a lovely evening and I ran from the house, ipod intact, down the wedge to the West of Scotland rugby club (APPROX 1.5M), from there I did the M & B 10k. I am getting to really like this route as it gives good views and is a change from the usual routes I do. It's country lanes that are mostly quiet. And the hills are the nice kind...you know the rolling ones that you can work your way up without loosing too much pace!
When I hit milngavie I cut through the town centre, up Craigdu and home through the wedge again.

I started my garmin but annoyingly must have knocked the stop button at 5m. I was doing around 8-8:30mn pace. Felt a niggle in my left knee, not sure where that has come from!

Welcome yoga

2009-07-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

Went to yoga at blanefield straight from one of the busiest days I've had since starting! I was pretty tired but the yoga sorted me out. It was a great session and the focus was welcome! Nearly fell asleep in relaxation session though!

Ben Vane bagged at last!

2009-07-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

Today I woke up early, the sun was shining, after a few days of intense decorating I decided it was time for some air, for me and the kids. We hit the hills...the one we have unfinished business with. remember..back in January? That's right...Ben Vane! A munro in the Arrochar Alps reaching 915m.

And so we set off with a picnic and a munro in mind.

We left the Inveruglas car park at 10am and hit the trail. map in hand.

Cody was a little unenthusiastic at first but by the time we had reached the bottom of the mountain he was more open to the idea.

Rory was complaining about blisters half way up...I was not impressed as he had insisted on wearing an old pair of hand me down hiking boots instead of his own with school socks it turned out! So I told him to get on with it..caring huh!

Anyway it was a fabulous day...Cody lead us up not always the most straight forward route but by far the most exciting.

We made the top in 2h40mins which I thought wasn't too bad!

The picnic was quickly devoured as was the view!

On the way down Cody once more chose the tricky route....only getting himself in a fix once!! He sat happily swinging his legs...and believe me it was pretty steep....when I reached him his words were..."well you're a firefighter now...it's your job to rescue me!" Cheeky wee rascal!

I finally took pity on Rory realising that the boots he had on were a size 5. I switched footwear with him...see I do care, and he was fine after that.

Here's a few more pics.

Sunday run

2009-07-05T16:34:00.000-07:00

Things have been a bit chaotic with the school hols , weekends become meaningless and blurr into the week. it got to Sunday evening before I was able to get out for a run. Ran from the house. Not sure where I was going to go but having taken a roundabout way to milngavie found myself pounding along the all to familiar whw. Ran out until I got to the brick wall/style which has now sadly become a rather boring metal gate! WTF! then swooped right to head back up stockiemuir and back through Mugdock. Finished around 10pm just ready for a nice cold beer!

12.5m

Help!

2009-07-02T00:42:00.000-07:00

School Hols!!! Help! Extraordinarily hot weather!! Help!!

Trust me to get a job which requires me to wear a BLACK uniform as the light option and extra thick Kevlar gear the rest of the time just when Scotland goes continental!!

I think I have sweat at least half my body weight and I haven't even been near a fire yet!!

I popped down to the start of the west Highland way race where I was dazed and confused by the sheer number of peeps carrying out their own special pre race rituals. It was a pleasure to see and wave them all off from the prime viewing point on the wall in Milngavie. (Thanks Deb, would ha been lost wi out ya)Well done to all who did it..totally blows my mind!! It was great to meet Davie at last, sorry I didn't spot subversive and Mrs Mac tho.

Despite a lack of blogging about it I have been out running pretty much 5 or 6 times a week. Not always long but running all the same. I ran with Roger of SFR last Wednesday despite being very hung over, and run we did. All around Pollock Park, it was a great work out and much faster than I would have done alone.

There was a longer run last weekend along the strathblane-killearn-whw route. And a few wee jaunts around Mugdock. One with Daisy ma wee dug who never ceases to amaze me, she just runs and runs!Managed to make a couple of torturous yoga classes followed by the delights of the Blane Valley Inn, this was a surprise to the two locals who have never seen women before it seems! And so it goes...

New running chums

2009-06-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Tuesday saw the juniors 3k race up at Mugdock. I was last runner therefore didn't manage to get any photos of them but it was a great race with a turn out of 59 young athletes all ready to hit the trail!

I have to big up my wee boy Cody who finished in an amazing 12th place timing 13:09 not bad for an 8year old methinks!! And he managed to swallow a fly and keep running...

Yesterday I got myself down to Pollock police hut to meet up with a rather sporty chap named Roger. He organises the Athletics for Strathclyde Fire and Rescue and a few police join in too I believe, Wed and Sun every week. We ran around Pollock...I never started my watch as I thought we were warming up at first, but a good steady 45min+ run was what ensued. Along with plenty of chat, mostly by him as I was trying to keep up and not look like each incline was killing me!!

A BIG good luck to all you West Highland Wayers, not that any of you need it.....look forward to seeing some of you in Milngavie and reading your reports when you've all completed!! xx

6m

2009-06-15T23:30:00.000-07:00

While the kids were swimming tonight I decided to make the run a bit longer. I did a route I had done back in November. A six miler round the westend. I kept quite a steady pace but having forgotten my garmin I can't be sure of the time just that it was under 49 mins. It was a really enjoyable run and made me feel a little less slovenly! It was close and overcast and smelt a summery.

Cleveden High-Grt Western Rd-Bank Street-Kelvin Grove-Dunbarton Rd-Crow Rd- Anniesland Cross-Grt Western Rd. 6m

Suffering by proxy

2009-06-15T05:38:00.000-07:00

Another week has flown in and here I am trying to remember what I have actually done! I ran with Karen on Thursday night...just a 4.5 mile route from the house. Great catch up but we really didn't break much of a sweat!

I was helping out at the Bearsden and Milngavie Highland games 10k on Saturday.....I should really have run it...I would have been the first female garscuber home...as there were none!! Come on girls what's that all about? I took Lucie and Cody along who did a cracking job of harassing each staggering runner into accepting a banana and a bottle of water.

It was another great event and one of these fine years I WILL run it!

I was all too aware of the crazy people who were commencing the Cally Challenge at 10am on Saturday. My friends Colin and Craig were part of the team interestingly named "Gut Buster" who finished the 54mile walk in an amazing 20h16!! Well done boys...I did my bit by sending the odd bad joke to raise their spirits and toasting them on the hour every hour with my G'n'T-Miller-Corona-Stella-bud...lost track after that!

Also well done to fellow blogger Mrs Mac and her team Strathaven Stragglers who also completed in 23h27. I just can't even contemplate being on ma feet for that long!

On Sunday feeling a little worse for wear after the hard work of supporting Gut Busters into the early hours..(I was at a very fine wedding reception too) Karen and I ran 5 miles in and out of Mugdock. Just enough to sweat out the alcohol!

And so after a week end of witnessing others achievements and pain I feel the need to enter something...have a goal...work those legs a bit, feel the burn! Sometime soon I am going to start some proper training...honest!

Yoga

2009-06-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

Another quiet night meant that I joined the Mistress of torture for an hour and a half this morning. At this rate I am going to get really good!! I'm gonna feel that tomorrow!
I must have done something last night tho as I came home and slept for 2 hours....or maybe that was the effect of the yoga??!

Campsie Calling

2009-06-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

I decided to do my long Sunday run today. I headed out to Strathblane with the plan to do an out and back along the old railway line towards Kirky. As I drove along Strathblane Rd I kept glancing over to the Campsies, they were almost shining in the sun and calling out to be done!

So when I got to the Kirky Inn I just kept driving untill I came to Campsie Glen. Parked up and hit the hills.

After the initial climb...of about 1700ft you hit the top, and boy does it feel like you'r on top of the world. Glasgow one way, Lomond the other..numerous munroes that I have yet to explore...I could see for miles.

Then you get to run along the top hitting cairn after cairn like a big dot to dot!

I struggle up the hills but I love coming down them...the journey back is a bit like white water rafting without the water....an hour and a half later I was back at the car quads only slightly jellified.

Midgies, Buckie and some wrongly convicted fugitives

2009-06-08T00:35:00.000-07:00

Not a lot of blogging due to the fact there has not been a lot of of running, I managed an easy 3 miles on Friday while Rory was at Hockey. I ran with Karen and Robert, but that's about it. Part of the reason for this is that the kids were off on Thursday due to the elections.

I elected to take the kids up to Loch Lomond to get eaten by midgies. Not sure what was happening up Drymen way but I found myself behind a van load of fugiatives from my past. Unfortunately it was totally lost on the kids but I suspect some of you will understand!

Here's a few snaps from the outing, we started at Rowardennan and wandered along the whw, had a picnic then came home before becoming completely polka dot.

Authentic scotland....

The weekend was spent in Clydebank where I'm delighted to say I did get out in the big red truck. Wahooo!
Have now got a couple of night shifts then a big long holiday!! I would
rather be finding my feet at the station but I guess I shouldn't complain!

Hope and Despair in Clydebank

2009-06-02T03:11:00.000-07:00

I ran a hot 3 miles yesterday just round the Asda route..not wanting to over do it before my 1st shift!

I could have run long.

The bells went alright but after a 3 hour induction and a mind blowing info over load it turned out I couldn't even go on the run. My helmet broke and there was no spare to be had. One of the guys took a trip up to Helensburgh (..where they fix them...) but it seems a SMALL helmet is just too hard to come by on a Monday night!

So I opened and shut the appliance bay and kicked around the station like a work experience kid while the rest of my watch flew in and out.

If only Subversive and I could have swapped roles for the night we would have both been happy!!

The up side is that I am feeling like I know the station pretty well, met my watch who are all great, and have plenty to get ma heid roond!

I also managed to hit my yoga class this morning with the newly names mistress of tourture jo to whom I am ever grateful that she keeps me a space at all. It was a great session even if I am a stiff old bird!

Dumgoyne by summer!

2009-05-31T06:50:00.000-07:00

Where else would I have wanted to be this morning. 24 degrees, blue sky and Scotland is the bees knees!

Rory is at a footy tournament all day and so I wasn't sure that I'd fit a run in at all. I managed and Karen and I hauled our butts up Dumgoyne and what a pleasure it was. We ran over the top, down the steep bit and up the next one...whatsitcalled!
We reminisced about doing the same run in the snow...and hail! The views were out of this world and 10 times as good as the pics. I love it when you feel you're on top of the world.
Karen making her descent down the steep side.

1 week 1 post

2009-05-31T00:55:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's about the longest I haven't posted since I started this blog.

Partly it's down to time but mainly down to the fact that the computer's never free when I am. Anyway, while I have a few minutes on it I will do a spot of catching up!!

Runs of note were..last Sunday. I decided to run from Mugdock across to Carbeth...ramble style...then try and locate the waterfall I had been to on the Thursday night with Superfit Dave!

3 hours later I had still not found the waterfall but had legs ripped to F and nettle stings up to my pants! Had scrambled over numerous barbed wire fences and made it back to the car. Objective may have failed but it was one hell of a run!! Dave will you show me the way again??!!

On Monday I took the boys for a 3 miler, tesco route, they were great and got all their chat...which is always an achievement!

Tues I went down to coach the kids at the club, they are all great and it was a pleasure to be back. Quite a few new faces as a result of the April intake..all keen...

Thursday was a beautiful evening and so while Rory was at Footy I took myself off to do the Bearsden and Milngavie 10k route. It was a great run, I didn't knock my pan in but I still worked...48 mins.

Friday I jumped over the final hurdle before deemed fit to be let loose on the public...then...get this...I was I.D'd in Asda!!!! WTF! How good is that. I don't care if the woman was needin' glasses, or the lighting's bad in there. So I had to get my beer elsewhere! No thanks to my best pal Val who, upon being told my story, gasped and with much emotion say 'UNBELIEVABLE!!!' Who needs enemies with friends like this hey!:-) The evening turned into a good one with triple measures of the very fine and notable Balmore darkest. Believe me the delicate state I found myself in on Sat am was worth it but a Sat run was out of the question.

Here's some pictures from last Thursdays run when I did get to the waterfall!!

A gentle Hill Run

2009-05-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

It's been a while but I decided that, having been promised, a 'gentle hill run' I would head out with the hill runners tonight.
It turned out to be just me and Superfit Dave, the rest were either skiving or doing the Helensburgh 10k I guess.

It was a brand new route to me, and one that i am told you can only do at certain times of year...it becomes impassable as the bracken takes hold in the summer. So this was perfect timing.

We started just before the Carbeth Inn in turning on the left. We followed the track for a while, ran past the christmas tree place, then at some point cut up to the left. I followed Superfit Dave, who lead me faultlessly to an amazing waterfall which you can actually walk under! The name of the waterfall escapes me but it runs down from Kilmannan Reservoir. It was a wonder full sight all the more so cause it's so hidden.

I will post some pics later..when I get them from Dave's camera!

We ran back a different route to the car. All in all a great run..57 mins long!

5

2009-05-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

Did easy run with Robert tonight. Felt a bit tired but nothing much to report!
Route-Mosshead rd-Milngavie Rd-Boclair-Rannoch-Maryhill-Drymen.

5m 43mins

Easy 3

2009-05-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

Today I ran my usual easy three while the kids were swimming. The achievement being that all three of them remembered their swim stuff....
3m 24 mins

Brig O' Turk

2009-05-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you have run all the local routes a million times and just need a change? You head north of course. On the suggestion of a friend, to the Trossacs and complete a mental bit of hillrunning, with no build up or training.
After Rory's footy, which alas was a narrow defeat, that's just what I did.

Parking at the Brig O' Turk I headed off this was the route plan
With the words of Hannah Montana in my head (yes I have just been to see the movie with my 10 yr old daughter) 'It's a tough climb but the views great' I was unperturbed by the constant incline...that's what I came for after all.

As the view of Finglas Reservoir appears life feels great. Till you realise that that hill was the small fry and there's worse to come.

Determined as ever I did continue, although by 5 miles I could happily have turned back, I began to realise what a hellish route this was! But stubborn as ever I ploughed on, the sun was out and 15 miles is not really that far...is it?

There was a noticable lack of walkers, possibly put off by the showery forcasts, but as I ran past the highland cows and freshly made lambs I was still glad to be there.

After what seemed like forever I finally reached the top of the ridge ...but by then the weather had started to turn and the clouds were descending the view was more moody than great. Not to worry, it's all downhill from here surely? It may have taken a while to get up there but surely the trip down will be fast and exillarating...downhills my thing!! (delusional by this point)

The weather worsened and as I rounded the ridge the wind picked up to hurricane levels nearly knocking me off my feet..I am so not exaggerating honestly! The rain turned to hail and was blowing horizontally whipping into my face forcing me to run cupping my hands round it, just to be able to see the path at my feet. I really wanted to sit behind a rock and phone a land rover to get me but I really think I would have died of hypothermia waiting! My lace came undone at one point, I stopped to tie it and realised how cold I was, it was like watching someone elses hands in slow motion!! I just kept going and eventually as I descended the trail the weather started to calm down a bit and I started to regain a bit of body heat.

The last 5 miles seemed to go on forever. Some mischievous pixie had put extra inclines in that I swear I had not come down on the way out??

Knowing the route was 15 miles I was searching for signs of the final stint where the rough trail turns into road and the reservoir appears, then I realised I had started from the tea shop on the road, NOT the Glenfinglass car park as per the instructions. The extra half mile was nothing at the start, but now checking my garmin stats and realising that I had to get a whole extra mile out of my body I was less than happy!

What's more the sun came out mockingly bursting through the clouds, just like a summers day. No hint of the arctic conditions I had just battled through!

As you will have guessed by now I did make it to the car. I felt like I had run a marathon..in fact I think I felt worse. The evidence of this is that of the four marathons I have done I have never been so cold and so knackered that I have stripped to my undies in the middle of the car park too tired to care about the passers by. (Sorry to the two ladies who got a full on arse view on the way back from their stroll.) (It's not easy to get out of skins when they're wet even when you're not tired)I pulled on dry clothes glad I had remembered to bring some.

All I can say is thank god for little tea shops that take debit cards...the Cullen Skink and the Plum pie with custard gave me the strength to drive home!!
All in all it was just the sort of run I love....afterwards!

16 miles-3hours

4 the Log

2009-05-15T01:09:00.000-07:00

This week I have made a return to my pre Gullane yoga class! I was concerned that I would not be able to keep up with the rest. In yoga world, and with top teacher Jo, you come a long way in 12 weeks and I had heard that they have been doing the FULL primary series!

Fortunately I managed to keep up- even if I wasn't quite executing all the moves quite right. It was a good work out which I continued to feel for a good couple of days! Thanks to Jo for keeping my spot!

I ran a short 3m on Thursday but more notably met up with Lynn to catch up on chat since leaving Gullane. We went out along the West Highland Way to Carbeth then cut up the ridge and back through Mugdock. Chatting all the way naturally! It was a perfect running day, overcast but dry.

We rounded off with the obligatory tea/coffee and bite to eat in Milngavie.

3m approx 25mins
8.36m 1:20:28

Running Catch up

2009-05-12T03:47:00.000-07:00

Did a few wee runs last week in Gullane. The best being a 4 miler along the beach at 5:30am on Wednesday. It is just about the earliest I have ever run but the weather was beautiful..if VERY windy.
ON Sunday I did a longer run with KAren, 10.25m along the whw and back making a familiar route...although we did alter it slightly. Karen noticed a path we hadn't seen before. We headed along it to see where it went and to our delight it bypassed the whole of Stockemuir hill...so a lazy option in the bag!!

Last night I did my ole 3miler round the west end while the kids were in swimming. The last time I did it it was pitch black and I had to run down the middle of the road due to ice! (I know that means nothing in Glasgow) BUT last night was great weather, blue sky and I was feeling great. I did it in 23mins which I was pretty pleased with!

Passed out!

2009-05-10T09:35:00.001-07:00

Well that's it. And so I am left with the mixture of the high of success and the low of realising it's all over! I've been pretty much living with my squad for 12 weeks...blood sweat and a tears shared and now that's it!

After a week of celebrations and display prep everything went more or less smoothly, (although there was no throwing of hats in the air like they do on Top gun...possibly cause we don't have hats)

Now I have a week off to catch up with friends and prepare for a bit of Strathclyde conversion before heading to my station on the 1st June! That's when it all really starts. The reason I joined in the first place...there will always be another door just ready to be opened. I can't wait to see where it takes me.

For now I am suffering a bit from the post course blues (can you guess?)...but as I have learnt from running (where do most lessons in life come from after all) the same slightly empty feeling after a marathon....Something that's filled so much time and taken so much commmitment- It won't last long and I will soon be climbing to the peak of the next high!

Who needs drugs?

Two seasons One run

2009-05-03T07:38:00.000-07:00

Met Karen for a run this morning. We ran from the clock in Milngavie, out along the WHW as far as the stile. Cut across to Stockiemuir Rd, then back along the WHW again. It was good to do an 'old faithful' route.

It was a beautiful morning although we did hit a small pocked of dark stormy wet wintry weather...not that unusual for Glasgow in April I s'pose but a little freaky all the same, the rest of the time it was blue skies, bluebells and birds singing.

10m-1h32

One more week to go!

2009-05-02T01:48:00.000-07:00

Well time for a bit of catching up.
Last week was back to pump and ladder drills, only this time it was a little more creative. Ladders being pitched in more unusual locations. The ladder climb went off without any hitches. Thanks so much to those of you who did sponsor us.

We did a bit of dam building and even a bit of hose running. It was a tiring but enjoyable week. I only made it out for a couple of runs though as evenings flew in with the college quiz night taking up one of the four.

This week was filled with scenarios which was really an excuse for the instructors to test their theatrical side. Another great week and a chance to put into practice everything learnt. Again a few short runs along the beach were the most I managed.

And so I now come to the last week of the course...cant quite believe that week 12 has arrived. Passing out parade is next Friday....then the real stuff begins!

Cochno by Day.

2009-04-19T03:57:00.000-07:00

This morning I met Karen and Robert for a hill run up Cochno...normally only attempted in the middle of winter with sleet and snow and added bonus!

By complete contrast it was a beautiful day and the mud was even limited!

It was a good relaxed run..although my lungs were pretty surprised to be climbing again after a few weeks break and boy did they let me know! We had quite a few short walk breaks and did a bit of exploring, the views over Glasgow and Erskine were brilliant.
The good news is I found my garmin cradle ..after the run!

Week 9 runs

2009-04-19T03:29:00.000-07:00

Mon-Circuits
Wednesday-3.5m along the beach with Lynn. Fresh!
Thursday-decided to run along the coast to North Berwick and back. Skipped tea and set off at 6pm, it was pretty misty.

I had to run towards Gullane beach to get around the Golf course then hit the trail that led in the direction of N Berwick. This was an exploration and I had a vague notion that I should at some point meet up with the John Muir Way.

About 35 mins into the run I came upon a choice of thick gorse high fences and undergrowth or turning round...obviously I chose the first option and fought my way over two high fences and combat with foliage....then it became totally impassable and so reluctantly turned round. As I emerged out of the thicket I caught sight of a wee winding path leading down to the sea...so I took that.

It led me to a beautiful small cove -I was then able to follow it along to yellow craigs beach.

The mist made the run very atmospheric. I felt like I was miles from anywhere surrounded by the bright silver grey tones of the sea mist contrasted with the dark slate rocks and golden sand..I was sorry I didn't have my phone to record it.

As I ran I was surrounded at times by Little Terns, seagulls and big black crows who contrasted with the grey seascape.

I made it round the coast to North Berwick in 1h 15mins without coming across the John Muir Way until I actually hit the town! I followed the signs back which led me back along the road???!!!!

Anyway, it was only 40 mins back to Gullane.

I have no definite idea of distance as I have misplaced my garmin cradle-can't charge it! But it's about 4.5-5m along the road to Gullane maybe a little more to the harbour which is where I ran to. Of course the coastal route will be longer! Now I know the route I will try it again with camera!

Paid for this?

2009-04-18T09:55:00.000-07:00

Week 9 complete. The last exam complete....yeeeeeha!

RTC week was great. Where else do you get paid to smash windows and cut up cars? Loved this week and can't wait to get at a few more vehicles in scenario week. (11)

As images of cutting equipment and broken glass is probably not as exciting as the actual practice I will refrain from posting them. But on a fire fighter theme I am posting this...can you believe he did this?

Next week back to pumps and ladders....oh and did I mention the Sponsored ladder climb next Thursday? Thanks so much to all those who have sponsored Bravo Squad so far...the rest of you stop being so tight and do it now!

Special for the Subversive Photographer...

2009-04-18T09:03:00.001-07:00

Giving Photographers a Bad Name...
Originally uploaded by icopythat

This is a special post for subversive runner so that he knows what NOT to do next week given his self confessed virgin status! you will need to click on the picture to get the full story

Pleasant 12 & why you should never make assumptions

2009-04-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

Had a lovely run with Robert and Karen this morning.
Ran from the Kirkhouse Inn in Strathblane along the pipeline to Killearn, dropped down to the WHW and returned that way.

Although it was slightly cloudy it was a great day and perfect running conditions. The mud on the way back made navigating the forest trail a little more taxing..each step almost sucking my shoes off!

12m -1:56

A little ditty for your amusement...!

Week 8

2009-04-11T06:08:00.000-07:00

This week I was on Community Fire Safety. This involved a few lectures and then the preparation and delivery of a presentation entitled 'Would you get out alive?' As I am sure you are all up to scratch on this I will not go into detail but am willing to answer 'any relevant questions'!

Thursday and Friday were spent going over ladder drills and pump drills-blowing the cobwebs away.

Check out this little gem...and imagine the height of Everest.

or this

Ok I can't lie. Health and safety now a days would never let us get away with such exploits..!

Next week RTC.

North Berwick Law..and a bit of running

2009-04-11T05:54:00.001-07:00

This week I managed to get out running along the beach, it's brilliant now the light nights have arrived.

Monday: Usual 3 with Lynn
Tuesday: 4.2m out and back along the beach with Johnny..Lynn struck down by bug
Wednesday: Briskly walked up North Berwick Law, see pictures.
Thursday: 4.5m along the beach with Johnny.

New Territory!

2009-04-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

After a busy week and late nights I really didn't want to run early. And so I stayed in bed only getting up when I was ready.
I then set out to meet another 'late' runner, my friend Karen, with the 'late' plan to run an easy 10.

Now when you run a lot it's hard to find new areas to run, and so when a friend suggests something new it's a good thing. And so when Karen suggested we run the old railway line from Strathblane to Kilsyth then cut off and run up into the as yet uninvestigated forrest...and investigate...I was happy to give it a try.
I was totally knackered and the first 4 miles felt long. We headed UP into the unknown. And up and up where we reached a T junction. I soon realised that I had approached this intersection from the Tower road end during another experimental run last May! We decided it was turning point and headed back making for a 10 mile route.

It wasn't that different but we have now got plans to investigate the surrounding woodlands and forests that lead off this route.

By the end of the run my legs were unsure what to make of the distance...not so long a go they would have classed it as a 'short' long run but having cut the mileage right back they were a bit shocked not to stop at 6-7!

Karen had brought salvation in the form of a flask of the BEST coffee ever, dark lindt chocolate and a banana...oh joy!

Karen relaxing after a lovely run

Just want to say well done to Ann and Theresa who both ran really well in the Paris Marathon today. 3:48 for Theresa and 3:50 for Ann. x

10m-1:32:42

Week 7 already! (& a night at the museum)

2009-04-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

This week was a bit of a change as it was spent in the company of Duradiamond trainers Gary and Sue. Both brilliant and funny (ha ha) tutors in the skills required for FPOS (First Person On Scene). I think I am getting used to the feeling of total information overload but I don't think I will ever get used to the feeling at the end of the week when I manage to regurgitate it (to my own amazement) for assessments and tests. What's more, & a relief for the public I may be let loose on, is that I believe I will remember it too!

In practice for night shifts I had agreed to take the kids to GSC for the 'moon watch sleepover' last night. A rather surreal experience in which a load of kids and parents/cub leaders arrived at 18:30, and then weren't allowed out till 08:00 the next morning.

The programme of events included planetarium shows, skype link ups with USA and Australian school kids and a few explosions under the guise of science...not to forget the death of Humphrey the stunt potato! I lasted till 01:30. The kids all made it to their sleeping bags before I woke at 6.30! Here's some pictures from breakfast!

yes keen blogspotters that is 'Superfit Dave' of hill running fame!

If you're still reading I am posting for your entertainment this little number from Baz. Don't know how I missed it in '99..must have been spending too much time listening to colourstrings and Mozart so my babies would grow up to be geniuses...now had they been listening to this.....

Bravo Squad -1

2009-04-04T04:42:00.000-07:00

Bravo Squad -1

As promised I grabbed the opportunity to get a squad shot while out revising ladder drills on Monday night. Unfortunately we were down one (Graham due to dental emergency!) but 9 out of 10 isn't bad. Can you spot me?

Here is the other promised shot which I am hoping you are all waiting for before donating tons of cash to the cause!

Warm enough for shorts!

2009-04-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

This weeks exercise consisted of:
Monday-ladder drills

Tuesday-Volleyball followed 3 mile run
Discovered I am totally hopeless at Volleyball, ball made of stone and got massive bruise on 'serving' arm to prove it!
Wednesday-Pump drills followed by 3 mile run
Relaxed run with Lynn
Thursday- 6.5 mile run.

Skipped tea and did the 4.6 mile loop but extended it by a visit to the beach and ran full length then back over the dunes to college. It was the most amazing day with a lot of heat...felt like France in the middle of June! There were kids and adults in the sea even though it was 18:30 and if I hadn't been keen to keep running I would have been in there too! Was pleased with an average of 8min miles. Here's some pics from the run.

Towards North BerwickBack towards Gullane and the college..spot the towers!Ahhh the sea!

Who Cares?

2009-03-28T10:35:00.001-07:00

The more observant of you may have noticed that a new just giving widget has appeared to the right! We have all been set the task of climbing the combined height of Mount Everest (using fire service ladders) during week 10 of the course (on the Thursday I think!) We chose the charity Who Cares? Scotland who work with kids in care giving them the help and support that we all take for granted. Please help out with this one, as not only is it a great cause...we also have to raise more than the other 9 squads! Picture of Bravo Squad (and the new hair do)to follow!

Fire Fire!

2009-03-28T06:16:00.000-07:00

Fire Behaviour week. What a fab week this was. It has just flown by.

Ending our 3 weeks in the ba block brings me to the half way point of the whole course! The last three weeks have been so good. Being introduced to the real thing this week puts all the other stuff learnt in it's place.

As a kid we had a coal fire and I admit that I did used to sit staring into the flames rather than the t.v. A couple of the exercises involved sitting in a room with flames for quite a while, although the flames are gas induced at the college, they are just as mesmerising and hypnotic as they were when I was small.

Next week I'm onto FPOS (First Person On Scene.) A pretty intense week (aren't they all) this time in the class room. That's all for now though as I have to go and get changed for the Tea-party my daughter Lucie has organised. ciao

Running catch up.

2009-03-28T06:06:00.001-07:00

Before I start rambling on about Gullane I thought I had better put a bit in about running. I have been managing to get out most evenings for the ususal short run with Lynn which is just enough to keep legs in! On Wed 18th Lynn was away and it was such a beautiful day I skipped the refectory dash at 17:30 and headed out on a route one of the instructors recommended. Basically a right hand route...right at every turn out of the college. it is a pretty flat route but the freedom of running in the daylight was great. it turned out to be 4.6m so I headed out across the dunes 0.8m to the beach, ran along the beach and back adding on another couple of miles. As if that isn't reward enough I then headed out to the much praised chippy...Gullane Super Fry for tea.To my delight I discovered they serve with 'salt and sauce' which I thought was specific to Edinburgh...treats!

This week I did circuits on Mon, a couple of wee evening runs with Lynn and the 4.6loop on Thursday, this time with Lynn. The sky was blue but the wind was unbelievable.....making it a real resistance run..and one to certainly blow away the cobwebs!

5/12

2009-03-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

I began the week with a walk along Gullane beach. The weather on the east coast is so lovely compared to the west and the beach is beautiful! Here's some pictures...

The second week of 'ba' and loving it. We also had 3 tests this week which I am relieved to say I passed.

We had a pleasant surprise this week. The girl
I told you about, Donna, who was sent home with a broken arm was in so much pain last weekend she took herself down to the hospital in Glasgow. They dutifully removed her cast and re-xrayed it and guess what? It's not broken AND they set it dislocated!!!!
She's returning on Monday alas not into our phase as she will need to do ba with the other half of the course while we do wierd and wonderful things with cars.

Meanwhile we hafve all been deemed 'safe' to move onto 'Fire behaviour' next week. Will let you know next week if I get scorched.

My friend Karen, (who's also a fab hairdresser) answered my distress call yesterday; I've been having a nightmare with my hair. So now I've got a radical new hair do too....first time it's been short for years but I have enough to think about without worrying about getting balled out about my hair every time I remove my lid!....maybe a picture will follow later;-)

Waterworks 6

2009-03-15T05:49:00.000-07:00

I was very short of time today as the boys had a hockey match at 10am. Managed out for 6.3m before they had to scoot off! Ran from the house up round the waterworks via the West of Scotland Rugby club-Esporta then back through Milngavie over Craigduh hill. Ran with Robert. At least I have broken my 3-4mile habit of late and I keep telling myself not to worry about the speed thing!

6.3-56mins

Dams to Darnley

2009-03-14T05:31:00.000-07:00

Well no running today but we do go out for a very windy walk in new territory, we investigated to Dams to Darnley! Here's some pictures from our very fresh walk!

The Good the Bad and the Lack of running.

2009-03-14T03:29:00.000-07:00

This week has been a mixed week.

The fourth week of the course, one third of the way through. The good part is the course itself, now into BA it has been a brilliant week, learning all about the apparatus and ending the week participating in search and rescue exercises in synthetic smoke.

The bad part was that one of my squad members broke her hand on Wednesday and is now off the course. It was a bizarre accident, directly after our first ba wear which was pretty strenuous...., she sat down and thought she had staved her thumb....turned out to be much worse, dislocating, fracturing AND breaking her hand! So Bravo squad is feeling the gap, it's amazing how quickly you bond as a group. On the up side, once her hand is healed she will get a place on the next course and will ultimately make a brilliant firefighter, so all is not lost.

And so to running. Having not run on Sunday I only managed the usual wee runs although I did throw in 3 hill reps on Wednesday.

Sat: 4m
Monday:Circuits
Tuesday. 3.25
Wednesday: 4.5m (including hill reps)
Friday:3.1m 26mins

Pumps, Ladders and Football!

2009-03-07T02:39:00.000-08:00

Gullane Scottish Fire Services College.Week 3 is complete and I am only slightly less knackered than I was last week.
This was a really fun week combining both ladder and pump drills, I won't say that there weren't times in the week when I wasn't sure I had the stamina to get to Friday but one day at a time the week flew in! While the lads in the squad make the ladders look light I have seriously sore muscles from the lifting and pitching the 13.5m ladder- although as the week progressed I think they were getting lighter!? (I managed a couple of cold showers Davie!) 13.5m ladder

Next week my squad is onto BA...Breathing Ap, can't wait!

And so another weekend reminding the kids who I am. And hopefully a more substantial run to follow tomorrow!

Can't have been too bad though as I made it to circuits session on Monday night, ran Tuesday and Wednesday 3.25m each evening..(well I used to call it a warm up/recovery jog but hey ho) and get this...I played five aside on Thursday with the rest of my squad. I wasn't as absolutely hopeless as I thought I might be and I have a new insight into what my two boys like about kicking a ball around a field for now! Life is one big learning experience.

Tired 8

2009-03-01T08:05:00.000-08:00

Ran 8 miles with Karen and Robert along the old railway from Strathblane towards Kirky and back. Just missed the rain. Felt tired. No stats as didn't take my garmin but I was pretty slow!

8m
week total 14.5m

Ever been run over by a bus?

2009-02-27T23:49:00.000-08:00

Week 2 complete. I feel as though I have been run over by a bus....a few times! Monday was not to bad with the only real physical being the circuits session on the Monday night. Tried to make sure I reserved a little energy for what was to come on Tues...Hose running.

As I had not done this before it took me a while to get the knack, after a whole afternoon of rolling the hose out and rolling it in again I was pretty gubbed, as were most of my squad. I am sure I was actually dreaming about hoses chasing me with little evil faces on Tuesday night! (No drugs needed)

The week flew in with a whole day learning pump drills and a whole day doing ladder drills ending with only one lecture on Friday afternoon. There's no room for recovery days or time for injury so I just hope that I stay fit for what's still to come. I am sure that the whole of Gullane could smell the deep heat eminating from the campus!

Best part of the week was pitching the 13.5m ladder and climbing it to the 3rd floor, worst was struggling to lower the bloody thing, the rope just wanted to slip straight through my gloves- so guess what I'm doing this weekend....squeezing tennis balls!

Running wise...apart from the full on continual upper body work and running round the college with ladders I only managed 2 short runs with Lynn. Both about 3.25m. Couldn't persuade her to to venture away from the streetlights even with my head lamp so the beach remains a distant sound in the darkness!

Easy Sunday Morning

2009-02-22T09:23:00.000-08:00

I met Robert for a leisurely run this morning. As Clober Car park is closed for 10 wks due to the bridge being upgraded we met at the clock in Milngavie and ran out along the whw. We opted for the golf club route and then did a loop of the Carbeth huts before heading up the 'ridge' into Mugdock. We descended the steps back to Milngavie. It was an ok morning 0 degrees and only light drizzle as we finished.

Looking down onto the Carbeth huts and the West Highland Way.

Coming through the Stock fields at Mugdock. My favourite wall!

me posing in my skins (post run) as requested by 'She who Makes Waves'

Distance 9m-1:31

Week total- 25.96
Year total- 168.50

ooooh just wanted to say a huge well done to my pal Andrea who completed Blackpool Half marathon today. It was a big achievement in tough conditions! x

Shop and Go

2009-02-21T09:55:00.000-08:00

Colin was heading out for 3 miles easy in prep for his long run tomorrow so i joined him then added another three on the end.

He was required by his missus to nip into Asda for cheese and oil en route and so we did the Asda route. Not sure what went through the security guards mind as we ran out goods in hand but he chose not to make chase...only does that for cases of stella. Consideration should be taken by the readers that the second half of the first three miles was done carrying a bottle of oil...

I did the Tesco loop myself picking up the pace a little and resisting the urge to shop in Tesco as I ran by!

6.2m- 56.08
K splits: 5.45,5.30,5.58,6.06,5.50,5.09,5.20,5.32,5.23,5.23

One down-11 to go!!

2009-02-21T07:40:00.000-08:00

Well I am back- having survived my first week of Gullane. It was a very intensive week of sitting in lectures and having lots of information thrown out..only to be expected to regurgitate it in a written test on Friday. Glad to say that with the help of a few mnemonics I did manage to do so with sufficient success as to be allowed to return next week!

I was lucky enough to be allocated a room next to Lynne...another runner and so we managed to get out and run around the street lit areas of Gullane. They are not many and so we did them quite a lot despite low mileage-that was simply due to the time restrictions.

The only night I didn't make it out was Tues as my squad was on duty and therefore not allowed out!

And so I have settled with relative ease into a life where:

* all meals are cooked for me-and they're very good!
* No washing up
* Only myself to pick up after.
* My day is planned to the last second (although I rarely have to do more than one thing at once!)
* I have a curfew...and a lights out time. (It's been a while since I had one of those!)

Next week I will take my head lamp then Lynne and I will be able to roam the wilds of Gullanes surrounding areas! The beach and countryside.

Not sure how much running I will manage as I have heard groans at the mention of Hose Tuesday and shudders at the words 'ladder lifts'. All coming in the next six days. Oh then theres the 'optional' (yeah right like I'm going to be the only one who wimps out)circuits on Monday night.

Mon 3.25m
Wednesday 4.5m
Thursday 3m

First run of the week.

2009-02-14T11:55:00.000-08:00

Just in time...to avoid it being a nil miles week I managed to get out for a 3 mile run. Just to see if I could still do it.

Chest is still a bit raspey but the fresh air was good and the ipod uncannily selecting an accompaniment suitable for Valentines day...shuffling the songs to end with the great Barry White. I dedicate it to you all!

I also tried out my most sporty of birthday presents...full length skins. Hardly needed for a 3 miler I know but I just couldn't wait to try them out- after all feeling a bit like cat woman is bound to make me run lighter and faster despite injuries and cold!

3m

What's new!

2009-02-12T13:59:00.000-08:00

I have had a rotten cold all week...did yoga on Tuesday. coughed and spluttered my way through Wednesday and today I started my new grown up job!

Hope to run tomorrow if I survive the 'parade'. Off to bull my shoes!

Well worth a wee tweak!

2009-02-06T06:51:00.000-08:00

It was a glorious day today. -3 blue skies, snow on the mountains. I was glad that I had decided to break my Friday rest day rule and meet up with Karen for a run. I picked her up, sort of expecting a 6/7 mile run but she had other plans!

As you know I haven't run more than 8 miles since I fell but on the understanding that i was gonna be slow we embarked on an 11.5mile run..this is roughly the route.Karen and I at the base of Dumgoyne.

We did take it slow, enjoying the sound of the crunching ice and the fantastic scenery. We ran past the base of Dumgoyne along the pipeline from Strathblane. We hit the road for a small stretch at Killearn before picking up the west highland way...yes the bit with all the gates) back past the Beech trees pub. We carried on along the railway line back to Strathblane, passing, and getting a sneaky glimpse of the lovely Duntreath Castle on the way. Looking back towards Dumgoyne from the railway line.

It was a great route. Unfortunately despite being careful with the ice I managed to tweak my back in the last mile. The railway being particularly bad for ice and snow. It feels fine now though and I am delighted it stood up to the 11.5m. Helped along with lots of chat naturally.

Unfortunately there was no room in the deli cafe so we had to skip the coffee today. I am sure we could have found more to chat about....next time;-)

More easy

2009-02-05T06:45:00.000-08:00

I didn't feel up to the hill run tonight. Despite being desperate to try the new shoes I feel I need at least one run where the back isn't an issue before tackling the uneven terrain of the Kilpatricks!

I ended up doing an easy run with Robert, Tesco loop up to Bearsden Cross and back along Gartconnel. It was slow partly due to the injury and partly due to the ice.

4.35m 42mins

A little better

2009-02-04T01:46:00.000-08:00

Did 3.6 with the kids last night. Tonight I nipped out for a 3 mile loop past Tesco. Back still uncomfortable when running but every day it's a little better..It was snowing tonight so I was being extra careful and wore my solomons despite sticking to the roads

Slow 8

2009-02-01T07:33:00.000-08:00

Did 8 along the Canal this morning, starting from Westerton train station out towards Clydebank and back.

Just about managed the 8 very slowly.

It was very cold, seemingly still on the way out, turning I discovered that there was a pretty chilly constant wind which made the return feel much harder and colder.

Pretty uneventful, although, I did see a beautiful Gannet preening itself on the canal banks.

8m-v slow!
week total 18m
year total: 115.09m

I come over all ' Waltonsey!'

2009-01-31T16:56:00.000-08:00

I spent the day deliberating. Eventually deciding to go for an easy 3 with Daisy along the west highland way.

I left it quite late in the afternoon, but made it to clobber car park by about 3.30pm.

I have a dull ache in my lower back now but it is a lot better. I reached the 1.5mile turning point at the base of the khyber and just carried on. My feet led the way and Daisy followed. We just kept on running. It was not fast but I was so glad to be out the pleasure out weighed the slight discomfort that I am pleased to say did not worsen. As long as I kept an easy pace it felt manageable.

Sometimes I take running for granted, I expect to do it and it can almost become a chore, but today I smelt the freshly cut trees and savoured every lung full of cold fresh air. I know it's a bit 'Waltonsey' but it's true, I felt so lucky to be fit and healthy enough to be doing it.

I ran as far as Carbeth huts then turned back up the ridge up to Mugdock, returning through the park.

I can't imagine not running. I will have goals and I will make some and miss others but I really hope I can keep running for a long time!

The other revelation is that Daisy managed it no bother. She wasn't even tired! she has 4 tiny legs and she just runs....it's like no one's told her she can't do it so she just runs. Maybe she has a half Marathon in her? I have been restricting her to 3 mile runs!

7m 1h 08m