Parental Advisory. (Bad Language)

The weather was effin' terrible.  Okay that's the end of the bad language but believe me that during the run there was a lot more of it and it was a lot more colourful.  Firstly it was windy.  Very windy.  Secondly it was raining.  Not nice warm rain.  It's Scotland so it was that freezing sleety rain.  And thirdly I only had a pair of shorts.  Ali Mo on the other hand had a full track suit and Gore-Tex rain jacket.  Even Mark had full body clothing as he turned up within seconds of us about to leave.  Earlier in the week I had received an email with a summary of the route.  I wish I had taken more note of it after missing the summary of the route before we started.

We started out the wrong gate from Garscube which I didn't realise.  I did start to wonder when we were going at a good pace and instead of catching the group in front we caught the group three groups from us.  Then taking another wrong turning we never saw another person.  By this time we knew we were well wrong and just thought that we would try and run the distance.  The rain and wind was really bad and my legs were completely numb.  I started to struggle by the 6th mile but a mile later we were at the finish.  No-one from the club was there so after a quick confab with the guys I went around the block to bring the distance to 8.62 miles.  I was feeling pretty knackered by the end.  Not sure if the long run from last Saturday is still in my legs or not but I was glad to be out of the cold and into the car on my way home.

8.62mi 58:09 @ 6:45/mi

Mid-Week Madness

After last nights run and Saturdays 30 miler I was feeling shattered today.  After missing last week though due to my snowboarding accident (with the chairlift) I decided I really should do it.  Out came the light weight shoes.  I really am liking them.  I decided that I would do Crow Road loop today but extend it so that the finish would be along Maryhill Road instead of Great Western Road.  This would, I hope, add up to 10 miles.  The conditions were icy but I was feeling great until the 6th mile when I started to fade.  I think with these new shoes I am going too fast all the time and my legs where starting to feel a bit sore.  Not sure if that's due to fatigue or less cushioning in my shoes.  Will give them a wee break tomorrow and anyway it's meant to be raining so I don't want to get them wet.

10.06mi 1:07:16 @ 6:41/mi

Tuesday Timed Tests

Back to the club today for some speedwork.  Today was down as a Timed effort.  The last time I came to this session I wore my racing shoes thinking that it was a time trial.  It's not.  The speed work is just done according to a certain time rather than distance.  Anyway this time I would use my new light weight trainers.

Coach Lesley had asked me to take the group out tonight so the session was up to me.  I decided that I would try to make it a harder session so opted to go for pyramids.  The format for this is fast sessions of 2,3,4,5,4,3,2 minutes with a minute and a half recovery between them.  I also chose a harder route as well that went from Garscube, along to Milngavie Rd to Milngavie then towards Baljafary before heading on the Stockie past the ski club and then Drymen Road and home again.  The route is just short of 7.5 miles.

We started the speed stuff at Boclair Rd and I felt great.  Nice and light in my new shoes.  By the second 4 minute one though I was starting to fade and could feel Stephen Mulrine behind me before the inevitable happened and he over took me.  He killed me in the last two as well.  Two new guys joined us tonight.  Andrew had a good run and managed to keep up with us but Chris started to struggle towards the end.  It reminded me of when I made the jump from the pack below.  There is such a difference in speed/pace/competitivness  that it is a real struggle but if you keep at it you really start to stay with them and it feels great.  If Chris and Andrew stay with us they will too.  Alistair Morrison finished the group.  Miles ahead as usual and hardly breaking a sweat.  I wonder what has happened to Alex.  Alex if you read this post a comment and tell me how you are doing.

Forerunner 405 -

Just found out about a new Garmin Forerunner that you can actually wear when not running without looking like an absolute twat.

Anyway I was hoping that the battery life would be better and so would be a possibility for wearing during the WHW run but it is only eight hours so no use.  Plus points is that it is an HRM and works with the Garmin foot pod.  Will be for sale in the UK in March/April.

PS Anyone work for Garmin?  I can review it if you send me a review model... ;-)

Click on the link below for details....

Forerunner 405 -

Recovery Racing

My quads have been hurting since our wee West Highland Way 30 mile jaunt on Saturday so I wasn't looking forward to running today.  As inspiration I thought it was time for some new shoes.  Out came the Run-4-It vouchers and after testing 3 pairs of shoes with Matt I was the proud owner of a new pair of Asics DS-Trainer 13's.  When Debbie saw them though she said they looked like special needs slippers.  I have been messing about with the idea of buying these shoes for my marathon in April.  I race 10k's and halves in DS-Racers which I think are excellent but I just don't think that I am light enough or fast enough to run a marathon in them and so I went for the slightly heavier (260g) trainers.

Back home I decided to run the 4 mile recovery route from Alexandria to Balloch and then back over the Bonhill bridge.  Yeah recovery my a$$ though.  I ran the 4 mile route in 25 mins at 6:17 / mile.  The problem is the new shoes just feel too light and so even although my quads were tight and my bones creaking I felt that I just had to pick up the speed and run fast.  Probably didn't aid my recovery one bit but did help me mentally and I feel much better for it.  Well until I try to get off this seat.

I see from John's blog that he also bought new shoes today.  His old shoes had holes big enough for his toes to stick out.  Mine on the other hand are a bit dirty.  I see he also has sore quads.  I wonder if everyone else out on Saturday does as well.  Debbie was feeling it in her quads too and is a hoot coming down the stairs.

PS Debbie informs me that the title is an oxymoron.  I wonder if that is beef or vegetable.

Sad Snowboarder Sell Shoes

Wouldn't normally put a snowboarding entry in, but I got injured and now can't run.  Okay I got injured on the Chair lift so not sure that still counts.  Bashed my knee on something and now struggling to walk never mind run.  Hope to be back for the long WHW training run on Saturday though.  Anyway I realised afterwards that Snowboarding isn't too much fun if you are trying not to get injured especially in Scotland when its more ice than snow.  The hot chocolate in Glen Shee is damn tasty though.

Helensburgh Loop

A new route that I have been playing about with in my head over the last few weeks.  It starts off in Alexandria, heads out past the Duck Bay on Loch Lomond to the roundabout.  Follows the road to Helensburgh then to Cardross before taking the tough hilly Carmen Road back to Alexandria.  After yesterdays race this was tough.  I started early with it still dark and got to see the sunrise while I was on the road to Helensburgh.

Great wee (eek) run with potential to increase at a later stage.

18.01 miles in 2hr 12min 23 secs @ 7:21 /mi

Henderson Cup

I won this last year and so wanted to try to win the cup for a second year.  With Alistair Morrison on holiday and Lindsay Cunningham not liking the ground that this XC is on due to his dodgy ankles I was hoping to retain it.  Only thing is that this race is a handicap and without thise 2 runners I would be starting in scratch position.

Little did I know that I would be 8 minutes behind the 2nd last runner at the start.  This is a really tough XC with 3 laps around a very muddy course with a couple of obscene hills for good measure.  The distance is 7 miles although my Garmin came up with 6.77.  It took me until the 3rd lap before I caught anyone and then on the final straight I was within touching distance of the first position but it was not to be.  James Taylor who is running very well at XC at the moment had won.  Charlie's son who I tried to overtake in the last 100m was second after sprinting to the finishing line and leaving me dead behind. 

Mike Thomson joined us today.  I just hope that he enjoyed it.

6.77 miles in 47:04 mins @ 6:57 /mi.  Slower than last year but the conditioners were much harder this time.

Garscube Thursday Run

Tired after yesterday's run.  Started slow but ended fast.

7.14miles in 47:32 @ 6:39/mi

Crow Road Loop Run

Today I went out on my normal Wednesday Crow Road Loop.  Decided to go out easy but as usual when I don't have any pressure I go out a little bit too fast.  Debbie had left before me so it was the usual case of trying to catch her.  Ended up running 7.78 miles in 48:01 @ 6:10/mile.  A new record for this route.

Top Gate Hills

After the track session yesterday I was unusually looking forward to tonight's session.  Before that though Debbie talked me into going to the gym at lunchtime.  I did an easy recovery run for 20 mins and then some stretching.  After three hard days and a sports massage my legs needed it.

Debbie was a different matter but I knew she would be fine once she got going.  The session tonight was the hill at the top gate.  This hill is in fact 2 with a flatter bit between.  The session was to go fast up the two hill bits but slower in the middle.  Therefor all your effort was in the hill bits.  Recovery was the jog back tot he beginning.  After being separated into three groups we where told we were doing 12 of the hills.

It was a tough session today but Stephen Mulrine was on fire and was ahead in all of the reps.  I think that it was his new streamlined haircut that was helping him.  Alex however was dressed for winter and still had his woolly hat on.  It's his trademark now.  I wonder if he wears it during the summer?  I however was boiling and had to take a layer off half way through.

Each one was getting harder, not because I was getting tired but because I needed a pee.  I spent half of the session trying to run the recovery faster than the rest of the group so that I could time having a pee while everyone was running their recovery.  I didn't manage it and gave up three quarters of the way through.

Feeling a bit tired now.  After a race on Saturday, long run on Sunday, Track speed session Monday and Hills today I am ready for bed.  Night night.

Round and round we go

A track speed session in Kelvin Hall.  After a 15 minute warm up (yes 15 mins around a 200m track is a long time) it was on to the session.  Three sets of 4 * 400m.  With a 1 lap recovery every 400m and two laps recovery between each set.

It was a tough session but running on the track is tough and I always find it way too warm.  Might just leave track sessions to bad weather days.  I missed the wind in my face .  No idea of times as I didn't wear a watch.

If only I would learn....

After having a wee night at a friends house and staying over because Debbie and I over indulged in the alcoholic fruit juice we were rudely awakened by my phone going off at 7:30am.  A mountain rescue callout.  It took two attempts to awaken Dom our host to say thanks (the first was me sneaking into the wrong room and awakening a girl that I had only met the night before).  Made my excuses and I was away to help rescue two stalkers that had spent a horrendous night on the campsies.  It actually ended up me having a wee ride in a helicopter cause we found them while circling around.

The royal navy helicopter landing on the road before taking us to the campsies

 

Anyway on to the run.

Last weekend I swore blindly that I would never ever run a long run the day after a 10K again.  I had stupidly ran an 18 mile (with 7 miles off road and over the Kilpatrick Hills) the day after the Nigel Barge 10K.  Debbie taking video of me broken and lying on the floor to post on YouTube was the final straw and I promised never to be so stupid again.  Besides the Running Bible says never to run a race and then a long run on two consecutive days.  The Running Bible . (This is a fab book.  In fact Debbie and I have two copies)

Anyway back to today.  After yesterdays PB I decided to do a long run over the Bromley Muir Hill (on my normal Stoneymollan circuit)) but this time instead of running home I would continue the route over to Cardross and run back from here.  Debbie was on the Cardross circuit and I would hopefully catch her up on the way.

The route over the Bromley Muir is fantastic.  I always enjoy it and after the climb up you are always rewarded with excellent views over Loch Lomond.  I made it to the top in 34mins which I think may be my fastest yet.  Back down the hill to the public path that leads to Cardross I was full of the joys of life.  Singing L7's Pretend that we're Dead at the top of my lungs and running knee deep in marsh I must have been a pretty sight.  Onto the path, it was time to catch Debbie.   there was some fallen trees in the wood to manoeuvre over and then the cows that I know Debbie dreads.  That would slow her down.  And if not that the knee high in coo sh*t would have her tip toeing through so not to ruin her shiny shoes.  By the time I reached Cardross I still couldn't see her and was beginning to worry that she might have turned back or decided on a change of route.

The hill out of Cardross finally wiped me out and I started to get the dizzy no energy feeling again.  As I got to the last main hill before a nice downhill back to Renton I spied Debbie.  Not staggering up the hill like I was but looking fully refreshed, waiting on me tapping her foot expectantly.  Not sure if she was waiting to see if I was okay or if it was for help getting past the manic dog that patrols the farm.  We decided to run together to the end. 

A good run that was very tiring but my elation from yesterday pulled me through.

13.66 Miles in 1:52:15

Jack Crawford 10k

RESULTS

The last two 10Ks that I have done have both resulted in PBs for me so I was looking forward to this 10K.  It is a flat course but being along a canal can get muddy especially after a week of rain.  Unfortunately this was a week of rain and so my enthusiasm started to wain as the week went on.  Luckily Saturday morning was cold, very cold and so the mud would hopefully be frozen.

This was Debbie's first 10k in 9 months and in that time she has been getting faster so I was hopeful that she could get a PB too.

I decided that for this race I wanted to try and stay with Lindsay for as much as I could and maybe try to hang on to the back of him for a bit and hopefully pull me to a PB.

Squeezed my way to near the front with Lins and at 14:30 we were off.  The first half a Km is on roads but this is just to separate the runners out so there isn't a stampede on the canal.  Onto the canal I couldn't believe it.  I was in front of Lins and feeling great and the pace felt easy.  After 2Km though the pace caught up with me and I started to slow a bit.  Damn.  A beginners mistake.  Getting carried away at the start.  Soon Lins's group overtook me but I managed to hold on to the back of them.  The path was really icy and with the runners in front of me masking the view I wasn't seeing the icy patches until way to late.  One of the problems with this race is that when you get to Lambhill there is a couple of 90 degree turns and a few of those gates that are designed to stop cyclists flying along the canal at 30 mph or neds in cars driving along it and burning the cars.  They also stop runners running.   After negotiating this it is only about 2.5km to the end so I was on the finishing straight.  The last two 10Km I have had a good rivalry with Chris Upson who is also running the WHW race.  I was ahead of him by one place in the East Kilbride 10Km and he was one position ahead of me in the Nigel Barge.  So it was 1-1 at the moment and I was ahead.  Unfortunately he passed me with 1.5Km to go and beat me by one position again.

No problems though, I got another PB.  Woohoo.  34:48.  I had broken the 35min barrier and was in sight of Lins finishing.  Okay Chris is now 2-1 up but hey.  There is always the big one to even it up.  The WHW.

Now how was Debbie doing.  I didn't have any idea what time it was so I wasn't sure if she was on a PB or not.  I cheered her on at the finishing line with my fingers crossed that she was.  And she was!  A full minute faster than her time last year.  Two PBs in the Consani household.  We have a PB tin that we keep and everytime one of us gets a PB they have to put a tenner into it.  Two weeks into the New Year we were already £30 up.  Let's hope it continues and we get to treat ourselves at the end of the year.

One last thing, just want to say thanks to John and Ian for wishing us both all the best for the races today. :-)

Nigel Barge 10K

Race Results

This was my first race of 2008 and to be honest I wasn't really looking forward to it.  I really wasn't sure why I was doing it.  Paul was doing it as a last race before heading back south and Debbie was coming especially to cheer me on and take some photos.  So in the end I felt I had to run it.  I am so glad that I did.  I got another PB. 35:31. WOOHOO!.  Great start to 2008.

Arrived early with Paul and attempted a warm-up.  It was hard to warm-up as the weather was atrocious with a biting wind up to the top gate.  At the start I decided to see if I could keep up with Lindsay or at least keep him in sight.  The first part of that didn't work too well.  Within the first mile Lins had pulled away but I spied Chris Upson who I had beaten by one place at East Kilbride in December.  Re-writing my race plan I decided to hang on to Chris.  My legs by this time were so numb that I didn't even feel running too close to the bramble bushes at the side of the road.  Onto the second lap the rain really started to lash and the hill to the top gate was windier than the first time round.  I didn't know where my personal photographer Debbie had gone but a blinding flash of lightning pinpointed Debbie and her new camera at the car park in Garscube.  One hand holding the umbrella one hand holding the camera I really thought that she was going to be blown away.  Back to the race I could see that Chris was starting to struggle and I was picking up valuable seconds on him.  I remembered from East Kilbride that he seemed to struggle in the last couple of km's and so I decided to hang on and try to pounce then.  It wasn't to be and when we got to the last lap of Garscube Chris seemed to pull away from me.  Happy with my position I slowed down, but then noticed I was on a PB and sped up for the last 200m.

Met up with everyone at the end including John Kynaston who was running too.  John and Ian have a great wee competition going with races.  John won last year 3-2 but Ian won today so he is 1 up.

I was on such a high at getting a PB today that I kept forgetting to ask everybody's times.  Sorry everyone...  :-(

First Thursday

First club run since Christmas and I really wasn't looking forward to this.  After being called out on mountain rescue last night, getting back late and my first day back at work this wasn't going to be pretty.  Worse still the temperature was baltic and the first snow of the winter was starting to fall.  On the plus side many people are still off and so turnout at the club was low.

Went out with other similar lethargic runners from the club.  Today was scheduled to be a 6 mile route but as the route was read out it was more like an easy 7.  The route was out the top gate of Garscube to Anniesland then along Gt Western Road to Lincoln Avenue.  Along Southbrae to Crow Road, then Whittingeham to Gt Western Road again.  But wait there was more.  Along Dorchester and then up the dreaded Scaethorn and back to the main gate.  Where was Lesley's Christmas spirit?

The pace at the beginning was very easy which I was very glad of as I hadn't had time for a warm up.  My left knee was still giving me problems .

Felt good especially straight after Christmas.  Finished the 6.88 mi in 47:03 @ 6:51 min mi.