Juneathon Day 28 – In search of a Heilan’ Coo

My goal for this morning’s long run, was 10 miles. I headed out when the rain cleared at 9:30, starting with a 1.5 mile loop near home as this helps extend my usual routes to the desired length. Only today I decided to go off course and headed to the southside. Juneathon needs a photo of a Highland Cow, and for that I would have to go to Pollok Park.
I figured that I would run for 6ish miles and then turn around and head home the way I came and (minus the original loop) that would work out to be about 10 miles. Despite feeling completely knackered, I plodded on, managing not to get lost in the back streets of Govan.

At mile 5 I passed the entrance to Bellahouston Park. I briefly considered a photo of House for an Art Lover and a mile around Bellahouston, but no, I definitely needed a photo of a Highland Cow, and that meant another mile down the road to Pollok Park. I trudged on entering the Park at the Rugby Club, starting point of last week’s 10k race. “It was just a few hundred metres from the start line to the cow field” I thought to myself. 

Apparently not.

My Garmin ticked over to 7 miles just as I ran past Pollok House and onto the long avenue with the field that always has Highland Cows in it.

This is what the field contained today:   

A very pretty field devoid of Highland Cows. Hmmm. I could keep looking, they must surely be somewhere nearby, but with a return trip of potentially 5 miles I had had enough and was ready for home. I got my phone out and turned on the Google Maps App for the most direct route . It appeared to be a 4.5 mile direct line, starting back the way I had come. Only as I started to follow the route, it suddenly had me veering to the right and up the hill into the depths of Pollok Park. Against my better judgement I did what I was told until the blue dotted line wanted me to turn into dense woodland where there was no path in evidence. It was becoming patently obvious that Google maps really had no idea where I was nor how to get me out. 

Following my nose, and taking left turns where possible, I was eventually spat out of the park at a familiar point, about a mile further away from home than if I had just retraced my steps from the cow-free field. I re-set Google maps and continued on, wishing that I had money for a bus or the underground.

By this point, the sun was, at least, shining, my legs had perked up and it was probably the stretch of the whole run that I enjoyed the most.

It was at 9.6 miles that my Garmin ran out of battery, and also the point where I examined the Google maps route a little more closely and discovered that it involved a ferry crossing across the Clyde. A ferry crossing that I’m pretty sure does not exist, and even if it did exist I had no money for anyway.

I had two choices: 1. Continue to the nearest bridge, with an extra couple of miles onto the route or 2. Go to the much closer Clyde Tunnel and brave the scary pedestrian access tunnel. 

I opted for 2, run-walking toward what I hoped would be the pedestrian entrance. The pedestrian/cycle tunnel runs alongside the car tunnel and is accessed by pressing a buzzer which is released by the control workers. They count any pedestrians in and out again at the other end, and limit the numbers accessing the tunnel at any one time. 

The tunnel was eerie, although well lit and relatively clean. As the Clyde at this point is deep enough for large ships to navigate, it is not surprising that it is a steep hill down and then back up the other side. I ran the down section and walked the other side. 

   
   

I met only one other person coming the other way, a young woman who stood aside as I ran past. Once safely out again it was only a half mile home which I walked.

Juneathon Day 28 – 11.5 miles run

• Running – 11.5 miles
• Highland Cows – 0
• Stupid Technology Fails – several

Juneathon Day 20 – I probably should’ve rested

I did plan to go to parkrun this morning, but it was probably a wee bit ambitious after last night’s race. I snoozed my alarm once when it went off, but the second time I switched it off altogether and went back to sleep, not waking again until after 9:00. 

My morning was lovely and lazy, but I managed to dress and leave the house to get to the post offfice before it closed. After my weekly chat to the parents in Aus, it was time to head out for a mid-afternoon run. Probably it should have been a short recovery run, but I was determined to make it a long one, as I won’t have a chance tomorrow. I decided on a a route and headed towards Maryhill and the city end of the Forth and Clyde Canal. 

Three miles in and I was feeling very weary. Five miles in and I decided to cut my route short and head for home. The last few miles were hard and I was more tired than I had been at the end of some of my long marathon training runs last year!

I managed 8 miles in the end which brings my Juneathon total to 62.9 miles.

   
   

The Perfect Day Off

I have some annual leave that needs to be used before the end of next month, so with the opportunity to offload my student for the day, I took today off. I let my alarm go off at its usual time and after snoozing it just twice I got up and prepared for a long run. My goal was 9+ miles, so I started with a local 1.5 mile loop then headed out on a favourite long run route that takes in the Kelvingrove Park, the Kelvin Walkway and the Forth & Clyde Canal. I’ve posted many photos of this particular route over the past year so I didn’t bother to take my phone with me today.

What. A. Mistake.

As I was making breakfast fog had settled across the West End but there were hints of a lovely day behind the cloud. By the time I reached the Kelvin Walkway the fog was lifting and the sun was shining. As I reached the canal I discovered that it was still frozen! A wee squirrel even ran from one bank to the other across the top 🙂 . In the park and along the Kelvin Walkway there were still some patches of snow and ice on the verges but the well trodden paths were clear. The towpath however had long stretches that were still covered in ice, though it was starting to break up so passable and I was only reduced to a walk in a few patches.

It was all so beautiful with the winter sun shining on the frozen canal, the icy paths, and the red sandstone tenements. Such perfect conditions that the run took care of itself. I felt really strong the whole way and even in the places that I normally find my pace dropping off, I held close to 10:30 minutes/mile – significantly faster than most of my long runs last year. Back on the pavements and with a mostly downhill two miles home I even managed to lift my pace to 10:00 minutes/mile.

I’m really pleased to find myself, at the beginning of February, able to cover 10 miles at that pace and feel great at the end of it. It is making me braver as I plan my races for 2015!

Janathon Day 25 – Happy Burns Night!

To get a long run in today and still go to running club I decided to run to the meeting point in town and home again, with club run in the middle. I got passed in the first mile by some club mates who offered me a lift but I turned them down and carried on, arriving just in time with 3.7 miles on my Garmin.

I joined the 5 to 7 k group and quickly discovered that I was completely knackered. We ran back into the west end and around Kelvingrove Park. My aim was to run a total of 9 miles, so when I hit 7 miles on my watch, part way back to our starting place I decided to head for home instead, timing it perfectly for a 9.15 mile run.

Today is Burns Night and I was asked to a Burns Supper (lunchtime version) this afternoon with friends. I decided to make one of my mother’s caramel slices (tray bake) to take along. Mum gave me the recipe over the phone (key ingredients: rich tea biscuits, condensed milk, butter and brown sugar) and I put it together last night. It looked wrong. I made more caramel and poured it over the top. It still looked wrong. I decided to throw it away and take a packet of chocolate biscuits instead.

Today though, I thought I should sample it before throwing it out.  It was yummy so I quickly melted the chocolate for the top. There were no complaints from my friends and I brought home an empty plate 🙂

Janathon:

• Running: 72.15 miles

Janathon Day 12 – At last a LSR

After a day of rain, wind, sun, hail, wind, sun and lots of indecision about this evening’s exercise, the Met Office kindly promised me a window of a few hours of no rain. I grabbed the opportunity for a much procrastinated long slow run and headed out the door.

An hour and a half later and I had covered 8.3 miles in perfect running weather; chilly but dry. I even saw a couple of stars. My longest run in several months and I was reminded of the peacefulness of the long slow run, even in the midst of a busy inner city.

Today:

• Running: 8.3 miles

Janathon:

• Running: 40.8 miles

And now for an early night 🙂

Running to parkrun

I needed to do my long run this weekend on Saturday and decided to combine it with a parkrun. I’ve not visited Pollok parkrun since the first of Janathon and as it was about the right distance away (4 miles) this was the one I aimed for.

I set off at 8:30 am with a list of directions, making it across the Clyde ok, but like last week, I took a wrong turn in Govan.  This time I realised quickly and ran the final 2.5 miles with my phone in hand and the Google Maps lady giving me directions. With two miles to go and just under 20 minutes until the figurative parkrun starter’s gun, I was starting to panic that I wouldn’t get there on time. Those last two miles were the fastest of the day, and probably not really ideal for a long run! But I made it at 9:30 on the knocker, just as the briefing started which gave me time to catch my breath.

I had forgotten how beautiful Pollok Park is in summer and it is such a lovely parkrun, though much hillier than my local at Victoria park. It is also much busier with 444 runners today. 

I then ran around the park a bit before heading back home, for 18.3 miles.

I’m not a fast runner and I’m ok with that. I have to admit though, that when I’m well through an 18 mile run and I get overtaken at speed, by, well everyone, I find myself thinking “Yes, but how many miles have you done? I’ve already done 16 miles you know!” I don’t say it though, I just grin to myself. Or is that grimace?

Without doubt I’m at the business end of this marathon training and it is going well (touch wood). I do have a couple of ankle niggles and skipped a run for the first time in a long time this week to give it a rest. I’m off to Spain on Friday for a week so will skip my long run (a cut back 13 miles) but still planning to do my other runs. I also plan to do lots or resting by the pool, and fueling on ice cream!

Glasgow 2014

The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games are in full swing and I can’t help feeling they’re passing me by to a bit. Full time work and training for a marathon are time vortexes! Friday was a stunning day with temperatures in the evening still hitting the high 20s so I headed down to the West End in search of Atmosphere. I didn’t find much other than people out, enjoying the sun or lining up for the Lawn Bowls, but met up with friends and enjoyed dinner and an ice cream Alfresco (this is a rare enough occurrence in Glasgow that it is worth remarking!).

This morning I met up with my friend Lindsey for a 13 mile run at half marathon pace. We decided to aim for the marathon course to try to catch some of the race. We timed it nearly perfectly arriving at the river Clyde just as the runners headed across the Squinty Bridge. 

We followed the course through the Gorbals, crossing back to the north side of the river at Glasgow Bridge, before heading home through the West End. We had plenty of our own cheers from the crowds (I stress that we were on the pavement not the actual course) which we accepted gratefully – you gotta take what you can get!

When I got home I learnt that Aussie lad Mike Shelley won!

This afternoon I had tentative plans to meet friends at Glasgow Green, but once home the sofa proved too tempting!

 Some photos from the past few days:

🙂

A glimpse of the Lawn Bowls at left

 

Juneathon Day 29

My friend Lindsey joined me for my Long Run again today. We did essentially the same route as last week including Kelvingrove Park and a section of the Forth and Clyde Canal. There were a few detours in the park due to the ongoing Commonwealth Games Beautification Programme. This includes the renovation of a formerly derelict amphitheater, where this morning there was a sound check for a concert. We caught a peek before being chased off the premises by a man in a G4S uniform.

12 miles today which brings my Juneathon running total to (dum, da, dum):  91.62 miles 

Not my highest mileage month this year, but I have been basically sticking to The Plan, so it is a good start for the first month of my marathon training.

I realise we have one day left of Juneathon, but my broadband is due to be cut off tomorrow and not installed in the new flat until Tuesday, so I’m pre-emptively giving my excuses for failing with the blog at the final hurdle. I do however promise to do 3 x 20 squats and lift and carry a large number of boxes up several flights of stairs. 

Juneathon Stats:

• Running: 91.62 miles
• Blog Posts: 29 🙂
• Cycling: 19 miles (on day one, bike has been in the shed ever since, must not forget to take it tomorrow)
• Core-Strengthening: 10 (including one tomorrow)
• Yoga: 3 1/2 hours 
• Flats bought: 1
• Flats painted: 1/2

Juneathon Day 22 – Long Run day

I had company for my long run this morning, which was a very pleasant change. I ran to my friend Lindsey’s house, then we ran my usual 8 mile route that takes in Glasgow University, Kelvingrove Museum, Kelvingrove Park and walkway and the Forth & Clyde Canal, for a total of 11 miles for me. Lindsey is a much faster runner than me but she kindly pootled along beside me at my LSR pace. It is amazing how quickly the time slips by when there is someone to chat to 🙂

It was sunny today and so I wore my running vest, discovering this evening that my chest and shoulders are a wee bit pink. Nevermind, now when I see my mother on Thursday she won’t be able to say “You’re quite pale aren’t you?”!!

Juneathon Stats:

• Running: 65.28 miles
• Cycling: 19 miles
• Core-strengthening: 7 x sessions
• Yoga: 2 hours
• Flats bought: 1

Bupa Great Glasgow Women’s 10k

I entered the Bupa Great Glasgow Women’s 10k (that’s a mouthful) in a flurry of entering spring races. I thought it would be fun to do it with other women from my club with the guys joining us at the finish line as part of their Sunday run. I then realised it fell a fortnight after the Edinburgh 10 mile and a fortnight before the EMF Edinburgh Half Marathon, not ideal as it should probably be the weekend of my last long run. Then I was invited to a friend’s wedding ceilidh the night before and only one other club mate entered, so I was beginning to think that it was a whole lot of pointless hassle.

The 2011 Glasgow Women’s 10k was my first ever, the culmination of a 12 week Beginner’s 10k course with the Glasgow Running Network. My time was 62 minutes, and I shaved a minute and a half off my time the following year. Both those years the race weather was abysmal and the goody bag matched the weather. Last year the race moved to the “Bupa Great” stable.

I was sadly too late to join the mass participation warm up!

Normally I get to races ridiculously early, for fear of being late, this has the advantage of queue-free toilets but results in standing for an hour in freezing weather, trying to keep warm. This time around I tried a different tack, making my last loo stop in the subway station on the way, walking from Ibrox Subway to the start as a warm up and slipping into my start corral with 10 minutes to spare. Perfect!

The race got underway, busy but never really tripping over anyone or stuck for space. There were fewer bands and support acts than previous years although there was a bagpiper at each kilometre kite (not to everyone’s taste, but they make me happy!). There was steady crowd support but we still had patches where all I could hear was the slap, slap, slap of hundreds of trainers on tarmac; it was quite cool really.

I decided to aim for 9:30 minutes/mile and see how long my legs held out however I soon found that I was running 9:20 minute miles without too much trouble. The sun was out and it was surprisingly warm for the first half of the race. The cool shade of the ancient oaks on entering Pollok Park just after mile 5 provided welcome relief. I was able to lift my pace for the last mile and crossed the line in 58:19. A new PB 🙂

I collected my goody bag then waited around at the designated meeting place, soon joined by my club mate who had taken six minutes off her 2013 time. We waited for 50 minutes for the guys to turn up before giving up on them and I began the run home, my goody bag decanted and stuffed into the pockets of my Nathan Hydration rucksack.

The race was on the south side of the city, and I live in the West End, north of the River Clyde. My route took me through the back streets of Govan and past the now silent Govan shipyards before crossing the Clyde next to BBC Scotland. One mile in and the heavens opened, you gotta love May weather.

Govan Shipyards

My total for today was 11.5 miles, bringing the week’s total to 29 miles. I’ve now reached my half marathon taper, only two weeks to go until race day. I’m starting to look forward to it!