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

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:-)

The advantages of not being a high sided vehicle

I think I was putting off my long run this week. I was a wee bit worried that my legs just weren't going to hold up to the distance. I then ummed and ahhed over the route until finally I managed to get out of the door!
I started out up Stockiemuir and felt surprisingly good. Legs felt ok and I began to feel more confident.

For a complete change I ran out along Drymen Rd through Hardgate and Duntocher. At this point I was still planning the route! I thought about heading back down the Great Western Rd, or Going down through Clydebank and along Dumbarton Rd but decided on the Erskine Bridge. I have not run over it before. I had an idea it was about 5 miles away....knowing that the Clyde tunnel is 5 miles away too I figured the distance the other side of the Clyde must be 10? A neat 20miler?!

I marvelled at the view and avoided being blown off the bridge-one of the advantages of not being a high sided vehicle.

As i got to the other side I realised my plan was a bit off as the bridge itself is a mile long...I also realised that the only road or route I know on that side of the river is the M8 (OK for high sided vehicles)

So I did a u-turn (another advantage as HSV's aren't allowed to do that on dual carriageways) & ran back over and appreciated the view again.

I then dropped down and ran through Glen Lusset (a teeny little green glen beneath the concrete bridge supports) along the road a bit to join up with the canal.

Back on familiar ground I ran along the canal, making a new plan to join the Kelvin at Maryhill and follow it back to Garscube then home...I think that would have made the mileage but as I was coming along the canal I realised that my time was out and I would have to cut the run short to be home for the kids at 3. I cut up at Next Generation onto the switchback and made my way back via Canniesburn,Milngavie Rd, Kilmardinny Stockiemuir Ave.

I had forgotten to take my water with me, left it on the kitchen counter (duh), so it was a test for the SiS gels to see if they really do hydrate as they claim....the answer...I need the water too. I think that if I had done the full 20 I would have had to stop and beg some water from somewhere...I was so thirsty by the time I got home. Probably wouldn't have made the distance I did without the gels though!

It was not a very fast run but my legs were fine and held up well to the distance.

17m-2:28:15