run365challenge: April 2012

Monday 30 April 2012

Charles: Some pics of the Fling

Here's a small selection of the pics of the Highland Fling.

Charles: Day 177/365 - I'm Back!!

The Fling on Saturday has reinvigorated my love of running and because I'm almost over the hip injury I decided I wanted to do a long run today. The run is actually split into 2 because I ran from the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary hospital (visiting my brother) to my house and then changed my t-shirt and jacket and ran to the mother-in-laws house to pick my car up.

The first run was just over 7 miles and I used my OMM Last Drop Hydration pack so that I can more used to running with it. The pack was great but the I forgot that the route I had chosen had some really tough long and torcherous hills.

The details of run 1 can be found at Day 177/365 challenge - Part 1
The details of run 2 can be found at Day 177/365 challenge - Part 2

Day 189/365 - Hoka Highland fling

Wow!! What a race!!

Saturday saw a few of us take part in the 2nd toughest ultra marathon in Scotland.

The HOKA Highland Fling

53miles of the West Highland way.

As this was a training run for the infamous West highland way race, I wanted to film a video diary of the run to stop me from going to faaaaaast! While this did the trick and helped a few of us make it through the incredible terrain and great distance, it also gave an insight into the fantastic community that exists in the ultra-marathon world! Everyone is friendly, supportive and everyone feels the same pain! This is part one of the video diary as I had to borrow Marks camera. Part two will follow shortly.

I hope that you enjoy this video!

The link to the run can be found below.

Please note that my Garmin battery died at 40miles (Gutted)

Missed out on 13miles :(

Day 189/365 - HOKA Highland fling - Battery ran out at 40miles by tcfitness at Garmin Connect - Details

Beacons Ultra 17 Nov

Hi All
Entries for this open tonight at midnight. Likely to fill within a day or two.
Its a fab race albeit pretty tough - 45miles & hilly.

http://www.beaconsultra.com/

Charles: Day 176/365 - Easy Run

I decided to do an easy minimum 5k after yesterdays efforts at the Highland Fling. Sorry but not much to report on this run except that the legs felt fine but I was physically tired after Saturdays efforts

The details of the run can be found at Day 176/365 challenge

Charles: Day 175/365 - HOKA Highland Fling

The day had finally arrived! The HOKA Highland Fling Relay as part of Team 'Wobbly' TryAthletes

I had been dreading this run for weeks and weeks because I had been suffering from some serious hip injuries on and off for the last 73 days and wasn't in the best of shape to run my 12.6 mile leg from Milngavie to Drymen. I had only averaged just over 5k per day for the last 3 or 4 weeks and wasn't sure if I was up to the challenge.

The route was very muddy, slippy and very rough terrain in sections but I think I got of lightly with the easiest section. I was doing fine until about the 13/14 km mark and just ran out of strength and energy. I still managed to do my 12.6 miles in 2hrs and 7mins but was really pissed with myself because I wanted to get under 2hrs. The Garmin had a few problems trying to keep a gps signal because some of the route was through some forest so the overall length shown on the garmin is about 1k short of the actual distance.

All in all, Team Wobbly covered the tough 53 mile course in 10hrs and 1min and placed 40th out of 56 teams. I loved the event and the atmosphere. It was even better that I met Tony before the start and the finish (even though I dread the video diary he was recording!). I didn't get a chance to meet Karl at the event but I see that he put in a fantastic time. Apart from Tony and Karl, I knew 2 others doing the whole event and it gave me an inspiration to train to do a marathon and/or ultra next year!!

Some pics to follow in a separate post...

The details of the run can be found at Day 175/365 challenge

Benjour Day 114 - Flax Quarry

Been a while since I've been up around the quarries in Flax - after the deluge these last few days it made for quite a bit of fun in the mud and clag. Bluebell carpets and wild garlic all over, even stumbled across a lone tulip in the middle of nowhere! - it's a beautiful route in the spring when things are just getting going. Lambs and piglets in the fields - even ran about 3" from a rabbit on an overgrown path - though he didn't look too good, weeping from the eyes by the looks of things...
a great run - ankles a bit sore, but enjoyed getting out.
Ben Day 114

Jack: Day 10/365...Double figures!

Well I have made it to 10 runs! A minor achievement in the grand scheme of things but I think if I view this challenge as lots of smaller targets it seems more manageable! This was also the first morning that I have woken up to miserable weather! The past week has been filled with nice jogs round the park whilst basking in the sunshine and listening to some chilled out music and so heading out the front door has not been too much of an effort! This morning wasn't awful by any stretch of the imagination but the sky was grey and the rain was the annoying type that hangs in the air like a mist and can't really make it's mind up whether to come or go. So I plodded around the decidedly emptier park with my waterproof jacket tucked up under my chin and my head down. The run itself was fine and I felt strong whilst completing the usual morning 5k route. I suppose it was only a matter of time before I had a wet run but the dry stretch was nice while it lasted! Hopefully summer will hurry up and arrive before too long...although part of me is scared that I may have already missed it!

Run 10/365 by jackarnold87 at Garmin Connect - Details

Send me your medals!!

on 15th May in Indianapolis Medals4Mettle will be presenting 150 sick little kids with gifted race medals from runners just like us. I'm travelling to US on Sunday and I was hoping to drop off a load of ultra/marathon/1/2 marathon/Triathlon medals for them to give to the kids..

I've spoken to the founder of this wonderful charity and am currently exploring what it would take to bring this charity to the UK.. exciting stuff!

medals4mettle.org

if you're anything like me, you have a load of medals hanging on the back of a door or stashed in a drawer... let us put them to a great cause and bring a smile to a kids face.

reply below if you're interested and I'll be in touch. Charles, Jack and Karl - I don't think I have your contact details but I'll get them from Tony if you express a willingness to gift your race medals.

Day 189/365 - HOKA Highland Fling 53mile Ultra

Some great pics from this amazing race!!!

Tony Days 183-188 - Officially half way in the Challenge and warm up for highland fling

Nicky: Day 187/365 Knole Rd

Another wet & windy day in this drought forsaken dusty land of hours. Feel totally washed out & tired - legs fatigued so stuck with the 2m minimum today. Also got shed loads of work today, packing, house work etc before we head off to sunnier climes on Wednesday. I expect I will be moaning about the heat & humidity for the daily dose of running. Bring it on!!!

Untitled by knickerscat at Garmin Connect - Details

Sunday 29 April 2012

Benjour Day 113 - LA woodfest

caught an easing in the torrential rain this evening and was able to steal out after wife went for her run (in the torrentail rain - hahahaha)
Was great to go splish splashing through the mud and clag. Managed to goose a herd of young beef cattle which gave me the heebies when they started burning after me, which forced me to alter my return leg since they were still stood at the fence waiting to trample me I'm sure! A great run. Got talking to another runner who told me to look out for a local legend an old boy called Harry Clayton who used to run internationally.. now lives nest to where I was running - must look him up on't tinterweb.
Ben Day 113

Charles: Hope you enjoy this wee snippet of the wife singing :)

I thought I would let you here the wife singing in the back of the car on our recent holiday to Blackpool :)

Nicky: Day 186/365

Absolutly disgusting weather! I had planned to run between 20-30m depending on my legs & running conditions! Well legs felt knackered & the weather was just foul! Horizontal rain, blowing a gale, lots of surface water on the roads & cold. Think someone needs to rethink the current drought conditions. Our local river is also about to burst its banks!!!!
I got to a point in the run which would commit to 25m but I was so cold & wet that I thought I would be sensible & go home. Official length of the run was 17.8m. I did manage to bump my Garmin timer off & realised after a bit so I have pasted to links. One is the official Garmin time with chunk of run missing & the other is the full length of my run that I had previously mapped.

Untitled by knickerscat at Garmin Connect - Details

Garmin Connect - Somerton Henley Pitney 18m Loop

Nicky: Day 185/365 Somerton Loop

Got back from Cardiff late morning feeling ever so slightly hungover! Probably should have avoided the last cocktail at midnight last night - still if was fun at the time. Procrastinated for several hours about going out for my run. Eventually motivated myself with a Lee Childs book that I downloaded onto the ipod & actually did 10m. Really enjoyed it & listening to someone read to me the whole way round. Weather even stayed dry which was an added bonus!!

Day 185 Somerton Loop by knickerscat at Garmin Connect - Details

Nicky: Day 184/365 Winchester

Worked in Portsmouth today & heading to Cardiff straight after work for a friends hen do. Weather very iffy so decided to stop on the way to Cardiff whilst it was dry to get a quick run in. A friend from Winchester has showen me a couple of nice little routes so it was easy to find somewhere to run.
Nice & sunny, a bit muddy but had an enjoyable 3.7m with a nasty little hill right at the end. Stunning route!

Day 184 Winchester Loop by knickerscat at Garmin Connect - Details

Jack: Day 9/365...10k down the river

After a week made up of pretty straightforward 5k runs I fancied using my Sunday for something slightly longer. It was a beautiful day and the sun was out so I decided to head along the river and down to Glasgow Green. The route worked out at exactly 10kilometres which was handy and made for a really nice run. I made an effort to run on the grass when possible in order to minimise the impact on my knees. I felt good after yesterdays faster effort and took it fairly steady for the majority of the run. I was listening to a Damien Rice playlist which probably doesn't inspire a great deal of speed but was enjoyable for a more relaxed effort in the sun!

Run 9/365 by jackarnold87 at Garmin Connect - Details

Saturday 28 April 2012

Ben Day 111 and 112 - Leigh Woods tow path - Garmin bender!

Garmin did all sorts of interesting things tonight, including losing satellite for the first time mid-run... also, after about 1/3rd mile in, recorded I ran my first mile in about 3'44" which I'm taking. Don't tell everyone I'm now the new record holder for the mile though... very odd - a look at the Garmin map says I started someplace else in Bristol and then swam across the Avon for tonights challenge, but with regret I have to say it wasn't true. What I did do though was really enjoy tonights run - yesterday right foot still giving grief, so desperately trying to mix it up and not get stuck in a rut of having it trouble me every day. Enjoyed todays mudfest/rootfest/steep descent/incline fest as a result. Good MM training.
Ben Day 111
Ben Day 112

Spent a lot of time today thinking about both Charles and Tone on the Higland Fling - looking forward to reading/hearing all about it chaps.

BB

Jack: Day 8/365 ...Parkrun!

After completing a full week of getting up early and running 5k on my own I was very excited about having a chance to push the pace up and run with other people. I managed to avoid having a beverage last night whilst watching Team America with the guys from Uni and got a decent nights sleep in ahead of this mornings Parkrun. The beautiful weather meant that the turnout was the largest I have seen with 439 people taking part. They had even run out of parking spaces in the car park meaning people were having to pull up on the grass beside the start line. With such a large turnout I was looking forward to a good level of competition and I was not to be disappointed. I managed to start right at the front and had a good battle with a man in a Motherwell AC running vest. Throughout the run we kept jostling for position but he managed to lose me with about half a kilometre to go. My official finishing time was 17mins 57secs, frustratingly one second off of a course PB, however I was pleased with the performance and felt strong throughout the run. I am assured that the route was measured at five full kilometres and that my Garmin reading will have come up slightly short because of the routes twists and turns and also its being run mainly under tree cover. The reading I got suggested that the run was 4.9km and so I made sure I did a brief jog at the end to ensure that I had covered the full 5k that I had committed to. I am off to the cinema tonight to watch the new Avengers movie and so I might treat myself to some sweets for the film! I think they are well deserved after this week!

Run 8/365 by jackarnold87 at Garmin Connect - Details
http://www.parkrun.org.uk/glasgow/results/weeklyresults?runSeqNumber=171

Friday 27 April 2012

Photos from my trail run this afternoon.

Day 170/365 Challenge by margcurtis13@hotmail.com at Garmin Connect - Details

Almost caught up with blogging my runs...Wednesday, the were bad thunderstorms here so again I ran on the treadmill. I really do not like doing it, now that I have done so much more running outside. For some reason this time the pace measured was faster an I was really running..weird.

On Thursday I really did not want to go out for a run and had to push myself to get out. One I was running I felt great. It was a gorgeous night.

Had a meeting at our manufacturing plant today which is over near the border of Indiana and Illinois. I decided to take the country routes home instead of the interstate. Such a pretty drive. A park caught my eye as I neared Indianapolis and so I went for a run there on the trails. It was surprisingly steep. Good exercise for my calf muscles!!

Day 168/365 Challenge by margcurtis13@hotmail.com at Garmin Connect - Details
Day 169/365 Challenge by margcurtis13@hotmail.com at Garmin Connect - Details
Day 170/365 Challenge by margcurtis13@hotmail.com at Garmin Connect - Details

Still some snow left in the morning after storm in Guelph. Glad Carmel doesn't get snow when it is nearly May!!

Day 167/365 Challenge - Quick dash after flight home

Trip to Canada was only overnight so while I had contenplated running outside in the morning, the wind chill was still pretty bad so I just went on the usual dash to Gray Rd and back after getting home that night.
Day 167/365 Challenge by margcurtis13@hotmail.com at Garmin Connect - Details

Marg: Day 166/365 Challenge - Guelph, Canada

Had to go to Canada today for work. It is only a bit over an hour by plane to Toronto and then 45 min drive to Guelph where we have our office. Started snowing on the way up there and was quite a storm by e time I arrived. Having looked at the weather forecast before I left, it said that there would be showers...not a snow storm so I did not bring the right gear for running outside. I had to resort to a treadmill run instead. At was recording slower than what I was running, which was a bit frustrating!

Day 166/365 Challenge by margcurtis13@hotmail.com at Garmin Connect - Details

Marg: Day 165/365 Challenge - 6 miler cut short by iPhone.

Brad and I went on a 6 miler on Sunday but the iPhone did that weird thing where it stps measuring the distance but somehow still has it stored when it calculates the pace as it the pace was as expected. Hmmm..... Anyway it was a nice run and I was pretty please with a 10:04 pace for that distance. Nice day and we ran through Avian Glen.

Day 165/365 Challenge by margcurtis13@hotmail.com at Garmin Connect - Details

Charles: Day 173 & 174/365 - Slow and easy does it

I had a funeral to go to on Thursday so did a slow and easy 4 miles at my dads on quite a tough route and did a 5k a lunchtime today. I felt knackered on both runs and feel totally dead legged. Not looking good for the fling tomorrow but I'll struggle on and complete my 12.6 mile section in as quick a time as more poor hairy wee legs will take me :)

The details of day 173 can be found at Day 173/365 challenge
The details of day 174 can be found at Day 174/365 challenge

Benjour - Day 110 - Mountain Marathons and Belmont hill woods

last nights run felt great - up through Belmont hill woods again - Police horse taking a stroll through the woods too (there was a policewoman with the horse - he wasn't by himself!).. don't know what's going on with Garmin watch - elevation gain tonight was circa 400 ft cf a few nights back it was circa 2,500ft! I think the elevation gain from last night is more accurate. 2,500ft is more akin to a mountain marathon type stuff!
Foot niggling again today... not sure what to make of it.. wonder if it's gait related or something, but I'm loathe to get it "corrected" since last time I tried that I was out of running for 3 years!
Ben Day 110 - Garmin

In other news I'm hoping I've sorted a place in the Saunders Lakeland marathon for July - I couldn't find another person to run with so with the other stuff I've done I was able to pursuade them to let me in on a a solo entry (Klets/Elite class - eek!) will have to get some serious hills in between now and then..

http://www.slmm.org.uk/courses/

Have also made an application for the OMM in October, but will find out if we've been successful only in August - it sounds like it's done by lottery, particluarly for newcomers but we'll see - have gone for the long score event (I don't like the linear races as much where you have lines of folks just following one another!)

The OMM

So that's four of my five MM's now entered/applied for. Mourne Mountain Marathon entry opens next week and so I'm really looking forward to the latter half of the year starting with the LAMM in June with Tony .. great to have something to aim for and I'm really up for it ... MM's are a great leveller (like the MdS!) - it's not all about fitness... thankfully what I lack in fitness I can pick up in terms of being reasonably handy with a map, compass and route strategies!

Mourne MM
LAMM

Jack: Day 7/365...One week done!

This mornings cheeky 5k round Kelvingrove park marked the first week of my challenge complete! One down fifty one more to go! Again I decided to get up early and just do the standard five kilometres before school. I was feeling good apart from a slight niggle above the right knee but I think this may have come from last nights Clean and Jerk at CrossFit. I managed to run most of the 5k on grass whilst I was in the park to try and reduce the impact on my knees. I think as I am going to be doing this running lark for a while I should start thinking about grass running as much as possible in order to keep the knees in decent condition! Not a bad morning for it today and it was very bright in the park and I felt comfortable jogging round in the sun listening to an old Jack Johnson album. I am currently facing the dilemma of opening a bottle of wine this evening. It has been a long week at school, I am heading to a friends for a movie night this evening and I have a nice bottle of red sitting in the kitchen. However I also really fancy hitting Parkrun hard tomorrow and working for a quick time. We will see where the night takes me!

Run 7/365 by jackarnold87 at Garmin Connect - Details

Thursday 26 April 2012

Jack: Day 6/365

This morning I did the 'usual' Kelvingrove Park 5k loop but with an additional few hundred metres on the end so that I could get to Tesco for milk! The run was slightly faster than previous attempts as I knew I had to stop off for my shopping before heading home and going to school. I felt quite good with the faster pace and hope this bodes well for the Parkrun 5k on Saturday. Whilst the weather over the last few mornings has been nice there was quite a strong wind this morning which made the run difficult in parts and the undulating paths of the park meant that some parts were uphill and into a headwind. This means that my pace was not particularly consistent but it kept the run interesting as the challenge was constantly changing. Legs felt good with a slight ache from squats at CrossFit last night but nothing that felt as though it was holding me back.

Run 6/365 by jackarnold87 at Garmin Connect - Details

Nicky: Day 183/365 Somerton Knole Loop

Well I am now officially half way through the challenge. Whoop whoop!!! Have run 883 miles so far! However, I have decided that I cant stop in November - got to make it a full calender year at least! Also I am enjoying it, feel fitter, firmer & although I havnt lost any weight, my jeans etc are definatly looser - must have turned my fat into muscle! :D
Nearly a 6 mile loop this evening. Felt a bit weary & ran out of energy (sugar levels dropped) 4miles in. Still made it home fine. Also just missed a massive down pour.

Untitled by knickerscat at Garmin Connect - Details

Nicky: Day 182/365 10k time trial with club

Got home from work & managed to polish off a LARGE bag of popcorn whilst finishing off my paperwork. Big mistake as I hadnt realised it was 10k time trial night at running club. Felt bloated & sick but completed in 55:29 so was pretty chuffed considering. Thought it would take me at least an hour.
Happier bunny!

Untitled by knickerscat at Garmin Connect - Details

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Garmin stuck in a loop! Hedgehogs and foot niggles. Day 108 and Day 109

Day 109 - Using Forerunner 310XT - watch stuck in a loop saying it's "Transferring Data" but nothing happening... no buttons responding, can't turn it on/off or anything...If I try a hard reset and it works then I lose tonights run data... think I'm just going to let the (now fully charged) battery drain overnight and hope I can still retain the data when I pick it up again in 20 hours time (I bought the watch for its long battery life - arghh!)
Suffice to say I ran through Watercress Woods tonight and quite enjoyed it. Different to last nights foot niggles. Lots of rain, mud and trail. Good stuff. Until I get the Garmin upload sorted you'll just have to believe me when I say I set a new 5K x-country world record! :-)
Day 109 updated Garmin found here:
Day 109 - Garmin

Day 108 (yesterday) Right foot was protesting a bit so just tabbed a mile - definately not pushing this foot niggle thing... too much else I want to use my feet for! For about 4 metres in the rain I had a little hedgehog for company - don't think he noticed me alongside him.. I thought he was a fat rat at first and was about to boot him off the path, until I saw his little spikes and the way he was running!
Day 108

Charles: Day 172/365 - Cold & wet 5k

Started out on my lunchtime run, felt ok and was going to do 7k. As my luck would have it, the heavens opened up and the freezing winds made for a very cold run so I cut it short to 5k because the last thing I want is the cold a few days before the fling.

The details of my run can be found at Day 172/365 challenge

Jack: Day 5/365 ...Another 5k

This morning was another pre-work run. I left the flat at about 7am and did the easy 5k around Kelvingrove Park before heading to school. My legs felt tired but I think this was a combination of having just woken up and also the front squats that had made up the CrossFit workout a couple of days ago. I think the early morning runs are going to be stuck to around 5k just now as I can't really fit in anything longer. I will use my weekends for longer ventures however I fancy a crack at Parkrun this coming Saturday to have a go at my 5k time.

Run 5/365 by jackarnold87 at Garmin Connect - Details

Karl: Day 11&12/365 - 12km together

I was coaching at the Royal Commie pool on Monday evening so ran there and back. On the way back I was having a bit of a race with a cyclist which was fun.
Day 11/365 - run to Commie Pool and back by kfzeiner at Garmin Connect - Details

Yesterday's run was planned as really short - basically not wanting to do much this week ahead of the Highland Fling. I had to take my MTB to the workshop, so cycled there, ran to Starbucks for a meeting, walked to RBS to pick up some forms, ran to the Commie pool for a swim (which was very nice - first time in the refurbished pool), then ran along the bus route home until I'd completed the planned 3km :-) Got the bus home. The bike was in for a service and should be ready tomorrow. While on the bus I got a text to say it was ready. That place always underpromises and overdelivers :-)
Day 12/365 - a random 3km by kfzeiner at Garmin Connect - Details

Nicky: Day 181/363 Out & back to Upton

Very long tiring day at work today. Left 6:30 & home 19:15 plus lots of driving. Yesterday wasnt much better. Drizzling when I got in but as we all know, there is only one thing for it: shoes on & out the door. Felt very very tired & sluggish. Did 2m & really struggled. Hmm - a little concerned that its only 39 days til Comrades. Still, 16 days holiday from next week Wednesday, so hoping the beach & a few books will help - yes, I will be doing my mileage - dont worry!!

Reading a Karin Slaughter book at the mo but I cant remember what its called! Will post name later.

Untitled by knickerscat at Garmin Connect - Details

Tuesday 24 April 2012

Charles: Day 171/365 - Dead Leg limp

Minimum 5k tonight because I had dead legs after my trip to the physio this morning. I backed off the pace quite a bit after about half way because I could feel a few wee sharp niggles in my gammy hip. Don't want to overdo it!!

The details of my run can be found at Day 171/365 challenge

Books we're all currently reading?

Jack's post about the book he finished made me wonder what we were all reading currently (if anything? - no shame in that!)
just wondering if there is a theme that crazies like us follow... here's mine to kick us off:

Quiet - Susan Cain
Element - Sir Ken Robinson

Jack: Day 4/365 ...Glasgow Green

This morning I had a slightly later start with my placement as the morning would be spent in a meeting rather than at school. This meant that I could take a slightly further route than the previous mornings. I decided to try a new route today as I don't want to end up running the same 5k loop round Kelvingrove Park every morning! For this reason I decided to head over to Glasgow Green as a trial alternative! Whilst having to stop at traffic lights was a little frustrating it was a nice run once I reached the river. There were quite a few runners in the park making the most of the sunshine while it lasted! The route ended up being about 6.5k and is definitely a run which I will repeat in future.

Run 4/365 by jackarnold87 at Garmin Connect - Details

Ben Days 88 - 106, Cycle path, Lake District and Brecon Beacons

I'm back baby - grr!
Foot is fully recovered and I've started picking up the miles again after a protracted easing off the incessant pounding on the cycle path. I think I have to make much more of a concerted effort to get off road and mix it up - keep the feet guessing and not get stuck in the figurative (or literal?) rut!
Been on holidays, camping, canoeing, cycling with the family these last couple of weeks. Refreshed and raring to go. Great to clear the head and do lots of cooking over a campfire - I'm a man of simple needs.
Booking up my running calendar too - LAMM with Tony in June, Saunders Lakeland MM in July (trying to find a partner right now) and the RAB MM in Oct with Zoe Sharpe. Mourne Moutain Marathon in Ireland too and then just got the OMM to book and we're good to go.
All that leaves is Florence Marathon for this merry band but I'll post separately about that!
Ben Day88
Ben Day89
Ben Day 90 - Low Wray
Ben Day 91 -Low Wray and Blelham Tarn
Ben Day 92 - Low Wray and Watbarrow Wood
Ben Day 93 - Low Wray
Ben Day 94 - Windermere Town
Ben Day 95 - Windermere town
Ben Day 96 - Flax
Ben Day 97 - Village green loops with Ollie
Ben Day 98 - Green loops with Ollie
Ben Day 99 - Green loop
Ben Day 100 - Brecon River run
Ben Day 101 - 104 - Garmin battery dead - Brecon river run
Ben Day 105 - Flax fields loop
Ben Day 106 - Belmont Hill woods
Ben Day 107 -Leigh Woods "Yer 'Tiz" Blue MTB track

Monday 23 April 2012

Charles: Day 170/365 - Muddy Run with Club

Running club tonight and another off road session. It turned out to be a mud bath with the slippy clay mud paths. I think we all felt it tonight because everybody was struggling by the end. Loved it even though the garmin was 2k short of the actual distance covered. Bring on the fling on Saturday :)

The details of my run can be found at Day 170/365 challenge

Karl: Day 10/365 - 8.5km loop round Craiglockhart Pond and Colinton Dells by kfzeiner at Garmin Connect - Details

Yesterday's run was a short 5 mile loop in the evening sun. Sunday evenings on some of the local trails are beautiful. Everyone's already gone home and you have the paths to yourself. Stopped for a few minutes to watch the ducks and the swans at Craiglockhart pond. Legs were better than they had been the previous days.
Have a massage booked for Wednesday ahead of the Highland Fling.

Day 10/365 - 8.5km loop round Craiglockhart Pond and Colinton Dells by kfzeiner at Garmin Connect - Details

Jack: Day 3/365 ...Early morning 5k

Today was my first day back on placement and so I had to fit my run around a full day in school. I also knew that I wanted to do CrossFit this evening on top of my lesson planning and marking and so the only option left was to go before school. Whilst the early start should have been easy enough having spent a couple of University years as a rower, when you either rose with the sun or missed the tide, I struggled to get out of bed! This was mainly thanks to being stuck awake till the early hours trying to finish my book ( A Storm of Swords- which I did finish and was well worth it! ). Thankfully I managed to make it up and out the door by about 7am and headed straight for Kelvingrove Park. Following the same route as yesterday I again took it fairly easy as I didn't want to strain my leg. The park was empty, which was hardly surprising, and it was nice to enjoy it on my own for a change. Whilst the initial act of getting out of bed had been a bit of a challenge I felt great once the run was over and I was wide awake by the time I took my third year class for first period without even the need for a coffee! I will strive to continue with the morning runs as it is nice to come home after school and not have to worry about fitting a run in. Tonight at CrossFit the WOD is Helen - my favourite. A nice little bonus for getting up early and getting my run out of the way! Lovely!

Run 3/365 by jackarnold87 at Garmin Connect - Details

Nicky: Day 180/365 Hungover!!

Sat up until 01:30 watching the marathon. The not so good thing is that my wine glass seemed to be forever full! Woke up this morning with a very fuzzy head. Also tipping it down with rain so not much fun heading out the door this morning. Calf still aching but due to weather, I wanted to get the 2m done as quickly as possible.

Day 180 Hangover material!!! by knickerscat at Garmin Connect - Details

Nicky: Day 179/365 Knole Hill

Left calf aching today - hmmm! Decided against a 5miler & did a 3mile yomp instead. Have got visitors this weekend too so didnt want to be out too long. Got the marathon recording - will have to stay up tongiht & watch that. Little green with envy that I am not in London.

Day 179 Knole Hill by knickerscat at Garmin Connect - Details

Nicky: Day 178/365 9m loop around Somerton

Nice day for a run. Sunny, cool, slight breeze but most importantly - it stayed dry!!!!
Felt fine but took it easy. Seem to have developed an ache in the side of my left calf muscle. Very sore to touch but cant really notice it plodding around! A little worried that it gets worse as I have my mega marathon approaching quickly!!
Will take each day as it comes & decide on run length depending on leg.

Day 178 9mile loop towards Somerton by knickerscat at Garmin Connect - Details

Sunday 22 April 2012

Charles: Day 169/365 - Some Country Paths for a Change

I thought that I would don the trainers and go for a run today. My only plan was to meet the wife at Tesco's but I had no plans for any particular route. I thought I would blag it and get there when I get there.

After I started out I decided to go off road and explore some of the country lanes around Dalkeith (there a loads of them). It felt great to get off road and get covered in mud. My only regret was that I didn't have my trusty trail shoes on and I was sliding about everywhere in the mud struggling to get grip and almost falling a few times. I also think the garmin lost the gps signal a few times because when you map the route using gmaps pedometer it works out about 1km longer than the garmin shows but who cares I loved it!!!

The details of my run can be found at Day 169/365 challenge

Karl: Day 8 & 9/365

Just a short run to the shops on Friday to get dinner:
Day 8/365 - run to Sainsburys by kfzeiner at Garmin Connect - Details

3 individual runs yesterday. I was coaching the Tri club at 7:30am and ran home from there along the Water of Leith - legs still feel a bit tired from the marathon.
Just after midday I ran down to Leith to coach the tri kids, couple of hours later I ran home again. Legs starting to feel better.
Day 9a/365 - run home from Balerno (10k) by kfzeiner at Garmin Connect - Details
Day 9b/365 - run to Leith for some coaching (6k) by kfzeiner at Garmin Connect - Details
Day 9c/365 - slightly extended run home from Leith by kfzeiner at Garmin Connect - Details

Jack: Day 2/365 ...A marathon effort?

With thousands of runners lined up to run 26.2miles around London today my gentle 5k around Kelvingrove Park did feel like a bit of an easy option! Nevertheless London Marathon day is always a big one for me and so it wasn't hard to pull on the running shoes this morning, although part of me (not my legs!) did feel a pang of regret that I wasn't pulling them on for the big race itself! Instead I had a nice gentle run around the park which I took fairly easy as I didn't want to aggravate my quad after feeling a slight ache during yesterdays run. Time to sit back and watch the end of the London Marathon now and consider my options for next year...

Run 2/365 by jackarnold87 at Garmin Connect - Details

Saturday 21 April 2012

Millie cutting off timing chips and Marg after the Race for the Cure in Indianapolis

Marg: Day 164/365 Challenge - Race for the Cure, Indianapolis

Brad and I ran in the Race for the Cure 5K today. A big crowd of about 30,000 were participating today, but only about 1000 competitive runners. Millie was down here as well, volunteering and coincidently was on the chip timer removal shift when we came in, so she cut off our timers. It was a cool morning but pretty good running conditions and I was very pleased to have had a PB for a 5K, and also cracking the 9.00 mins/mile barrier at 8.55!

Day 164/365 Challenge by margcurtis13@hotmail.com at Garmin Connect - Details

Jack: Day 1/365 ... And so it begins!

Day one! Having only found out about the run365challenge a few days ago it feels a little bit scary that I am now involved! No turning back now! The task of a full year of running does appear quite daunting, especially when writing 'run 1/365' at the top of the post, but I have always loved a challenge and it's good knowing there are a few other nutters doing the same thing! Kicking off my challenge today was a 15k run along the river with Tony and the running club. It was the furthest I have run in a while but it felt good to stretch the legs out. Throughout the run we incorporated some sprints and drills hopping up the steps which helped add some variety to the run. I felt a slight twinge in my quad on the faster sections of the run so will take it slightly easier for the next couple of days but generally felt quite good! Let's hope it lasts...

Details of the run can be found at: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/170337502

Tony - Days 181-182/365 - Tomorrow is officially my half-way point!!

Couple of good runs these!
I have been dating Ann le Blond for as long as I have been doing this challenge and for the whole 6 months I have asked her to come out and keep me company! No was always the answer!
Until now that is!
Day 181 was the first run with Ann and it was a nice one! she thought I would shout at her but it was a great way to spend time together! :)
Day 181/365 - Finally a run with ann le blond!!!! by tcfitness at Garmin Connect - Details
Day 182 - a normal day out with greens run club! great running and great company!
love this group of folk!
A good 14km run out to dalmarnock and back!
Day 182/365 - Advanced run club with Greens - LSD run out to dalmarnock by tcfitness at Garmin Connect - Details

Officially tomorrow is my halfway point!!!! yippee, its nearly over!!!