Thursday 29 July: Subway Footlongs are not enough and building mental strength!

Mileage: 16.75 miles

AM: 3.75 miles; PM: 13 miles

For lunch today I was so hungry that I knew a Subway Footlong would simply not be enough as I walked into the shop. I felt a little sheepish going in there and ordering my usual footlong Subway Club and then a 6 inch Sub of the day, which was some sort of spicy meet combo with salami, ham and peperoni. I think the guys behind the counter realised they were both for me when I not only ordered the same bread, but had the salad exactly the same way in each one. I am quite picky about how I have the salad. I always leave out the jalapenos and olives, but have extra pickles, light mayo, mustard and black pepper. A little bit too specific to be a coincidence. The staff member that rang it through the till and asked with a certain amount of sarcasm, "Would you like anything else?" I replied no and in full view of him, put both sandwiches in my  Scotmid bag that had a flapjack, two chocolate Freddos and a Lucozade. God knows what he thought, but he looked a little shocked.

I was a little worried what my colleagues would think about me sitting down with two Subways so in order to avoid answering awkward questions I stuffed the smaller of the two sandwiches down my throat before getting back to the office, where in next to no time I finished off the footlong. I have to admit that afterwards I was fairly stuffed and doubted my ability to eat the chocolate and the flapjack. However, without fail two hours later that familiar feeling of hunger and gargles of "feed me" came ringing out from my tummy and I made short work of my remaining food. All I can say is I am glad that I had a lot running to do today to burn off all those calories!! No wonder I am 4kg over my ideal weight, It will be 5kg tomorrow morning.

Today's training was tough, no two ways about it! I've enjoyed good running this week, so was fully expecting to go well again today. I had a nice gentle run to work in the morning and knew that my legs were feeling good. Tonight's planned session was three sets of 3*800m with 45 secs recovery between reps and 4 minutes recovery between sets. After Tuesday's mile reps and as a way of continuing to build my endurance session I decided, after consulting with Garry, to do a fourth set - so twelve 800ms in total. We used the half mile course in the Meadows that starts at the bottom of Middle Meadow Walk and races up towards Melville Drive, along the path on the left and then the first right back down which leads in a triangle shape back to the bottom of Middle Meadow Walk. It's the same route I did a few Saturday's ago and although we call it 800m, it's actually about 850m.

It was a humid night in the meadows and my warm up jog told me that my legs were not quite as fresh as they had felt earlier in the day. Not sure if this was some down to a hard day at work or as a result of the six 1 mile reps on Tuesday. The humidity certainly didn't help me to feel any fresher. Thankfully tonight's fast group was good one with myself, Colin, Dan, Graham  (making his quarterly visit to the running club) and Ben. We were fairly close and packed together so carried each other through the early reps, which I certainly needed.

I knew Colin was planning to only do two sets and that Dan, due to recent illness, was also not planning to do the lot, but I hadn't banked on Ben and Graham only doing two sets. In fact it was only when I set off to the start line for my third set that I realised they were not joking when they said they weren't coming. We had done the first six 800m fairly quickly. Most of mine were between 2.46-49 (I think, as I wasn't accurately measuring them as I was trying to run on effort rather than time). Lining up on my own for the start of the third rep was pretty demoralising and I had to shake my head into it. I also wasn't sure what I had left having ran so hard on the first two sets. It was pretty tough to maintain that speed and to push myself without someone to follow and the others around me to keep me going. I did think half way through my seventh rep that I would maybe call it a night after the third set. I was pleasantly surprised with the time, which I measured this time, finishing in 2.47. It gave me heart and I ploughed on to finish the third set with my remaining two reps both around 2.48/9. 

Wednesday 28 July 2010: Running really brings out the geek in me!

Mileage: 12.5 miles

AM: 3.75 miles; PM: 8.75 miles

After yesterday's mile reps today was an easy running day. My usual run to work followed by a longer run home via the gym for some core and strengthening work. I felt fairly fresh again tonight and my usual mid week tweaks and twinges were no where to be seen. I managed to be a little more controlled on today's run and didn't have to reign myself in like I did on Monday night. I still ran pretty quickly for an evening recovery run with the first 8 miles in 55 minutes. I've felt really good all week, apart from some tiredness that comes with heavy mileage. I think part of the reason I have felt good this week (so far) has been down to the fact that after 4 hard weeks I had an easier week last week as I prepared for the 10k. It makes sense, as a lot of training manuals and coaches suggest that you do 3/4 weeks hard training and follow-up with an easier week. This allows recovery and strengthening.

I got home tonight and realised just how much of a running geek I am. There waiting for me in the letter box was my latest edition of Runners World. I swear I did a little skip and dance with it as I dashed to the living room to put the European Athletics Championships on. In order to sit on the couch I had to move two books, Dean Karnazes book and Paula Radcliffe's biography! Once sat down I tore into the plastic packaging that contained my magazine and got stuck into the interviews and articles telling me how to be quicker and for longer! It's moments like these that I realise how much running shapes my life. I must be a real bore to all those around me! Well apart from all those reading this who like me received their Runner's World and dashed quicker than Dwain Chambers to the living room to watch the athletics. 

I have to admit I really enjoyed the athletics again tonight. The 100m, missing the three big world stars, was a fantastic and close race. The French guy that won did really well. I hope he moves up a gear now and starts to get closer to the big 3, it would be great to see 4 or 5 runners all aiming to catch and pass Bolt, although that will take some effort! I was really pleased to see Mark Lewis Francis get the silver too. I think in his early career he took a lot of things for granted and just expected medals and championships to fall into his lap, especially after Athens and the relay gold. It was good to see that after having the rug pulled out from under him that he still worked and trained hard and didn't give up. In many ways, very similar to Chris Thompson, who got the silver in the 10k yesterday. It reassures me that, as a late starter in this running game,  hard work, dedication and solid training can bring results. Okay, I may never win international medals, but I certainly have a few targets and ambitions that I know I can get with that mind set and determination. 

Tuesday 27 July: Mile Reps and revelling in Britain's success in Euro 10,000m

Mileage: 15.5 miles

AM: 3.75 miles; PM: 11.75 miles

After my disappointing race on Saturday and a good run on Sunday I was keen to get back to some solid interval training this week. The planned track session was made up of 100, 200 and 500 meters and not really designed for marathon training, so I decided to do some mile reps instead. I'd missed them at training last Thursday as I was taking it easy in preparation for the 10k race and I really like the session so felt like I'd missed out. A few others in the club are also training for endurance events including iron mans, marathons and half marathons, so several of us agreed to meet in the Meadows this evening to do 6 one mile reps with 2 and a half minutes recovery. In the end it was myself, Ben and Colin who turned out, unfortunately Dan had called off due to sickness.

I felt okay as we did a small warm-up jog. My legs felt tired and a little heavy, but I couldn't feel any twinges and my lungs felt fresh so I was ready for the session. Colin told us he was aiming for around 5.20s and Ben around 5.30s. I was aiming to do each rep in under 5.30 and so I decided to try and follow Colin for as long as possible and see where that left me.

The first one was pretty tough. My legs were stiffer than I thought and I really struggled to hang on to Colin. I finished the rep in 5.25 and was pretty pleased, but did wonder how many more I could do at that pace. Again for the second one I tried to follow Colin and this time managed to stay a little closer to him and was only just behind him as I finished the rep in 5.25 again. I was surprised, but actually felt as if my legs had loosened up quite a bit. The third rep was difficult and I crossed the line still just a little bit behind Colin, but getting quicker in 5.22. This time I could feel it in my legs and lungs and I knew we had worked harder. I had little bit of wobbly leg feeling after the rep, but I still felt quite good. For the fourth rep I again tried to follow Colin and for most of the rep I was a few strides behind him, but towards the end as we moved down the finishing straight I managed to drag myself up to level terms and we crossed the line together in 5.19. I was amazed we were so quick, as it had felt really, really hard running the rep. With only 2 reps left we knew we had done a lot of the hard work and so I think we felt we could push it a little more on the fifth rep. It certainly felt like hard work and again I only just managed to cling on to Colin. It was a good job he was there tonight, as there was no way I could have done the reps that fast without him. We crossed the line and I was really surprised to hear we had gone through in 5.16. We were doubled over and trying desperately trying to catch our breath but it was a good feeling. The last rep, as always, took care of itself and although we weren't racing we were certainly pushing each other as Colin and I fell over the finishing line in 5.19. Ben, who is training for his second iron man of the year, wasn't far back on each rep and also seemed pretty pleased with his efforts. What's even more impressive was that Ben was finishing off his mile reps by going to swimming training for more reps in the pool! I had the joy of running home to watch the last of the day's athletics (see below).

I was really happy with tonight's reps and especially the times. The fact that we had run the first half a mile of each of these reps into a strong stiff breeze means that on a better night we could have easily knocked 2-3 seconds off each of those reps. I was also really pleased with my recovery. By the time I had ran home I genuinely felt as if I could have carried on for several more miles. I felt great.

I was pretty glad not to have ran those extra miles, as I got home just in time to watch the European championships and the 10,000 meters with two British medal hopes running, Mo Farah and Chris Thompson. It was a great race. Yes, I know there were no African superstars running, which we all love to watch and marvel at, but it was really good to be able to watch a well controlled race and to see a strong British presence. I found myself on the edge of my seat screaming at the TV as Mo and Chris raced round the track. When Mo ran clear to win and Chris gave it everything to cross the line in second it was hard not to be affected by the out pouring of emotion by the two athletes. I found it inspiring. Watching a race like that and sharing, even if only a tiny, tiny portion of their emotion and success acted as a true motivator making me want to get out there and train harder and work harder so that I too can one day hopefully feel some of that sense of achievement. I might struggle to sleep with the excitement I am currently feeling. Maybe I'll do some more mile reps tomorrow....

Monday 26 July: Running - easy to fall in and out of love with

Mileage: 12.5 miles (AM: 3.75 miles; 8.75 miles)

I think most runners will agree with this, running is something you can fall quickly in and out of love with. Injuries, bad form, poor races, lack of progress and all sorts of reasons can make you wonder why you run at all. However, good races, PBs, great training, physical and mental fitness can make you love running and wonder why you ever stop.

I have enjoyed the running roller coaster this last few days and today I thought I would talk a little bit about how much of a roller coaster it is.

On Saturday after running poorly in the Musselburgh 10k and finishing well short of what I hoped for I was left both disappointed and fed up with running. Okay, it wasn't going to make me give it up anytime soon, but it did make me question why I dedicate so much of my time to running and why I make my body hurt with the effort. I was little grumpy for the rest of Saturday as my performance stewed in my mind. Sunday morning brought a new day and my long Sunday run. It was amazing how different I felt after that run. I felt great, with a real sense of achievement at having done my planned 24 miles in a good, steady time. It had certainly helped re-balance my thoughts after Saturday. I was on the way back up.   

Then today I felt even better. Normally I feel pretty sluggish and stiff on a Monday after a long run and my run to work in the morning is usually a slog that I get through rather than anything I enjoy. Today was a lot different. I did have a slightly tight hamstring, but other than that I felt pretty good and fairly sharp as I dashed up the road. I got to work feeling quite fresh and already looking forward to my run home. My run home was my longer route along the canal towards where it meets the Water of Leith at Slateford and then on to the cycle path at Haymarket and down to Ferry Road and Ainsley Park gym. From the moment I set off this evening I felt really good and as I raced along the canal footpath I couldn't help but think about how much I was enjoying it and how much I loved running. I had to force myself to slow down and keep the run a recovery run rather than a tempo run. It made me think back to how I felt post race Saturday and how different I now felt. The funny thing is that even though I was going nowhere near as fast as I can, I wasn't running a race or heading for a PB I was simply running home and loving it. I guess that's the beauty about running at times for no real reason it can just feel great!

I finished my run tonight enthused, excited and simply can not wait to get back out tomorrow morning and then for my mile reps tomorrow night. I am, however, only another run away from feeling miserable and disliking it. A few bad mile reps tomorrow night would probably do it.

I guess that's the running roller coaster.

It's probably worth pointing out that my moods naturally swing from high to low and it may be that my feelings for running are no different than they are toward other things in life, it's just that I notice it more with running, because it takes up so much of my time and is a big focus of my life.

Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 July: Disappointing 10k, but good Sunday Run

Weekly Mileage: 65.5 miles


Saturday 24 July: 8 miles – including Musselburgh 10k – 11th place in 35.40


Sunday 25 July: 24 miles in 2hours 50 minutes



Saturday was all about the Musselburgh 10k. I had planned for this race for over a week and since last Sunday’s 22 mile run had been easing off in attempt to taper for it. I did the 2 mile race in the Meadows on Wednesday to tune up and although I hadn’t felt amazing, I had felt pretty quick. Thursday had been an easy day and Friday had been a complete rest, so I woke Saturday morning feeling pretty confident. Parking a short walk away from the field where the start and registration was the weather seemed perfect, no wind, cool air and light clouds.


There was a good collection of EAC runners entered in the race, so there was quite a crowd of us talking away near the start line. It was good to see such a good turnout from the club and by looking at the quality of our runners there was every chance we would be in with a chance of both the women’s and men’s team prizes. I was part of the men's winning team last year.


With 30 minutes to the start I began my warm up with a gentle mile jog with some strides. Straight away my legs felt heavy, but I just put it down to pre-race nerves and lethargic feelings I usually get before a race. The Musselburgh 10k always attracts a top class field and at the start line I could see a dozen or so quality local athletes. This I hoped would help drag me to a fast time, as there would be plenty of groups and people to work with. At the start line I was joined by club mate’s Neil Calder and Martin Ferguson. We set off and the front line of runners blasted out of the blocks. Recently I have been running faster than Martin and I full expected to be ahead of him or at the very least alongside him. Martin is also well known for his excellent pacing, so when he pulled ahead of me in the first 500 meters I was surprised, so pushed hard to keep up with him.


It was only when we hit the 1k mark did I realise Martin and I were flying, clocking 3minutes and 17 seconds, we slowed a little, but still went through 2k at 6.40. It cost me a lot. I think my legs, which didn’t feel good to begin with filled with lactic acid and promptly stiffened up. As we moved through the 3k mark I was passed by several runners including a couple of HBT runners and Martin. I tried to tag on to the end of them and couldn’t and it was at this point I realised I was in a bit of trouble. I reached 5k in 17.14, which was about where I had planned to be, but I was already slowing with every km. At 5k, Martin, who was a few meters ahead of me, pulled up injured, clutching his calf muscle. I felt sorry for him, as he had been running really well. I hope he recovers in time for this Sunday's Scottish Gas 10k.  


After 5k everything just went to pieces for me. My legs felt so heavy and I simply couldn’t drag any performance out of them. My lungs felt pretty good, so I know that it was my legs more than anything, although I do wonder if mentally I gave up a little bit too easy as well. There was a strong head wind now and the ground was a little unforgiving, especially over the race course, but to be honest I was a spent force anyway. I tried a few times to push on and find some pace, but physically and mentally I had nothing. I kind of cruised back for the last couple of kms, until the last 500m where I suddenly found a bit of speed to sprint past a runner in front of me. The fact that I was able to pass this runner and finish 10 seconds clear of him by the end tells me that I had totally misjudged this race and not managed my legs very well at all. I crossed the line in 35.40 in a eleventh place.


Some of my club mates fared much better. Neil Calder ran an excellent 33.33 to finish 5th and Jenny MacLean won the women’s race in 36.19, followed by Kathryn Brownlee in 36.46. James Mittra got a PB and Kev ran strongly too. The women comfortably won the team prize with Lyndsay finishing well up the field. Emma also ran well finishing a minute faster than she had aimed for. Unfortunately the men finished one point behind HBT and we missed out on retaining the team prize - gutted The full results can be found here.

After the race we were greeted by a goody bag and a free ice cream from Luca Ice Cream made in Musselburgh. It eased my disappointment greatly. The Musselburgh Athletics Club also know how to put on a buffet and I enjoyed loading my arms up with as many sandwiches and cakes I could fit without drawing too many disapproving looks from the long cue snaking out the back of the door. It's a good race, but maybe not a PB course. Still I reckon I might be back again next year, if for no other reason than the buffet!Reflecting on the race, I think my recent high mileage was probably mostly behind my slow performance. I felt heavy legged on Wednesday at the 2 mile race too and I guess that race just did enough to keep my legs heavy into the weekend. I think next time I taper I will not race mid-week, just some strides to keep things ticking over. The extra rest might be enough. I don’t have a race now until 21 August, The Nairn Half Marathon, so I have some time to lose some weight and get some good training in so I can ensure a good result.


Sunday 25 July


My legs felt fine this morning, a little tired, but on the whole pretty good, perhaps a sign that I did not run as fast as I could have in yesterday’s race. I turned up at Craiglochart this morning not sure who would be there, as quite a few people had already said they were not going to make it. Thankfully Ben, Garry and Kev as well a few others were there and we all set off together.


I wasn’t planning on running too fast today. I was just aiming to get through the 24 miles in one piece. We set off at a comfortable pace and chatted along the way, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that we were moving along at just over an average 7minute a mile per pace by the four mile point. By the time we got to Balerno, Kev turned round to finish off his 12 miles, while Ben, Garry and I carried on. We worked hard up the two hills, although Garry had a small hamstring problem and held back. It was good to have Ben for company and we worked hard to reach the top of the hill and through the 8 mile mark in just over 57 minutes. I felt pretty good at this point and as we sped along through the next 4 or 5 miles I was beginning to think running 24 miles would be easy. At 15miles I said good bye to Ben who was turning off to finish at 16 miles. Garry, I suspect due to a sore hamstring, had dropped back a few miles back. I turned left when Ben went right and it was only then that it dawned on me that I still had another 9 miles to do. I was pretty jealous of Ben, but I pressed on.


The last 9 miles were tough, but I maintained my pace (well it felt like I did, no Garmin to confirm, but a stopwatch and recognised markers kept me right) and even managed to get quicker as I turned back to head to my car at the tennis centre. Those last few miles were tough on the mind as I had to keep talking to myself to keep moving and running at pace. I resisted the little voices telling me to take it easier, to back off and to leave it to next week, which really pleased me. Now I am up to 24 miles I feel as though my endurance running is becoming stronger. Hopefully as I do more running at that distance I’ll get stronger and more comfortable running for this long and it will feel like second nature by the time I get to Amsterdam. All in all another good long Sunday run, next week 26 miles – that will be tough too!!

Thursday 22 and Friday 23 July 2010: How do you train for an ultra race??

Thursday – 7.5 miles



Friday – Rest


Following my efforts on Wednesday night I was back on easy running for the rest of the week as I wait for this Saturday’s 10k. I am not going to tell you all about how I hate tapering and hate missing training on a Thursday, because everyone knows how much I do.


So, I thought I would talk a little about training for ultra marathons. With the MDS now only 250 (ish) days away I have to start thinking about my training. Currently, my focus is the Amsterdam marathon in October, but I can’t just wake up the Monday morning after that marathon and wonder how to train for an ultra. I need to prepare long before that. With that in mind I have begun reading about and talking to those in the know about ultra marathons and races.


This Wednesday I had lunch with Adrian Stott, The Manager of Run and Become in Edinburgh and an extremely experienced ultra marathon runner. His success includes running the 95 mile West Highland Way race 8 times, the quickest being 19 hours 49 minutes. At 24 hours he has represented Great Britain at European and world level, with a personal best of 143 miles 849 yards whilst finishing 8th in the 2000 European Championships, where GB also won team bronze. It’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about this game, so armed with a note pad and pen I went to learn.


Adrian started off by telling me that it takes about 2 years to experiment and learn to find your optimum training level for ultra marathons. Oh dear, I will have approximately 22 weeks after I finish Amsterdam. Adrian did seem quite impressed that I am already doing 90+ mile weeks and the odd 100 mile weeks and agreed that this would be a very good base or ultra marathon training.


Adrian informed me that his training involved a 4 week cycle of building up to a 100 miles and then dropping back to a gentler week. He would do a 4-5 hour run once on a weekend, as part of that. This he said, was about all his body could handle. Anymore and he would get injured and break down. As many of you know, I like running lots of miles. I think it’s a comfort thing, I feel fitter and faster the more miles I run. I genuinely thought that to be successful at ultra marathons and running you would need to put in even more miles than marathon training, so I was quite surprised to hear that many ultra marathon runners do not regularly run 100 mile weeks. William Sichel, Orkney’s world record holder of numerous age-related ultra distances including running 1000 miles in less than 14 days, does it on a 60mile training week. There also of course plenty of research and text to say that more is better too. Adrian pointed out that consistency is the key and that when it comes to mileage it is whatever your body can handle. I think I will see how I get on with my ambitious marathon training programme and then build from there.


He also made a very good point that, “Distance never killed anyone, it’s the pace that does it!”. He seemed very confident in saying that I could probably go out and do a 50 mile run tomorrow, but it would have to be slow, very slow in order to do it without breaking down. The long run is crucial to ultra distance training. Going out for 4, 5 or even 6 hours on a Saturday is not uncommon. It is also not uncommon for these runs to be walked in places too. The key, I learnt, was spending time on your feet. Many 40mile plus runs see competitors on their feet for many hours and that is why it is important to have built up that experience. I have also entered a couple of ultra marathon events in between now and the MDS so I will get that experience too.


For the long runs Adrian suggested just packing a light pack with food, drink and money and just heading off somewhere and then getting the train back to Edinburgh, which sounds both fun and a bit of an adventure too. I am already looking forward to these runs. I wonder where I can get myself too!


One of the things I was really surprised to hear was the importance of maintaining interval training, as part of ultra marathon training. This is to help maintain your body’s ability to burn different types of fat. When I first signed up to the MDS I thought I would have to give up interval training in favour of many more long steady runs. Turns out this is far from the way things should be done. I had heard tales of ultra marathon runners doing some interval training, but Adrian told me that I really should be doing 2 interval sessions a week. He also told me that I can pad them out by doing extra miles at the end of each session. This is actually something I usually do anyway, so who knows maybe I’ll make them even longer now!! Interestingly, several ultra marathon runners have gone on to get PBs at 10k, half-marathon and marathon distances following a sustained period of ultra running. Simon Pride, Scottish ultra marathon and 1999 World Champion at 100km got PBs at all those distances the year he won the World Championship. Maybe something else for me to look forward to!


Something I have learnt during my normal training is how important it is to have a strong core. This helps keep your body stable while running, as well as help with running efficiency, strength and posture. For ultra marathons this even more important and I have already upped my game here with 2minute planks!


The thing about ultra marathons is that they are long, very long! The more you can replicate the conditions towards the end of such a race the better prepared you will be when you get there. Again, Adrian emphasised to me that this is very much down to experimentation and finding out what works for me. One way he used to help prepare his body for dealing with a lack of food stores and dehydration was to not eat and drink in the morning before a run so the body started on empty. He would eat and drink on route, but by starting on empty it replicated (to some extent) the latter part of the race. He told me the first time he did this on a long run he was sick! However, every time he did it after and during races he didn’t, so that first training run clearly helped his body adapt.


Another misconception I had built up about ultras was around tapering. I was fairly certain that because speed isn’t too much of a factor in ultras that tapering wasn’t too important and that probably only a few days rest would be enough. The same rules apply for ultras as do for marathons. Three week tapers, cutting out quantity and leaving the quality, is the way to prepare. I hate tapering, but I guess I’ll have to do it!


However, I think the most important thing Adrian told me was something I already know, but it is worth hearing over and over again, and that is the most important thing in an ultra race is the mind. I discovered in marathon running that your legs only take you so far, the mind takes you the rest of the way. In every marathon I have ever run the last three miles have been run on strength of mind rather than legs, so it makes sense that ultras are the same. In fact, I am sure that the need for a strong mind and will power will be needed a hundred times more for the MDS than any marathon I will run. How do I train for that? Well I plan to take my personal determination, will power and drive to succeed in this race and ingrain it into my psyche. I plan to pull it out on every race, every rep, and every training run where I feel a moment’s weakness between now and the MDS, so that when I get to that race it will have become second nature to me.

Wednesday 21 July 2010: Achieving one of my running goals!

Mileage: 11 miles


Sri Chinmoy 2 Mile Race – 6th Place: 10mins 25secs


When I started running in 2007 I discovered the Sri Chinmoy 1, 2 mile and 5k races in the Meadows. Run by the good people of Edinburgh’s Run and Become shop, they are small races with about 50-75 runners, but often with incredibly competitive athletes including international runners on some occasions. They are very enjoyable races that certainly get the best out of you. I can’t quite remember which one I did first, but I know that I did a 5k and 2 mile race in July that year. The 5k I finished in 18.36 and finished about 18th and in the 2 mile run I ran 11.57 and again finished in the top 20.
 After each race there is a short prize giving where the first 7 men and women get special medals. I remember after running my first couple of these races watching these elite athletes collecting the medals and I was utterly mesmerised and awe struck by their times and their efforts. I instnantly wanted one! I made it a goal for my running career to win one of those medals! I ran a couple more of the races in 2007 and 2008 and managed to bring down my times, but still got nowhere near 7th place. Last year I only raced once, a 2 mile race where I finished in the top 15 (I think) in 10.45. The way my training and racing worked last year meant I just never made it up to the Meadows on a Wednesday night.


This year has been similar, as I have been focusing on Tuesday and Thursday night training sessions, both before and after my holiday so hadn’t entered one of these races. At the end of last week when I decided I would run the Musselburgh 10k as a target race with the aim of getting a PB I thought a Wednesday night 2 mile run would provide me with the perfect opportunity to tune up. I took Monday and Tuesday easily so as to recover a little from my 22mile run on Sunday. However, my legs felt quite heavy as I warmed up and I struggled to find any pace in them as I forced out some reluctant strides down Middle Meadow Walk. The weather was far from perfect too, the heavy drizzle had worked its way into my mind and I was far from excited about racing. With it being such a shitty night I was pretty pleased to see a number of my club mates including Adam, James and Kev at the start line, which lifted my mood. It was good, as always to chat races and training, and it helped me focus my mind more on running.


We massed under what was now a light drizzle at the start line and I felt a little tense and nervous, as I have to admit, as much as the race didn’t matter too much to me in terms of long term racing and training objectives, I really wanted to win one of those medals. I recognised several of the runners on the start line all of whom were pretty quick, as well as those from my own club too. I knew before we’d even set off that this was going to be a tough race!


I wasn’t sure what my race tactic was going to be until about 5 seconds after the race had started. It turned out that my tactic was simply run as fast as I could for as long as I could. I quickly found myself in a collection of about 6 or 7 runners behind 3 very fast runners who had already pulled away from us. By the time we had made our first turn after about a quarter of a mile we were down to a group of 4, myself, Adam Priestley, Jeff (A Pitreavie Runner) and Bryan (Corstorphine). We headed to the half mile mark together, but I was already feeling it. By the time we made the turn to head back to complete the first mile loop we had thinned out slightly with Bryan pulling ahead of Adam, Adam pulling ahead of Jeff and Jeff pulling ahead of me. I was just hanging on to the back. Our string stretched out a little bit more by the time we crossed the mile marker. With our times being called out I knew Bryan went through in just over 5 minutes. I was at 5.05, a bit faster than what I had thought I would have gone through in. The start of the final mile was definitely slower and I was in danger of dropping right off and getting swallowed up by the group of runners not too far behind me. I put in a bit of work after we turned the corner at about 1.25 miles and managed to get myself on even terms with Jeff. I have to admit I thought about pushing on a bit and trying to catch up with Adam. I perhaps didn’t give Adam the credit he deserved as I told myself that he would probably slow up considerably in the last half mile, so I concentrated on staying with Jeff and saving something for the end. When we approached the last couple of turns and the last half mile I put in another burst and moved ahead of Jeff. I was pleased about this and really wanted to make it stick, as earlier this year Jeff had beaten me to first place at the Kinross 10k. As we turned into the last 200m I looked ahead and although Adam was coming a little closer he had held his pace well and there was no way I was going to catch him. I did however finish strong and managed to finish in a new PB of 10.25 and 6th place. It was a great feeling. I am not sure my lungs have worked so hard in a race before. They were heaving to the point of bursting as I crossed the line and collapsed in a heap on the floor.


At the end it was with a big smile and a great sense of achievement that I went up and collected my sixth place medal. I’ve now achieved another one of my running goals, only about a million more to do before I can retire satisfied. It was a great race and I now feel in good shape for the 10k on Saturday. Hopefully with a couple of easier days between now and then I will get the PB I am looking for.


Top 10 Places from tonight’s race:


1 Michael Gillespie Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds 9.34 1st M


2 Stevie Cairns HBT 9.56 2nd M


3 Ben Cole Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds 10.08 3rd M


4 Bryan Clarke Corstorphine AAC 10.16 4th M


5 Adam Priestley Edinburgh AC 10.19 5th M


6 Richard Meade Edinburgh AC 10.25 6th M


7 Jeff Farquhar Pitreavie AAC 10.28 1st MV50


8 James Ruskin Edinburgh AC 10.38 7th M


9 Rory Downie Stirling Tri Club 10.39


10 Paul Brennan Edinburgh AC 10.53

Full results here

Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 July: Are Pedestrians a bigger pain than runner’s knee??

Monday 19 July – 7.5 miles; Tuesday 20 July – 7.5 miles

I am taking it a little easier this week for a couple of reasons, firstly because I have run close to 360 miles in the 4 weeks since I have been back from holiday, but mainly because I am running the Musselburgh 10k this Saturday. I have felt good in training recently and I feel as though I have a good chance of getting a PB. With marathon training and then MDS training this could be my last chance to get a 10K PB for quite some time, so I want to give it a real go.



So, with training lighter this week I thought I would talk about what could be a controversial subject, but one that has been driving me up the wall for weeks and months now – pedestrians! I am so fed up with pedestrians at the moment I have to bite my tongue almost every step of the way home. I have to run a fairly busy pedestrian route home over the bridges and to be honest it’s a nightmare! All I can say is that it is a good job people don’t drive like they walk otherwise the roads would be utter carnage!


I would say that 50% of all pedestrians are as equally gormless as they are self aware. They don’t look where they are going, they’re walk face down looking into their phones drifting from one side of the path to the other, reading books and newspapers, they jump off buses without looking left or right, so many times I have had to take evasive action to avoid one of these idiots and on the rare occasion I have been unable to avoid them they shout abuse and accuse me of being reckless. I enjoy pointing out their errors of their accusations in some of my more choice colourful language!


People are so easily distracted by themselves that they are completely unaware of what is going on around them, at least until they come to cross a road and then they at least consider looking left or right to avoid being hit by a car or bus. Why can’t they apply that logic or at least a tiny bit of it when they move round generally on pavements – it’s not much too ask.


Then there are those that walk in groups, as many as five abreast blocking the entire pavement, so busy talking that they don’t look where they are going. A giant moving wall of flesh! Often I have run towards these groups with the walls of buildings against my side, as I have been forced there by the sporadic walking of other pedestrians. Running with nowhere to move to when confronted with these large groups either coming towards me or away from me often ends with me having to come to an abrupt stop to force my way through. Those coming towards me sometimes even see me, but do nothing. How difficult would it be for the person in front of me to step to one side and let me through? When running against the wall I have nowhere to go, if I step right then I am just facing another one of walkers and I can’t go left as I would run into the wall. I have even called out “Excuse me” as I have approached, but this has done little but caught their gaze and they usually continue walking or stand there with a confused look on their faces. By the time they realise what has happened I have come to a crashing halt in front of them. At which point they give me rude looks as if I have somehow ruined their day for making them move.


Then there are the tourists! They are even less aware and more gormless than the usual pedestrians. It is like they have gone on holiday and left any ounce of commonsense they have back at home. They drift about the streets, clasping maps, bags and oversized cameras bouncing from one landmark to the next in a bubble of confusion unaware of the rest of the world moving around them, especially runners. The amount of times I have nearly been knocked into a road by a tourist stepping back to take a photo or by another making an abrupt turn in the street to look at something of interest, that they have just spent five minutes walking past without realising it was there.


Now imagine all of that with umbrellas! Umbrellas are the scourge of the earth! Held up by idiots doing all of the things that gormless pedestrians normally do as they fumble their way to work but with a much big radius for runners to avoid and with metal points sticking out of the canopy that when held by the average pedestrian are dangerously close to my eyes! I genuinely think that the Government should licence umbrellas and that people should have to go through months of theory and practice exams before being allowed to use them.


Finally the other kind of pedestrian I hate are those idiots and they are the biggest idiots out there that cycle on foot paths! There is sparse room as it is without people weaving in and out of people on bikes. Get off and push it! Or get on the road where you belong. What irks me the most is that it is actually illegal to cycle on a pavement, but have you ever seen a police officer pull over and stop or fine a person cycling on a path? A cyclist was sent to prison for running over a pedestrian and killing them last year. I myself have been clipped and hit by cyclists on pedestrian paths so many times now. Whenever it happens they too look as though it is my fault. I have often had angry words with such idiots.


I don’t know, maybe it’s just me. Maybe I am careless on the paths and I am to blame for these run-ins. I know I take a few risks and run things a little close as I dash in between those groups of pedestrians, but I think that’s because I get so frustrated by them. I am sure pedestrians hate runners too, big sweaty runners streaking towards them seemingly out of control and on course to knock them flying to the ground.


Ultimately, I just wish they would be that little bit more self aware of what they are doing and then that way I might get to work without wanting to throw half of them in front of the number 23! Discuss!

Friday 16 – Sunday 18 July 2010: The Perils and joys of weekend running

Weekly mileage: 92.75 miles



Friday 16 – 7.25 miles


Saturday 17 – 13.5 miles (including 13*400m – interval session)


Sunday 18 – 22 miles in 2hours 31 minutes 15 seconds


I love weekends and part of the reason I love them is because I get to spend a lot of time training, particularly the Sunday morning long run. There is, however, a downside to such weekends and that is hunger and exhaustion in between sessions, both of which have a significant affect on the rest of my weekend, particularly my social life.


I constantly struggle with a need to eat and to eat regularly to stop my blood sugar levels dipping and diving all over the place. This Friday Gail’s mum was down for a visit and we went to the Basement for food and to the cinema to see Inception.


Sometimes at restaurants if food is late coming out I can get very grumpy, quiet and literally start to shut down – not pleasant company, so knowing this I decided to have a bagel and peanut butter before we headed out. I wish I’d eaten two! The food was late (although really not that late, about 30 minutes after we had sat down) coming out and I did start down the dark path to shut down. This also happened on Saturday night as we went out for dinner for my friend’s 30th. Thankfully at the Thai restaurant we were at they had several bowls of prawn crackers at the table, which I proceeded to work through one by one until I had eaten about three bowls and we had to politely ask the waiters to refill them before the rest of the table arrived. Of course restaurants never ever bring out portions that match my hunger. On Friday I ate a starter and a main while Gail and her mum had just a main, I then bought an extremely large bag of pic’n’mix at the cinema and polished that off too. On Saturday night I ate a large starter selection, followed by a Thai curry with two portions of rice. I followed this up by hoovering up the leftovers at the table, rice, chips, whatever I could get and then dessert. Again I do wonder what people think of this, but I simply can not help myself, as I need to eat loads. This I find to be a real downside to heavy training, as I feel a bit out of control and I also wonder what everyone else thinks of me as I sit there in my dark mood waiting to be fed or continually grazing and eating through the night.


Another way in which my weekends are affected is my constant need for sleep. My training sessions are in the morning so that means that I am always looking for an early night. I have noticed that although Friday is the nearest I get to a rest day with just a run to and from work by the time I get home in the evening I am knackered. This, I guess is down to my heavy mid-week training. Our trip to the cinema was about as much as I could handle energy wise. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to do anything more strenuous. On Saturday and Sunday afternoons after my training sessions I always need an afternoon nap and a long rest on the sofa and I have little motivation to do anything else. I can usually muster enough energy to take the dog out for an hour or so for a walk later in the afternoon, but not much else, and I generally prefer nights in or if we do go out I like it to be quiet and ending early. On a Sunday the afternoon tiredness is worse. This is something that will only get worse as I increase my mileage on my long runs in preparation for my marathon. Today after my 22 miles I was very, very tired, and only just managed to find the energy to meet Gail and her mum for afternoon tea at Loopy Lorna’s. I was then faced with my food issue of needing to eat and drink in order not to crash and enter my dark mood. My tiredness and hunger did affect me as I sat there, but I still had a good time. They do very nice coffee, cakes and sandwiches if you get the chance to go there any time soon.


I don’t drink either, or at least very little. I haven’t had a drink in 4 weeks now, as I am trying to ensure that I am totally fresh for all of my runs (as well as lose some weight! That’s another issue though). I have to admit not drinking isn’t really a problem for me anymore, as I know how much I want to improve and I know how much it can hinder me. What is difficult though is seeing all my friends drink and feeling a little left out when everyone else gets tipsy.


So, you might ask why on earth do I commit myself to doing so much running on a weekend if it affects me in such a way. Simple answer, it feels great when I’ve finished those sessions. Saturday’s interval training is always tough, but I can almost feel myself getting fitter and faster with each one. Sunday morning runs along the Water of Leith, up to Balerno, round the reservoirs and in the shadow of the Pentland hills are as beautiful as they are challenging. The endorphin pay off at the end of these runs is also immense and the feeling of self satisfaction stays with me the whole day no matter how tired and hungry I get. I also know that with every run and training session I get that little bit closer to achieving my goals and I know that hard work nearly always pays off in the end.


Socially, when I do go out, it may be a little bit more of a physical struggle than it used to be, but I love spending time with my friends and catching up. I’d like to think that they have come to understand my strange running ways and why I don’t drink as much as I used to or hit the clubs until 3am.

Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 July: Still running in the rain and another tough Thursday session

Wednesday 14 July



Mileage 15.5 miles


AM: 3.75 miles; PM: 11.75 miles


After my race on Tuesday I was expecting to feel tired, sore and stiff, but my run to work in the morning was pretty good. There was definitely a little stiffness in my quads, but other than that all was good. In fact so good, that later that evening I decided to join Seamus and Dan for a long run out toward Cramond. It was a pretty miserable evening with a stiff breeze, which had whipped the sea up into quite a frenzy. We jogged alongside it and I did start to feel a little stiff and sore especially around my knees and quads. I was beginning to doubt the wisdom of running this far so soon after a race and with a tough Thursday night session to come. Turning into the wind to head back was also far from fun, but thankfully the company of my friends made it bearable.


I did just short of 12 miles in total, I think Dan did the same by the time he got home. Poor Seamus had been led so far away from home by Dan and I that he ended up having to run another 3 miles on top of us. He made sure to tell me this on Facebook and at training on Thursday too. I did feel a little guilty, but not that much!


Thursday 15 July


AM: 3.75 miles; PM: 11.75 miles


Yep, I definitely did too many miles yesterday night. My legs, as a result, had not recovered from Tuesday’s effort and were still pretty tight and stiff. I wasn’t impressed with myself as I ran to work this morning, as I knew tonight’s session was going to be a tough one.


Tonight’s session was 5 * 1200m run throughs. They work like this, you run flat out for the first 350 meters or in our case to where Alex had tied some lovely red and white stripy tape. On reaching the tape you had to move from flat out to 5K pace for the remaining 850 meters. It’s a really hard session and one that fills your muscles with lactic acid and burns your lungs inside out. For what must have been the third or fourth week we had the same group with myself, Colin, Bryan and James. It’s been great training with these guys as we have all worked really hard and well together, but at the same time pushing each other on, so that we have finished every rep and every session full on. Tonight was no different.


I was slightly worried on the warm up lap that I was going to be awful in the reps, as my legs just didn’t feel that great. I was, therefore, pretty surprised to find myself running fast on the first leg and matching Colin stride for stride. Bryan had blasted ahead running a devastatingly quick first section, which left us no chance of catching him on the second part of the rep. With James just behind we crossed the line for the first rep in 3minutes and 41 seconds. It was a fast time. I’ve done these 1200m reps before, but normally at an even pace, not run throughs and on these occasions a good time has been about 3.45-3.50, sometimes a little slower. It wasn’t that long ago that I struggled to break 4 minutes on that distance. I have definitely come on in the last year. I think part of the reason for the fast time tonight was the nature of the rep, but also having good runners all around me to work with. It was the same for the next 3 reps, we would start off hard and work into a controlled pace. Colin and I ran them all together in and each rep was consistent, either 3.41 or 3.42. Bryan had dropped back a bit on the 2nd and 3rd reps so that we were only just behind him. He and James both suffered a little on the fourth one, but the group had held together well. The four of us staggered back to the start line for the last rep all complaining how tired, broken and shattered we were, but it didn’t stop us from having a go at one last effort. The 350 meter sprint was a fair bit slower than the others, but was still quick and as we moved into the second stage of the rep I could sense we were all out for a bit of a race. With that in mind I tried to push on and move ahead, which I did and was feeling strong. I could sense Colin and Bryan were still close and despite burning legs and aching lungs I tried to break free for victory with 150m to go. It wasn’t enough to beat Bryan, who from nowhere found a real burst of speed that brought him up alongside me and then past me with apparent ease. I had nothing to go with him, but still managed to kick enough to keep Colin just behind me. The three of us collapsed in a broken, exhausted heap at the end, desperately trying to find some oxygen and not to vomit. The last rep was my quickest in 3.39. It felt great.


What I was most happy with was that I did the entire session on legs that were far from fresh. I really am starting to feel a return to full fitness and the pace that I enjoyed before holiday. I am still carrying the extra weight, something that I remind everyone about at every opportunity, but once that goes I will definitely be back to my best. I have another big weekend of training to look forward to, but then next week I plan to take it a little easier and recover a bit and at the same time taper for the Musselburgh 10K on Saturday 24th. I think a PB might be in sight.

13 July 2010: Moffat Gala Run Race Report

Mileage: 11.25 miles



Moffat Gala Run 15K: 6th place, 55.50


One thing I love about the summer is that there are simply loads and loads of good local races all across Scotland. What’s even more enjoyable about many of them are that they are usually not the traditional distances you would expect to run and they are rarely flat or without scenery. They are different, exciting and full atmosphere. Many of these races are not that well advertised either. You certainly won’t find them plastered throughout Runner’s World. Word of mouth is often how these local races are advertised and that is how I found out about the Moffat Gala Run and that was how club mate, Kim had heard about it too.


Kim had mentioned the race to me, Magnus Inglis (who used to train regularly with us on a Thursday night) and former club member and ultra marathon runner, Lucy Coloqhoun and we were all convinced, so last night Kim drove us all to Moffat about 70 miles south of Edinburgh for the Festival 15K. At the start line I met up with fellow club member Callum and we chatted about the race ahead. Callum had run the race the year before and so I gleaned some valuable information about the route.


It was a slightly overcast with a stiff breeze, but it was still warm and pleasant and in the small Borders town surrounded by stunning countryside it was a perfect evening for a race. We had heard through word of mouth, and Callum, that the run was largely on road with the first 4 miles leading out of the town on undulating country roads, and so it was.


Last week I did a 98 mile training week and n Sunday I had run 20 miles in 2hours 15minutes, and on Monday my legs had felt very tired on my run to and from work, so I knew I wouldn’t be at my peak for the race, but that didn’t stop me from having a go! I blasted out the first mile up the road in 5.30 minutes and found myself in fourth place. However, by the end of the first mile my legs were straining a bit and were as tired as suspected they would be. I took my foot of the gas slightly and watched as Callum caught up with me and went by followed by another runner from Motherwell AC.


Once I settled down I found myself in a nice rhythm and I really enjoyed running along the back roads out of Moffat surrounded by farm fields and trees and this was how it went for the first four miles. It was certainly a much nicer way to get a good workout than bashing out reps on the track at Meadowbank.


A lot of the pre-talk race had been about the big hill in the middle of the race, which I had been expecting and sure enough it popped up (literally) just before the 4 mile marker. We left the comfort of the road and hit a farm track, which snaked up for over a mile. It wasn’t Carnethy steep, you could run it, but it certainly gave your lungs and calves a good workout. I have really enjoyed running hills this year and I feel that little bit more confident about attacking them, so when I hit the bottom of the hill I didn’t look up with intimidation but saw it as an opportunity to catch up. I ran the first part particularly hard and quickly caught the Motherwell runner in front of me. After that my legs felt pretty heavy and tired, but I have to admit I loved the hard work and the effort. After just over a mile I reached the top where we joined the A70-something backing into Moffat. We had driven this road in to the town so I knew that it was a nice down hill stretch of road all the way back to the finish line.


My first few steps were a little Bambie like after the work on the hill and I must have wobbled about the road a bit as I got used to lengthening my stride again. At this point I noticed a Dumfries Harrier coming up on my shoulder. He pulled alongside me and was about to go past me, which I have to admit didn’t bother me too much, as I was just enjoying the event more as a good tempo run than a serious race. Then I snapped out of it and remembered how much I hate anyone passing me! Just as he began to pull ahead of me I pushed myself on to his shoulder. We then ran stride for stride, side by side for just short of four miles. It was about as much fun as I have had in a race. As much as we were working together we were also trying desperately to drop each other. The gradual descent also meant that we were running much faster than on the flat, which added to the thrill and the excitement of it all.


My legs were tired and heavy, but what was great was that all the little niggles and tightness I have felt in my legs in recent weeks was not there. I felt a few twinges, but they went almost as quickly as they came. My lungs felt fine too and really strong, so I know I can go faster with more rested legs.


Just after the 8 mile mark my friend the Dumfries Harrier found an extra spurt of speed from somewhere and moved ahead slightly. Again I was almost prepared to let him go, as I didn’t want to push beyond my limit and strain something. Again, I found myself unwilling to do this, but this time I decided to make a break for it myself and so when I kicked not only did I pull up along side him, but I went past him. I tried then to hold my pace and put some distance. It worked and I was pulling clear. Unfortunately I was simply running out of gas and when my opponent kicked again at the 9 mile mark I had nothing left and this time I didn’t have any choice, but to let him move past me and take fifth place, leaving me with sixth.


I hate to lose out like that, but I had really enjoyed the last four and half miles blasting down the road toward the finish line. The best thing though was my body felt strong and fit. I am fairly certain that with proper rest and few less miles in the preceding weeks I would have run a lot faster at this race. On a personal note it bodes well for races I plan a taper for.


As for my friends they had all done well. Callum finished third, some 7 minutes quicker than he had the year before, a great result. Lucy was fourth woman home and first Vet. Magnus wasn’t too far behind her and Kim wasn’t too far behind him. I should also mention that the first lady home was Kathrine Brownlee in a great time of 58.23, she has been coming along to Thursday night training for several weeks, and looked in great form leaving her rivals far behind.


We had all enjoyed the course and the race a great deal and were quickly exchanging promises to come back and do it again next year. With our return car journey full of running chat and a stop off for fish super it was a great evening and one I really enjoyed.


Selected Results:


1. Paul Arcari – 51.24


2. Grant Wikie – 53.23


3. Callum Reid – 53.56


6. Richard Meade – 55.50


10. Kathryn Brownlee – 58.23


31. Lucy Colquhoun – 62.42


33. Magnus Inglis – 63.26


46. Kim Threadgall – 65.35

Monday 12 July 2010: Easy running and race preperation

Mileage: 7.75 miles

AM: 3.75 miles; PM: 4 miles

After such a heavy mileage week last week I was shattered today. Also ttomorrow I am going to race the 15k Gala Run at Moffat, so I had to take it easy today. My run to work this morning was an effort and my legs were stiff and sore as I jogged slightly up the road.

For most of the day I have been questioning the logic of racing tomorrow, only 2 days after a 98 mile week and a 20 mile run at pace and I have thought a couple of times about cancelling. However, I have decided to do it, as if I am feeling stiff and tired then I can treat it as a steady, tempo run in replacement of my usual Tuesday track session, and if I am feeling good I can hopefully go for a good result. There's also a group of us travelling down, so it should be good fun no matter how badly I go! This is going to be my first race since the Scottish Half Marathon in May so I am looking forward to racing again. I've missed it. 

I actually felt a lot better running home tonight. My right hamstring was still a little tight, but the rest of me didn't feel too bad at all. I was still tired, but I reckon with a good night's sleep I might actually be in reasonable shape, we'll see! Look back tomorrow for a race report.

Sunday 11 July 2010: Another awesome Sunday Run

Weekly Mileage: 98 miles



Sunday Mileage: 20 miles in 2.14.57(6.45 mins/per/mile pace)


What a day. I think I made it pretty clear last week how much I love long Sunday runs after last week’s run. Today the weather was a lot better than last week, as there was no rain, however, there was still a good stiff breeze blowing about. Today was my first planned 20 mile plus run as part of my marathon training. I hadn’t run this far since April when Ben Mitchell, Seamus and I dressed as school girls (to celebrate Ben’s 40th birthday) ran a marathon along this route with some additional Pentlands bits thrown in.


I gave Seamus and Colin a lift to Criaglockhart where we met the rest of the club including Jenny and Niamh and it was obvious that we five were going to be able to run together as a group. Jenny was only planning to do 16 miles, but we planned to do the usual 16 mile route and then add on 4 more at the end.


We set off at a good steady pace and although it was comfortable we were working hard from the start. Jenny and Niamh, however, seemed to find it very comfortable and for the first few miles happily chatted away. I was feeling good, but not good enough to talk. I looked across at Colin to see if I was being rude by not talking, but he was, like me, working away and didn’t seem keen to chat. The girls were obviously in good shape!


The first 6 miles of this run is gradually up hill and miles 7-8 are two big hills. Today was really good as the five us worked together, pushing each other on and we emerged out of the water of Leith at Balerno where we took on the two hills together. It was really good having the company as we pushed hard and I am fairly certain that’s some of fastest running that I have done up those hills. We crossed the 8 mile mark in exactly 56 minutes, a minute quicker than last week. I think a lot of that came down to having the support of a large group of similarly paced runners. It would be great if we could get a group like that every week on the long runs as it really helps with the pace and makes the whole experience seem easier.


Unfortunately my group work came to a sudden halt just after 8 miles as a sudden bout of stomach cramps meant I had to take refuge in the bushes for 5 minutes, letting the rest of the guys get away. They were no where in sight when I re-emerged, but I took up after them at some pace. Even though I knew I had no chance of catching them I ran as if I could. My Garmin was working sporadically today and so I managed to get some mile reps recorded during the 8 miles back to the start. I was pleased to see my pace move from 6.50s through to 6.25s, a 6.15 and 6.10 minutes per mile. I felt really strong and fit. The only bad point was that my right leg was still a little stiff and sore at times. I am fairly certain it’s just tiredness, but I think I’ll need to get a massage soon just to make sure it doesn’t develop into something worse.


I reached the bridge that marks the 16 mile mark of the route in 1hour 48 minutes, meaning that my last 8 miles had been in 52 minutes. I was really pleased, as it also meant that my total time for the 16 miles was two minutes quicker than last week. Unfortunately there was still no sign of the others. I pressed on past the bridge towards the end of the canal. I hit a bit of a wall at this point and my legs and chest grew heavy and laboured. I guess it was a combination of not running this far in some time and of course the high mileage I have run this week. The next two miles were a struggle, but I managed to keep a reasonable sub 7 minute per mile pace. After 2 miles I turned round to head back to the bridge. I was still a littler perplexed that I had not come across the others who had been due to run this way. My answer soon appeared as Colin and Niamh were heading towards me as I headed back. I didn’t know how, but I had some how got in front of them. They turned and ran back with me and it turned out Jenny had taken them on a slight accidental scenic route adding an extra mile, which had let me get past them. Jenny had finished at the bridge along with Seamus who told us afterwards that he was very tired and his legs had clearly had enough leaving Colin, Niamh and I to finish off the 20 miles.


Being reunited with a group had a positive effect as I found myself picking up the pace, as m legs and lungs both felt better. I’d pushed through the wall. In fact for the last mile Colin and I really picked up the pace pushing each other toward the finishing line. Again, I am convinced that this was down to having the support of a group, as I am sure it not only helped me break through the wall, but also to finish off so strongly.


I was shattered when we crossed the line and most of my lower body ached, but it was really good to get the 20 miles in and as we staggered slowly back towards the car we all agreed how much we had enjoyed the run. Next Sunday 22 miles! I am already looking forward to it.

Friday 9 and Saturday 10 July: Running in the rain!

Friday 9 July



Mileage: 7.5 miles, AM: 3.75 miles PM: 3.75 miles


Friday is the nearest I get to a rest day. After a hard training session on a Thursday I am always very tired on Friday. This Friday was no different. In fact Thursday’s session was so tough that I was even more tired than normal. My run to work in the morning was an effort, but still enjoyable and loosened my tight and stiff muscles. My run home later that afternoon was a lot tougher than the morning run, as my muscles twitched and ached at the strain. I got home and was truly shattered. I found myself lying on the sofa falling in and out of sleep with the Tour De France highlights in the background. Thankfully I woke in time to watch another magnificent effort from the two Marks. They truly are exceptionally gifted athletes.


Saturday 10 July


Mileage: 14 miles (including Saturday session)


With Alex still away this Saturday we were again left to our own devices. Last week Seamus chose and led the session. It was a lung and leg busting pyramid session, but very enjoyable. This week I chose the session and I have to admit I was a little self indulgent picking one of my favourites: 8*800m with 2 minutes recovery between each effort. I like it, because it is geared towards endurance training and is good for half marathon and marathon training and I’ve always loved long and numerous reps. I didn’t feel too bad though, as Seamus and Colin, who had agreed to do the session with me, are both in training for the longer distances.


The morning air carried a mist of rain, which showed no sign of lifting as I left the house. Today was another bleak, cold, wet morning that belonged more to October than July. I think my legs sympathised with the mood of the weather, as they felt pretty tired and heavy from the hard week’s training. My right leg was particularly heavy and tight around my groin and hamstring. It was a bit of a trudge moving up the road, but by the time I met up with Colin on Dundas Street I was feeling a little better. Colin and I ran to the Meadows and arrived just after Seamus. We waited a short while to see if anyone else was coming. During this time Seamus told us he had been out for a few drinks the night before and was a little hungover. After 10 minutes no one else had appeared so we jogged to the Millennium Stone at the bottom of Middle Meadow Walk where we started the reps from.


The 800m route that we use is actually between 835-850 meters depending on the exact line taken. It starts at the bottom of Middle Meadow Walk and runs to the top towards Melvile Drive, where a sharp left is taken on to the footpath which is followed for about 250m before taking the next footpath to the left which angles back towards the Millennium Stone to make an almost complete triangle. It’s a perfect route.


We all seemed a little lethargic at the start line and as we set off my legs felt straight away like they were working very hard. Colin and Seamus moved to the front and began to pull away slightly. My right leg felt heavy and stiff and I started to wonder just how much of the session I would be able to do, however, as we hit the final third of the rep and the run back to the stone I caught up with them and tucked in behind, so that we crossed the line together in 2minutes 50 seconds (5 minutes 24 seconds per mile pace), which was pretty good. The next two were pretty much the same and the three of us worked hard together. After the third one, Eric, an Edinburgh Athletics Club veteran, found us and joined in, so we were a four. Eric wasn’t quite as quick as us so we staggered the start giving him a 20 second head start at the beginning of each rep, which also gave the three of us something to aim for. Our fourth rep was a couple of seconds quicker and this was thanks to Seamus picking up the pace. Not bad for a man who had enjoyed more drink than the sleep the night before. I actually felt quite good as we hit the half way mark of the session. Although I was still feeling a little stiff and sore, my legs now felt loose and my lungs strong, so I pushed the next few reps. On each of the next three I was a little ahead of Seamus and Colin, which was a nice confidence booster, as since I have been back from holiday I have spent most training sessions following the two of them. On the last rep I really went for it and streaked a head of the other two and quickly caught Eric, however, I had clearly set off too quickly, as we turned at the top of Middle Meadow Walk my legs turned a little jelly-like and Seamus caught and passed me. I did manage to find a bit of extra pace as we turned for the last time to head back, but it was not enough to catch Seamus who finished impressively.


My times had dropped to the mid and low-mid 2.40’s by the end, which is about where I would normally hope to be running when doing this session, so I was more than pleased. It was a good session and it was great to have Seamus and Colin for company, as we worked well together pushing each other and making sure we ran good times rather than mediocre ones, which I am sure I would have run if I had been forced to do that session on my own on such a bleak Saturday morning. Thanks guys.


As I type this I am feeling pretty good about my running, my pace and endurance is getting closer and closer to my pre-holiday state. The only thing now is my weight. I am still carrying 3kg more than I did before and I know that this is slowing me down a bit. I am trying to eat healthy and I’ve not had a drop of booze in 3 weeks, but still the weight isn’t shifting. It may be that I am simply eating too much, but I get so hungry and I am hungry all the time. Hopefully my high mileage will eat into that (excuse the pun) weight, as I really don’t want to cut back on the quantity of my breakfasts, lunches and dinners.


Tomorrow is long run day. Hopefully there will be a good group of us and we will manage a good 20 miles at a reasonable pace. I am looking forward to it.


My Times:


1) 2.50 (5.24 minutes per mile pace)


2) 2.51 (5.28)


3) 2.50 (5.28)


4) 2.48 (5.18)


5) 2.47 (5.17)


6) 2.45 (5.14)


7) 2.43 (5.12)


8) 2.45 (5.14)

Thursday 8 July: The Meadows' lung buster!

Mileage: 17.25 miles



AM: 3.75 miles; PM: 13.5 miles


Tonight’s meadow’s session was one of my favourites and I have been looking forward to it all week long. It didn’t disappoint. Tonight’s session was 4*1.47miles (or one complete lap of the meadows) with two and a half minute recoveries in between. I arrived at the meadows after a hard day’s work and I felt a little tired. My legs were still a little stiff and sore after Tuesday’s training session and it is possible that I went a little too hard on my Wednesday recovery run. Despite this (okay sounds like I am getting my excuses in now, but just setting the scene!) I was really hoping to run well. In fact I was pretty much chomping at the bit.


We start these sessions by the barrier at the back of the tennis court, head along to the bottom of the park and then turn left on to Melville Drive before heading the full length back to the other end of the park, a quick sharp turn and then short burst to complete the loop back at the tennis courts. This week we had the same group as last week with myself, Colin, James and new boy Bryan. Jenny, fresh of wining a 5k race the night before, also joined us for the first rep but then moved back a group. We decided to take it in turns to pace the group and I was volunteered first, again. That seems to happen quite a bit on Thursday’s and it always seems to be Colin who is volunteering me. I’ll have to be quick to nominate him next week.


I felt pretty strong, fit and comfortable on the first rep. The stiffness in my legs melted away quite quickly and my chest felt neither tired nor laboured as we moved down towards the bottom of the park and the turn. After a mile I quickly glanced round and saw that Colin, Bryan and James were still with me and we worked really hard together for the last half mile of rep, particularly at the end where we had to fight against a stiff breeze. We crossed the line in 8minutes and 3 seconds. Not bad. I’ve done this session a few times earlier this year, however, I have done 5 not 4 reps. My times have generally been around 7.50-8.05 for each effort, particularly when I was in good form in the run up to my April/May half marathons. So I was pretty pleased with the first rep tonight, as it was just inside what I would call a good time.


Colin led the second rep and straight away I could tell we were pushing a little harder. When we reached the bottom of the meadows and made the turn to come back Colin pushed on. I was determined to not to drop back so forced myself on his shoulder. I could see Bryan just to my left, but James had dropped back. He had also raced last night too and was clearly tired as a result. I don’t know if it was because I was sitting so close to Colin’s shoulder, but he kicked on again as we approached the last half mile and at this point I felt my lungs really start to work hard just to keep me in the group. We held the strong pace right through the last bend and into the wind crossing the line in 7.52. It was a good, fast time and I was delighted. This was the kind of time I would have been expecting of myself before my holiday.


It did, however, come at a cost. My lungs were aching and burned with the effort. My legs actually felt fine, which was good, but I could just feel that my lungs were not quite catching the breath I needed to recover in time for the third rep. It was a bit like Tuesday where I struggled to get myself back together after the first two sets. I think this is because I am still forcing my way back to full fitness and also I have run an awful lot of miles since I have been back (213 miles in 17 days), so undoubtedly my body is tired too. I definitely hadn’t recovered as much as I normally would have by the time our two and half minutes were up. Bryan led us out and he set off at a very fast pace. James decided to drop back a group, so I stuck with Colin and we both tried to hang on to Bryan’s pace. After about a quarter of a mile my mind told me that my lungs were still too sore and shattered to keep up and although my legs felt fine (ish) I dropped back and watched as Colin pulled away from me to catch Bryan and then the two of them pulled further away together. I also think my mind gave up a little too soon here as I think I could have made more of an effort to give chase. Instead I cruised the last half of the rep and eventually crossed the line in 8.15. I was not happy. I wasn’t expecting to run another 7.52, which was what Colin and Bryan managed but I would have expected at least 8.05. I shouted a little bit and then pulled myself together and told myself to put in a little extra effort for the last rep and get back towards the 8 minute mark.


The last rep we set off together and the three of us worked as a team pushing towards the end of the park and then the turn. I knew straight away that I was running better than the third rep and although after half way Colin and Bryan pulled away from me slightly I hung in and forced myself not to let too much of a gap form, which is what I should have done on the third rep. I crossed the line 7 seconds behind them in 8minutes 3 seconds the same time as my first rep. I was a lot happier. I am quite sure I could have done a fifth rep at that pace too. It may be that if I had done my second rep at that pace, instead of the super fast pace of the other two then I would have ran better in the third. Clearly I am capable of the speed, but as I am getting back into my running I still need a bit of time running at slightly slower more consistent speeds rather than one super fast rep followed by a very average one.


Still, overall I am happy with my effort tonight and know that things are slowly getting better. I am certainly loads quicker than I was last Thursday and the Thursday before that. I actually felt better after the session tonight than I did before it and I had to restrain myself on my run home, as I felt my legs turning over very quickly. I am still not sure how quickly, as my Garmin is still looking for a satellite. I wonder if all the Garmin satellites are in France looking after their riders on Le Tour.