KB Dash and Kinross 10k

On Thursday 30th April I ran two races, both of which were pretty low key.  Lunch time I ran what is known as the KB Dash, which is essentially a race ran by mostly Edinburgh University staff and students, and is a four mile loop around the roads and paths that surround the Kings Building (KB) campus.

KB Dash
The KB Dash is a handicap and I was allocated a handicap based on my time for the National 5k Championships.  I am not sure the handicaps worked very well as I started only 30 seconds ahead of someone I knew would beat me easily.  Hey ho, it's all just a laugh really.  The race itself was fun and the route was nice, unfortunately I got lost.  Twice.  I knew from the start that I would get lost.  I didn't know the area at all and the directions I was given meant nothing to me.  I got lost at the first turn where I stopped and waited on a runner behind me to catch me so as I could ask the way.  Later on when I was isolated I had no such luxury and ended up turning it into a hill race by running half way up Blackford Hill!  I eventually gave in guessing the route and resorted to Google Maps - thankfully I had my iPhone stuffed in my shorts pocket, something I hardly ever do.  Lucky!

Not even this map would have helped

Kinross 10k

Later that day I ran a 10k race in Kinross.  I like to run 10k but I planned to jog this due to me exertion the day before and indeed at lunch time.  The race was very low key - it was hard to find any information about it beforehand.  The best information I could find came from a thread on the Runners World forum posted in 2007!  But we found it and myself and 4 club mates made our way to Kinross.  

The course was undulating.  Very undulating.  It was out and back and I was tired. I was still trying up until 3km and then I resigned myself to just finishing, ideally in under 45 mins.  At about 7km in I had to stop to remove a sharp stone from my shoe which I tried to run through but couldn't.  I could barely stand on it never mind run so I lost some time standing to one side to remove my shoe, socks, and stone, before getting underway again.  I finished in what  under the circumstances was a respectable 45:48.  

All this running has placed me high on the club's GP leaderboard, but at a cost.  I am sick to death of running, I am bored listening to myself moan about it, and I am dead tired.

So much running...

Scottish 5k Road Championships

I'm about a week behind with my blogging which probably reflects my enthusiasm for running at the moment.  They say familiarity breeds contempt and "contempt" sounds about right.  In the space of 3 days last week (Tue, Wed, Thu), I ran 6 times.  I had to run at lunch time on Tue as well as the 1 mile race in the evening (See previous update) because the mile race didn't meet the 3km minimum for  'Most Runingist Year Ever', then on Wednesday I ran the 5k Road Championships before (for some reason) running the 7km home, then Thursday I ran a race at lunch time and a race in the evening.  This update is about the 5k Road Championships...

I had this marked in my diary for some time and it was going to be the day I beat my 5k PB and recorded a sub 20 minute time.  The course was very similar to the Silverknowes Parkrun that I have run so many times, and I hoped that the combination of trying really hard and the scale of the event itself would push me to achieve the PB I wanted. This is why it didn't work out that way...

The weather was alright.  At mid-afternoon it was rainy and windy, but by the time the race started at 19:30 the rain was only a light drizzle and the wind was light.  It's always more windy at Silverknowes though and the dreaded headwind did play a part in the last 1km.

On my part the race didn't go well.  It was chip timing, and as this was a national race with very high standard runners taking part, I felt no need to start at the front.  I positioned myself in the last third of the starters and when the race got underway, I deliberately didn't make a fast start because I knew there was chip timing.  Except there was no timing mat at the start!  Dilly dallying at the start cost me a few seconds and what then was the point in the timing chips?  The start from where I was at the back was chaotic.  There was a lot of jostling and tripping over other runners, and in fact one other runner, a member of my cub, was tripped and sent sprawling about 20 metres over the line.  As the runners right behind either ran out of his way or paused to check he was OK, the runners behind that didn't know what was going on ran into the back of them.  Chaos.  Another few seconds lost.

We started in what is the middle of the Parkrun course, ran to the start of the Parkrun course, turned on a hairpin bend, ran the 2.5km to the big loop at the end before heading back to where we started, in the headwind that I am so familiar with.  The hairpin was just after 1km distance where the runners were still tightly packed so it wasn't a fast turn to say the least.  More seconds lost.  

Tight hairpin at 1km, headwind from 2.8km to the end.

My feeling during the race was that at 1km I was doing good, 2km I had slowed down so I sped up!  By the end of the 4th km I looked at my watch and realised I could do this.  I was on for a PB and even for sub 20 mins even if that was optimistic - why not be optimistic?  I gritted my teeth and ran for it.  I felt very tired but I was overtaking runners all the time.  I saw a Bellahouston Harriers runner about 100m ahead of me and  made it my challenge to run him down and pass him.  I did!  I was fighting back the urge to vomit and I don't think I have ever tried so hard, then at the end as I closed in on the finish line I saw the digital clock on the line showing 20:13!  What the...?!  How did that happen?!  I was gutted. More surprised than anything else because I thought I had done enough, and not only had I NOT done enough, but I was miles off!  

I have shown my splits here which sort of back up my feeling during the race.  I ran more than 5km and that cost me 9 seconds and the headwind and general tiredness cost me 7 seconds (I'm surprised by this).

Ran an extra 90 metres?  Was still on for Sub 20 until the last 1.09km.  :-(

This video gives a good idea of the conditions...
https://vimeo.com/126437940

And in this video at about 6mins 15seconds in, you can see me crossing the line in my brown vest and looking absolutely atrocious (not just because of the vest).  My form is awful and I look so heavy on my feet.  I need to fix this to get faster.  
https://vimeo.com/126437149

So the sub 20 minute time remains elusive.  I will break it though.  This Summer I will break it.

Ravesnscraig Park Mile or "Breaking the Four Hour Mile"

I said that I wasn’t going to allow myself to get sucked into the Hunters Bog Trotter’s ‘GP’ madness, that I would just run some races, record them appropriately, and then just see what happens.  That sensible approach was tested yesterday when I found myself driving to Kirkcaldy to run one mile.  I had a bit of a wobble at 5pm as I was preparing to go, when I stopped and thought, “what am I doing?!” but Kata was the angel (or devil?) voice of my conscience and gave me the extra incentive by declaring that if I went then she would run the race as well. Who am I to deprive a girl of a Tuesday night in Kirkcaldy, so off we went. 

Ravenscraig Park Mile Route

We left at 17:30 and negotiated the rush hour traffic over the Forth Road Bridge, arriving at about 18:20 in plenty of time for the race start at 19:00.  A small bunch of dedicated runners (including Ivor and Martin from HBT) had assembled ready to run one lap of Ravenscraig Park as quickly as possible.  I was really quite nervous before the race started as I had no idea what to expect at all.  Running a short distance very fast is unnatural and I had no plan in place or experience to fall back on.   

Kata appears to be sand dancing over the line

We got underway to the sound of an air horn and this is my race report…

I ran quite quickly at first, sped up going downhill, on the back straight at about the 800m mark I was slow and struggling for breath, we ran uphill for about 50m which didn’t help my speed, I sprinted as fast as my lungs would allow for the last 400m and then it was over in 6mins and 12 seconds (TBC).  

It was a personal best by 5 seconds and any PB is a good PB, so I’ll take it.  I was hoping for sub 6 mins but I am not a mile runner and my previous PB was 6:17 so I have no idea where I thought I would make up that time.  When I did the arithmetic (before the race) I realised I would have to be running just under 3:45/km pace for only 1.6km to achieve a sub 6 minute time so I

thought it might be possible.  It wasn’t. And I wasn’t even close.

Yeah that's right, I'm number 47.  Check it out. 

By many orders of magnitude, writing this blog update has taken longer than running the actual race, so I’ll just say “thanks” to Ivor for supplying the bonus point beer, “thanks to Kata for driving home after I drank that beer”, “thanks to Fife AC for a fun event”.

We arrived home (via the chip shop) at 21:20, thereby breaking the 4 hour mile.  

Parkrun Volunteer and Balfron 10k

Portobello Parkrun

On Saturday I volunteered to scan barcodes at the Portobello Parkrun.  They were struggling for volunteers and asked if some of the "faster runners" could maybe scan barcodes after finishing the race.  I didn't know what constituted a faster runner but said that I would finish under 21 if that was any help.  Apparently that was any help so I am now officially a Parkrun volunteer.

The race itself was quite slow for me and I was struggling for breath.  Kata says I sound like I have a cold and maybe I do but if I do then it's very mild.  I ran as fast as I could and only just managed to fulfil my commitment of finishing in under 21 minutes by completing the course in a distinctly unremarkable 20:48.  So after having my own barcode scanned and been given a very quick lesson on how it all works (it's not complicated) I scanned the heck out of those barcodes (no doubt my brief experience of working at the checkouts in Lidl was of some use).

Scan the barcode, scan the token, put it in the bucket.  Or was it, scan the token, put it in the bucket, then scan the barcode?  Or did I have to scan the bucket?  

A few people ( 4 or 5) when having their barcodes scanned asked me if I had just ran the race and then started doing this job.   When I said 'yes' the response form all but one person was, "Wow, well done, thanks."  That was nice.  One person however replied, "Really?!  I hate you."  Ha!  At least she was honest.

For the benefit of HBT, here's my post-race ale. East Coast IPA in The Bailey

Volunteering was fun and I will definitely do it again, probably when the club GP is over.  I'd encourage everyone to give it a go.  There's really nothing to it and of course with no volunteers there is no Parkrun.

Balfron 10k

On Sunday I ran the Balfron 10k in Killearn.  Nah, I'm just kidding, it was in Balfron.

This is the second time I have ran in this event and I enjoyed it so much two years ago that I wanted to do it again.  The course is challenging - it's an out and back route and the first 5km is all downhill where you run around a piper and then ran back up the hill to where you started.  I would have said that it definitely wasn't a PB course, and I would be right, but I was agonisingly very nearly wrong.

Sunday was a typically Scottish day weather-wise.  We have a saying in Scotland that "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes."  Never was this saying more appropriate than on Sunday 26th April.  When I arrived in Balfron the sun was out and I was too warm wearing my jumper so I took it off and walked from where I'd parked the car to Balfron High School in only my shorts and t-shirt.  Once I had my bib and chip, I turned to go back outside only to be confronted with hail stones and what looked like gale force winds!  This persisted until just before the start when it eased off a bit into a cold drizzle, and then 5 minutes after the start it was hot again - too hot for running.  Ridiculous.  And by the way, I'd like to give a special mention to the kind lady who gave me my bib and chip - never before have I received such full and detailed instruction/advice on how to wear my bib and how to attach my chip.  Her advice was wall received and I finished the race with both still attached so it was worth it :-)

Wearing my club vest I entered Balfron High School an literally the first person I saw pointed at me and said, "Woah-Hoh!  It's a Trotter".  I have no idea who the guy was but clearly our fame (or infamy) precedes us.  I was the only HBT runner on the start line but I did see some runners from Lothian and possibly one from Portobello so 'The East' was well represented.

Balfron 10k was supported by Mulberry Bush Montessori.  My dad repairs their washing machines apparently.  Here's a picture of me and dad.  Laverty & Kerr for all your washing machine repairs!

The race got underway and after being only briefly held up in traffic at the ninety degree left turn about 100 metres from the start, I was away at a decent pace.  The pacing of this race was however, to say the least, erratic.  As I said before, the first 5km is downhill, but in that downhill are some slight undulations so my first 1km was completed in 3:50, my second in 4:15, my third in 3:50 (again) and my fourth in 4:25.  Knowing that I had to run back uphill, I was concerned about the 4:25 and made an effort to up my pace.  First 5km completed, we ran around the traffic cone next to the piper, and started running uphill and back. 

Question - is it rude to ignore someone that is talking to you during a race?  While I was bending into the climb and pushing forward with all I had, the guy next to me started talking to me.  This is essentially how the conversation went;

"Feels better doesn't it?"
"Uh?"
"Seeing those people running back when we are still running out made me tired, but it feels a lot better to be running back and seeing all those people who are still running out, don't you think?"
".......  Uh huh."

I meant to look for the guy at the end to congratulate him (he ran off ahead of me) and to apologise for my rudeness, but to be honest I forgot.  And seriously.....was I rude?  I was concentrating on breathing never mind talking.  I once heard that the difference between jogging and running is that if you can talk while you are doing it, then you are jogging.  Seems as good a definition as any to me, and if that's the case then I was well beaten on Sunday by a jogger.

Shocking pink face and medal.  Selfie just shocking.  

I made decent progress back up the hill.  At 7km the hill was very steep (this is no doubt the 3:50 I recorded at 3km on the way out) and I saw some people starting to walk.  Well not me.  Despite knowing that it wasn't a PB course, I had secretly calculated what I had to average per kilometre to finish in under 42:30 (4:14) and I was still in with a chance.  With 1km to go, a glance at my watch showed 38:28.  Damn!  I had 4 minutes to complete the last 1km to record a new PB.  I *could* do this and if it was flat I would do it, but it wasn't flat, it wasn't flat at all.  In fact it was quite steep.  I found another gear and passed a number of runners going uphill in the final stretch which is very unlike me.  I saw the finish and another glance at my watch showed me that I wasn't going to make it.  I had 15 seconds to go and the finish line was too far away.  In the end I crossed to line in 42:41 (TBC), 11 seconds  off my PB but on a much, much harder course than Stirling where my PB was recorded last September.

I really like this race and I will definitely run it again.  Loving the shocking pink medal (it matches my Alloa half-marathon t-shirt).  Well done to the event organisers and marshals, and to the people of Balfron who were dotted about the course seemingly in the middle of nowhere.  Also, I have never heard noisier or more supportive water stations!  Thanks guys.

As an aside, I heard a rumour that there was another racing happening in London on Sunday.  The London Marathon?  I hear that my club mate, the girl that I wrote about that overtook me during the Men's Cross Country Nationals in Callander Park, finished the London Marathon in 2:40:26 which is mind bogglingly fast.  Well done Shona McIntosh.  

For the benefit of HBT, here's my post race ale.  Green Devil IPA in The 'Tap.  

100th Blog Post and Some PBs that Don't Count

100th post and day 321 of consecutive running.  Here is a link to the latest log...

My Garmin Connect account has recorded some PBs that I am not going to accept because they don't count.  As far as I am concerned a 10km PB only counts if it was recorded during a 10km race, and a mile PB only counts during a 1 mile race etc.  These PBs therefore don't count as they were recorded during a training session on Monday.  I did a pyramid session with Rachel so as well as running really hard, we had some rests in the middle.

A couple of targets for this year?

I very much wish I could run in anger a 5km race in 19 minutes.  I am quite far off that just now.  There is a 1 mile race coming up in Kirkcaldy next week and I'd like to think I could run that and achieve a real PB of 5:59.  My 1 mile PB is very old (set in 2013) and a sub 6 minute mile would be awesome.  

New Parkrun Pleasure and Some Bog Trot Blues

Saturday was a big day - two races within 3 hours of one another.  It marked the beginning of the running club's GP which awards points to members for running races over a 4 week period with the winner taking the glory and acclaim of their club mates.  Bonus points are awarded for running a PB, running more than one race in a day, running a race where HBT had the most runners, and for drinking a pint after a race.  I got the GP underway by running the 'usual' Saturday morning Parkrun.  Except it wasn't the usual one at all...

There's a new Parkrun in town.  The 18th April was the inaugural Portobello Parkrun.  I am a fan of Parkrun in principle, but I have never been much of a fan of the course at Silverknowes - the headwind on the way back is depressing.  I was therefore very keen to test out the new race in Portobello and I wasn't disappointed.  The course was three laps of Figgate Park which could not be any more different than the seaside out and and back course at Silverknowes.  Three laps at about 6:45 a lap meant that lapping people on the final lap was inevitable, but safe enough for not being lapped myself.  The park was small and scenic with a duck pond and some slight hills to add a bit of interest.  It was also nice to be able to see Kata and the other HBT runners as we passed one another on the  loop around the pond.  I ran an OK race, finishing in 20:38.  This is 31 seconds off my PB but it is my 4th fastest time for 5km ever and heading in the right direction after last week's spirit crushing and headwind afflicted 21:15.      

Kata and I on the home straight...

I really enjoyed this new Parkrun and I don't think it's just novelty value.  The course is much more interesting than Silverknowes and it felt much more intimate and fun.  There were 253 runners on the day (I was 24th) compared to 428 at Silverknowes last week.  It's not that unusual for Silverknowes to attract more than 500 runners, even 600 one week and there is simply no way that Portobello could support that number in their wee park so we will see how it goes in the coming weeks.  Thanks to the friendly volunteer marshals for making it happen.  

Me (with bonus point beer), James, Brian and Kata

So that concludes the successful and fun part of Saturday's running.  I don't want to moan and complain too much about the Bog Trot, especially as I appreciate how much work went into it from the club and the marshals, but I have to be honest in my blog and from a purely personal point of view it was  a disaster.  The course was very tough indeed but the same for everyone.  It started with a climb from Queens Drive in Holyrood Park, up to the crags, back down and through the eponymous 'Hunters Bog' (also of Hunters Bog Trotters - HBT - fame), up the Radical Road (very tough), back up the crags, down again, then half way back up the crags before finishing roughly where we started.  The first climb up to The Crags was really tough and very busy.  I got stuck at the back and had to sprint past slow walkers where I could and that really took a lot out of me.  The run down was jarring and steep and I was overtaken by a lot of runners that I had passed on the way up.  By the time I got to the bottom my ankles were sore and I had a sharp pain in my chest.  This was after only about 2km!  I considered DNFing but I had to make a decision on that quite quickly as I was approaching the end of lap 1 and if I was going to DNF anywhere it should be there near the start.  My indecision more than anything pushed me on and I began the 2nd ascent.  I struggled badly and even though the pack had thinned out by this point I slowed to a walk as I was exhausted and my legs ached.  On the 2nd descent I was so slow and was once again overtaken by a lot of runners.  I was noticeably overtaken at this point by Brian who flew by as if his feet weren't touching the ground while I plodded and my teeth jarred in my skull and all the time braking to slow my descent.  I really wish I could run downhill.  I am seriously reconsidering my Ben Lomond entry - at this stage I think it'd be a waste. 

Even now just looking at it gives me chest pain!

The event was a success for the club and in fact we ran out of bib numbers due to the amount of entries.  I think it was a good and challenging course and a good event, it's just that I was rubbish at it.  At the end I just wanted to go home, not talk to anyone, and possibly never run again.  I was really disappointed.  Maybe running two races in one day was too much?  Maybe my expectations are too high given that I don't really do hill running?  Maybe the two ham and cheese croissants I had just before the run accounted for the chest pains?  Maybe I am garbage at running downhill?  Whatever it was I was not a happy runner.  

First ascent completed and still in it at this stage

 The appropriately named "Crags" and that's the back of my head.  Edinburgh in the background. 

Well done though to those that did have a good race.  Well done to the volunteers who ensured everyone went the right way (as far as I know) and to Kata who took nearly 300 photos, only stopping when the batteries in her camera gave up!   And next year I have a time of 43:01 to beat.    

Bakonyi Zarándok futás - Results

Well the official results for the  Bakonyi Zarándok futás (Bakonyi Pilgrim Run?) are in and would you credit it, but I finished 4th man!

1 Balhási Ákos 82 Jánosháza 1:13:21 
2 Kanyár Tamás 83 Veszprémi Triatlo 1:20:28 
3 Horváth Áron 80 Győr 1:23:28 
4 Laverty Steven 80 Hunters Bog Trott 1:23:32 
5 Hegedüs András 91 Székesfehérvár 1:24:37 
6 Ifj. Kerner László 83 Nagyesztergár 1:25:18 
7 Knapig Péter 79 Császártöltés 1:25:27 
8 Szűcs Dávid 87 Veszprém 1:28:15 
9 Mada Attila 82 Győr 1:34:00 
10 Szén György 79 Gencsapáti 1:40:54 
11 Hehl Balázs 83 Budapest 1:42:57 
12 Békefi Antal 81 Veszprém 1:42:59

I kind of regret not chasing down Yellow Shirt now and finishing third.  In fairness, he at least once stopped me from going even further off piste so fair's fair.  Notice also that I finished nearly 1 minute ahead of the leader of the pack that I overtook three times.  Further notice that in place of where most people seen to have their home town, I have "Hunters Bog Trotters".  I couldn't read the entry form so I just did what Kata told me and wrote the club name there!

To celebrate, here are some some ambient, scenery shots that Kata took of either Zirc or Bakonybel.

Runners mingling at the start, so presumably Bakonybel

 

I'll take whatever help I can get...

Bakonyi Zarándok futás - Wacky Races

I have been in Hungary for Easter visiting Kata's family.  On Easter Monday I took part in a race that Kata found for me. It was described as a 14km trail race with a 500m ascent. The only part of this which turned out to be true was the 500m ascent part. 

Jumping for joy at the start

We drove to the race finish where race registration was held and in typical fashion made it by the skin of our teeth. Turns out we weren't the last people to turn up though because we ended up giving a lift to the start line another runner who was even later than us and had missed the bus that transported us all to the start (it was always our intention to drive there rather than take the bus). So the race was point to point, starting in the village of Bakonybel and finishing in Zirc. Standing at the start line I noticed I was one of about 3 runners wearing shorts, most were covered head to toe in thermals. This worried me a bit and I had visions of being stuck at the top of a hill and being overcome by hypothermia or exposure. I consoled myself by choosing to believe that this unseasonably cold weather had just freaked out the Hungarians and that as a hardy Scotsman used to the freezing Springtime conditions, I would be fine.   We were informed at the start that this was the first time that they'd held this race and I joked that they were "testing it on us". How prophetic those words turned out to be. As I mentioned, the distance was (supposed to be) 14km on trail. Well first of all, if that was a trail race, I'll eat my hat. My sweaty, running hat. At some sections there was no path whatsoever and we had to just make our way through the forest as best we could, negotiating the bouncy, overgrown, tangled forest floor. The first 5km reminded me of the Inversnaid section of the West Highland Way, which is to say it was tough going. I remember running towards a log that blocked our path and trying to decide whether I'd be faster going over or under it.  The route was marked out in two ways. 

1.  There was a permanent route markers for walkers painted on to posts and trees at intervals along the way. 

2.  Where the route was not obvious, there were blue ribbons tied to trees or bushes or whatever. 

Except there weren't. The organisers must have been running short of blue ribbons and so they were obviously rationed. A few times I found myself standing with my hands on my hips looking about for some indication of the correct direction. Sometimes I caught up with another runner doing the same, or another runner running back towards me because he'd gone the wrong way and was retracing his steps. The first time I went off-piste I realised quite quickly and managed to correct this after only a round trip of about 100 metres. This was at about 3km and I thought that it'd be the story of my race. I was wrong. The second time I got lost it was me and a guy in a yellow top on our own. He was slightly ahead of me when he stopped, turned to me and said something in Hungarian. Once I'd managed to get across to him that I had no idea what he was talking about by pointing at myself and saying "Skót" (Scottish) and "nem tudom" (I don't know) a few times, he sighed and resigned himself to the hopelessness. We ran together back the way we came before eventually finding a blue ribbon on the other side of the road and more importantly, a stream of about 10 runners that we had been comfortably ahead of running ahead of us. We set off in chase. This pack of about 10 runners would show up again.  I was disgusted by this point believing my race to be ruined. I had been doing well up to this point and making good time towards the front of the field.  I had no option but to keep going so keep going I did. I really wanted to get ahead of the runners that I had lost my place to so I made that my motivation. I actually caught them in quite short order (in about 1km or so). We were about 9km into the race by this point and I was knackered with the effort of catching up. On a relatively easy section of the race I looked behind me and saw the pack of 10 behind me. I worried that with 5km to go they'd be able to beat me in a sprint to the end due to their steady pace versus my energy sapping burst of exertion.  Turns out this was to be the least of my worries!  

Ready to go in Bakonybel

Not long after, running up a dirt track, yellow top guy (who'd also made back his place) came running back towards me. Oh no!  I stopped. The pack of 10 stopped. We all looked at one another. Some Hungarian was said. The Pack of 10 found the blue ribbon first as they were closest to it and started running in the right direction.  This was getting ridiculous. I had to pass them again. I had to!  And time was running out with only about 3km to go (although I knew my Garmin would be out due to all the detours of the 14km route taken). I wasn't polite about passing them either. The trail was narrow and as I caught and then sprinted past every one of them I think I actually grunted or shouted as I ran past a few due to the  effort and pain of sprinting uphill and taking a long way around. But I was ahead of them all again and in a short time and I noticed Yellow Top was as well.  The end was in sight now. I guessed I had about 15.5 or 16km to run taking into account the additional distance I'd ran. There were two more points in a wooded area where Yellow Top and I stood, hands on hips, looking for the correct path. We took an educated guess one time, and the second I spotted the blue ribbon, pointed, and shouted "jo" at him. This means "good" but it's all my Hungarian could manage and I got the point across.  Next thing we could see the village where we had been about 2 hours before to register. The run down onto the village was steep and my legs were running ahead of me. Yellow Top got ahead of me at this point but I was fine with that. He and I had practically ran the exact same race. 

Underway... 

Kata later described the end as an "anti-climax" and I can see her point, but I was just glad to reach it. In the end I was only ("only") just over 1km out. I heard that even the race winner crossed the line and then immediately started ranting about the disgraceful route markings. I'm glad it wasn't just me. Apparently a lot of constructive criticism was delivered from almost the whole field at the end.  

Out of puff

I remembered back to the start and joking that they were testing the race on us.  I also remembered being worried about dying of exposure and noted that I had in fact finished in my t-shirt having started in a wind proof jacket. The jacket actually came off pretty quickly as I was so warm. Kata told me that some guy asked her about the "Number 10" that she was taking to and that had kept passing him.  Well that was me obviously. I was wearing my Men's Health 10k shirt which has a big, yellow 10 on the back. The guy wanted to ask Kata about me because he'd noticed I ran such a hard race. Now I type this, I actually remember him shaking my hand at the post-race soup session. So that was nice. 

Nice medal, sweet tea

Despite the frustration, this has the potential to be a really good race.  Some of the feedback the organisers received was that this wasn't supposed to be orienteering and that the rubbish route markings ruined the rhythm of the race. Well I couldn't agree more and it did a heck of a lot more than "ruin my rhythm". I'm glad I ran it.  I got over my annoyance pretty quickly and I suppose it was comforting to know that the blame wasn't with me. We also got an awesome medal with a Hungarian flag coloured ribbon and generous helpings of soup and scones at the end.  

Better luck next year, guys. 

'Cel' means that this is the finish line

300 - "This...Is...Sparta!!!"

This..Is...Sparta!

OK, it's not Sparta, It's Edinburgh, but still...300!

Today I hit the landmark of 300 days of consecutive running.  I celebrated in the only way I know how – by running to Old Chain Pier in Leith.  This was the site of the celebration for day 50 which seems like a very long time ago now.  About 250 days ago I suppose!  Today is also Rachel’s birthday so it was a double celebration.  

I was recently asked, “So is that you a runner now?”. Good question.  What makes one a “runner”?  Well I’ve had a think about it, and apart from running every day for 300 days and covering a total distance of 2,176 kms (1,352 miles) during that time, apart from that I have decided that I am indeed a “runner” and this is the criteria I based the definition on.  

• I have a separate set of “running keys” that don’t jingle.
• I own 4 pairs of running shoes (5 if you include the Nike shoes that ruined my heel at Alloa – I don’t include them).  
• 2 of those pairs are identical.
• I have a box in which to keep race medals.
• I often wear a suit and a digital watch to work in the office (much to Kata’s chagrin).
• I know instinctively with a margin of error of less than 100m, how far 1km is. 
• Not only is spitting on the pavement acceptable, but snot-rocketing too!
• I’m a man and I wear tights out in public 
• I have often found myself outside in horizontal sleet wearing shorts and a t-shirt. 
• I randomly find safety pins in the washing machine.
• I often shower 2 or 3 times a day. 
• My biscuit tin is full of energy gels
• When buying shorts, the most important factor is the type and location of the pockets
• I constantly and to some greater or lesser degree, have a sore foot, ankle, calf, thigh, hip....
• And I keep a bag of frozen peas in the freezer specifically for icing injuries.  
• When I’m not running, I am thinking about running, talking about running,  reading about running, or blogging about running. 
• I know that it’s 3.47km to the park unless I go via the river path then it’s 4.18km. 

I think that’s conclusive.  If maybe 3 or more of these criteria apply to you, and you aren’t currently institutionalised under The Mental Health Act, then you are probably a runner too!

These people are all runners. 

End of March

End of March and a decent month too.  I ran 219km which was the most since last August if you don't count the 10ktober madness.  It helps that the weather is (slightly) improving and it's not so dark anymore.

Count:	31 Activities
Distance:	219.51 km
Time:	19:05:52 h:m:s
Calories:	17,290 C
Avg Time:	36:58 h:m:s
Avg Distance:	7.08 km
Avg Speed:	11.5 km/h
Avg HR:	140 bpm
Max HR:	174 bpm