Tag: hill running

Planning my return….

/ Iona / 4 Comments

It has been a very difficult start to the year for me running wise. From the very beginning of January I was dragging my legs and huffing and puffing about like a steam train, hating every minute of my running and hating myself for hating it! Mid March I got round to going for a blood test and found out I was quite anemic and was prescribed a course of iron tablets for the next wee while. After I was given my results (my ferritin level being 2!) I asked my GP, half knowing the answer and half hoping these tablets would work miracles in a matter of days, if I’d be able to run the Alloa half the following weekend. He stared at me with a furrowed brow as he tried to figure out if I was joking or not! But of course in a round about way I was told not to be so silly and just get back to training first – gently!

Another reason I had really been looking forward to running it was even though it’d be my 3rd time running the route it would have been the first time since I’d joined the club. And wow, were the WCH out in force for this race!!

This lot were awesome. I was jealous but I got to cycle to various points and cheer them on!
This lot were awesome. I was jealous but I got to cycle to various points and cheer them on!

So, the race I had been looking forward to for a whole year was out. Our local half, the one in which I smashed my p.b by 5 minutes in last year and what was to be my first ‘A’ race of the year turned into my second ever DNS, but for the first time through not being able to run and having to stand on the sidelines and watch everyone else get hyped up for and run so well in! In my mind, and many others, a DNS (did not start) is ten times worse than a DNF (did not finish) or even a DLF (dead last finish) but this time the situation was outwith my control. Racing was physically not possible and my legs would definitely not thank me for even trying. I had to get over it and realise I was being silly – there were plenty more races and many more years of racing to get through. I’m only 30, so that’s pretty young for a runner and I can only plan to get better in the future.

I wasn’t ruling the day out though, so I took my bike and cycled the course to cheer them on and take pictures at various points. I lost count of the amount of p.b’s or course p.b’s set that day – every single runner did so amazingly well! Not the easiest course when they stick in Menstrie Brae (a hill lasting half a mile or so) at 10 miles into the race. At the end of the day we all regrouped and went for an Indian meal and few drinks at a local restaurant – I know I didn’t run, but who said I couldn’t celebrate everyone else’s success! Jemma also ran amazingly well coming in about 20 seconds outside her p.b. She’s now joined the Wee County Harriers until her and my little brother go traveling later this year, so look out for more orange and navy in that direction!!

I am two weeks into my course of iron tablets and I noticed a difference after a week. I was sleeping better, feeling better when I woke up in the morning and I wasn’t out of breath after the simplest of tasks or passing out on the couch as soon as I got in from work. Yes my job is very demanding and I’m always on the go, but getting home at 6:30pm and needing a nap by 7:30pm was very out of character for me! After a few weeks of avoiding training I decided to make my return to a hill reps session and I couldn’t have felt better or enjoyed it more! My mile splits are right back down and running up hills no longer makes me feel like every last molecule of oxygen is being sucked out of my lungs or that my quads are being hit with a hammer. I know it’ll take a bit longer, but I feel almost normal again!

What a difference some iron tablets have made! I know I have been screaming it from the hill tops, but I can’t advise it more – if you start to feel low for no apparent reason, your quads feel like your worst enemies and you suddenly feel out of breath like you should if you smoke 40 a day, then get your iron levels checked. I could have plodded on for months had my physio not told me that she had felt this way and that iron tablets made her bounce back within weeks!

I may have had to pull out of my first 2 favourite races of the year but I’m bouncing back and I’m ready to to take on the next one with gusto. Before that I will be helping out at the Highland Fling at the end of April and cheering on my club mates that are brave enough to race that distance. I’ll hopefully be joining them next year, but we’ll see how this goes first.

My running colours leave little to the imagination!
My running colours leave little to the imagination!
I'll be back. It's a slow return, but I'll get there...
I’ll be back. It’s a slow return, but I’ll get there…

Enthusiasm level = 0 (and a Devil’s Burden race report)

/ Iona / 1 Comment

Hello February, you’re here already?

My training for January never really did pick up. I felt sluggish and unmotivated for the majority of the month, so I decided to have a change from running and try various classes instead, as well as getting back into my gym routine. I work with a bunch of people who are pretty gym obsessed, so it’s hard not to be inspired when they are bouncing off the walls full of endorphins! So cx works, metafit, body combat and spin have all been mixed into my weekly routine, as well as still trying to clock a few miles here and there. Last week I decided to take a break from running for the whole week and when I returned to training on Tuesday and was met with a speed session on the track, I didn’t even grumble. I actually really enjoyed it, snow and all!

My body still feels tired. Much better than I did this time a month ago, but my ability to run for long periods of time has decreased along with my speed. I’m just so annoyed that I ran an ultra and a marathon just 6 weeks apart at the end of last year and now I’m struggle to finish a 10k without feeling sick! Gutted isn’t the word but I know I just have to bide my time and eventually I’ll get back to how I was….

Anyway, the main point of this post is the rather long overdue race report for the awesomely wet, windy and cold Devil’s Burden relay race at the end of January. The race is an annual event held by Fife Athletic Club and pulls in the hardcore hill runners from all over the country and also people like me, who just enjoys a day out in the hills! Initially I wasn’t going to sign up for this as I was focusing on making the Devilla 15k my first race of the year, but with some arm twisting from my club mates I decided to give it a go as all I’d heard about it was how fun it was and what an amazing club day out it could be. So at stupid o’clock on the 25th of January some team mates and I met at the local sports centre to work out car shares to get to Falkland in Fife. Our club had 3 teams running and as the first teams started at 9.30am we wanted to give ourselves plenty of time to get prepared!

The race is run in 4 legs with the 1st and 3rd leg being run by single runners and leg 2 and 4 being run in pairs. The first leg begins in Falkland and heads over to Strathmiglo, the second leg goes from Strathmiglo up and over the West Lomond hill and zig zags its way back down to Kinnesswood. Leg 3 then goes straight back up the hill from Kinnesswood to West Balgothrie and then the last leg from West Balgothrie up and over East Lomond back to Falkland. All in it’s a 31km race and it’s definitely a toughie!

WCH ready!
WCH ready!

I was running leg 2 with the awesome Caroline Strain who is a seasoned hill runner. I didn’t realise that even though it was only 6 miles it was to be probably the toughest 6 miles I have ever run! We set off along a dirt track that led on to a tarmac path for just over a mile. Stopping briefly at our first check point to stamp our card I clocked the hill in the distance and the countless high-vis dots bobbing their way up to the top – very few of which were actually running which made me think we were in for a hard slog! The route goes up to the top of West Lomond and back down the other side and just as we reached the summit we had a lovely little flurry of skin piercing hail stones. Perfect for trying out my new jacket (which is awesome by the way, unlike the one I wore for the ultra – GO33 2014 here I come!) and I now realised why the race oraginsers had insisted on full body coverage – it was FREEZING! There was a photographer on top of the hill who must have been freezing and as we weren’t taking the race too seriously, we stopped to pose for some photos!

Caroline and I at the summit of West Lomond. Hail, wind and rain all at once, just lovely!
Caroline and I at the summit of West Lomond. Hail, wind and rain all at once, just lovely!
The WCH sign for "I'm clearly loving this!"
The WCH sign for “I’m clearly loving this!”

Our next few miles were on boggy terrain and this is where I wished I’d invested in some gaiters as my poor ankles were freezing. On the way down I tripped over a root in some heather and face planted into some mud. No damage done so we had a little laugh about it and then onward up the next hill! Fingers numb, feet soaking but upper body totally dry, we plodded on towards our last check point. Our last half a mile or so was a near vertical descent into Kinnesswood and I was so greatful for my trail shoes. I think I only slipped once but luckily out of the sight of the crowds who had gathered at the bottom of the hill to shout us in! We passed our check card over to Scott who was running leg 3 on his own and then with no time to rest, had a mad dash back to the car to drive over to the next check point to meet him.

Waiting at check point 3. Just how many layers can we wear?!
Waiting at check point 3. Just how many layers can we wear?!

Liz and Anne were our final leg runners and as we watched them disappear out of sight, we finally caught up with our other team mates who had been in the 10.30am start. With the last leg runners all on their way, we made our way back to Falkland to meet up with them at the finish line and enjoy the fabulous spread of soup, cakes and sandwiches put on by Fife AC. Even though I’d had a complete change of clothes and was wearing gloves, I still could’t warm up so I left my team mates to prop up the bar in the pub and headed home to wear my duvet for the rest of the day!

This was a fabulous event and I’ll definitely enter again next year, but maybe I’ll try something other than leg 2….

Happy New Year!!!

/ Iona / 1 Comment

I hope you all had a good one. Ours was quiet and homely – just the way I’ve always preferred them.

And here we are in 2014! I kick started the year with a club run up Dumyat – a fairy small (418 metres high) but pretty hard going hill, on the 2nd of January. I met a few club mates and ran the 5 miles from Alloa down to Logie Kirk in Blairlogie, where we were meeting the rest of the club. My run down started off very uncomfortably and I struggled to keep up with the others but I put it down to lack of sleep and a bit too much Christmas pudding. I would shake it off quickly enough…. wouldn’t I? After meeting up with the others we started our ascent up to the summit, some running the whole way like the mountain goats they are, others taking their time and running bits, walking others. The path starts off on a very, very steep hill up through a forest and straight away I was exhausted. This wasn’t like me and I was starting to get a bit concerned! I made it up and we posed for some photos on the very windy summit before starting the heart stopping descent back down to the car park. I think nearly everyone had a least a little slip, some much worse than others as we found ourselves running down a river back to the bottom of the hill!

Summit of Dumyat. Windy and cold and a perfect way to start 2014!
Summit of Dumyat. Windy and cold and a perfect way to start 2014!
Picking things out of my sock after a rather muddy slide down the hill. All part of the experience!
Picking things out of my sock after a rather muddy slide down the hill. All part of the experience!

A few days after my Dumyat hill run I went out for a run on my own to try and get the miles back up again. I’d tried to participate in the Marcothon but half way through December I got the cold and was far too shattered to carry on. I got back to my running about a week later but I was still running really slowly and my mileage was really low. At the time I put it down to just being really tired as it was the end of term, I was really busy running courses and I hadn’t really given my body time to recover at all post Ultra. I thought all of these factors had lead to my body just refusing to do very much so I didn’t think much more about it and thought I would get better as the weeks went on.

The next few days passed and I was still overly, uncharacteristically tired. I knew something wasn’t right and I was trying to think what I had done differently and that’s when I realised it must be the tablets I had been taking for an infection in my toenails. Sorry if talk of feet grosses anyone out, but I feel this is quite an important thing to bring up, especially as none of the side effects were explained to me by my GP. For the past month or so I’ve been taking Terbinafine tablets and when I went to the doctors to pick up my prescription I was in and out in 2 minutes, him telling me this would be the best option as the medication would be in my system (as opposed to a paint you apply to your nails daily) and would get to work a lot quicker than any other option. When I look back at my Garmin splits for December I can see exactly where I started to slow down and it just happened to be a week or so after I started taking the tablets. I looked up the side effects on line and the first things that cropped up were “chronic fatigue” and “breathlessness” – exactly how I’d been feeling when I was running and I had also noticed I was finding it harder to get up in the mornings, but again I just put it down to being the end of term and my body having just had enough! I couldn’t believe my Doctor hadn’t told me about any of these side effects and the more I looked into it the angrier I got. People in my running club had also had the same problem but they had been warned of the side effects (liver damage and change in taste also being common ones) and had all opted for the paint.

Terbinafine. I'm sure not everyone will suffer the same side effects I did, but just to warn anyone who might take it - it feels like you're running in glue!
Terbinafine. I’m sure not everyone will suffer the same side effects I did, but just to warn anyone who might take it – it feels like you’re running in glue!

At least I knew why I was running so terribly after having such a successful year, but I was so annoyed and disheartened that all my training had basically been taken away and I was starting from scratch.

Last weekend I joined the club for another hill run in the Ochils. I’d stopped taking the tablets but I knew it would still be in system for the next few weeks, so I thought I’d go along and do what I could. It was amazing and tough and absolutely freezing, but one of the most enjoyable runs I’ve done in a long time. I’m so lucky to have all these routes on my doorstep, I just have to become good friends with hill running and not see it as a chore!

Karen and I running in the snow up the Ochils. Of course I'm wearing shorts, what else?!
Karen and I running in the snow up the Ochils. Of course I’m wearing shorts, what else?!
Half way up our first steep climb. There were many, many more!
Half way up our first steep climb. There were many, many more!

 

My first race of the year is just over a month away (the Devilla 15k) and I’m hoping to be back in tip top condition for it. I did my first long(ish) run of the year today, a mere 12.5 miles, but we managed to keep our pace to around 8:30 minute miles which considering how I’ve been feeling the past few weeks was a big push. I’m following the Hal Higdon Intermediate 2 training plan in advance of my next marathon, which will be at Lochaber in April, and so far so good. I’ll see how the long miles feel next weekend and then I’ll know for sure if it was the tablets that made me feel like that or not. I can’t think of anything else it could have been though!

Here’s to happy running in 2014…. 😀

 

 

 

2013 – The year I did ALL the running…

/ Iona / 4 Comments

And so another year draws to a close. For me it really has been the year of running so far. I hadn’t really thought about it until I started to think of ideas for this blog and then it dawned on me that this year I have:
– Smashed my half marathon time by 5 minutes
– Taken nearly 2 minutes off my 10k time
– Completed my first marathon
– Completed my first ultra marathon
– Finally got round to joining a running club
– Clocked up nearly 1150 miles in a year
– Met some of the most amazing and inspirational new friends

The list goes on and on. But if I listed everything there wouldn’t really be much point in the rest of this blog post!

I started the month with high hopes of completing my first Marcothon. All was going really well for the first 2 weeks with me managing to fit in lunchtime runs here and there, taking the dog out at the crack of dawn and even slipping in my daily 3 miles at 11pm after a trip to the cinema. But sods law had it that as soon as my last lesson had finished on the last day of term, I started burning up and was struck down with the dreaded winter lurgy. So that was me out of the game. I even attempted to get back into it after 2 days of bed rest, but my body quite firmly refused and I had to hang up my trainers for the next week. Once I felt better I got back out there, and I have clocked up my daily miles every day since, but I’ll need to wait until next year to give it another go. It’s a tough challenge and even though it’s only 3 miles (or 25 minutes of running, whichever comes first), it really takes its toll on your body. Some days I’ve really struggled and it has felt like such a chore to run the minimum of 3 miles, even though just a bit over a month ago I ran 33 miles! I think my body is trying to tell me it has clocked up enough miles for the year….

Marcothon aside, it has been a pretty quiet December. Term ended, Christmas came and went and now we’re a few days away from 2014. When I think back over the past 12 months, it amazes me to think how fast the year has passed. I’m looking at the race calender for next year and can’t believe entries are open for the 2014 version already. But what a year of running it was. One of the best things I could have done for my running happened this year – I finally joined a running club and what a difference it has made to both my running, my fitness and also my motivation. My new friends have both inspired and pushed me towards my goals and I don’t think you could find a nicer and more driven bunch of people, who not only want to improve their performances but want to push you along on the way as well. A few of my friends have now accompanied the WCH on our weekend adventures and they’ve all said the same thing – what a fantastic wee club!

I’ve already started entering some of my planned races for 2014 and so far my goals are as follows:

  •   A 45min 10k.  – Very achievable if I focus on my speed work and bring my distances back down. Hopefully by the summer I’ll achieve this one.
  • A 1 hour 45 minute half marathon. Also (possibly!) very achievable. This comes down to more mental rather than physical work. I know I can do it, I’m just scared of burning out so I pull back too early in the race. Hopefully achievable at the Alloa half in March which is where I knocked 5 minutes off my time this year.
  • To start going to Park runs on Saturdays. Now that I’m not working on Saturday mornings! I feel this will really benefit my speed work.
  • Run a sub 4 marathon. My ‘A’ goal for the year. If I can do this I will feel invincible. For a while.
  • Become a stronger Ultra runner. I’m hoping to run both the Clyde Stride and Glen Ogle this year as well and sweeping for the Highland Fling. Hopefully running all races very comfortably and not getting injured!
  • Get stronger. I get gym classes for free. I really have no excuse for not trying everything!!

My first race of 2014 will be the Devilla 15k  at the end of February. This is also the first event of my club Grand Prix which I have high hopes to make my mark in next year. Got to be positive!!

So that leaves me just to round-up this years races and events. It’s been an awesome year of training and racing and I go into 2014 with high hopes and big plans.

First high of the year - a good 5 minutes off my half marathon time in Alloa.
March – First high of the year – a good 5 minutes off my half marathon time in Alloa.
Next high - a minute and a bit off my 10k time. Woooo!
March – Next high – a minute and a bit off my 10k time. Woooo!
The beautiful bling of the Edinburgh rock 'n' roll half. Only good thing about this wet and windy race!
April – The beautiful bling of the Edinburgh rock ‘n’ roll half. Only good thing about this wet and windy race!
Meeting Rhona, Ali and Kate at the race the train event in Aviemore. Fabby people who I hope to run with again in the near future!
May – Meeting Rhona, Ali and Kate at the race the train event in Aviemore. Fabby people who I hope to run with again in the near future!
Running up and down mountains!
May – Running up and down mountains!
Black rock 5 - my first club event after meeting these awesome and inspiring people. Fantastic night!
June -Black rock 5 – my first club event after meeting these awesome and inspiring people. Fantastic night!
September - 2nd 10k pb of the year coming in at 48:17
September – 2nd 10k pb of the year coming in at 48:17
September - completing my first marathon with my friend Catriona and a couple of huge smiles!
September – completing my first marathon with my friend Catriona and a couple of huge smiles!
October - Neil McCover half marathon a week after Loch Ness, again with my awesome running club.
October – Neil McCover half marathon a week after Loch Ness, again with my awesome running club.
October - My first attempt at cross country in over 15 years. Fun but drenched!
October – My first attempt at cross country in over 15 years. Fun but drenched!
October - training in the rain with these dafties!
October – training in the rain with these dafties!
November - my first ultra marathon. Glen Ogle 33 in the POURING rain.
November – my first ultra marathon. Glen Ogle 33 in the POURING rain.
November - Glen Ogle 33 with a smile!
November – Glen Ogle 33 with a smile!
November - Last race of the year - the Hartley Cup relays.
November – Last race of the year – the Hartley Cup relays.
The reason I got faster this year!
The reason I got faster this year!

 

Here’s to getting faster and loving running in 2014.

A hill, some camping and a race against a steam train…

/ Iona / 4 Comments

This week has been hard to settle into. The weekend was so jam packed and brilliant fun that coming straight back to work without any time to reflect has been hard! I’m mostly shocked at the amazing weather we were blessed with during our adventure. It was like being abroad for the weekend and really took me by surprise. We seriously couldn’t have asked for anything better!

On Saturday morning, Jemma picked me up and we headed North to Aviemore where we had planned to meet Rhona and a couple of her friends from Stonehaven running club, Kate and Ali. The main purpose of the trip was to race the steam train back to Aviemore on Sunday (a planned event, not just because we’re crazy!), so we decided to go up a day early, meet up with some fellow runners and have a lovely run around the Caringorms. Ali had planned a route up and around Meall a’ Bhuachaille and we were so lucky to have the weather on our side as the views from the top were breathtaking! The sun was on our backs as we ploughed up to the top (through the snow!) and after a quick breather and some posing for photos, we started our rather quick descent. The run back down the other side was exhilarating to say the least! From the bottom a trail run lead us to the Green Loch where we had a quick paddle to cool our feet down. The loop was about 6.5 miles of gorgeous trails and Ali couldn’t have planned a better route for us, so huge thanks to him for that!

Scotland... not a cloud in the sky!
Scotland… not a cloud in the sky!
Half way up and can see for miles....
Half way up and can see for miles….
Views from the top
Views from the top
Not a cloud in the sky!
Not a cloud in the sky!
The Green Loch - beautiful but cold!!
The Green Loch – beautiful but cold!!

After a quick trip to the shops, we headed back to the campsite and set up our barbecues. You couldn’t get camping weather any better than this, we were so lucky! We had a lovely feast of savoury and sweet food, the drinks were flowing and we had sunlight until around 11pm when we were greeted by a full moon and a blanket of stars in a cloudless sky. Perfect. If only I could say as much for my nights sleep. Camping and I are still not the best of friends….

Runners, barbecues and booze. Good combination!
Runners, barbecues and booze. Good combination!

On the Sunday we were up bright and early to head down to Aviemore for the race against the steam train, which was organised by the Cairngorm Runners and was probably the most enjoyable and fun race I have taken part in. The aim of the game is to beat the steam train back to Aviemore – around 45 minutes to run 4.5 miles miles. We met and registered around 10am we were taken by bus to Aviemore train station. Once at the station we were met by a piper and handed tickets to board the steam train to Boat of Garten.

Half? I'll take it!
Half? I’ll take it!

Choo Choo!! Meet the competition...
Choo Choo!! Meet the competition…

The train was packed with excited runners and their friends and family, and once at Boat of Garten we all hoped off the train to assemble a few hundred metres down the road in the forest. A quick pep talk later and we were on our way – with 45 minutes to go until the train caught up with us back at Aviemore. I wasn’t for letting it beat me but with legs still a little achy from the previous day I wasn’t sure what pace I’d be able to maintain for the 4.5 mile course. The trail was lovely and flat with just a few ups and downs throughout – such a scenic course with the back drop of the snow topped Cairngorms, and I somehow managed to keep a pretty quick pace up and pelt back to Aviemore in 37:54 (watch time, 38:01 gun time) and had plenty time to collect my medal, water and one of the best goody bags ever (which contained a sports bottle, energy bar, energy gels, North Face lip balm, high 5 tablets and discount vouchers) before the train pulled back into the station. All for £14 – bargain!

Much better than anything you get from the bigger races!
Much better than anything you get from the bigger races!
The bling
The bling

And with that our amazing weekend had to come to an end. The race was over as quickly as it had started and it was time to get back to reality. I’d definitely do this race again and I can’t give enough credit and thanks to the organisers and everyone that helped out on the day. The weekend was brilliant and it was so nice to meet new people who are as passionate about running as we are and I hope I get the chance to do something similar again in the future.

However, trying to get my legs to become friends with me again is another story altogether….

Our running team (and running team offspring) after the race.
Our running team (and running team offspring) after the race.