This time last night I was sitting at the laptop, no running since Friday and feeling sorry for my self when in the bottom of the screen appeared the wee box telling me I had an e-mail; or as much of an email JR can get his Luddite head round. "What is all this crap I'm hearing. 9am tomorrow for a run!" A summons from the leg end. So I went and got my ears burnt about running slow, walking hills, smelling flowers etc etc etc. Sometimes I wish I was in JD's club!
Anyway we did a slow and I mean slow 5 miles round Balloch Park, followed by tea and an egg roll in the club before I spent the rest of the day cleaning my car and visiting the skips with garden refuge...... last years garden refuge.
*****Newsflash*******
That wee box has just appeared again. Wait for this one.........
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FFS Jim must have a tutor! But if he thinks I'm going on windows live to listen to him he's barking up the wrong tree.
Anyway, where was I? Oh Aye. I ran again tonight with my JogScotland group. And am I glad I warmed up this morning!
I had a query from a villager re her daughter wanting to run the Vale 10k and being worried about whether she could manage. So I told her to be at JogScotland tonight where she could run with my group which has another young lady who is running the Dumbarton and Vale 10ks. A quick word prior to setting out with a group of five found that she trains with a pal on the Cardross Horseshoe, a shorter version of the Balloch one with the same amount of climbing in the shorter distance! Off we went and the young ones simply took off. Marion (a Millie)and I took up a position between them and the two regular members to try and keep an eye on both but eventually, after about a mile, I moved on to the front and Marion dropped back to form two groups of three. And the girls simply took off, dragging my sorry butt with them for about 5 miles round the cycle track and Lomond Shores. Run slower?
Eventually one of them slowed but only because her shoulder was causing her bother. She and her dad Brian are both karate exponents and she has a shoulder that keeps dislocating. A few rotations of the blade and we were off again slowing only in the last mile. Will I manage 10k? Damn right they will and in good times too!
The three ladies of a certain age had taken a short cut through Balloch and finished just ahead of us, and waiting for us was, of course, JR. Sweat pishing off me, his words of only a few hours before brainworming between my ears. RUN SLOWER! Try telling them that!
Anyway, I'm not on Windows Live.
Showing posts with label JogScotland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JogScotland. Show all posts
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Thursday, 5 March 2009
It Snowed!
Knowing how disappointed I was with the lack of snow, I woke to white grass this morning,but with aching calfs and achilles tendon despite all sorts of remedial work over the past couple of days. Last night I had my usual group out for 70 minutes last night and they managed about 6 and a 1/2 miles at a good steady pace. One of the girls, who had struggled last week, described herself as feeling "F*****g fantastic" last night. That cheered me up. This group are a delight to work with. All moans to start with but once running are fine. They are very supportive of each other and looking forward to some target races in the spring. Three of them have entered the Grangemouth 10k later this month. The others are looking at the Womens 10k or Race for Life 5ks. They are well ahead of their target training and will surprise themselves come race day!
Only three in the group tonight, snow gone, as JR took his group for hill reps at the hill from the roundabout to the railway bridge on Main St, Alexandria. Jimmy Mack and I were happy to have an easy run round the Vale 10k route, extended a wee bit to 6.5 miles. Richard came with us and we dawdled round in just over 59 minutes, although it felt faster due to tired legs. A quick shower and into the cafe area for a quick word with the girls who were having a meeting about their relay teams for the Fling. When I left Ali was describing the Loch Lomondside leg of the relay. I'm sure they'll enjoy it!
Jim Robertson brought some old club memorabilia with him tonight and I borrowed a booklet dated 1975 that is a history of the Vale of Leven AC. I have had a quick perusal and there are some interesting articles. I asked Jim if I could copy it as there is mention of Lachie Stewart who ran with the Vale prior to joining Shettleston. It is my intention to give the copy to Glen to pass on, although if I know Lachie, he'll have his copy somewhere! Some good reading and some of the problems in running in 2009 seem to have been about for a bit longer than we think!
Only three in the group tonight, snow gone, as JR took his group for hill reps at the hill from the roundabout to the railway bridge on Main St, Alexandria. Jimmy Mack and I were happy to have an easy run round the Vale 10k route, extended a wee bit to 6.5 miles. Richard came with us and we dawdled round in just over 59 minutes, although it felt faster due to tired legs. A quick shower and into the cafe area for a quick word with the girls who were having a meeting about their relay teams for the Fling. When I left Ali was describing the Loch Lomondside leg of the relay. I'm sure they'll enjoy it!
Jim Robertson brought some old club memorabilia with him tonight and I borrowed a booklet dated 1975 that is a history of the Vale of Leven AC. I have had a quick perusal and there are some interesting articles. I asked Jim if I could copy it as there is mention of Lachie Stewart who ran with the Vale prior to joining Shettleston. It is my intention to give the copy to Glen to pass on, although if I know Lachie, he'll have his copy somewhere! Some good reading and some of the problems in running in 2009 seem to have been about for a bit longer than we think!
Friday, 23 January 2009
Working Hard But Treading Water....or MUD
After Tuesday's Blind Man's Bluff I went along to Jog Scotland looking for about 5 miles of easy running, and got in about 4.5 with a slower group than I'm used to. Linda, who takes the group below mine, wasn't feeling too good, so had the night off and as only one of my own group turned up I was asked to take Linda's. That was no problem and JR decided to add in an extra run after his 5.30pm group finished their run, bringing with him Christine who has entered the Fling and is building up her mileage. That meant the ladies ran a bit longer than they were used to, but at about the same pace so they gained and I,too,got some recovery mileage.
And I needed it as on Thursday I went along to the club, knowing we were up for 6 half mile hill reps with a jog back down to recover. A good turn out with Stevie, Adrian and Steph putting in some fast reps with their strong hill climbing background, Garry, adding youth and probably inexperience to run very fast(!!), Brian, a Flinger attending his first session, Geraldine, Richard,Ali and, in addition, a good group from JR's training squad doing their own thing at various distances within our session. The main drag from the main Balloch Park Gates to the top of the hill near the turn off for the north gate was a busy wee street. Street lighting for about 600yards then darkness, hiding the end of the run until you started meeting the leaders coming back down.A real struggle to keep going for all 6 reps, with recovery being stretched and lunch threatening a re-appearance towards the end. Legs like jelly and regretting the heroics on the first couple of reps as the young ones (and bar JR, Chris and Linda everyone is a young one to me) kept a heady pace on what everyone agreed was a good hard session. All on the main drive though, keeping the mud for Friday morning and a 9am meet with JR,Brian,Linda, Sandra from the night before as well as Catherine,her mad Dalmation "Jasper" and Lauren. An easy run said our JR. But what he meant was "you'll be running the Whinney Hill race route for next weekend, but you can go as slow as you like" Slow? Walk more like. A wee bit of jogging, rescuing of shoes from mud, swamp and kicking of branches. Five and a bit miles maybe of very hard going. On my least favourite of all the club runs. Grrrr!
Still, back to the club's HQ at the leisure centre where for a couple of quid into the kitty, JR manages to extend his OAP status to copious amounts of tea, toast, beans, jam and all served by The WHW race's oldest ever finisher! And Cowper put in an appearance to be embarrassed by the knowledge that those club-mates he had blown away the night before were back out at 9am the following day!
Now! Feet up with a rest day tomorrow and a run on the Way on Sunday.
And I needed it as on Thursday I went along to the club, knowing we were up for 6 half mile hill reps with a jog back down to recover. A good turn out with Stevie, Adrian and Steph putting in some fast reps with their strong hill climbing background, Garry, adding youth and probably inexperience to run very fast(!!), Brian, a Flinger attending his first session, Geraldine, Richard,Ali and, in addition, a good group from JR's training squad doing their own thing at various distances within our session. The main drag from the main Balloch Park Gates to the top of the hill near the turn off for the north gate was a busy wee street. Street lighting for about 600yards then darkness, hiding the end of the run until you started meeting the leaders coming back down.A real struggle to keep going for all 6 reps, with recovery being stretched and lunch threatening a re-appearance towards the end. Legs like jelly and regretting the heroics on the first couple of reps as the young ones (and bar JR, Chris and Linda everyone is a young one to me) kept a heady pace on what everyone agreed was a good hard session. All on the main drive though, keeping the mud for Friday morning and a 9am meet with JR,Brian,Linda, Sandra from the night before as well as Catherine,her mad Dalmation "Jasper" and Lauren. An easy run said our JR. But what he meant was "you'll be running the Whinney Hill race route for next weekend, but you can go as slow as you like" Slow? Walk more like. A wee bit of jogging, rescuing of shoes from mud, swamp and kicking of branches. Five and a bit miles maybe of very hard going. On my least favourite of all the club runs. Grrrr!
Still, back to the club's HQ at the leisure centre where for a couple of quid into the kitty, JR manages to extend his OAP status to copious amounts of tea, toast, beans, jam and all served by The WHW race's oldest ever finisher! And Cowper put in an appearance to be embarrassed by the knowledge that those club-mates he had blown away the night before were back out at 9am the following day!
Now! Feet up with a rest day tomorrow and a run on the Way on Sunday.
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Easy running
Tonight was my JogScotland group night, but, as I have been doing, I decided to do an additional run to make sure I logged the scheduled miles before going there in case I'm asked to take a beginners group. So I met Jimmy, Geraldine and Ian who usually meet at 5pm for their recovery run of 5 miles, a wet miserable experience as the rain in the Vale was teeming down. I'd brought a change of tops but hadn't brought extra tights or jackets and the ones I had on were saturated. As I had an hour to wait until the girls arrived for their jog, I decided to go home and do a complete change. On my return I took 6 out for about 4.5 miles and by this time it was snowing quite heavily. No complaints from the girls though, even though one of them was in a gilet. It's good to see so many of them turning out on such nights, there must have been about 25 in all groups plus JR's 5.30 group who just kept running when they got back to the leisure centre and also did a double session. If they keep going in this weather they'll do fine in the summer. From my point of view it's good to have a group to run with at a pace that is more akin to WHW pacing than I get with club runs and certainly not when I'm on my own.
I've also arranged to get a massage from Linda on Friday. We used to regularly get massages from each other on an imaginary tenner basis, where money didn't change hands, but I must owe her a few. This week my quads and hammies are tight so it'll be good to get a rub.
I've also arranged to get a massage from Linda on Friday. We used to regularly get massages from each other on an imaginary tenner basis, where money didn't change hands, but I must owe her a few. This week my quads and hammies are tight so it'll be good to get a rub.
Club Night - Taking a Pounding
As expected on arrival at the club, the wags were waiting for me, and I don't mean Wives and Girlfriends. Those who hadn't heard the story of Sunday's escapade were soon filled in! The others had even more exaggerations and embellishments for their edification. (Sounds like that Good Old Days music hall prog). Thanked Steph for his efforts, above and beyond, in looking for me and then demanded a full route briefing for tonight's run!
8.6 miles by G map into Dumbarton with a loop through the Newton. Familiar enough that even I couldn't go astray. However, on reaching the Vale industrial estate at Strathleven we started catching the ladies of the Dumbarton Tuesday JogScotland group, seemingly hunners o' them. Running well and it wasn't until the top of Townend Rd that we caught the last of them - arguing about their route!!!! You can join Milburn anytime girls!
78 minutes after starting we were back at the clubhouse, arriving at the same time as the other group who had set off with JR. They were arriving from north and south of the Centre and were arguing about where they were told to go!
Le plus ca change le plus ca le meme chose!
Grabbed my gear and drove home to watch the mighty Rangers stutter their way to more cup glory....
8.6 miles by G map into Dumbarton with a loop through the Newton. Familiar enough that even I couldn't go astray. However, on reaching the Vale industrial estate at Strathleven we started catching the ladies of the Dumbarton Tuesday JogScotland group, seemingly hunners o' them. Running well and it wasn't until the top of Townend Rd that we caught the last of them - arguing about their route!!!! You can join Milburn anytime girls!
78 minutes after starting we were back at the clubhouse, arriving at the same time as the other group who had set off with JR. They were arriving from north and south of the Centre and were arguing about where they were told to go!
Le plus ca change le plus ca le meme chose!
Grabbed my gear and drove home to watch the mighty Rangers stutter their way to more cup glory....
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
The Learning Curve
Two runs today, both very slow in keeping with instructions to sloooow doooowwn.
At lunchtime I persuaded my son and heir to don his trainers and join me for a trail run, heading for the reservoirs at the top of Sinclair St in Helensburgh. One of two reasons being that I wanted to investigate how far a new trail ran, east of the main rd and running behind new buildings built by the cooncil for either cleansing or sewage reasons. The answer is not far although had we wanted to follow a right of way across Helensburgh Golf Club I suppose it could have gone a fair distance. The other reason being that as I wanted to do about 7 miles today and, as I was going to take my JogScotland group,I knew I had to do some running on my own to get that distance logged. My wife is always nagging me to train with my son, who is more into resistance training and hates me running away from him, so I invited him to join me in the early run. He did fine considering he spent most of the run on his arse or sliding about in the mud as he was wearing his road shoes. Hope he doesn't realise I have two pairs of traillies or he'll be off with my Inov8s. I finished off with some gentle strides on the reservoir bank while he sucked in some oxygen. Good father son bonding exercise, although he'll want a return fixture with some free weights and swimming.
At the jogging group, the ladies turned up with the usual excuses for not going too far, but three of the five did as they were asked and rattled off 4 and a 1/2 miles in 50 minutes. Two took a short cut, but at least they tried. Bless them!
At lunchtime I persuaded my son and heir to don his trainers and join me for a trail run, heading for the reservoirs at the top of Sinclair St in Helensburgh. One of two reasons being that I wanted to investigate how far a new trail ran, east of the main rd and running behind new buildings built by the cooncil for either cleansing or sewage reasons. The answer is not far although had we wanted to follow a right of way across Helensburgh Golf Club I suppose it could have gone a fair distance. The other reason being that as I wanted to do about 7 miles today and, as I was going to take my JogScotland group,I knew I had to do some running on my own to get that distance logged. My wife is always nagging me to train with my son, who is more into resistance training and hates me running away from him, so I invited him to join me in the early run. He did fine considering he spent most of the run on his arse or sliding about in the mud as he was wearing his road shoes. Hope he doesn't realise I have two pairs of traillies or he'll be off with my Inov8s. I finished off with some gentle strides on the reservoir bank while he sucked in some oxygen. Good father son bonding exercise, although he'll want a return fixture with some free weights and swimming.
At the jogging group, the ladies turned up with the usual excuses for not going too far, but three of the five did as they were asked and rattled off 4 and a 1/2 miles in 50 minutes. Two took a short cut, but at least they tried. Bless them!
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