Too nice to be inside

7.06pm, 4 miles, 35.18, ave pace 8.49m/m

9.18, 9.00, 8.57, 8.00

I could not get booked in for Body Pump tonight and decided I would rather go for a run outside instead anyway since it had turned into a nice day. It might have been nice in Glasgow all day for all I know, but East Kilbride is a whole different ball game and the first time I noticed the sun was out was at 3pm!

It sounds lazy I know but I drove to the cycle path as I could not face running through Linwood first, not that it even seemed that bad tonight but it is just the thought of it.  Lots of families and cyclists out on the cycle path tonight though which was nice and no crowds of neddy kids!

I was not sure how I would get on but managed fine, my times make it look like a very negative split but it is really just uphill for the first two miles and then downhill for the next two. 

I have decided that since I ran the marathon at 8.53m/m pace I really have no excuse to ever run slower than that (except on the WHW of course) so I am glad I managed to get the last mile fast to bring my average down!  Indeed I should really be seeing more times in the 7 something m/m range since my average for the 10km was 7.39m/m!

Recovery run

3.1 miles

Took Mrs Crazyboy out for a 5km run today as she is doing the Race for Life a week on Sunday.  I don’t think she was too confident about being able to do it but she did really well and seemed very relaxed at the end.  I was really pleased for her as this should give her more confidence for next week.  That is the longest she has run I think since the race for life 2 years ago.

My legs felt really good all day yesterday and today. although I was not sure how they would be when I started to run.  They felt fine though which made me sorely tempted to join in the night run tonight from Drymen to Milngavie as I really, really wanted to do it.  Thankfully the thought of school tomorrow on very little sleep managed to keep me sane!  There is a world of difference between 3 very steady miles and 12 and I don’t think my legs would actually be okay for that.  Looking forward to going to the gym tomorrow and getting some classes done.

Thanks

2428th out of 6610 full marathon finishers – got to be quite pleased with that!  I forgot to say yesterday that that was over 27 mins I took off my pb on Sunday, don’t think I will ever be doing that in one go again!

Thanks to everyone for their comments on my blog or mentioning me on their own, I am finding the support of everyone in the WHW family overwhelming.  Really glad pacepusher is running it and we have got the chance to meet so many great people!

In response to WHW runners comment on his blog, I will not be doing the WHW race next year; but maybe the year after that!  I fully intend to run the Devil’s next year and then see how I feel after that.

And I did it…..

…way beyond what I thought I was capable of!

Edinburgh Marathon, 3.54.44, 8.53m/m ave

9.03, 8.54, 8.43, 8.43, 8.51, 9.03, 8.51, 8.44, 8.45, 8.53, 8.43, 8.47, 8.43   
8.49, 8.53, 8.50, 8.48, 9.07, 8.52, 9.04, 9.10, 9.07, 8.55, 9.01, 9.07, 9.07, 3.13 at 7.51m/m pace

The GPS was measuring the mile markers before the actual markers on the route so that explains taking 3.13 mins to do the last 0.2 miles especially considering the pace I did it at!

After staying relatively calm yesterday I woke up this morning feeling rubbish with a sore throat etc,  I was even threatening not to run and spent the journey through thinking through the places I would be able to drop out if I felt awful.  I had no desire to repeat my experience in New York.  Pacepusher has now decided this is my equivalent of man flu and is in my own head dealing with nerves!

I took some Lemsip cold and flu capsules when I got there just to make me feel better. Unfortunately we spent just short of an hour queuing for the toilet as we had not realised there were more further up and were getting more and more worried about getting to the start on time.  I kind of gave up on any time at that point as I thought we would be so far back in starting.  We managed to sneak into the 4.00 – 4.30 pen which was not what I had intended but was better than starting at the back.

I had decided during the week that I was just going to go for sub 4 even though even in London 6 weeks ago I was only going for sub 4.10 but I had got really positive after last weekend’s running and thought I would just go for it and if I crashed and burned at least I had tried.  I also partly came to this decision because Pacepusher decided he would run with me so I thought I might have more of a chance, as I said yesterday I knew he would not let me give up on that time without a fight.

I said that I wanted to run at 9.00m/m pace but as can be seen from my splits we were faster than that most of the way round.  Pacepusher admitted afterwards that he thought I was going to fall out with him for going to fast near the start but it felt comfortable, in fact I commented near the start that it seemed so slow compared to compared to last week’s 10km pace.  I decided that I might as well try and get some time to spare in the bag, I know this is not the way you are supposed to do it but no other strategies had worked for me prior to today so I thought I might as well try it.

I fully expected to blow up at some point but it did not happen.  I remember getting to 7 miles and thinking that I felt awful by this time in New York, then wanting to get to 10 at that pace, then 13 and then the turn around point at about 18 miles I think.  I could not believe I kept running under 9.00m/m.  I do a lot of maths while running and kept working out how much time I was ahead of the four hour mark and it just kept getting more and more.  I was wearing 3.55, 4 hour and 4.10 pace bands and kept being ahead of the 3.55 pace which is 8.59m/m pace so this became my own goal although I do not think I voiced that until nearer the end.  I think Pacepusher was keeping a more conservative goal in mind as he said at about 20 miles (I think) that I would beat my pb and under 4 hours would be the bonus but I was already thinking about the 3.55.

My legs hurt from about 15 miles and I was so sure I would hit the wall at some point but although I slowed up from about 20 miles it was not drastically at all and I am really pleased with that.  I could have slowed up a lot, lot more and still made it under the 4 hour mark.

The last few miles were a struggle but still nowhere near as much as I was expecting and it did not even feel like I had been out the time I should have been for a marathon.  I thought the crowds at the end particularly were amazing, better than London probably because they are so close to you and between pacepusher screaming at me to get me under the 3.55 and the crowds it was amazing.  I had been really unsure in the last 1.5 miles that I would get under the 3.55 because the garmin was running short and so was really fighting for it in the last couple of hundred metres.

I decided afterwards that if I had been running by myself, that if I had started at that pace I would probably have got about that time as I would say I am pretty determined if I know I getting to the time I want BUT there is no way I would have started at that pace by myself so I owe pacepusher big time, although I think that debt is cancelled out with the WHW race and the support he is getting for that!

I commented on WHW runner’s blog that I cannnot believe how supportive all the WHW runners are, especially when I am not even running so thanks for all the good luck comments.  It is really appreciated!  And John, I cannot believe you went to the trouble of texting, I presume, other people to tell them how I got on – thanks!

Now bring on Chicago in exactly 20 weeks time!  There is just the small matter of spending 5 weeks in a rural village in Malawi in the middle of that training plan!

 

 

Do or Die…..

I am really looking forward to Edinburgh (although trying to ignore a lurking sore throat) but that is Pacepusher now running with me, funnily enough to pace me (!), and I know he will not be letting me give up on the time that I want without a fight so I may not live to tell the tale!

If anyone is going to watch look out for us, as none of the folk I had there to watch last year are going to be there this year so I would love to see a friendly face!  I will be in usual yellow top and black 3/4 length leggings and Pacepusher is threatening to carry a saltire!

I have put photos from the Troon 10km on Flikr so John, Crazyboy and Headless Chicken might want a look for photos of themselves!

Another short one

Tuesday 21st May

2.5 miles

Took Mrs Crazyboy out for 2.5 miles inbetween school and a PTA meeting.  This is her furthest distance since before baby Crazyboy and she is doing really well.  It’s now Thursday and I am not missing not running or going to the gym but after a fairly taxing weekend I am resting up till Sunday. 

Sounds impressive to me!

298th out of 10,216 runners yesterday!

And another one…..

Sunday 18th May, Women’s 10km race, 10.01am

6.2 miles, 47.50, Ave 4.45m/km, 7.39 m/m

KM splits:  4.44, 4.53, 5.02, 4.41, 4.44, 4.39, 4.54, 4.56, 4.32, 4.24

KM averages in mile pace: 7.37, 7.52, 8.07, 7.33, 7.37, 7.30, 7.54, 7.58, 7.18, 7.06 and 6.22 pace for the last 235 feet!

I thought I was just going today to enjoy the atmosphere and have a last tempo run before Edinburgh next weekend, especially when my pack had not arrived and I had no number or chip. I thought my legs would be done in from yesterday although they felt okay.  Luckily I managed to get my number etc in the morning even though you are not supposed to be able to.

I had only got myself a purple number because I had known I would be running on the WHW yesterday and did not want to be demoralised being passed by people if I had taken a white number.  As it was I ended up passing people the entire way and that was with starting at the front of the purples.

My legs felt fine when I started running and up to 2 km I felt fine and thought that actually if I could hang on I would get a pb. Saw 2 pals Alastair and David very near the start and that gave me a boost.  From 2-3km I had an awful time with stomach cramps (the kind only females get!) and thought my race was over.  I was gutted at this point and really struggled to keep running as I was in so much pain.  I lost about 15-20 secs I think.  Miraculously at 3km they just disapeared and I was back on again.

I do quite a lot of maths in my head while running and keep a tally of how many secs I have gained from my pb as I run.  At this point I was only trying to get under 49 mins as my pb was 49.10mins. I just kept going strong and was amazed at how good my legs felt.  The whole way in Troon the other week I was struggling to keep it going and my breathing was laboured to say the least but today I was fine and felt great the whole way.

I was on for about 48.30 at halfway (my garmin was running a bit ahead) and thought that I would be able to keep it going and get that anyway.  I saw the Crazyboy family just as I went into Pollock Park which was just where I was expecting to see them and gave me a real boost.  I was able to speed up a bit!

I did have to work hard on the hills in the park but they seemed easier than usual and it was from the top of the last hill with about 2.5 km to go that I thought I might get under the 48 mins if I worked hard; so I did!

As I came round onto Mosspark Boulevard I really wasn’t sure if I could do it or not, there seemed too far to go but then I heard shouting from Alastair and David with about 250 metres to go and they were really screaming so that got me going and I managed a sprint finish.  I am sure they, and pacepusher who saw me with about 50-100 metres to go and was screaming too, got me to the finish with those 10 secs to spare.  Came my closest yet to being sick over the line though!

I am absolutely delighted as I had no idea I could do that time and am looking forward to trying one now when my legs are fresh when I think I might get under 47 mins.  Bring on the Edinburgh marathon next Sunday now; I have gone from not wanting to do it to relishing the challenge now!

Huge high!

Saturday 17th May

Kinlochleven to Fort William

1.05pm, 14.51 miles, 2.46.07, Ave 11.27m/m

Splits:  15.30, 15.23, 11.22, 11.46, 10.18, 10.17, 9.37, 12.31, 11.08, 12.33, 14.21, 8.36, 8.50, 9.10, 9.06 pace for the last 0.51 miles

I left the house at 7.20am to drive to Bridge of Orchy and meet Pacepusher, John, WHW runner, Allybea, Tim and a couple of other people I had only heard about from the WHW race forum.  This WHW race has increased my confidence on the A82 – I took an hour and 5 mins to get from Linwood to Bridge of Orchy, driving in a rather kamikaze fashion.  It has also made me far more reckless running downhill but that is for later.

I knew Pacepusher would not be running today and was expecting him to be very grump when I arrived but in actual fact I think he was coping very well.  We saw the 6 runners off and then headed to Kingshouse to meet them there.  Pacepusher was not impressed with this part of not running – we had about 2 hours to wait for them!  We were kept occupied by Allybea and her very impressive snack van!  Everyone came in together looking strong and we then went to Kinlochleven where I would be running from. 

Pacepusher suggested that I take a bit of a head start as I was quite worried that I was going to be a lot slower than the rest of them.  I was not worried about being left by myself but felt it would be a bit demoralising to be left behind.  So I jumped at the chance of starting early and I think I was between 5 and 10 mins ahead of the others.  I had to walk most of the first two miles as it is pretty steep but I loved the views and was just really enjoying being outside and exercising after a very difficult few days at work this week.  I did run uphill at one point though as I cannot walk past walkers so I had some heavy breathing going on at that point!

I cannot describe just how much I loved this run.  Once I got over the hills I ran about 98% of the way to Lundavra I reckon and just was having so much fun.  It was great knowing that the others were behind me as I wanted it to take as long as possible for them to catch me and especially once I knew I was getting close to Lundavra I really tried hard to get there before them.  It was lovely weather with some sun but not too hot and I was running past so many walkers.

I did not stop at Lundavra except to collect water (I had not carried it for the first part as I was so worried about getting my throat problem) and Pacepusher was so rubbish at being support crew I had to collect it out of the car myself.  He was not expecting me that early and was amazed that the others had not caught me.

There are a couple of hills I remember walking up going out of Lundavra but again I think I ran most of the way and remember more the huge amount of downhill there was.  I absolutely loved the whole run until I came out onto the road into Fort William and until then had just wanted to go and do the whole thing again.  I felt like I had only been running for about an hour!  I had so much fun and that is not an adjective I would use that often for my running.  I actually really liked being by myself as I could not get bored, or caught up with thinking about school etc as I had to concentrate on what I was doing so much.  I have not run that length by myself for a long time and was surprised how contented I was.

This has made me want to run much more on the way and other trail paths and I have decided I want to run the Devil of the Highlands next August.  I am picking that one over the Highland Fling because it is shorter, I like that part of the route, especially what I did today (I know it was on fresh legs so totally different!), it is later in the year so wont be training for it in the winter and I like the name!

None of the others did catch up with me (again I know I had fresh legs!) although John was not far behind me and, my favourite post run thing –  I got a cup of tea from Allybea when I finished!

Decided my legs would be totally gubbed for the Womens 10km the next day but that I did not care because I had so much fun!

Just a little one

5.25pm, 2 miles

Took Mrs Crazyboy out for a quick run before she did Body Pump.  She is doing really well and text me today to say she had entered the Race for Life in 3 weeks and the 10km in September.   I am just taking it easy until Saturday and Sunday!