Weight and Slipping Household Standards

I've got two things to rattle on about today. One I hate to mention because its such an old chestnut, but its weight. I've noticed a long time since that although there are thinner girls who are slower than me at club, all the faster girls are thinner than me. Its undeniable; leanness makes going faster easier. Often when running on a slight downward slope and suddenly 7 min/miles are easy I wonder if this is how it would be if I was lighter. Yet I've adjusted what I eat really as much as I'm willing to - we are SUPER healthy to the extent that the workers in Scotmid make comments about it and it is embarrassing.

I'm not willing to starve myself and don't think its a good idea anyway but always in the back of my mind I guess there's some hope that I'll find something that will unlock the key to me losing a few more pounds without eating toilet roll or making myself vomit. Thus, when I found myself in Waterstones looking at the books in the sports section I found myself drawn towards "Racing Weight" by Matt Fitzgerald. A whole book about weight loss. How is it possible to read that? I'm doing quite well, I'm forcing myself and I'm on page 98. The wisdom I have to share for today is that he reckons that your body naturally adjusts to the demands you put on it - over and above the straightforward arithmetic of how many calories you burn - so for runners he thinks you should keep up your training volume as much as possible without getting ill or injured but backing off in intensity at times in order to recover. By doing this he says your body just does what's most economical and cuts down on the amount of fat you carry so you can run as efficiently as possible. Well who knows. It was enough to tip the balance and get me to go out for the last 8 miles I needed to get my 50 miles in for the week with enough time left over to rest up for Alloa. And mighty tired I was too as I was at club last night and nearly done meself in. (It was a good session though. There is a sudden rise in the numbers of female runners who are about my standard, which is a new experience for me. I am used to running in no man's (woman's) land.

There is much more to the Matt Fitzgerald book than this. It is well written, readable, doesn't come across as faddy and sounds like he knows what he's talking about. His slant is that you need to focus on your weight and your body composition - get a handle on what your ideal racing weight and body composition should be and then work towards it. Maybe I'm liking it because by his method of reckoning I need to lose 5lbs (of fat!) rather than the 20lbs suggested in other books. (Bob Glover). Although I may have done my sums wrong. It cheered me up so much and made it suddenly seem possible that I'm best believing it.

The 2nd thing I would like to write about today is a cautionary tale about how your house might end up if it contains two runners. I think the photo above speaks for itself. Peter will be annoyed at me for putting this up for public viewing but I'm more of the "accept who you are and be honest about it" bent. In a year's time, will we have a new tap? Or will we have adjusted to them grippy things. Maybe we should just put an "H" on them and be done.

...and another long Pentlands run...

Decided to go back to the Pentlands today for my long run and do what we intended to do last time we went and do 2 circuits of what we call the low level route. The weather out the window didn't look too promising but the BBC weather said it would be dry with sunny spells so I chose to believe that.

On the van on the way out it was difficult to ignore the fact it was actually raining and that clouds were scudding across the sky, powered by a strong, cold wind. I got a bit lost on the way also because I forgot where I was going and out of habit had headed out the Colinton road to where Peter is working before I realised what I was doing. I had to cut back through never before driven roads, passing the old psychiatric hospital at Craighouse before I got back on track.

At the Flotterstone carpark it was distinctly grey and windy but I felt okay anyway. Off I trotted.

This is the 1st long run I've done on my own in a long time and so I was determined to keep the pace truly comfortable. I was a bit bored for the 1st three miles which are uphill and into the wind, feeling that I had nothing to think about, but this passed. I amused myself trying to dodge puddles which there were a-plenty and listening to the random rubbish going on in my head.

As I headed down to Threipmuir reservoir I remembered that last time we'd been here the path had been closed. Was it going to be closed again today, meaning I'd have to reclimb that nasty hill up from the car park at Red moss?

The path was indeed closed so after weighing up my options I decided to head back up the long hill and cut round the side of Black Hill. Before I went back up however, I wanted to explore what was across the road from the Red moss carpark. I'd seen an intriguing looking path going the opposite way a few times but had always been too busy on a mission to explore further. What I discovered was a raised wooden walkway over the local boggy vegetation. Presumably its for bog enthusiasts and twitchers but is no different from mountain bikers North Shore (whyever its called that). It was great to run over anyway. Some of the planks are collapsing a bit so I had to be careful but mostly it was a glorious wee run. I think more of the countryside should have a raised wooden walkway through it.

Back to Black Hill then, stopping to eat some of today's trial food - very good - Boots "cereal bars" - indistinguishable from chocolate bars but I'll go along with it - and pitted dates. Both things went down easily and sat well. It was hard to leave some for the next stops though.

The run round the side of Black Hill has obviously been seeing more use as an alternative path to the road at the side of Threipmuir so it wasn't as nice as usual. It is very, very muddy and boggy. I had my road shoes on so it wasn't easy going and my feet are filthy...Nothing much happened for a while. A minor incident with a dog that wanted me badly held by a pinch-faced bad tempered looking owner. Nothing of note. Coming up the hill the wind was behind me and it didn't seem much effort. Coming down the path between Black Hill and Harbour hill was easy going though wet. It felt good in an odd sort of way to head back up the road to the Howe for lap 2 because at least that meant I was getting into the latter stages.

The weather got really pretty filthy for a while and there was nothing to do but plod on with my head down. The mist was swirling around the tops and the wind was blowing rain right into my face. Just after the Howe I had an unscheduled stop as I had to wait for a flock of sheep to pass over the narrow red path. I knew if I moved or hassled them they'd panic and take longer so I just stood quietly and took pictures of them, getting a bit cold.

As I set off up the side of Black Hill for the second time the sun unexpectedly came out and gave me a massive boost. All of a sudden the rather bleak looking landscape was transformed. The Forth looked blue and the still snow-capped hills of Fife looked magnificent in the distance. I could feel the warmth of the sun on the backs of my legs and I felt comfortable and happy. Maybe I can get into this ultra-malarkey after all!

Climbing up the hill was again easy with the wind behind me and everything looking better. I paused to take a photo at the top of the last hill at 19 miles or so.

My legs stayed in reasonable condition - a bit achy at times but nothing too bad - I think keeping a really moderate and consistent pace helped this. I ran down the other side of the hill thinking of a fat man I'd seen exclaiming "Sheeee-it" in a film and trying to think who it was. Was it the Sheriff out of the Dukes of Hazzard or was it Every Which Way but Loose - or what the hell's the name of that film with the guy with the black hair and the thick black moustache? Or is that the same film? With such lofty stuff going on inside you can understand it wasn't long til I was back at the van, my last mile being the fastest one of the day. Altogether 21.68 hilly miles. Time to get a shower.

Gartmorn 6

Despite a punishing schedule of early starts and work for us both, young Peter was keen that we still go to do the Gartmorn 6 today so I wearily crawled to bed last night and set my alarm for 7am.

It dawned a nice, sunny day with just a bit of a cool breeze. The roads were virtually empty as we made our way to Alloa and got there in plenty of time.

We had done this one last year and been impressed with the off-road running through trees, over bridges, up banks and down steps. It is allegedly scenic but for the 2nd year running I didn't see anything except the path ahead, tree roots and demoralisingly, backs disappearing into the distance from time to time.

Last year I was tired as it was only 2 weeks after the Draycote water 35 miler which was an imaginative 7 times round a reservoir (round and round the reservoir the ragged runner ran.). This year I was tired because I was tired. Last year when I saw the reservoir I started having flashbacks of the damn Draycote water reservoir but this year I seem to be past that, suffering no ill-effects or mental distress when I saw the one at Gartmorn.

Last year it was very muddy and so this year we wore our mudclaws, which were traction overkill given the very good dry underfoot conditions but I like wearing mine anyway.

Keith Harper pitched up, beefing up the Portobello presence by 50%. (Have I got that right?). It was nice to see him.

The race went fine. I set off a bit too fast and slowed after the 1st 2 miles. I was looking forwards to the down hill greatly (it is roughly 2 miles up, 2 miles along and 2 miles down), but I didn't speed up on the way back just as much as I'd hoped.

Last year I ran it in 45mins 36 seconds but the organisers inexplicably gave me a time of over 46 minutes. This year I ran it in 45 mins 24 seconds. I should have been quicker really as the conditions were pretty much ideal but I did what I could.

The after run spread of cakes was beyond belief. I had three different kinds of chocolate cake. We also got mugs and bananas. Pretty good value for money all in all.

Peter was 6th and felt he put in a reasonable performance. If they'd stretched the vet prizes a bit we both would probably have come home with some bling but I suppose its greedy to always want more!

Tomorrow; some kind of long run. Where? What? I don't know. Having some thoughts about running the canal from Linlithgow but I think it might be a. too boring, b. too flat and c. no offence but running slowly through Broxburn seems like a bad idea.

NB2E, part deux

Another Sunday, another long run. We were thinking about doing something complex somewhere up the WHW with 2 cars to make a point to point run, but we raced yesterday and there's not much weekend left. The thought of getting up early and having a long drive and then a long run and then a long drive home and then getting up at 5 am tomorrow for an early start at work was enough to make me weep. We needed something simpler and less hassle. We decided to get the train to North Berwick again and run back. Scott and Amanda said they would get on the train at Musselburgh and join us.

At the station this morning, just before the train left someone in a Portobello vest came running up the platform waving. At the last minute Moray Paterson had decided that he shouldn't do the Lasswade 10 as he's training for the Paris Marathon - and that he'd be better off with a 24 mile run. So three Porties climbed on the train at Edinburgh and were joined by another 2 at Musselburgh.

I had a fair degree of dread realising that once again I was setting off as the pit pony alongside the race horses and that once more I was letting myself in for a leg and ego mashing.

In North Berwick it was colder than promised, and there was a headwind that was not stiff but was constant. Moray took off at marathon training pace and pretty soon he was gone. The rest of us set off at a pace that was not fast but still left me fearful for the latter stages of the run. Still, it was good to have company and catch up with A and S. Amanda had been having a hip twinge and was worried that her London Marathon training was going to get derailed - but it was turning out to be one of these pains that is present but manageable. Scott had accidentally
drunk a couple of bottles of wine the night before and was expecting it to catch up with him at some point although I never saw any signs that it did. He had promised Amanda as a forfeit that he would do a dance at mile 9.

The team decision was to not stop at Gullane as it was "too soon" so I was hurried past the delicatessen there which was open this time, leaving me with unfinished business...

After Aberlady we took to the sandy path that runs near to the beach which is much more fun and safer than running along the side of the road but takes more out of your legs... By this time I was starting to drift off the back of the other three more and more frequently and I resolved that after our planned stop at the Co-op at Seton Sands that I'd get them to move on ahead at a pace to suit themselves and leave me behind. I actually still felt fine but was certainly not going to be speeding up and it feels completely different running along at your own pace to running along behind folk who are faster than you and feeling hassled because you're holding them back.

At the Co-op Peter and I shared a can of something weird with caffeine in it, and we all had something to eat and drink. As we stood in the grey, windy carpark we couldn't help but notice that there was a car with a pineapple and a bag of soil and a melon split over the top of it. We soon realised that we were right in the middle of something (Some Prestonpans happening) as a young guy came over, looked at the car and then started bouncing melons hard off another car. Amanda was keen that we get moving and get ourselves away from this particular drama as soon as possible, and we were quick to agree, Peter and I having only recently started to recover from a nasty encounter with some teenage girls a couple of weeks back. So we hot-footed it out of there.

In the meantime I'd told Peter that I was going to hang back and he seemed to take some kind of offence at this, making a retaliatory remark that yes I was rather slow today. As it happened I had been running quicker than my other long runs - but it made me reflect that it might be good to hire someone to run with me but a bit slower than me and I could then berate them for being slow to make myself feel better. With that bitter little scenario in my mind we parted company.

I soon started to feel better though - getting into a rythm more dictated by how I was feeling than how fast I should be going or whether other people were waiting on me. I made up a fair amount of ground by just following the road while S, A and P were following the coastal route. Coming into Musselburgh I heard footsteps behiind me and pretty soon another runner drew even. We had a bit of a chat about running which is always good. He was saying he knew he was going slightly faster than me but didn't want to surge past and then slow down as he wanted to keep an even pace. I told him I'd resisted the urge to try and speed up and hold him off when I heard footsteps behind me because I knew I'd pay for it. We had a chat about up and coming events and parted company as he went round the front at Musselburgh and I contiinued on the straightest, most sheltered way. By the Quay-side I'd lopped off so much distance compared to following the coastal route that I was just ahead of the team. S, A and P ran along to the prom and then back again, going at a good rate - and were clearly now getting some good marathon paced training in! Peter came back with me and we made our way home through the last few familiar miles.

My legs felt pretty good to mile 20 and then started to cramp up. My pace dropped considerably about then too. The prom was quite busy as the sun was out by this time and the dodging round dogs, old people, babies on scooters etc. is a painful business on tired and crampy legs.

Then we were home. Then we ate a lot! Average pace was much quicker than our first go at this route 5 or so weeks ago so I'm pleased about that.

KB5

Today we ran the KB5. Haven't done this one before and had been warned that it was hilly. It was hilly! Went into it with a fair amount of trepidation because I had no idea what I'd be able to do. Fairly content with 36.27. At the Park runs last December Claire Gilchrist routinely went past me after the first mile and then beat me. I saw her there today and promised myself I'd keep behind her and hold on for as long as I could. Stayed close behind for the 1st mile (6.51) and then "let go". There were a few guys around me I could beat up the hills and who would then come past me on the flat and downhills so that gave me something to focus on. They all beat me but not by much. It was an ideal day for running. Bright and cold. My throat feels like its been cleaned with a bottle cleaner.

Porties also there were James Harrison (super fast triathlete) and Scott Jarvie. Willie J. was saving himself for Lasswade 10 tomorrow so kindly took the photos. We have a whole rake of photos so Peter's going to do something with them on the Porty web-site.

Feel slightly grumpy after talking to James afterwards, who is also a nurse, and gets no concessions in terms of working hours etc. to help him pursue his sport. (I've had a very supportive boss and still its a battle to train and race.) James is aiming to get to the World triathlon championships in Budapest this August. On top of the NHS not really supporting sport he was telling me about a number of triathlons that have not run because the police are against them. Given that Scotland is known as the sick man of europe with a terrible health record you'd think the authorities might think about how they could be promoting sport in Scotland rather than putting obstacles in the way. That is sport other than football, which I don't know much about, but I gather is a handful of fit guys who are usually not Scottish and then a huge rabble of burping, farting, loud, drinking, shouting imbeciles who double park on my street of a Saturday so I can't even go home if I've been out in my car.
Grrrrrrr! Anyway.

We had a cup of tea in the student union afterwards and then clapped the thin people who won. I was glad that Claire Gilchrist won the vet prize.
Long run tomorrow. We're thinking train to North Berwick and run back again.

Awards Ceremony

Found out yesterday that I'd won a trophy for 2nd LV40 in the Borders XC series. I couldn't attend the last race yesterday because I had to work. Since I had to miss out on my small moment of glory I had a bit of a ceremony this morning and said a few words to myself...

From what Peter said the organisers were very generous with the number of trophies they handed out, so I can't really boast. Loved the whole series. Would like to go back next year and do all of it this time. I'm currently attempting to wrest control of when I work out of the hands of others - but we'll see how that works out.

Under the weather

Hmmm, not feeling so great - not ill but not well. Dodged club night on Wednesday as it was freezing and pouring with rain and I was tired. Got up at 7 am the next day with the intention of running 10 miles in the morning as I had to be at work for noon. At 8.30 after a full pot of coffee (I think its equivalent to 6 expressos) I went back to bed and slept until 10am, feeling a bit better by then. Yesterday I'd created a modified plan. I would get up at 8am and run 6 miles before work. This time I did it despite the cold wind and the rain and I felt okay. Work was even okay where it has been very loud and hectic all week. So I was looking forwards to my day off today when I thought I'd get in a moderate 10 or 12 miles.

Over night I got a headache which I tried to shake by drinking. I quite often forget to drink at work. In the morning it was still there though but I was reluctant to take pain-killers. I forced myself out a run in the afternoon in the cold and grey. At least it was dry. It was an effort and I never shook the headache but it wasn't too bad. Didn't make me feel any worse. Just enough mileage to get me over the 50 miles for the week. I guess I've got a bit of a cold or something. When I got in, sick of suffering, I had paracetamol and ibuprofen, which I don't recommend by the way but its worked nicely. I guess now's not the time to push the mileage or the pace. Back to work for 7 tomorrow morning. Bleah. February.