Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Scottish Runners
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
morning
well done TP and FFB!!! (and 57.5 and MrsMac!)..
Sounds like a great day! Friends I knew 1 DNS (training had not gone to plan) and Kirsty's OH had to pull out at Drymen after he pulled a hamstring..
I have woken up feeling rubbish with stomach cramps and a headache. Not good, hope its only a 24hr thing. Bf off at a bike race in Ayrshire... not the best day for cycling.
Elspeth, yes still aiming for CW although a bit undertrained so not feeling up to a great time. That said I always said I only wanted to do CW as an experience and not really a race... just want to get a couple more long runs in 1st... and today's bout of illness is really not what I need
Eek a 10k. I am sooo slow these days, I don't think I could attempt a 10k.
Elspeth nice to see you on the road to recovery too.
Mrs Mac, great time.
It is strange. The last 12 miles is OK in terms of the track/path, especially after the previous section, but a ot struggle with it. I thought I would be fine. I did not feel too bad coming into Beinglas, more frustrated than anything, so thought I would be not too bad on the last section. How wrong.
TP I got to beinglas at 5.17 and left about 5.25
FFB - just checked my email - thanks for the photos
. Nice to have pictures from the finish. It looks like the middle of the night, which I suppose it nearly was! 
The rain came lashing down shortly after whilst I was sitting in the car having dinner. I was thinking I was quite glad not having to continue running into the night on that one, as it had dropped very cold and would have been grim carrying on over Rannoch etc. in those conditions.
Just enjoying the Ceilidh lager I picked up from the finish tent
.
Well done Flingers.
Lee-Anne - how did you do at Balfrom today?
Sorry you're not well UTC - hope you're right, and it's just a 24 hour bug.
aww well done everybody!! Hope the lager was nice TP!
Really hope Lee Anne got on ok too!!
Looks like a couple of days off work... hate when that happens so close after last absence but it cant be helped I guess. These things happen
.
Still feeling equally rubbish here. Not kept much down, and havent attempted much...
Thanks for all the positive notes above, and well done to my 3 fellow Flingers. Great job TP and FFB getting home despite the cutoff pressure and an excellent time Mrs Mac. I wondered what happened to Runningbhoy, stopping at Drymen must be such a downer after all the race buildup.
Very happy with my time and on the whole it was a great day. I was working on a report on the way north today so you may get an epic tale at some point. Struggled some with breathing (the recent cold didn't quite depart in time) but held up well physically. The wheels wobbled pretty bad at the top of Loch Lomond (after a strong 'run' through the technical bits), but never fell off thankfully and I arrived in good time for a warm shower (they should have filmed us trying to get up and down the tall steps into the mobile shower truck!) and a one soup-one beer-repeat post race nutrition strategy. I'd certainly vote it one of the best (and almost certainly the best value) races I've done.
Managed to get the legs moving today too for a gentle jog with friends in Devilla Forest in an interlude of good weather between the wind and rain. Very wild outside now.
Hello all,
Sorry I've been MIA for a couple of days. Been a hell of a week! Horrible work stuff and then on Friday I was in a car accident. I'm not hurt and neither is anybody else but I am still very shaken.
Balfron was fantastic but I came last! No, really. I am very proud of the fact that my running partner and I made it to the start line and it really wasn't about the time. We came in around the time we had planned.
The crowd were fantastic, even during the hail storm on the biggest hill
. I really enjoyed the race.
I have learned a couple of lessons though; I need to work on hills and I need to do the speed work!
Hope the fling went well x
Well done Lee-Anne
You finished which is what counts.
well done too 57.5. Running Bhoy had a hamstring problem.
57.5 I love the Devilla forest for a run. It is so peaceful!
so the Fling was tougher than I expected! did nowhere near enough preparation but was confident of finishing despite abandoning my initial hope of a between 10 and 11 hour finish. felt ok at start and tried not to go too fast. beautiful sun poking over the top of the campsies overlooking the blane valley was a nice start to the day. arrived in drymen after 2.05 and was fine. the next section to Balmaha was no real hassle either. views from the conic were sublime looking north to what lay ahead.
next 7 miles after Balmaha were alright but I knew the wee hills were going to add up. arrived at Rowardennan feeling good but had made a point of taking 3-5 mins rest per drop bag stop to take on food and water comfortably. lots of folk just staying for a few seconds but I wasn't time obsessed just wanted to make sure I was loaded up with calories. the next section was a bit of a surprise as I hadn't realised it was so undulating. nothing mental just a lot of gentle but long uphill tracks. came in at inversnaid at about 7 20 ish and was in fine fettle. phoned missus to say only 18 miles to go, see you at the finish and got my ETA about 1.5/ 2 hours wrong! the next section over the rocks etc is a killer. I had read that it was tough but had no idea. knew by then there was no chance of sub 11 so hoped for a sub 12 and I'd cover the last approx half marathon section in 2.5 hours. nae chance! just so many goddamn hills and later on the downhills were very hard on the knees. my right knee as I type is swollen and much fatter than my right. I took some solace that despite having to shoo away about 30 coos and feeling like shit, I still overtook a good few relay teams and about 5 individual places. thought I was near the finish when I saw some buildings but it was the wigwams and a woman dishing out oranges said - 'well done you're doing great, only 2 miles to go.'
thought I had 400 yards left, so that was tough to hear, although oddly I ran the last 2.5/3 miles at a better pace than the previous 15. dreams of a glorious time were a million miles away and I was desperate to see my wife and her parents who had bravely hung about for 2 hours sitting in camping chairs. overriding feeling was of guilt that I'd made them wait so long due to my over ambitious estimated finish time, while missus W is carrying around a 7 and half month old bump.
finished in just over 12 and a half hours, slower than I had hoped for but I'm not disappointed with the time, delighted to have completed the very tough course. I definitely underestimated how draining the elevation and terrain is and clearly didn't prepare adequately but chuffed to have a Fling medal. I needn't have worried as family were all loving the Fling atmosphere and friendly outlook of all involved, not to mention the picture postcard scenery we enjoyed yesterday.
today, I'm hobbling about like the day after my first marathon in 2005. if... I do it again, definitely more hill work required! this event is awesome, the course is harsh, long and unforgiving but stunningly beautiful. organisation was excellent and everyone I spoke to was great. well done to everyone who ran the fling yesterday. Mrs mac - huge congrats and massive respect on your amazing time. awesome effort! also well done Lee on your first Balfron 10k. to turn up and finish after a car accident is much more than most would even contemplate! hope you enjoyed it and its the start of many more.
the fact that some guy beat the record by running it in 7.03 is astonishing. I have no idea how that is even possible. so, summer is a bit busy with our first wee one due for arrival mid June but maybe River Ayr Way next on the agenda...
Well done in finishing ewan. I was very glad I'd scouted most of the trail and knew what to expect. The coos were very docile when I passed at maybe 2pm. They must have got riled up later
.
morning everyone!!
well done Ewan and all other flingers!!
Well done Lee Anne for Balfron, especially under the circumstances!! (And I had a look at the results and you weren't last! Not that that matters, you did fantastic to get there and run, and finish, after your awful week!!). Hope you are feeling better now and its great that you enjoyed it no matter what other things had gone on.
Im feeling a good bit better this morning but have taken a couple of days off work to make sure I'm ok...-need to be 48hrs clear- bad timing but that's life... although I'm beginnng to think something is conspiring against me getting back to full fitness
Plan for today is housework and not to do too much and see how I feel and if I keep all food down and feel better later, I might try a short run. (if not up to a run I'll try and get out for a walk at least).
Hope everyone is good.
57.5, did u mention your time? I looked up Inverness and the only one was under 9:30... excellent time if that's you!! Impressive!!
Morning all
If anything I think my legs are stiffer today than they were yesterday
.
Well done 57.5 and Ewan
.
That Inversnaid to BG section really breaks up the rhythm, and you have to be on your guard for falls and trips - a chap in front of me turned to say something and 'smack' hit himself right in the face with a low lying branch
! Luckily he was okay. I think we were both in shock because a few mins before two guys had come springing past in the oposite direction - I suspected they had finished and were doing a return leg!!! Oh to have such fresh legs 
!
Shame about RB - I wondered what had happened to him too. I thought I saw Kirsty supporting at the start but wasnt sure.
Well done Lee-Anne - sorry to hear about your accident, you did well to get to the start line. First one done, so the world is now your oyster
.
UTC - hope you feel a bit better soon. You are not having much luck this year
. Rest up and get fighting fit for CW 
.
Oh dont I know it TP... luckily feeling much better today although not 100%. Energy still very low.
Once this is done I just need to feel I can get my fitness back.. gets me so down when I dont feel at my best...
Yep RB did his hamstring in.. gutted for him.
Waiting on solicitor phoning back to confirm offer on house has been accepted!!! So some things are good!!
Good you're a bit better UTC - I'm sure you'll get your energy back soon.
Well done Lee-Anne
Pilates class tonight.
Evening
Lots more to catch up on I see.
Wow 57.5, just worked out your time from Fetch! Amazing
Well done ewan & Lee-Anne too
Glad you're feeling a bit better UTC. Great news about the house
Even after a 3 mile recovery run last night, I am walking like the Tin Man today
Rest night methinks
Yes UTC, that was me at 9.22. And still paying for it in leg pain today. Hope the house stuff goes well.
Great reports.
A collective Well Done to you all.
Tri: Hope you get the call
morning
feeling MUCH better today.... yesterday was very drained but today feel a lot more normal.
Off work til tomorrow though so will be able to pop down to solicitors and get house stuff sorted... offer was ACCEPTED
so will be a busy month as they want to move by the END OF MAY!!!
Well done 57.5, that is a really great time!! Hope you manage to recover well!
Well now I am well enough to actually move off the couch, I am going to make an attempt and get something productive done
Tri: Great news.
Brilliant news UTC
.
Yay UTC
5 miles done on extremely sore/stiff legs tonight but I think it has helped
That's great UTC.
Well done Mrs Mac.
Just a short run for me this evening.
I'm impressed with you out and about already MrsMac
.
Did a 3m walk today, leggies loosening somewhat, but still feel tired occasionally. Will probbaly attempt a short cycle or run tommorrow.
Spent the afternoon chasing up unpaid invoices I'm owed on jobs......I would quite like to know why it is always FYCKING UNIVERSITIES that seem to find it a major big deal (OOH we dont have enough staff, we're too stupid to press the BACS button on the computer, we're more important than little you, etc etc) to pay up on FYCKING time, and like to keep you hanging on whilst they lie and mislead you for months on FYCKING END before they reluctantly pay
.
Sorry, had to get that out
. And......breath Tiger 
.
Yay for UTC!
Poor tiger. I hope you get paid soon.
Good for you Mrs Mac.
I am having a rest day today and contemplating the half marathon training. I went to an outdoor boot camp last night for cross training and it was good fun. That should take care of the strength training so I need think about speed work.
Amazing time 57.5
Well done too Ewan.
Glad you are feeling better and got your house UTC
TP, I was stiffer and worse on Monday too.
We are just back from the funeral of friend's little girl. A tough tough day, but a beautiful humanist service. Our friends are so strong and brave. First and probably the last time I will sing the Banana Boat Song at funeral service: one of her favourite songs.