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Well done all the weekend racers, no matter what the distance
.
Still no results from Balfron - looks like the chip company made a right mess of it.
Fairly easy running week for me this week, although I've taken two massive soakings in the hail, which I didn't appreciate much!
Couple of back to back long runs planned for this weekend.
Happy Holidays those that are off for May day.
Thanks for the info Elspeth. I'll have to see how things pan out with up coming events But I'm really keen to enter a few races locally this year, missed out last year. I'm still a newbie though.
I ran for the first time since London last night, and although my quads called me a few names overall it was ok. Physio today for a once over then easy running for another week which will not be a problem as I'm off to Salou with the family. The second week of my hols I will pick it up again as I have the Edinburgh 1/2 at the end of May and may or may not do the Land O' Burns 10K the Weds before.
Other than that I'm signed up for:
Around Cumbrae 10 Mile 13/09/2015
Cumbernauld 10K 20/09/2015
Yorkshire Marathon 11/10/2015
Southside Six 01/11/2015
I'll also look to do our club summer champ races so that will be Marymass 10K, Irvine 5 mile, Kilmaurs 5k, Arran 1/2 and another couple I cant quite remember.
What is everyone else's plans?
Did part of one of your favourite routes today 57.5, so did Elspeth.
She ran Skaill to Birsay (and back)
I kayaked Skaill to Yesnaby (and back)
Hi Merk
(Cape Wrath Challenge, Lochalsh Dirty 30 next for us. Also Snowdonia for me later in year)
Hi guys- I enjoyed the Fling, finished in 14 hr 26 mins, and no damage done to legs! Have felt a bit tired/ sleepy/ off food since, but on the mend now. Planning on getting back to running next week, and have entered Strathearn Mara, then FW mara. Am trying to decide what race to do in the autumn.
Glad the Fling was last weekend- this weekend's weather isn't so good, and I was frozen by the time I finished!
my ability to finish it! Recover well, not surprised you're tired!
Freezing here this week, did 15m on West Coast this morning and wished I was
wearing a hat! But at least it didn't snow on me as it did on Monday. Tapering for
Cape Wrath this coming week!
Quite fancy FW marathon though after a 10m trail race at Buttermere realise it could be tough. See how the legs feel after CW.
Shame about the results TP.
Strathearn and Fort William marathons for me too, but first I have Loch Leven Half next weekend as a 'leg wakener'
.
FW looks like it goes over the hills at first but then it drops down to the road and canal path (if I've got that in the right order!) so it will probably be a bit of a mixed bag of terrains and hilly / flat.
Then down to Cornwall in the Autumn for the Atlantic coast marathons...if I can find a nice neighbour to be a cat sitter
, if not he is coming with me as I've already paid for the entry and its my 'A' race for the year 
!
You lot are hardcore. I can manage one marathon a year!
David - its the first 53m of the West Highland Way. Its a lovely route, really well organised and friendly marshals.
Lit - that's cos you can do one in 3hrs and it takes some of us (well, me
) 4.30 on a good day 
.
Surely in that case I should be able to squeeze more of them into the year?
But my next challenge will be the Chariots 5k, where I get to run along West Sands in St Andrews dressed in white while listening to Vangelis. I'm a serious athlete, me.
Fling is great DT17. Big field but impeccably organised.
Well done Merk, sub 3 is always a great result. I only run one marathon a year, can't find the time for more among the Ultras (10ks, halfs, parkruns etc etc)! Can't say I have a plan beyond Comrades this year, but I expect I'll do the Speyside Way race, and the Glen Moray marathon as I've enjoyed both in the past.
Nice routes OH and Elspeth. I would stick to the running myself.
Off to Kinross tomorrow for the Loch Leven Half.
Apparently there is a pipe band competition on at the same time
...this could prove interesting parking-wise in such a small town 
!
Had a good running week so hoping this good spell continues tomorrow.
Good luck anyone else racing this weekend
.
All gone a bit quiet here! Nothing to report myself, not been feeling that great since the Fling so it will be a long taper for Comrades. Weather is not looking great tonight but I'll still at least get out with the dogs for a few miles.
Had a good run at Loch Leven on Saturday, quite a slow time but good practice for Strathearn marathon. Went off far too fast on the flat first couple of miles, then forced myself to slow down and keep a steady pace during the hillier middle section, which meant I had decent strength in the legs for the final few miles. Pictured in my head that 13 wasn't the finish and I was going to continue on in order to get my head into marathon mode, so consequently overtook quite a few people in the last couple of miles.
Quite a strange run, I was expecting it to be closer to the Loch, but actually the road was quite far away and you could kind of see the Loch in the distance, apart from a few places where it got closer. Long drawn out drags of hills that I wasn't expecting, the kind of 'hills; that aren't really hills if you're in a car, but 'are' if you are running or cycling
!! The last two miles were nice running away from the road on the quiet cycle track so I enjoyed that more than the road sections.
A nice day out overall, but got a tonne of work to do now, so early taper for Strathearn
!!
For marathons you won't be helped as they tend to be Sundays, so Sunday transport schedules, and early starts. Scotland doesn't have a load of marathons and the only two that I can see within a couple of hours of Helensburgh would be Edinburgh or Fort William, but I think you'd need to overnight at those.
I don't drive either and am finding Sunday public transport services in Scotland even less race-friendly than when I lived in England. There were several races that weren't even that far away that I wouldn't have been able to do without lifts from friends. But are you in a running club? My club is great for organising liftshares.
Book your accommodation early for Loch Ness 330. Tends to get a bit busy here that weekend!
I was on a night out in Inverness a few years back on the evening before the Marathon. A heavily laden couple stopped me outside the station and asked for directions to the nearest hostel in halting English. I'm not sure how much they understood of my effort to explain that they had picked the wrong weekend to wing it in this city!
575 - Will be coming by train so whats the best place to book? when you say early do you mean 6 months in advance? (hotel, Travelodge)
The 3x I did Loch Ness I booked in Nov/Dec for the following year. Ridiculous I know, but loads were already booked that early. It fills up from Aviemore to Black Isle in the East and all the way down to Fort Augustus in the West
. Get in quick if you want to actually stay in Inverness 
.
Good luck all at the women's 10k in Glasgow tomorrow!! I shall be avoiding Pollok Park on my run
.
Sunday morning and went for a walk on Balnakeil beach, the rain and wind set in and that was us damp and cold for most of the day when we ventured out. Gathered for the meet and greet, to have other Orkney folk for company at start and finish of the week and all met up. Furthest comer Don from Alaska had taken almost as long to get there as he would spend there but was a great runner!
Monday morning dawned fine and warm, off on the bus, had agreed to run with S from Orkney at the start as this was her first half so off we went, a wee bit too quick to start leading to a poor 3-6 mile bit for me, still warm and sunny, then as went up Loch Eribol the sky darkened and about 9 miles the rain, temp dropped about 10C and rounding the corner on the first big hill a strong W wind . Being from Orkney we didn't mind too much but carried on arriving at the finish cold and windswept. Not a great time for me, 1.54 but S delighted with a sub 2 first half. Peter in just behind me, hmm, not sure about that!
Wed round Durness 10.4 miles with a slight variation due to lots of trees down in the woods we ran round the back of them instead. Always my favourite run of the week and pushed it as hard as I could, making it slightly less fun but just pushing me into the top half of the field. 1.36 or so. Perfect conditions, little wind and sunshine.
Thurs beach run, well I was marshalling but was persuaded into fancy dress with Peter to be Asterix and Obilix, good fun and a bit of running around in the sand in the company of Noddy, and Big Ears, two wombles, two penguins, the royal family and many others! Followed by the coldest of sea swims and back home for hot soup which I'd made earlier!
Off out through the village, wind hitting straight away but still dry. Worse exposure out of the village heading down to ferry turnoff but still not too bad. Became aware that everyone was clumping together in an attempt to gain some wind protection but we were all too close and kept bumping into folk and wanted some space, wasn't to happen though as any time I got clear of our little clump the wind slowed me up and ended up back in it again!
Then at 6-7 miles the extra treat, heavy, and I mean heavy hail, not just short showers but 10-15 min at a time, painful on exposed thighs! Brief respite, then another bout, and so it went on, a few folk slowed dramatically and 4 withdrew and were pulled from the race at this point! At the same time the hill climb started, on and on until just over 11 miles in, then downhill for 2 miles until the turn. Still tough going into the wind the only consolation we were going to have the hail on our backs in a minute!
So pleased to see the marshall at the turn and it even stopped raining. The way back was a completely different experience, the field spread out and it was much nicer running though tough on the old legs pounding downhill for about 4 miles. Felt realtively strong up until 22 miles though and then it wasn't far to go though the last 2 miles were hard work, made up a few places on the way back in and a marked negative split for most folk.
Time to chill before the ceilidh which went really well and two of us picked up age group trophies.
Tired legs and brains yesterday, a last walk on Balnakeil beach, trip to Smoo cave for the first time visitors, lunch and the drive home - which was not without incident, almost collided with a French driver who had come off single track road onto the wrong side of the road at Bettyhill. Lots of braking and both drivers somewhat shaken but unharmed.
Complete brain fuzz at work today but guess that means it was a good week!
Well done Elspeth and OH - the usual challenging weather I see!!
The last time I did it they ran that marathon route and I said never again in that wind and lashing rain!!! At least we didn't get hail that year...
Not me that picked up an age group trophy, TP
although I did complete the full week. A more pedestrian 4:47 for me
the hail was sore!
Full report on The 2015 Marathon thread if anyone is interested