Long, hot run

Yesterday was time for another long run. I set off at 7.40am partly because it was due to be warm and partly because there was a group of Harriers running from Crieff at 9.15 and I hoped to meet them and finish my run with them.
I went down to Bairinroar, left to W Meiggar then down to Cultybraggan. I then made a mistake by taking the riverside path to Rob Bolton's house which was thick with grass and weeds. At this point I knew I was late and pushed on to Comrie, did the Aberuchill loop and back to laggan park.
It was 9.30 so I changed shoes and headed off on the fortnight run. At Shakey bridge I caught them by cutting across the field then we did the Maam Rd as leg 4 in the swchr. It was great to have a focus and something to chase. Also great to run with people for the last bit.I felt fine in the last few miles, better than I did at the beginning.
I covered just over 20m in 2.42.

5x5 relay

This Saturday I organised the 3rd 5x5 for the Harriers.
We had a record 40 people running and hence 8 teams. We also had a great day for it.
My leg was 6m from laggan park to the Turret dam. Its a steep haul up there of some 1000' and some sig undulations in between.
I felt I ran OK and did 51.58 to hold my team's position.
We had a great day overall and I think eveyone enjoyed it.
Yesterday I had a stunning run around Glen Artney which is my favourote run here and 9.3m.
Today I had a 5.5m run around the Crieff 10K from Taylor Park in 41.36 which was reasonable.

A good run

Had a decent run yesterday for the 1st time in a long time. It could be a long time before I have another so thought it should go in here.
I did a hilly 13.5m from Comrie. Felt slow at 1st but once I got on the hill going up to the Langside I felt really strong and maintained that feeling until the last mile or 2.
Finished at an ave 7.15/mile pace.
Prob back to slow discomfort today but nice to know there is some form there lurking beneath the surface.

clydestride Relay

Strathearn Stags triumphant at Clydestride.
Yesterday 8 of us from the Harriers went over for the 2nd Clydestride race on an unpromising day. Liz was doing the whole thing.
We all made it over through some miserable weather but as we approached the 1st of many Morrisons supermarkets the rain dried up.
We said hello to Allan who was doing his 1st ultra and sadly didn't make it to the end.
I was doing the 1st leg as was Elizabeth for the Sirens.
We headed off at 9am in warm and humid conditions . The going was pretty flat and on tarmac. We set off at a hell of a pace with Grant Jeans doing about 6 minute mile pace, how do the top guys do it?
After a mile or so I was in 3rd but the 2 in front were doing he whole thing.
I overtook Paul after 2m but was aware I wasnt't feeling great. Paul settled in behind me happy to have someone to pace him no doubt.After a while we got chatting a bit. This was his 1st real ultra.
After 6m of riverside running we headed inland through the diversion, the lowlight of the race.
Back on the river and I was struggling and really struggled to the end. I lost Paul after a pitstop and couldn't catch him which was disappointing. It was however very interesting to see what life at the front of an ultra is like and let me tell you its incredibly fast.
I finished my 10M in 67min and handed over to Al giving him an 8 min lead in the relay.
The 2nd leg was a 1.5M longer than advertised and Al undoubtedly suffered a bit.
Tony had a great time passing people on the 3rd leg and Phil had the glory leg to bring us home in about 5.10.
It was a great place to finish the race. I had never been to New Lanark and it is definitely worth a look.
The Sirens also had a great time and were 1st ladies.
Liz did really well to do her race in 8.08
So it was a great day out and definitely worth repeating.
The organisation was superb and the route excellent.

Long, hot run

On Saturday I had 20 miles in the plan. I had a Harriers hill session planned also so decided to combine the 2. I also had a v tight hamstring and sore calf, oh dear!
The hill reps just confirmed the soreness in my hamstring and I wasn't up for them at all but went thro the motions.
After that I set off along Lady Mary's and out up Glascorrie/Blairinroar and back to Crieff vis Balloch. Once i set off things felt alot better, so much of this stuff is in the head! My hamstring was fine and didn't really bother me, odd isn't it.
I really quite enjoyed the run although it became clear it was going to be longer than planned and turned out to be 21.6m. The last 2-3 miles were tough but I did it.
Yesterday was the Crieff 10K which attracted over 300 entrants and all went off pretty well. I didn't run yesterday and will see how the legs are today.

Brig Bash 5

This was the 2nd year I have done this 5 miler.
It was also the 1st time I have raced since the Cape Wrath marathon.
It was a wretched evening, v wet but turned out to be a good evening for racing.
9 Harriers were there and a strong field of some 230.
I had a wee warm up and set off at what felt like a jog as everyone around me tried to break the 4 min mile.
I felt quite comfortable apart from my right hamstring which eased off eventually. After a couple of miles i was feeling quite good but felt a real lack of pace which is no surprise. I passed a couple at the end but was only passed once in the whole race after the 1t 1/2m or so which would suggest decent pacing.
I finished in 31.20 and 36th. Not bad and 10secs faster than last yaer when i had run the Lairig Ghru 10/7 before.
There was a lovely supper after and I would say this is a quality event.
I had a sore hamstring yesterday which benefitted from a swim