Glen Clova half

Our friends Ian and Emma (ex Kinross Road Runners) aka the Trail Monsters were coming over to the UK from Maine briefly for a wedding and thought they might like to do the Glen Clova half – so we signed them and us up for it a month or two ago...and then thought about training.

I've run a miserable bunch of half marathons this year. I ran 1.39 at Alloa in April and at the time thought it wasn't bad considering I'd been doing only long training in preparation for the Highland Fling – had I only known that was to be my best half for ages!

After the Highland Fling I was a bit injured so was disappointed but philosophical about running the Stornoway half in 1.44, then more disappointed to run the Benbecula half in 1.44 the following week and then about a month later really disappointed to run the Harris half also in 1.44. Was I never going to run faster than 1.44 for a half ever, ever again?

At club I was enjoying Gordon's hilly off-road sessions so I forgot about roads for a while and had a late season improvement in form, taking some Vet prizes in hill races. So right about the time we signed up for Glen Clova we were involved in running the Pentland Skyline and the Run of the Mill Hill race and still not giving much thought to the roads. I tried to go out and do some speed training on my own with mixed success. Its never easy without other people. A mixture of work things and hatred of running in the dark was getting in the way of me training with the club on a Wednesday evening after we'd moved back to the Bowling Club.

So come last week I had no idea how I could possibly do in a half marathon. I could be looking at anything from 1.38 to 1.50. The only tactics I could think of were to

• not go out too fast
• do my best
• not give myself a hard time - if it was going slow, I could always
• treat it as a training run!

The last tactic is my favourite. Most of the worst races you have would usually be a pretty decent training run...

On Saturday, Emma wasn't going to run as she's coming back from a knee injury and a hill run during the week had brought the pain back. Peter was suffering with an injury in his shin, Ian had a cold and I was – well I was well-rested but untested!

The weather in Edinburgh was pretty wild; windy and wet. The Berlingo was getting buffeted as we drove over the Bridge and up the road to Kirriemuir and beyond. We got to Glen Clova in plenty of time and the sky was – if not completely clear, then nearly clear – it was only raining a wee bit and the smoke coming out of the chimney of a nearby cottage was drifting aimlessly up into the sky – almost no wind!

I held back for the first mile but still got a sore stomach in the 2^nd and 3^rd mile and was trying not to get my head in a pickle about it. I don't know what it was – it might have been dread – but it resolved itself after mile 4 and the first water station. The course was much hillier than I remembered it being but this was suiting me – in terms of catching up others if not in terms of fast splits. Every uphill I would catch and overtake people. For a while I felt really good and started even having thoughts of pbs! Sadly this was not to last. Around mile 7, after we'd turned around to head back to the Clova Hotel, reality kicked in – not in a dramatic way but just in realising that increasingly my splits were taking longer and longer. I was in a loosely packed group of men and we exchanged places on the up and downhills without much competition. There wasn't enough wind to merit trying to draught behind others so we were running along side each other. I had a couple of stabs at lifting the pace again but each time I did this it worked for a while but then left me feeling more drained, so I settled for a more even pace for the last few miles hoping to pick it up when the end was in sight. The last few miles seemed to take quite a while and I had time to study the beautiful views of snow topped hills and the sad sight of rather a lot of squashed hedgehogs on the road. They were about the size of my feet length-wise and I found myself thinking that you could make them into slippers or some kind of shoe for grip on the ice. And they'd have cute faces!

At last – after more “undulation” we rounded a corner and the end was truly in sight! I picked up the pace, according to my Garmin, from a sedate 8 min pace to 6.30 pace for the last wee bit and overtook a couple of guys who did not respond. I got over the line in just over 1.42. Well at least I've improved on 1.44 so I'm okay with that. And it was probably a really good training run...

One of the features of the Glen Clova half – apart from its beautiful scenery (if the weather gives you a break) and the very natural circular 13 mile loop of a course (no Edinburgh half marathon-type doglegs and running round traffic cones) is that you get stovies afterwards, so Peter and Ian and I re-grouped and got our stovies and got warm again in the Glen Clova Hotel. Peter had run a bit slower than usual having to be careful of his injured shin – but still ran a decent 1.24 and was hopefully not too much more injured for running. Ian had run 1.35, not his fastest by far – but not bad for having a cold. All of us were quite pleased but not ecstatic with our performances – and having established that there was no chance that we'd luck any prizes we set off for the long drive home.

There was a stunning sunset on the way home so Peter was leaning out the van window a fair bit and snapping away.

I think that's the 4^th time I've run the Glen Clova half and in recent years I've let the thought of the long drive and early sunset put me off wanting to do it, - but having revisited it I feel much more enthusiastic about it. Maybe we should get in early and book one of the hotel's bunkhouses and have a Portobello weekend up there. Then I'd be able to have a pint after the race...

Birthday Run - Mb2NB

(random scary stuff at the Pans)

There was much less messing about this morning. Woke up feeling good and the sun was shining so we decided pretty quickly that we'd go a long run. We decided to hop on the train to Musselburgh to miss out the first bit out of Edinburgh which is all pavement and not much fun - so got day return tickets to North Berwick which are only a little more than a single.

I've had a pain in the muscle on the inside of my right shin for the last couple of runs I've done so I decided to defy the fashionistas and dare to ware my lower legs Skins. It was cold but I don't like wearing tights and I think keeping the area warm probably helped as much as anything else - anyway, I had no problems at all. Apart from Peter's teasing me about looking weird and then saying "No, no you look fine" in a not very believable way.

The sun was warm but the air was cool and as we got to about Aberlady the temperature was dropping and the light was going. We went round the nature reserve and then started to realise our chances of catching the 4.20 train back to Edinburgh from North Berwick were getting thinner. We made a heroic attempt, raising the pace into and through Gullane and along into NB, running the 4 or 5 quickest miles of the day but it was too big an ask. We missed the hourly train by 6 or 7  minutes so decided that plan B. would be to find a pub and keep warm until the next train. This worked out very well and the time flew by and pretty soon we were making our way home. Despite starting at Musselburgh we still ran over 21 miles which is the longest run by some way that either of us has done in a while, but it didn't feel too bad. (Probably helped by long hill runs.)
Great day out. Looking forwards to more long training for the Fling!

Confessions of an infra-runner

the banks of the Water of Leith are pretty wet and muddy

(mouse's eye view)

This morning dawned sunny and bright. The much longed-for weekend had arrived and the running world was my oyster - the only hitch being I felt tired and lack-lustre - the toxic consequence no doubt of too much work! We got up but shillied and shallied and could not settle on a specific run. I had it in mind that I wanted to run 17 miles to bring the weekly mileage up a bit from the low 20s. Ideally off-road, ideally somewhere new. Noon found me in my pyjamas, lying on the sofa in front of the fire,  reading a book on existential therapy and death anxiety and we were no further forward. Peter growled, I growled back. He said he was going out running anyway - got changed and disappeared into the computer room where he's mixing a new mega-mix of - well I'll call it super-ambient music. A new genre! Which reminds me, someone at work yesterday told me he was only into beatless music - when I asked him how that went he delivered a long whistling moan and stalked off...

At about 2pm, after some inner struggle and down-sizing big ideas to small bite-sized chunks of reality I thought maybe I could be arsed to go my tiddliest run - and so it was that we went a short hard blast round Leith in what was now a light, cold rain. It was approximately the route I first took Peter out running before he  started running properly and burned him off on the home straight...Those were the days...there was no burning Peter off today but I felt better for getting out. 

Now I'm confused about what to do tomorrow. Had planned to go a long run today and then do the Lasswade XC tomorrow but maybe now I need a longer run tomorrow? Lets worry about that tomorrow. Today is the last day of my 43rd year and I'm slightly disappointed because if I was a year older I'd be going up an age category with all the benefits that can bring...

Coffee and Chocolate in Ikea Carpark

The beautiful weather dictated that we must run today, but we were pretty tired and had to pick up some oil for work surfaces at IKEA en route. I had the genius idea that if I got myself some kind of caffeine and sugar fix from the food market that I'd feel a lot better about the run to come. While Peter hurdled the Ikea furniture and storage units, somersaulted the Sunday shoppers and darted in and out between the shopping trolleys, I went to the Bistro at the exit and found a big bar of hazelnut chocolate amongst the smelly fish paste and meatballs, and got us two coffees and retreated to the car.

It worked well. I was still slow as hell on the run but I was in a much better mood. We ran a variation of the Red Moss race again but this time taking in West and East Kip and Scald Law as well. As you do, at the foot of West Kip we decided that we had to run every step - which was tough, and made me work. After that, obviously, we also had to run East Kip because its much easier - and after that it seemed evident that we'd have to run all of Scald Law. This hurt like hell but opened the lungs up and woke up my hill running muscles and made us feel we'd worked.

It was a beautiful day, sunny and still and cool. Peter had left his camera battery at home charging and so cursed every time he saw something nice.

Another hilly 9+ miles. I am quite glad that I'm too busy to run tomorrow because I am knackered.

To the Manor Born

Back to the Dalmeny estate today but this time armed with Amanda and a camera. We parked a bit further along than Thursday, at Cramond proper, so we could avoid the long endless windy front.

As it turned out Amanda hadn't even been up the side of the Almond for years so that made it better. Its always nice taking someone somewhere nice that they don't really know.

We showed Amanda "Eagle Crag" also apparently known as Hunter's Crag not realising that as a climber she would be straight up it without thinking twice. Peter then had to climb it too. I stuck to terra firma.

We had house envy all the way along the coast. What a lovely place that would be to live. I think Amanda and I both felt that we really should be living in Dalmeny House, but even one of the cottages down at the shore would have done us. Oh well. Last day before the clock's change so we made good use of it. Nice run out in the Autumness again. Just short of 13 miles. Another day races past...

Woozy

I had quite a tight plan for the week which never came off. I was going to run on Tuesday, Work on Wednesday morning, club on Wednesday night, day off and longer run on Thursday, work on Friday and there was the weekend....
But on Tuesday I was pretty  knackered and hadn't got out by darkness so I thought I'd give it a miss. I'd been meaning to catalogue a load of academic papers I had in 2 shoe boxes for ages so did that instead. The work I had set up for Wednesday and Friday I didn't really want to do. It was at the Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit and I find it both scarey and monotonous. Every time I've booked myself in there I've got ill - although I just suffered through it.

Wednesday morning I woke up at 5am and every time I moved my head I got dizzy. I got up anyway - (nearly falling through the clothes drying rack at the end of the bed in the dark) and had breakfast and a pot of coffee but I was still getting this horrible woozy head-rush every time I moved. So I called in sick and cancelled my Friday shift too thinking it must be flu and I went back to bed and after the coffee wore off I went back to sleep. When I got up later I was a bit better but still not good so it was another day of ghosting around in the house and trying to do studying and not going running.

This morning I woke up at 11.30 with a headache but with the wooziness almost resolved. I had been dreaming I was in Dracula's castle and concentrating on trying to keep safe and was irritated with the other people who were staying there who did not appreciate the danger and kept leaving doors open, which I had to close and lock. When I got up I popped some paracetamol and let Peter persuade me to go out a run. He's worried about his figure and I had 3 days of non-running building up in me like a bad debt...

First of all we were going to go to the Pentlands but it was pretty windy and we were there just recently so we settled on a new idea which was to go and park at the Granton end of Silverknowes and then run along Cramond and then out towards S. Queensferry on the paths that go through the Dalmeny estate and along the shore - turn around at about the 6 mile mark and come back. The wind was SWish so we thought we'd have a wind assisted return which is always nice.

I hadn't really been properly out that  way since before you were allowed to and last time had been on a bike. It was nice then but was tainted by the constant fear that some landowner was going to chase you down with a big shot-gun. So it was nice to be there and be allowed to be there...well nearly, there were some signs up saying not to pass because there was tree-clearing going on but we went anyway and there wasn't any tree clearing going on. The route was fabulous, twist, turny, soft underfoot and interesting and the miles raced by. Peter was cursing me because I told him not to bring his camera and the trees were all aflame and there were nice little beaches and views over to Fife. He'd been racing Willie at club last night and consequently was sore which I was enjoying and was therefore pushing the pace as much as I could. (Just to hear the old man grumble and groan.)

We got to more than 7.5 miles out so I put my foot down and insisted on a return as we had nothing to drink etc. and I was, in theory, ill and recuperating, although I didn't really feel it. The return journey seemed to fly by and was only slightly marred by a snarling dog and some insolent lawless gentlemen - 4 of them, who I would gladly have fought with Peter but I think they had us outnumbered....

Anyway, I think my dizziness was as a result of eye-strain, having done a bit of googling. I spent hours and hours staring into the computer on Tuesday evening and I could hardly focus my eyes by the time I went to bed. But I also think my body hates going to IPCU and I'm thinking I just shouldn't go there. Horses for courses and all that. Although this horse is a little worried about the lack of work around.

Run of the Mill Hill Race

Chris Upson thought up this race to raise some funds for the upkeep of his great Scottish Hill Racing website.  There was a good turn out of the hill running fraternity to support  it. Far from 'run of the mill' as it turned out....It was a stunning cold but sunny autumn day, just right for running. We were swithering about whether to wear long sleeved tops under our club vests but were both glad we did when we got up a bit higher and encountered a real stinger of a cold wind.

I thought our race preparation might not have been ideal as we ran a hilly 9 miler yesterday and then I had a craving for meringue nests which I gave in to while Peter necked a couple of glasses of red. Peter then stayed up til 2 or 3am trying to sort out a report for the XC last week and I couldn't sleep because I'd only got up at 10.30 that day and the moon was shining brightly in the window and the great and good of Leith were out in full voice, laughing, screaming, beseeching, threatening, berating and breaking glass as they went...So this morning when my alarm went off at 8am I kind of hoped Peter might have left me a note saying "Lets not bother racing today!"

He hadn't though - he'd left his kit out all organised for the race and left a none-to-subtle note saying "I'm getting up at 9am....tea." (He told me later he thought it might be a 'subliminal' message as he'd written tea in a different colour.)

So anyway...Alva, some slight navigational challenges, registration, meeting lots of hill runners, the start...GO!

Off we surged and then stopped and then surged again as there was some bottle-necking. I wasn't liking the first bit of path because it was rocky and covered with leaves...just right for turned ankles...and I wasn't warmed up yet so fell a bit behind for the 1st 2 miles. Onto the hill and I was gambling on my legs being strong from the 2 Brews and then the Pentlands, and so it proved. I got past teams of people on the way up and not daring to look behind me just kept it up as insistently as I could. Derek Jablonski spotted me and told me I'd just given him something to run for. (I thought maybe he wouldn't see me) and Matt of Lothian who I chatted with in the Skyline came on up with me. Its always a worry passing people, expecially ones who can beat you, because its amazing how often they rally and come too (while I'm thinking "no, no, that wasn't the idea, go at the speed you were going at before"). I went past some of the 'Fife Wifies' (their term) who have consistently beaten me this summer and hoped that they wouldn't take me seriously.

Eventually the angle eased off a bit and the running got easier and then there was some pretty intense but enjoyable undulating running on the top with that knife-like wind and the sun beating down and a great view of some windmills. (Peter thinks the mill in the name of the race is a water mill and I thought it must be these windmills. Answers anyone?). The marshalls were clearly freezing and did very well to stick it out up top. Eventually I was aware I was cresting the last hill and I was close to a Corstorphine lady who always beats me by a good margin so I was feeling really positive about my run. All that remained was to not disgrace myself on the way down. I had to accept that there'd be a few folk going past me - just so long as it wasn't too many.

I felt I made a fair job of the downhills. Any monotony was broken up by the sound of Derek Jablonski calling from on high. "I'm COMING TO GET YOU MARY HUNTER", making me laugh and  breaking my concentration. He can charge down the Ben race so there's no disgrace there. Then I was aware that there was a lady breathing behind me and I dared not look but was pretty sure it must be Hilary Ritchie of Fife because I'd passed her on the up but she's been in great form this year and I was pretty sure she'd come back for me at some point. At a stile that took us off the hill and onto a pleasantly soft road I saw that 2 behind was Hilary right enough so I did my best to keep moving but inevitably she went by. Plenty to keep my mind occupied anyway, down and down and down hill and then a wee bit of trail running and just when I was thinking "Oh no I hope its not another mile or something" I rounded a corner and it was the end.

Hurray! What a blast of a race. It was great seeing all the hill runners out and there was a lot of chatting to be done. Results not up yet but I think Al Anthony won and Natalie White for the ladies?

This race and the Largo Law Hill race get my vote for best races of the year so far.

Top 2 photos thanks to Melanie Sinclair of Carnegie Harriers
next 4 thanks to  Peter
action shot thanks to Bill Fairmainer