Back To Reality

So the hols are over and reality has sunk in. I don't think I considered any of my runs on holiday to be good runs although they were enjoyable simply because they were different in every respect - surface,terrain, weather,you know what I mean. However I wouldn't be honest if I hadn't admitted to myself that I was still trying to recover from the Fling. I remember going to Troon for the 10k a few weeks after last years FLM and having a stormer of a run, only to find I was about 3 minutes outside what I would normally run. This year I was away when Troon was on but I don't think I would have considered running the way I am feeling.
The club run on Tuesday was a bit of a Curate's Egg, good in parts. Nice easy start on the club favourite run to the Arden Roundabout and back, then the pace picked up when Brian hit the front, only for him to get a phone call (WTF) from his mother when we got to Duck Bay, Richard kicked on as I eased off thinking Brian would catch up and we reaced the turn well spread out. There were 6 of us and as we turned Brian put the boot down at Duck Bay and I went after him. Not clever. By the top of Cameron Hill I was gubbed and it was all I could do to keep him in sight and stay ahead of Garry.
Finished knacked and after a shower, headed to the pub round the corner for a few cokes while we said cheerio to members Jan and Rob; off to be Kiwi's and as I type this they are sipping champagne in the Airport Hotel as they are now homeless in Scotland!
Wednesday night was my usual easy run with my jogging group, reduced to five due to another five running on the Thursday night at the Helensburgh 10k. We did a five mile run on the Cycle track to Dennystown and back via Renton. Made it easy because a) I'm knacked and b) two of the girls were struggling. However the younger of the two is only 14, she's the daughter of WHW entrant, the aforementioned Brian, and after running away from me on Tuesday, he took his daughter round the Dumbarton 10k copurse in 55 minutes. She can't run the first two Polaroid 10k's as she is 15 and eligible on the day before the Dumbarton Race. She looks a terrific athlete and hopefully she will enjoy the sport and progress to a good level.
Thursday night was the first of the Polaroid series 10k races at Helensburgh. I decided to run the 3 miles down,run round the course as a spectator, supporting those Millies and JogScotland members that were running and run home, hopefully managing an easy 10 miles or so.
I made the mistake of popping into the school to see who was there and ended up blethering tomore than a few friends. One of them is Debbies pal Sarah, who turned out at Milburn earlier this year for a few sessions and is a member of Garscube. She kindly invited me along to her post race bar-b-q at the farm shop and tearoom that her family run only a mile and a half from where I live. Hmmmm. Temptation!
Watch the race first Davie then decide!
So I set off along the course putting on my waterproof jacket as it was raining when nI left the school and it ALWAYS rains at the Helensburgh 10k!Of course it didn't rain again!
Got to West Montrose St. before being honked at by Debbie and, a squeezed-into-the-back-seat-to-make-room-for-Cairn, Marco. Debbie telling me she had failed to tell me I was invited to a BarB Q at Sarah's. Never mind, better late than never!
Great race and PBs by husband and wife Colin and Julie from my jogging group although Julie had fallen and finished in a crumpled heap. Welcome to the great sport of road racing!
I then ran out to Ardardan Farm shop for the barbie and found out that the runners constitution can handle some strange concoctions and still function. I had a coke, a burger, pasta and potato salad, then more pasta and declined the cheesecake and other tempting puds! Enter Debbie and Marco........ "Mmmmm Davie you really don't know what you are missing" "Davie this is soooo good"
So I had some. And it was good. In fact it was brilliant. A mile outside Cardross, on the left just before the Crematorium. 10am - 4pm everyday except Monday, I think. Go. It's that good!
So Rob said "How are you getting home. You won't run it after that!"
Watch me. The fastest mile and a half since August! And no puking!