Jantastic done!

It is done! For the first time in three years I have completed Jantastic, and with a cracking score of 99.8% with my timed run coming from my Garmin (if I took the chip time I could get 99.9% but on a slightly short distance). 

Final Jantastic score

My trip to Coniston was pretty darned good! I got a good sleep on Friday night, woke up slowly to the sounds of a woodpecker (which it took me about 2 hours to spy a peep of!).  Breakfast was the tried and tested veggie sausage from work - with the addition of a second slice of bread with jam! Then the ancient parents and I mooched the 2km from the caravan site to the race start along a footpath that ran away from the main lake road.

The start and finish of the race were based around the John Ruskin school - who had also donated their school field as the carpark.  A quick loo break was all that was available as there was a big queue for the portaloos (when isn't there!) and then we pottered around to the start line - I let Grandad head off ahead of me as I was planning on starting from the back!

What is quite interesting about this race is that the local traffic is only held back for the beginning of the race - the roads themselves aren't closed.  There was lots of advice in the race pack about not wearing headphones (I stuck to one so I could still hear all around me), and particularly about not running in big groups.  I was actually surprised how many runners didn't pay any attention to this advice - even when there were cars coming up behind them.  One woman even tried to overtake me AS I was being overtaken by a tesco delivery van - this wasn't the fault of the organisers at all  - just runners not paying attention to the advice. One might think a PB wasn't worth getting squished by tesco (now, if it had been Waitrose it might have been another matter).

The worst hill on the route is at the beginning - in that it's quite a long steep climb up to about 3 miles, but then followed by quite a nice downhill section that gives your legs a chance to freewheel for a while.  In fact that was the case with most of the uphill bits (although by the time we were coming up the East side of the lake the uphills were getting a tad tedious).  There were lots of water stations, which was good because it was quite a hot day, but I managed on the wee half bottle of powerade I'd taken (as well as one SIS gel).

By the half way mark, we were heading up the East side of the lake on a much smaller road - there were some cars overtaking (although I never felt unsafe in any way in this section) - and the occasional cyclists were lovely and supportive.   It was a bit chillier in the shade, but all the ups and downs in the routes warmed one up! After about 8 miles, I was getting pretty tired with all the climbing, and even Grandad said he took a few walk breaks after this point. Was almost glad of a wee traffic jam at about 10 miles when a mini bus and a granny in an audi couldn't decide who had right of way and blocked the whole road - it felt like minutes that I stopped, but apparently was only about 12 seconds!

Then came the relief - at about 11.5 miles there is a big downhill towards the lake shore as the road goes into Coniston - overtook two chaps as I free-wheeled down the hill: we had a bit of a laugh as I said they'd overtake me again if there was another hill (I think they'd passed me once or twice already), and they shouted there wasn't another hill so I'd beaten them, to which I replied that I might still trip over a sheep. Needless to say, they did overtake me again, but I kept them reasonably in sight over the last mile or so.

As we got into the village the support from the locals was great (especially considering I wasn't exactly with the front runners!) I managed to pick my pace up again as we climbed the last little hill up to the school turn, and then realised the last bit was all on a reasonably decent downhill.  I also spotted the two guys again about 200 metres ahead of me, and took the advantage of the descent and my last ounce of energy to get my sprint on ... and with a superhuman effort I managed to pass them again (with an apology) just before the line. 

The funnel was then well attended by local small humans - handing out watered down isotonic drinks and a coaster made out of the local blue-green slate.  As I walked back around to look for the ancient parents, the two chaps I had pipped came over to shake my hand, and I thanked them for the impetus to get those last few seconds off my time!

My raceday plan was to 11 minute mile the whole course - I was doing pretty well at the beginning with some 10.30s and the odd 10 which actually gave me the leeway for walking a wee bit in the last few miles. I'm pretty pleased with how it all panned out, given that my average pace was very similar to Wilmslow last year, and yet the course had more than twice the climb.  I would definitely recommend the race on a nice day for the awesome views of Coniston Water itself and the surrounding countryside.  The volunteers were great, the marshalls and the people on the water stations were wonderful, and everything was well organised. Having experience a brief squall of wind on the Eastern side, I can't say I would relish doing it in the rain (although perhaps I'm just too much of a fair weather runner).

Dr Elly's Bear modelling my finishers coaster 

Results as follows: 
Gender Position 342 of 500
Category                 FOPEN
Category Position 78 of 121
Chip Time                 02:33:38
Chip Position         953

(Needless to say, Grandad was a lot faster, coming in at 1:55:45)

Jantastic has definitely worked for me this year: I think I'm going to be 6th in Edinburgh (although technically I think it's joint 3rd just on the score) - and I finally approached a race with a decent body of training behind me! I now have an 8-week plan to follow for the Edinburgh Half - starting at the weekend  - and that's where I'm going to aim to get my time down by doing longer steady runs, and more speedwork in the build up. Hoping on a flat/downhill course I can 10 minute mile it all the way!

Saying Farewell ...

Not to the blog-o-sphere! No my sad farewell is to my Brooks Ghost trainers (fondly known on GRG as my Halloween Shoes).

It struck me earlier (as I was attaching experimental locklaces), that this Saturday's race is going to be the last hurrah for my Brooks Ghost shoes.  Those who know me better might remember that I managed to go from the age of 17-27 without even owning a pair of trainers, and therefore might be surprised at the sadness I feel when considering retiring these shoes.

Runners might understand better, although most of you probably change your shoes on such a regular basis that you might be thinking why get so soppy over one pair ... move on!

There is something special about these shoes though: their purchase was made after a rather happy hour or so spent in Sweatshop chatting away to the assistant who had the same dodgy tendon problems as me (although less severe) and who managed to sell me quite a lot of extra bits and pieces for not a lot of money.  I have had gait testing before - but this was the first time I had actually gone the whole hog and purchased on the back of it (as opposed to getting a freebie from Grandad's running guru).

Secondly, these trainers got me round London.  They also got me round quite a few miles in preparation for London (although not as many as I should have done).  They were with me at the worst of times, and they were with me as I ran over that finish line with a medal-wielding volunteer in sight.  They also got me around the Wilmslow Half Marathon (also done on too little training), which is still my longest run without stopping.

They have run through puddles, through mud, on one occasion waded through knee deep water (South Manchester Parkrun) but have also run through dust and sand and all sorts of other terrain.  And this weekend they will run their last race around Coniston.  I know I won't be literally chucking them out - they'll still be good for the odd short run, or maybe a quick blast around parkrun.  But there won't be any more long runs, and there won't be any more major races for my Halloween Shoes.

As a much-out-of-date model, I can't even find Ghost4s on ebay to replace them - they are outmoded. And even if I could, they wouldn't be my Halloween shoes that got me round when I didn't want to go any further.  Thankyou shoes.  You were awesome.

The Dress Rehearsal

As well as being last week's postponed 10 miler, my run today became my race rehearsal. I breakfasted as I plane to: normally I would run on bacon + egg on toast, but as lent precludes that I decided to go with the veggie sausages from the shop. I also had powerade to sip as I never have been able to stand lucozade, or many of the other brands  - I think it's an issue with the sweeteners they use. I also took an aptonia apple gel thing from Decathlon (and another brand I picked up in London last year - but didn't end up taking today). 

My plan for the gels etc was to take one after an hour (which seemed to go fine), and to take mouth swill sized sips of the powerade not more than twice a mile (and preferably less).  All seemed to go ok - last mile of the run was a bit stilted, but was running into a pretty strong headwind and it was making me a bit zonked - was also slightly thrown by being stopped and asked for directions, therefore knocking my momentum (but hopefully making sure someone got their piper for their wedding/funeral/other event!).

I have two more runs before the Coniston 14 - still debating whether to keep my tempo session in or not, as Marathon Talk this week was talking about not over-tapering.  If I do, that will be my Monday session, and I plan to do a nice easy run either Tuesday or Wednesday just to keep the muscles moving.  Then off to the lakes on Friday night for an evening in the caravan with the ancient parents, and then Grandad* will be running the race as well on Saturday.

I also (unintentionally) managed to practise the pre-run nerves this morning - I've spent the last few weeks feeling utterly nackered (hence the drop in last week's training) and despite getting a good 10 hours of sleep last night, there's only so much one can catch up on.  However, I psyched myself up, got myself out of the door, and set off.  Next week is much more about getting round on the back of the Jantastic training - not about speed or anything.  The EMF 1/2 in May is the one I am aiming to get a PB in ... and so I just need to remember how well I managed Wilmslow last year after much more broken training (darned PhD) and I dragged my sorry and very slow arse around London too.  

Now I just have to pray that it doesn't rain ...

*For those new to the blog, Grandad is actually my Dad ... it's a long story! 

Two Weeks to Go

This week had been another tough week for running, one in which I got my three runs in, but by no means the distance I had intended.  I seem to be suffering both from general tiredness overhanging from last week's craziness, but also anticipation anxiety for a meeting I have on Monday (and all the preparation for it). 

Tuesday's interval session went really well, and I managed to get my third interval up to pace - will stick at three for next week rather than adding a fourth, so I can push a bit harder instead.  My final Monday run before Coniston will be an easy jog rather than a speed sesh though, just to keep the legs moving but without wearing myself out.

I woke up on Thursday aching all over (including my jaw!) - which was either a sign of sleeping badly (and tensing) or that I was about to start with a fluey cold - therefore I decided I was going to spend the afternoon napping to make up for lost sleep on previous weeks rather than doing a long run.  Having agreed to work on Saturday, I knew this meant effectively cancelling my long run of the week (and having to use my final Jantastic joker), but I definitely needed the rest.

Following a good night's sleep, and a relatively easy day at work yesterday, I decided to head out with Runkeeper going (rather than watching my Garmin) and just run.  Turned out I ran, and ran, and ran! Was still feeling strong when I got near the 5 mile mark, but was having some issues with rubbing, and decided to hop on a bus while I could rather than endure the stinging.  I'd still managed about 4 more miles than I had intended! And at a much faster pace too -  would have easily managed a sub-1 hour 10k ...

Early start this morning (after an early night, and 9 hours sleep!) to get my final 1 mile in to tick off that last run of 3 for the week.  Been almost a rest week, and I deffo think I need to build them into my training plans in future rather than doggedly pushing further each week - another training lessons learned.  Just two more weeks until Coniston - and my race pack has now arrived too, so it's all feeling rather real! However, after managing a good pace for my 'anti-CBAs' run - I'm feeling a bit happier about my predicted time of 2.20 - who knows, it might just be doable!

Longest LSR - taper time!!!!

Ok so this is a tapir, not a taper ... but hey ho!

This week has officially been bonkers: from fitting in my Monday tempo session, crossing the country (by coach) for a rehearsal on Tuesday night in Glasgow, Ash Wednesday's long service in the evening, a crammed Thursday (of which more anon), and finishing with a normal Friday in the roll shop. Yet I still managed somehow to fit in all my running, and do my longest run before Coniston in 21 days time - so I am officially tapering (woo hoo!).

Thursday was officially crackers! One of the choirs I sing with were involved with the birthday celebrations of Edinburgh's Usher Hall - hence the Glasgow rehearsal on Tuesday.  It was a spectacular event, and fabulous to be a part of, but meant that my usual Thursday activities (including my run) had to be fitted around a 4.30 rehearsal call.  I spent most of the day shaving 10 mins where I could, including by subjecting my students to their lecture without the usual 10 min break in the middle so I could get away early. This combined with bus hopping got me to my dog-walking duties half an hour early ... which I couldn't skimp on.  

As I was a touch ahead of schedule by this point, I went home via the shop, to pick up the mahoooooosive bag of rabbit food I'd ordered.  Then ran back to the teaching job to drop the dogs' flat key back off  - and get my run in.  Topped off with a shower and a quick change, and I was off to the rehearsal. I had an hour or so to kill before the concert which I spent flopped out on a sofa in a cafe with a fellow singer - before heading back for the spectacle of the concert itself.  Being a musician, of course I went out to the pub afterwards for une beverage - culminating in a quick trot back home for 1am! A very long day, followed by a rather madcap one in the shop, where we wind each other up like billy-o (I have never had a job where I laughed so much in my life :-D)

Saturday morning dawned bright and early - or at least I assume it did, because there was no way in HELL I was going to be awake to see it! Alarms off, I woke from slightly odd dreams at 8.30, only to roll over and get another hour's much-needed kip ... not-so-lenten breakfast of two scrambled eggs on two crumpets, preceded a nice morning of catching up on iplayer, and watching the trees outside my window trying to bend themselves in two - oh and occasionally chasing Esme bunny out from under my bed where she was trying to chew wires.  Quick lunch at 12.30 (as I was planning to run at 2.30) of a beetroot and cheese roll followed by a banana - and started to plan my route by combining an old favourite (Innocent Railway Path) with a new (Water of Leith Pathway). 

Togged up, I headed out of the door as planned, well wrapped up against the wind.  For the first few miles I felt like I could have been flying! Slowly flying, admittedly, but I was totally in the zone and even considered adding an extra wee loop to get up to 14 miles.  The wind was fair battering admittedly, but there was about 1/2 a mile it was behind me, and I felt a bit like a lycra-clad kite.

Stopped for a loo break at about 5 miles in - just cos it was there - but I think that stop might have slightly been my downfall.  I was still doing pretty well for the next couple of miles, but then I started to struggle a bit more and had a couple of (very short) walk breaks.  By the time I hit the 8 mile mark, I was utterly starving - so paused again to eat the wee soreen banana loaf I had taken along, and snap a quick pic of Leith looking spectacular. But I definitely struggled from then on - my right ankle started being a bit niggly, and I was slighly losing the will to carry on - not sure how much it was helped by listening to Tony's Trials on Marathon Talk! 

After another loo break - more of an opportunity to give myself a bit of a talking to - I decided that as I only then had 3 more miles, it would take as long to run-walk as to get the bus.  Headed off again, and picked up the running over the walking, despite dodging small humans and prams on some rather narrow pavements.  By 11 miles, the hunger was rather starting to get at me, and I was flagging again - but I persevered and eventually rocked up home with 13 miles under the belt, another Jantastic run in (and another 100% week). Switched to my favourite Schubert song-cycle for the last mile (as the MT podcast had ended) and that definitely helped my home - I think it will have to be (one-eared) music listening for the race - as it just motivates me better.

I suspect I should either have had more to eat for either breakfast or lunch, or scoffed some more carbs on Friday night - possibly both! Brought my tea a bit earlier, so I could appease the poor rumbling tummy, but I suspect tonight might involve some serious nibbling.  Ankle is still a bit moany, but I'm sure it's nothing a nice hot bath won't fix - and it's not like I am due to run again until Monday anyway.  Next week is a much calmer prospect - so fingers crossed my next long run will be a bit more successful in the 'not-walking' stakes.

Roll on tapering ...

Feeling Febulous

This week has been a bit up and down running wise (although mostly up). I spent some moneys on Monday signing up for two races in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival: I'm doing the 10k with a lovely friend from my undergrad days, and then slightly madly decided I would also sign up for the half! The intention is to take the 10k at a reasonably slow pace, and save some energy to belt out the half - then again, I don't have to belt out too hard to beat my previous PB (just run it all in fact). 

I then turned my Monday run to the shops into a tempo session I'd picked up from the Women's Running website - doing fast 1km reps interspersed with walk breaks - which I REALLY enjoyed and am going to keep repeating/extending. My first rep was at 8.55 min/mile and the second at 8:30 - which got me wondering whether I could keep a faster pace going for longer, and I decided to try and get my long run in on Thursday, so I could test my fitness out at parkrun (which I've not run in AGES).

Thursday came along, and after a rather tedious morning having been called to court as a witness (and sitting for 3 hours before the charge was dropped for lack of evidence!), I was quite glad to be heading out into the fresh air.  My plan called for 11 miles, but I also wanted to run 4.5 of those with a choir friend - so I decided to run the EMF 10k course, and then to our meeting point to get up to the necessary mileage.  The course is actually quite hilly, with Arthur's Seat (the long climb) near the beginning, a short sharp hill into Duddingston about 6k in, another rotten (short) steep bit up from the Innocent Railway path at about 8.5k, and then a final wee hill up the the 9k-ish point before heading down to the finish.  I had set out to take it quite easily because of needing to get the extra in, but I have to admit the CBAs got me a little, and I walked rather more than I really needed to.  The final 4.5 miles with my friend were at a much better slow pace, and flew by whilst chatting about life, the universe, and everything - we even survived a short sharp hail storm! I did call a wee walk break (by which point I was at about 9 miles) but it was only 100 metres and we set off again.

So this morning I got myself out of bed - having had a very early night after a crazy day in the shop - and toddled off on the number 41 bus - I could practically name it the parkrun bus given the percentage of passengers that were runners!  My intention was to run at a reasonably steady pace and see if I could get a course PB on the training I've done over the Jantastic competition.

Arrived at the Cramond prom, and dropped my wee carrier bag off on the 'stuff' fence - before testing out the start for slippy/icy conditions which the course can be prone to in bad weather. This morning wasn't too bad, and I did some warming up before heading to the loos - where for the first time ever I encountered a queue! The Edinburgh parkrun has grown a hell of a lot , with 524 runners compared to 325 the last time I ran, and was nice to see so many people out on a Saturday morning.  Bumped into the wife of a colleague from my last workplace - and was nice to have a chat to while away the last moments before the start.  Had headphone issues this morning, as I couldn't find one pair, and the one I had found had been slightly bunny-nibbled - which might have been perfect as she'd bitten off one earbud - but the other cable went wrong as soon as I started running rather than walking.  There went my most reliable pacer (my playlist!)

Decided to hum one of the pieces I often 'fast' run to in my head as we started, and set off at a comfortable but quickish pace based purely one my ability to breathe - checked my watch at the first km mark and I was at 5:55/km pace - with a reasonable chance at the course PB I was after.  I also felt like I could keep it up, which was one of the most important things.  Kept humming and concentrating on the breath between each marker (trying not too look at my watch too much) until the last km where I tried to up the pace a wee fraction - and then managed a bit of a sprint finish - although I could possibly have managed a bit more.  The lovely lady I had been chatting to at the beginning had waited for me and was cheering me on at the finish which was AWESOME!!!! Especially as she'd beaten me by quite a bit, so had been standing around in the cold waiting.

Bit of a kerfuffle at the funnel - which was about 4 times the length it should have been - we had a funnel jumper in front of us, and the two of us who crossed the line almost together were a little confused as to whether we should keep going or wait for marshals.  The marshal was a bit short with us tbh, considering we were just waiting on instructions, but I think he was annoyed with the jumper and people were coming in quite steadily behind us.  I stopped my watch in the funnel (having started it a tad early) and I was 2 seconds off my all time PB from South Manchester LAST New Year - but I had to wait for the text to find out my official time. Having run it quite steady rather than all out, I still had enough in the tank for a sprint finish (probably could have managed a bit more tbh). And I didn't feel too nackered at the end - so a good balanced effort with pretty even splits according to the Garmin.

At the return bus stop, I got chatting to three girls who were asking for instructions into town - from Cambridge, Lincoln, and Manchester (originally from Stockport near me!).  The girl from Cambridge had underestimated the weather, so I lent her my spare jumper while we were waiting - and this turned into an awesome chat on the way back as we were heading to the same bus stop.  It's nice to get the parkrun camaraderie when so often in Edinburgh runners blank you when you are out running.

Results came through just as I got back to the house an hour and a half after finishing (this is why I don't get up on my one free day to go out to the front very often!). 

******* I GOT A PB !!!!!!!!!!!!! *******

Not only did I knock 22 seconds off my PB from South Manchester (when I ended feeling ROUGH and nackered beyond belief) I took 3 mins 57 off my previous record from Edinburgh. And, on top of that my run today marked my last Febulous run, and finished me off one 100% for the month.  Totally flying and had to give Grandad a ring at the end (although, typically was out, so I had to leave a message).  Much as 5k is hardly 14 miles, I hope that being able to run 9:20/mile splits a month out from Coniston, means that with the extra training I can hit my target 10:00/mile for race day.  One can only hope.