Most Runningist Year Ever - Day 1000

On the 2nd March 2017, I completed Day 1,000 of the Most Runningist Year Ever.  I achieved this feat on a skiing holiday in the French Alps.  Thanks again to Kata for making it special for me, preparing my deck chair and beers for my return.  The runs in Peisey were tough due to the altitude and the inevitable running up and downhill in the snow.  I felt really pleased to have completed 1,000 days though. 

1,000 Days, beers chilled. 

Once I got back from holiday, the Hunters Bog Trotters made the effort to tell everyone in the pub about my landmark and invited everyone to come to training and then have a beer with me to celebrate.  Very much appreciated and thanks to Kata (and then Captain Sarah) for organising it.  Beers in The Stockbridge Tap were great and a lot of people seemed genuinely interested to hear about how I ran for 1,000 days in a row.

I never considered when I started this madness that I might actually complete 365 days never mind 1,000.  The first two of The Most Runningist Year Ever was agony.  It was when I was 4 months in that I thought that I might actually do this, and only because I realised that stopping now would mean that I would have to re-start and 4 months of running is a lot to make up.  Then I kept going on the hard days because so many people were interested that I couldn't face telling them that I wasn't doing it any more.  Now running every day is like brushing my teeth, except there are probably some days when I don't brush my teeth! 

When I started this 1000 days ago in 2014, Ruby wasn't even an idea.  Now I am father to a wonderful, beautiful daughter and husband to a wonderful beautiful wife.  Throughout the most significant and astonishing period of my life, I have ran every day.  Kata was in labour with our daughter for three days - I ran every day, even managed to get a run in when I got home from the hospital on the day our daughter was born.  I ran on the morning of our wedding day.  Thank you to Kata for supporting me in doing this. 

It's an adventure and I am certain it has made some difference to my life outside of running.  I just don't know what.  I'll think about it sometime. 

Hungarian Christmas/New Year Running

Over Christmas and New Year, Kata and I spent 3 weeks in Hungary with her family in Nemesvamos and then just the three of us in Budapest.  It was chilly out there.  Like, REALLY chilly.  To keep The Most Runningist Year Ever going I ran most days in the forest next to Kata's village.  Once in Budapest I ran along The Danube or else On Margaret Island, the spiritual home and birth place of this whole thing. 

Here are just some photos I took on my runs...

Forest Selfie.  It was chilly. 

Hunting hide on the edge of the forest.

It was chilly...and misty.

Beautiful.

Nemesvamos from the forest edge.

Private Property

Christmas Eve in Nemesvamos

Christmas Eve in Nemesvamos

Christmas Day in Nemesvamos.  Roman Ruins.

New Years Eve in Budapest

New Years Eve in Budapest

Frosty

A View from Margaret Island

Margaret Island Running Track

Running on the running track on Margaret Island on New Years Day, it was so busy.  Much busier than usual.  I think a lot of people were starting New Year's Resolutions.  I was however the ONLY person running in shorts and I got a few shouts and cheers from strangers.  It was funny.

Naked Streaking Streak Streaks On - Dunbar XC 19th February 2017

So once again we ran in the Borders XC series, once again Kata forgot her watch, and once again she borrowed mine, and so once again I was "streaking naked".

Kata preparing to run

Beautiful beach, beautiful day

Dunbar XC is held substantially on a beach and is gruelling.  To say the least.  The course is very beautiful looking out across what is tenuously the Firth of Forth and may well be actually The North Sea.  Unfortunately being a cross country race, I spent the vast majority of the race staring at my feet.  It was beautiful, great running conditions. 

I want to say "Life's a Beach", but I avoid clichés like the plague.

As I write this update on the 18th April, two months after the race, details of the race are hard to recall so I will keep it brief.  Another reason that my recall is sketchy, is that I was out the previous night at my Gran and Granda's 70th Wedding Anniversary celebrations and I had quite a bit to drink.  I was puffing and panting the whole way round and was full of beer.  I was finding it difficult to run and my goal was to finish as quickly as I could so that I could stop running. 

Happy Anniversary Gran & Granda

The course was pretty flat (as you might expect of a beach) with only one very short and steep uphill.  When not slogging through sand it's extremely cross country and very unpredictable terrain.  Some cross country is trail like, some is very cross country.  This was very cross country. 

This was the last of the Borders XC Series for 2016/2017 and my club, Hunters Bog Trotters won the series in both the men's and women's competition.  Well done to Tom and Georgia!

Ruby Hates The Beach.  Really.  She Hates The Beach.

Streaker Runs Naked - Borders XC 29th January 2017

Apparently, running every day is called "Streak Running" or "Streaking".  Amongst the running community, running without a watch is known as "running naked".  The title of this blog entry really wrote itself. 

Day 968 of my "Running Streak" was the 6th leg of the Borders XC Series in Peebles.  I ran this race once before and one time before that I held Kata's bags while she ran it.  We arrived in good time before the race and parked about a 5 minute walk away from the start.  Somehow between arriving in Peebles and getting to the race we managed to make ourselves late and very nearly missed the start.  It was a bit of a panic to find Sandra who had volunteered to look after Ruby while we both ran (thanks Sandra!), but we just made it with seconds to spare.  Kata had forgotten her watch and was training for The London Marathon - her need was greater than mine and so she borrowed my Garmin.  So it was that I streaked naked across Peebles. 

Picture of me at Peebles XC

It's a good course, proper cross country, and challenging.  The race starts with running around Haylodge Park. It was slippy underfoot due to the rain the day before, but mercifully it wasn't raining on the day.  From there it's riverside trail and I managed to get into my stride and overtake quite a few runners.  It's very picturesque indeed and the course takes you over a bridge where the runners behind you pass underneath.  From here it's uphill through the forest and again I managed to make up a few places and overtake some runners who had already started to walk.  The forest section comes out into a field with a gruelling uphill which makes MOST people walk.  One runner next to me made a comment about walking it to "save energy".  I think he was half joking but his strategy made sense to me and my aching legs and so I walked.  The uphill slog takes you back into the forest before starting back down into a field again.  I actually zoned out at this stage.  You know when you are driving on the motorway and you suddenly realise that you don't remember the last 15 minutes or how you got where you are?  Well that happened to me on the downhill forest section of Peebles XC. 

Picture of my watch at Peebles XC.  Also Kata. 

Before the race I was wondering about whether to ear trail or fell shoes.  I wore fell shoes and once again I gladly sing the praises of my Solomon Fellraisers.  The downhill section was very slippy and a couple of times I slid down a metre or so before my studs dug in and gave me the confidence and grip I needed to push on hard.

This is actually the hardest part of the race.  After running downhill through the field, it's through a stream and a gap in a wall, down another field then around and back up the same field!  It's mentally and physical torture.  I actually saw Kata at this stage nearing the first corner of the field just as I was heading out.  I remember seeing her at this stage the last time we ran in this together and this time around she was much closer behind me.  

The route

From here it's on to the finish.  A narrow, muddy ridge through the tree root covered forest needs concentration then it's the home straight...or so I thought.  I picked up to sprint finish the boggy home straight only to discover at the end that there was a hairpin bend and I still had another 100 metres to go.  I glanced over my shoulder - no one in any danger of catching me and so exhausted I coasted until the finish. 

I picked up Ruby from Sandra (thanks Sandra) and headed back quickly to support Kata who was not far behind.  With Ruby perched on my shoulders we got a smile from Mummy as she ran by.

I finished in 33:54 - not bad.  The distance (according to my watch which Kata was wearing) was 6.78km.  Remarkably Kata was musing beforehand how long it would take to run the race.  I made a guess based on a 5min/km pace.  6.78km is 33:54 is EXACTLY 5min/km.

After race snacks.

The Southside Six

On Sunday 6th November, I ran The Southside Six.  Interestingly, I have waited about 18 months to run this race.  This event is small, limited to about 300 entries (I think) and sells out within minutes of entries opening online.  Last year I set my alarm to remind myself when the entries opened, I logged on, I opened the entry page, and clicked refresh repeatedly until registration was available.  I sped through the registration, and secured my place.  15 minutes later it was sold out.  Now all I had to do was wait until the race day and run this amazing little race.  Except Ruby arrived.  2 weeks late.  With a two week old baby, there was no way I could or wanted to leave Kata and Ruby all day to go run a 26km (16 mile) race.  So I missed out.  Also, when I entered last year, I got a Southside Six buff that has been sitting in my drawer ever since, never worn as I can't wear the buff of a race that I haven't ran.  And so it was that I found myself this year. setting my alarm to remind myself when entries opened, logging on, etc, etc, etc. 

Except this time, the day came, and I ran the gosh darned race.

I woke up feeling rubbish. Coughing.  It was a beautiful autumnal day but it was freezing.  I mean really cold.  The race started (and finished) in Queen's Park and all the talk amongst the runners beforehand was about how cold it was.  As a rule of thumb, it's better to wear too little than too much for running/racing, but it was painful to stand outside in shorts.  In the end I opted for my merino wool long sleeved base layer and a pair of gloves and I think this was the right decision.  I was never too warm and in the shaded sections of the race I was still freezing.

Queen's Park.  Nice day for a run.

I need to mention the portaloos.  I have never seen facilities like this at any race or anywhere outside a 4* hotel.  They were the cleanest, best stocked portaloos I've ever seen, with hand sanitizer, a choice of soap, and unbelievably....toilet paper! All that was missing was a wee guy with a basket of aftershaves and who turned the tap on for you. 

The race is 25km (15.5 miles) so just a bit further than a half-marathon.  It's a similar distance to the Seven Hills race that I ran earlier in the year, but without the hills, so I was aiming for a finish time around the 2 hour mark.  We congregated at the flag pole in Queen's Park.  I am sure I remember my dad telling me once that the flag pole marked the highest point in Glasgow, and whether I am right about that or not, the panoramic view of the city was stunning and it made me think that come the end of this 25km race, it HAD to finish with an uphill.  I'd deal with that when the time came. 

Before

I didn't hear the pistol or air horn or guy shouting "Go!".  I noticed that people around me had started to run and so I followed suit.  We headed downhill (!!!!) to the first park on our route which was to be Kings Park.  I was only 1.5km into the race before I heard my first shout of "HBT!".  Remarkable given I was all the way out here in the West coast running a small race - the shout came from a fellow runner, from Bellahouston Road Runners.  Thanks to that guy.  I reached Kings Park without event and received my first coloured sticker to prove I'd been there.  From Kings Park it was on to Linn Park.

Hands up, I'd never heard of Linn Park.  Turns out Linn Park is really nice.  The Cart River runs through it and it's beautiful.  There were lots of supporters here cheering us on, and things were going quite well as I collected my second little coloured sticker.  Onwards to Rouken Glen. 

It's a long way from Linn Park to Rouken Glenn and it's pretty much buy traffic and noisy roads the whole way.  I wasn't much fun.  I was really struggling and I looked at my Garmin to see I was about 9km in - still a long way to go and I was shattered.  I couldn't get any speed in my legs.  My lungs were fine, I could have held a conversation, but my legs were so heavy.  About 3km later I reached Rouken Glen.  I haven't been in Rouken Glen for years, and as I entered and ran through, I had flash backs to a VERY long time ago.  In 2001 I worked for a company in Paisley called Ciba Specialty Chemicals.  I was 21.  A few of us decided we would run the nearby Rouken Glen 5km race and went out a few lunch times to "train".  There was also a 10km race which one of the guys ran, but for me at that time 10km might as well have been a marathon it was so ridiculous a proposition.  Anyway, I ran the race, finished, and vomited into a bin.  It is crazy how much fitter I am at 36 than I was at 21. 

So Rouken Glen was nice, I got my sticker, and I was struggling big time.  Onwards to Pollok Park.

Pretty sure that when it comes to number of stickers, I won.

Darn you Pollok Park.  Darn you to Heck!  If I never see this park again it'll be too soon.  Or maybe just if I never RUN through it again it'll be too soon.  Not long ago I was running trough Pollok Park in the Great Scottish Run and I was knackered.  Well here I was again, running uphill and down dale in this, the largest of Glasgow's parks and shattered again.  I could barely bend my legs but I didn't dare consider a DNF, I had to earn that buff!  Onwards I strove therefore to Bellahouston Park. 

Bellahouston Park was also part of The Great Scottish Run course and again came with memories of exhaustion.  This was actually considerably worse than the Great Scottish Run because while in Bellahouston Park they sent us up a steep set of stairs to the top of a very big hill.  I have fond memories of an early date with Kata at this exact spot and I did think about that at the time, but the pleasant reminiscing did nothing to dull the pain in my legs.  At the top of the steps I was rewarded with my penultimate sticker and I pushed on to from whence I came.  To Queen's Park.

After

I really remember trying to push hard for the final stretch, aware by now that my 2 hour target was burst, but trying to keep it respectable.  I literally couldn't bend my legs.  I was cold.  I was exhausted.  I was not enjoying myself.  I craved the finish line.  I must have looked as bad as I felt because I was overtaken by another runner who asked me if I was OK.  Entering Queen's Park, I saw the stairs to the finish. 

I know now that this is what they actually looked like...

The Potemkin Steps

This is what they looked like at the time... 

Queen's Park Steps

I can't remember where I got my final (gold) sticker, if it was at the top or bottom of the steps (I was delirious) but I remember two girls fighting over giving me a sticker and I ended up with two.  I've still got it :-)

Actually delirious

I crossed the line in 2hrs 10mins absolutely broken.  They gave me a foil blanket to keep me warm which I gratefully received, but I couldn't get it wrapped around me because of the (freezing) wind.  I totally intended to stay for the prize giving but in the end I had to head back early to the warmth of my car.  Pity.  There was soup and cake provided which I hovered up and was very grateful for. 

I felt cold and rubbish all day.  Ruby has an apple so doesn't care. 

This was a very well organised event.  It seemed at times like every runner had their own personal marshal.  Thank you very much to everyone who volunteered and stood outside on this bitterly cold November Sunday to make sure that we gout our race - you are heroes.  I didn't hugely enjoy the course or the event due to my feeling rubbish, and I doubt I will run this again, but I have wanted to run the race for a long time and I am glad I did. 

Results are in, I finished 115th out of 301 in 2:10:24.  Hmmmm.

Great Scottish Run 2016 - Half Marathon

Last year I ran the Great Scottish Run 10k.  Now that I look back on it, it must have been the last race I ran before Ruby was born.  Anyway, I loved it and I got an unexpected PB, basically because I was carried on a wave of adrenalin and support on the course which is entirely  through Glasgow City Centre.  I straight away signed up for the Half-Marathon distance this year, and I've been looking forward to it ever since. Sunday 2nd October was the half-marathon and I wasn't disappointed.

Kata had been at a night out in Glasgow the previous evening and had stayed over.  I drove through in the morning of the race with Ruby, where I met Scott and Kirsty who would be babysitting while I ran.  So it was that my sister, brother-in-law, and daughter waved me off from the start line.  it was really funny because Ruby spotted me and kept laughing at me.  I got one last cuddle (from Ruby, not from Scott) before the air horn sounded the start of the race and I started to walk slowly to the start line.  There is a real carnival atmosphere in George Square (the start of the race) and the race itself is HUUUUUUGE.  I think about 10,000 runners ran the half-marathon, not that there were quite that many in the first (white) wave that I was in.  I started next to a guy dressed as a heart who was attempting some sort of world record for world's fastest mascot.

Ruby's Standard "Race Face"

Once underway, I ran up St Vincent St (steep and long hill - cruel) pushed on by music and cheering crowds.  It was spine tingling.  I completed the first 1km in 4:29 which was bang on my (sort of) target.  I had no expectations of a PB but I did want to run under 1hr 40mins.  The downhill section to Finnieston and The Kingston Bridge was completed in 4:21 and I made an effort to reign myself in a wee bit.  I was taking it relatively easy - to enjoy myself, but to keep my time respectable. 

 Should have realsied I'd have to share my pre-race snack

I love running over The Kingston Bridge.  I have driven over it countless times.  I have been stuck in traffic jams on it countless times.  Running over it, on the motorway no less, is just a lot of fun.  How  many races allow you to run on a motorway?  It's fantastic.  The city centre nature of this course is one of the main factors that makes it what it is and so enjoyable.  There was however, just before the bridge, a bit of a bottle neck where the road narrowed but it was close to the start so there was still a large field of runners all bunched up.  I found myself next to "Worlds Fastest Mascot" again and he appeared to have a friend running with him who was wearing a kilt and had a GoPro strapped to his chest.  His job seemed to be to run ahead and make way for his mate.  He was running ahead and shouting "Coming through!  Excuse Me!  Behind You!" etc.  That was the last time I saw "Worlds Fastest Mascot" until the very end when I crossed the line just in time to see his TV interview finishing. 

The weather was stunning, the view from the bridge was stunning, and I was in a great mood as I headed over the river and into the south side of the city.

My time stayed pretty consistent, always around 4:30/km.  The next point of any real note was in Pollok Park where it started to get hilly and as we reached the 10km (6 mile) mark my legs started to get tired and I recorded a 4:52.  My legs and lungs normally assume that after 10km we are done, so it was a bit of a shock to the body to receive the update from my brain that no, we were still going.  The 4:52 was the kick up the backside that I needed to push harder, and I did.

About 15km in, at Bellahouston Park, I started to get really tired.  Strangely, despite being tired, I rationalised that I only had "A Parkrun to go" so upped the pace.  This worked for about 3km before I was absolutely shattered and only momentum and the shame of a DNF kept me going for the final 2km.  Except it wasn't another 2km was it?  It was another 3km.  I wlways forget that a half-marathon is 21km and not 20km!  In Bellahouston Park I spotted what looked like a brown vest in the distance.  possible with a red head?  Possibly Mairead?  I thought she was too far to catch and I made no effort to, but I did pass her just as we were on Paisley Road West near Ibrox.  I think she must have been injured.  I saw two other club mates during the race.  One at the start line, Brian, and another quite near the start just over the bridge, Chloe.

 

Reunited With Ruby!

Actually, I was on the home stretch, and I swear this is true with no exaggeration, I was about 20km into the race and heading for the finish line, when I was thinking to myself, "I think that this is the first race EVER I have ran in a brown club vest where no one has ever shoute.."

"HBT!!!!"

Just as I was about to complete the thought that no one had shouted HBT at me, someone did.  Some teenagers sitting on a wall!  I give them a wee wave and they cheered.  So nice."

I crossed the line and finished in a respectable 1:35:52.  I met the family at the pre-arranged meeting, point, rendezvoused with Kata, and headed home.  I plan to run this race again next year.  Maybe Kata will too next time?

 

Steven A Laverty's "Rendezvous With Kata"

 

N.B. Kata and I got married on 15th October. :-)
 

Cumbernauld 10k 2016

On Sunday 18th September, I ran the 10th Cumbernaudl 10k.  Today is 26th October so I am cathing up with my blog updates!

This is the second time I have ran this race, the first being two years ago and reported in this very blog.  Big thanks to my sister, Kirsty for entering Kata and I into this race, and to Kirsty and her husband, Scott for looking after Ruby while Kata and I got to run.

 

3 Runners 

As before the race started at Broadwood Stadium, home of Clyde FC and Cumbernauld Colts.  It's a medium/large sized race with I believe 800 starters this year.  

We set off out of the stadium, to the refrain of a pipe band.  Cumbernauld certainly puts a lot of effort into this race adn it is very much appreciated.  There are pace makers, but I noticed that the fastest pace maker was 45 minutes - I suppose if you are plannig on being faster than that, you don't need a pace maker?  My plan was basically to stay ahead of the 45 minute guy.

The start of the race takes you out into an Industrial Estate and past the Irn Bru factory.  At about 3km there is a long steep hill whihc is pretty much the only hill of any significance on the course, although the rest of the course is "undulating".  Kata, who normally hates undulating, actually said later that she enjoyed that aspect this time around.          

While Kata and I were running, Kirsty and Scott were completing the Victory Mile with Ruby. As far as I can establish, the Victoy Mile is a way for people of all abilities to take part in the 10k day.  I beleive Ruby was carried around and was a minor celebrity.  She got her first ever race number and medal.  So proud :-)

 Baby Sitters and Victory Mile Runners

The course is good and the support when you come back into the housing estate is fantastic.  I received the usual shout of "HBT" in support from an apparent stranger.  It's remarkable how will recognised and suported our little (World Famous) club is.  The loch section becomes trail for a while, and is narrow.  This isn't a problem because we are about 8km into the race by now and the pack is spread well out.  One complaint here, at 8km a marshal shouted "Nearly there".  No am bl**dy not!!!  Nothing is more annoying for runners.  Nothing.  I don't want to hear "Nearly there" unless it is 9.6km into the race and I am back in Broadwood Stadium!  Seriously.   

I can remember glancing over my shoulder and seeing teh 45 minute pacemaker not as far behind me as I'd hoped.  It helped push me on.  I crossed the line (running back into a stadium at the end of a race, even if it's Clyde's stadium, makes you feel like a hero) and went stright to look for my family.  I found them sitting on the grass playing happily.  I immediately gathered everyone together and went to cheer Kata home.  She appeared a lot sooner than she had lead us to expect, and we made sure that everyone (including Ruby) gave her a big cheer.

 Ruby looks suitably unimpressed. 

I finished in 43:59 which I was quite happy with.  I notice that two years ago when I ran the same race, I finished EXACTLY 1 minute faster in 42:59.  I was pretty speedy back then though and in better shape.  I remember it was the first 10k in ages where I hadn't recorded a PB.  Despite being nowhere near a PB, I really enjoyed the race.  Big thanks to the organisers, and especially to Kirsty for entering us in the race. 

Here's the link to my Garmin record of the race. 

And here are the results.

START!!!  I'm front and center, Kata is on the left about 2/3 up.

Seven Hills of Edinburgh Race

On Sunday 26th June I ran the Seven Hills of Edinburgh Race (today is 28th September so I'll try my best to remember the race).

 

Brown Out - Ruby wondering what on earth is going on.

Kata drove me (and Ruby) to Calton Hill where the race started.  There was a big turn out from HBT - hill runing and Edinburgh are two of HBT's favourite things.  The weather was ideal - cool and overcast.  There was quite a bit of waiting at the start as the Challenge part of the event set off 30 minutes ahead of The Race.  I didn't mind at all - there were plenty of club mates there to pass the time with.  

 

And we're off!   

The Challenge got underway at  09:45 and after cheering them on their merry way, the race started at 10:15.  On the command of the starter pistol, we ran accross the grass on out way down from Calton Hill and on to the first check point at the top of The Esplanade (Edinburgh Castle).  There were some odd looks and laughs from tourists as we pegged it up the hill to the castle.  Having never ran this race before or anything like it, I was surprised at the top to find at the checkpoint a number of hole punch type things attached to string.  You were responsible for punching your own race number to prove you'd reached this check point, and then you were good to go again.  As an aside, no one ever checked my number, but i suppose they weren't interested in the "also-rans", only the winners. 

 

123 

 

 

Proof if it were needed that I reached 6 check points on my way to the finish.

Leaving the castle, I experienced the first doubt.  Iturned right and headed towards Corstorphine Hill via Princes St Gardens.  SOme othres went Left via (presumably) Grass Market?  Had I gone the right way?  Who knows?  This race is as much about finding a route as it is about running and running up hills.  There are decisions to be made.  Do you take the direct and steeper (possibly middly and slippy) route, or the easier but longer route?  It doens't matter so long as you reach all 7 check points and in the right order.  I noticed a few times that a runner beside me would go a different way from me at a turning, only to re-appear next to me again in about 5 minutes.  

Corstorphine Hill I can't remember much about.  It's a steep hill with some trail sections but it was early in the race and was quite enjoyable.  I stamped my race number and ran on to Craiglochart.  

There is a long road section to Craiglockart, with busy traffic to be negotiated.  It's a tough section.  I passed my first runners who were running The Challenge on my way, just near to The Corn Exchange.  Craiglockart does have a steep, muddy section that required hands and knees to ascend, but it was quite fun and all was going well.  I stamped my race number and ran on to The Braids.

The Braids is a great place to run.  I have ran The Braids in a Cross Country race. I have ran it for trainign with HBT, and I have ran it for te pure fun of it.  It's scenic, and hilly.  At least I knew what to expect at every point and knew where I could push hard.  Race number stamped, I ran off to Blackford Hill. 

#

Looking intense

Blackford Hill I have also ran in trainign and for laughs.  It is steep.  I was a mess by the time I reached the top.  Ther are stairs at one point, but I am not sure if they are better or worse then just runnign up the grassy hill.  In this instance I did take the stairs.  There was a huge turn out of supported from HBT at the top which was fantastic, and gave me gosse bumps.  I was cheered on and the adrenaline surge give me a boost which also sent be slightly the wrong way!  I was tired, and excited, and went the wrong way.  Oops.  I fixed my mistake quickly and headed off to Arthur's Seat, the penultimate hill.  I coudl see both Arthur's Seat and Calton Hill from where I was at this point, and frankly, I have to say, they looked pretty far away!

 

  

Looking tired.  Thansk HBT for the support at the top of Blackford Hill. 

I ran towards Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat.  I met my friend and fellow runner, Kate at a water statin there.  She mentioned something about finishing in an hour, and I thought to myself, "No way is at nearly as much as an hour from here to the end".  Ha!  Arthur's Seat was one of the worst experiences of my life.  The uphill was agony.  Torture.  Who decided that this was the second last hill on the course (basically the last, Calton Hill is a 'bump')?  Sadists!  My everythng ached and the sun was properly out at this time so it was hot too.  I passed HBT club mate Michael on the way up who was running The Challenge with his girlfriend, Fiona.  I'm afraid to say I took some comfort from the fact that they looked as miserable as me.  I just kept thinking to myself tht once I got to the top, I was basically done.  It was downhill and a short(ish) run to Calton Hill which wasn't really that much of a hill and was all on tarmac.  Wrong again.  The agony of the uphill paled in comparission to the agony of te downhill.  My knees!  Oh God, my knees!  I remember thinking I was too old for this sort of nonsense.  Coming out of Holyrood Park and crossing the road at the bottom of The Royal Mile, I ran half way accross the road adn stopped for traffic, a guy in a car shouted at me out of his window "WHAT ARE PAVEMENTS FOR?!"  My temper frayed, my response probably wasn't wise given that if he had decided to up the ante, I had no energy to run away!    

I finally made my way up Calton Hill and crossed the finish line in 2:33:33.  127th out of 165 finishers (presumably 35 DNF) isn't great, but it was a strong field, I am not a hill runner, and my time was decent.  I was quite pleased.  I definitely consider this my time to beat and I woudl love to try agian next year.  It was hard.  Very hard.  But it was great fun and a great achievement.  

Here are the official race results. 

Best.  Supporters.  Ever.