Now I've done it!

"Done what?" you ask. Well it's not put on my training shoes every day and gone for a lengthy run. This week has seen my work load involve visiting Goole, Aberdeen (Dyce) 3 times,Paisley, East Kilbride, Shotts, and Glasgow. God knows how many miles, and He alone knows how many litres of Carbon Monoxide I have released into the atmosphere from gas guzzling high performance vehicular monsters. I became a danger to myself and others as I spent my days driving, arriving home to go to bed, get up and go driving. All for a wage that does not exceed the minimum as laid down by HM (non)Government.
No more. My wife, who had insisted that I get out of the house and return to earning, got to the stage when even she was getting fed up with the hours I was keeping and raised no objections when, today, I typed a resignation letter and sent it off 1st class announcing I work no more after this week. Now I have no excuse to miss runs, although I will still be seeking employment, subject to semi-retirement rules!
This week I had managed to run only once, with Jogscotland on Wednesday, where I ran my group a couple of miles before doing some hill reps (gentle) in Balloch Park and then running back for a total of 5 miles.
Tomorrow however, I will hopefully manage to run a decent Eddie's Half Marathon on my fresh legs. Quite a few Millies and associates from Jogscotland and local unattached runners are heading up to Fort William. Mairi is coming too so I won't have to drive back.
Last night, after coming back from Aberdeen in a wonderful Volvo XC90 (glad it wasn't my petrol!)I headed down to the Volunteer Rooms in Irvine to surprise my old DJing boss Willie Freckleton who was retiring from his job in entertainments at North Ayrshire Leisure.
Having been TAGGED by Rachel, this is where I get to reveal A LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT MYSELF and admit to a few musical indiscretions that will have the subversive runner choking himself with his hose and Brian wondering why I don't like Ivor Cutler. As a 17 year old I worked as a DJ in Ayrshire's finest discotheques(before they took the name "night clubs" which prior to the year 2000 were where Sinatra sang cabaret). Willie Freck ran the company and we were pretty high profile in those days, hosting Radio Clyde DJs,scottish bands, The Wombles, Johnny "Tears On My Pillow" Nash,amongst others. I was the first person ever to play "Una Paloma Blanco",the first to introduce Midge Ure's Slik after they went to number one, as well as being the first DJ Willie ever sacked for being D & I and unable to go on stage!
Anyway, my niece Sarah Jane, who works in the Magnum in Irvine told me this party was on and although I hadn't seen Willie for many years I thought I would go down to wish him all the best for his retirement. It was a lovely evening, not least because Sarah Jane called a very attractive young lady over to meet me. This turned out to be Devil of the Highlands ladies race winner Sharon Law, who was Debbie's support on the WHW race, the two of them having been best pals for years and years (must have been since before they were born). We had a good blether and will no doubt meet again at the various training days over the next few months.There was also a brilliant band on, Vein. Pretty much a cabaret type band, they were unusual that, although they had about 10 musicians in the band, they had a different lead vocalist coming on to the stage for every song. I'm sure that, if I had thought to have counted them, there must have been about 30 people on the stage all told.
Anyway, more CHORES on Saturday before an early rise tomorrow for the trip to Lochaber.

Help for Heroes

Just in case Tomo Thomson has been too busy to watch X factor, here's the link to the Hero's cover being sold for Help For Heroes.And no..... Martha Wainwright doesn't have a verse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkAM56Reb1w

Sorry, my non tech mind can't post the screen thingy here

Bloody Clocks - Pardon my French

My problems with the changing back and forth of the clocks are legendary and this morning was no different. Arrangements made to be at the club at 8am to run with either Geraldine or whoever else turned up, with a fallback plan of joining JR on the Longcrags behind Dumbarton. Thank goodness for the problems on the OMM or no problem on the OMM depending on whether you believe the BBC or the runners. Switching the telly on to catch up with progress on the "rescue", I soon realised the time was only 6.25am and so I settled down to a larger breakfast then my normal pre-run meal and a couple of cups of coffee. I finally set off at 7.45 rushing as usual to get me gear together. Getting into the car I found my mobile phone that had been missing (but not missed)for a couple of days, and on it a message from Geraldine saying she was meeting Ali at 9.00 to do the Horseshoe. After a bit of humming and hawing about joining JR I decided to stay in the Vale and do a few miles prior to meeting at Ali's to join them on their run. I went to Balloch and parked up, spotting a lesser dressed Marco heading out on his run. Knowing he was to have been on the OMM prior to withdrawing due tom work commitments I looked to bump into him in Balloch, but then spotted him heading along Carrochan Rd towards Gartocharn. Brave man dressed only in shorts, t-shirt and gilet. Hope he didn't get too wet. Anyway, through Lomond Shores, Cameron House and Balloch for half an hour before meeting the girls for a leisurely trip round the Horseshoe. Geraldine and Ali started talking about what dresses Geraldine had to wear to a function she is attending and, having previously crossed her by turning up for training in my FLM finishers t shirt on the same night she did, I had to ask where she was going in order that I didn't make the same mistake again. Come on, you never know, don't knock it till you've tried it!! It turns out that when you and I are looking forward to a cold wet night time run, before settling down to watch the new series of Spooks, the lovely Geraldine is off to dinner with the French Ambassador at the French Consulate! OOH LA LA. Ferrero Rocher galore at the presentation night guys! Last mention of the evening was when she pondered the fact that the French President has a liking for young burds, perhaps someone will whisper "Ah Gjeraldeeen, you must veesit Paree in the springtime" Maybe the search for a man will take a turn for the better soon.
See running with others..... a total of 2 hours trotting, about 12 miles total, much better than running alone. Got wet, sheltered from hailstones, met another couple of runners, one of them a 2008 Flinger, Brian Garry before finishing with a cool down walk (or was Ali just knackered). Back to the car and home to a warm bath with a warning from Geraldine La Currie "What happens on tour stays on tour". However it hasn't happened yet, and you didn't tell me in confidence, so it's fair game I say!

520 miles plus 4

A long days driving in horrendous conditions. I left at 5.30am to get through Glasgow before the rush and had breakfast in Gretna, after driving through horrendous wind and rain, despite this, 5 hours to Goole was good going even though I resisted putting the foot down when past the worst of the weather. a quick turnaround and was pleased to be given a 2.0d x type Jag to bring to Glasgow. I would have been even happier if I could have taken the Civic's seat. The jag was great in the weather, but the seat was a nightmare on my back and consequently my hamstrings. Things didn't go well, either when I got to the A66. It was initially closed to high sided vehicles which would have been fine given my dislike of HGVs on MY road. However just as I got to the Barnard Castle turnoff the sign changed to ROAD CLOSED TURN BACK TO A1.So a 60 mile detour via Newcastle and Hexham, before hitting the rain and winds again once I crossed the border. My only consolation is that the weather was going south. I eventually got home at 5.45 just in time to say hello to my other half and get changed for a club run. Mairi headed to the hairdresser so I didn't feel guilty!
On arrival at the club there were only three others JR(who else?) Charlie and Karen Lees. I only wanted to run, just to fix my stress levels after the drive. I was rattling! So we set off together, but JR soon got tired of me being in front and sent me away on my own as he and Charlie couldn't keep up. I told Karen she was with me as it wouldn't do her any good being with those two and we set off at a suitable pace for her round the Vale, with the route plan being to avoid the usual flooding spots! Karen was one of my JogScotland group before gravitating to Millies, so I felt quite at home giving her my usual monologue about training and keeping a diary......
She is going to Lochaber half marathon in two weeks as part of JR's contingent and was keen to find out what the course was like....... Hope she still goes, Jim

Two run Wednesday

Up early this morning ahead of a busy day at home. Car to garage for it's service and MOT. Failed! broken spring and a brake imbalance, so 239 quid lighter. ran home about 4 1/2 miles at a fairly easy pace before attending to some domestic chores and going to hospital with Mairi for some test results. Good news in that her health remains static.
Some shopping for the ingredients for tonight's curry that was my answer to the what do you want for tea question, but first, off to jog scotland for a 5 mile trip round the Vale, reversing last nights route to take the hill that joggers hate out of the equation. No drama tonight and home in time to see Liverpool play Athletico Madrid.
Typing this then off to bed so I can hit the Goole trip early, hopefully getting home early enough to make the club night. Unfortunately the weather is promising to be horrendous so I'll see how progress goes.

Club night - easy run

Popped along to club as usual, and was able to settle for an easy 5 miles, no watch, no pace, no bother. After resting yesterday following Sunday's race I was still stiff especially since I had to drive from Aberdeen this afternoon. It was a rather nice Civic which wanted to go fast, but I was responsible and kept to the speed limit.
Times published for Aviemore show my gun and chip times to be the same (1.44.42) which is strange as it took me quite a wee while to go through the start. I suppose I must be one of the few problems. Never mind, I won't let it put me off going back next year, and dragging a few Millies with me!

A wee problem after my shower. Brian, the caretaker asked me to find Big Charlie whose wife had been involved in a bad crash just after we went for our run. Charlie was with JR's group and I went and got him from Lomond Shores where they had been doing their session. The info I was given was that she had shock and whiplash so we went to the Vale Jail to find out what had happened. Turned out she was home uninjured so all was well. That meant I missed the start of the football, but didn't miss the good bits %-)

Aviemore Half Marathon 19th October 2008

As the only Millie running this race, (why?) I took the opportunity to treat Mairi to an overnight stay in the MacDonald Academy Hotel where the race itself is based. Due to another commitment that Mairi had, we weren't able to get away until after 2.30. Mairi had been driving all morning but as we were having to use her car, mine having no MOT, she pulled rank and drove up. Arriving about 7pm I registered at the main hotel reception and Mairi tried to negotiate the one way system to find a parking space near the Academy. Cue some unwanted instructions from me, which went down well. Not. Finally got in and I went down to register for the race and get my number. Great set up, with numbers,chips and shop all in the same room and a nice friendly welcome. I stayed away from the shop as I thought my brownie points were at an all time low!
A nice meal in the nearby Italian restaurant then back to the room for the end of x factor and an early night. I was determined not to have the kind of run that had left me knackered early on for the past two weeks, so I was well fed with pasta and had taken on plenty of fluids all day. Fine in theory but I lost count of the number of toilet visits I had during the night. Up at 7.30ish and down to the main foodhall for breakfast. Cereal and scrambled egg with coffee which was just about right, both in relation to amount and timing. It was well digested and gave me no problem in the race. (A wee bit of shortbread with my pre-race coffee at the start did try to make a re-appearance but only briefly.)Organisation of this race is very good. Registration for the Sunday arrivals was from 7.00am and a large fleet of buses took us to the start at Badaguish. I caught a bus at 9.30 after booking us out of our room, and a few minutes later I was queuing for coffee in the Badaguish sports hall. A short time later I met Ian Beattie and his mate Phil and I was introduced to a few of their friends. It was strange to be at a race where I knew so few people, but in true runner's tradition I soon made a few aquaintances before the start. I must make a mention of the gent who met the bus as it disgorged it's passengers. Every runner was met with a cheery "Good morning, and thanks for coming". Oh that every race organiser had such a welcome!
The race is advertised as "The half marathon course is a truly ‘highland route’ but without the hills! The Start is at a height of approx 1100 feet and the Finish at approx 720 feet."
Well this should be the subject of a complaint to the Advertising standards agency! And as for the wind!!!
At the start the course drops away steeply, so it's downhill from here then! Eh, no. The two mile marker is back on a level with the start and about 150 yards from it so what has gone down must come back up! Being a clever sort of guy I knew this, so took it easy,although it was difficult to start fast due to the number of runners. I hadn't gone too far before realising that I had drunk too much water and hadn't got rid of the excess. So I was in the trees at 2 miles at which point I had ben running 16 minutes, the next mile was mainly downhill although we had hit a strong wind as we hit a forest clearing, but it took 8.42 so it must have been some pee! I wasn't really looking for a good time, as I thought a trail/road course would have been a tough nut to crack, but I was disappointed to start as I had. I buckled down though and, although there were still some fair wee undulations and windy sections, got back to 8 minute miles which I maintained as an average for the race. At the 5 mile marker though I, and most of the people around me were almost blown to a standstill with a near gale force gust. Round Loch Morlich, the views here terrific, indeed the whole event is in a stunning setting, and after 8 miles the real downhill section starts and it's a five mile stretch with only two wee sharp ascents to bother you. Finally finishing in the park behind the MacDonald resort, where the commentator tried his damnedest to give every runner a mention as they finished. I managed a final sprint, which shoes I probably hadn't run hard enough. The next time I looked at my watch it showed 1.45 so I may have been in the low 1.44s which given my pit stop wasn't at all bad.
Medal, cups of juice, sweets, chocolate and a banana all on offer at tables after handing the chip in and then I was re-united with Mairi, who wasn't too happy that I hadn't seen her in the crowd at the finish.Unfortunately I didn't see Ian afer the race so can't report on his race, although I hope he kept his Full Scottish Breakfast down. He seemed reasonably confident of a good run and felt as if he has recovered from his Perth adventure.
Back at baggage collection, again well organised, Mairi asked if I had seen anything I fancied in the shop and added that she had been in the resort shop and it was full of running goodies. And here was me thinking I hadn't any brownie points! I didn't really see anything I fancied, but made great play that I could get the same stuff much cheaper in my usual outlets, which seemed fair to her, so I'm on for some retail therapy next time I'm in the town!!!! It's not only you ladies who get off on shopping!
Hitting the road after a coffee and muffin, we stopped in Pitlochry for a nice lunch in a wee cafe restaurant. Great soup!
So, a great event, well organised and crying out for a real good effort next year! Will I still be the only Millie?