Today’s run was a bit of a disaster. We set out to do a half mile warm up, a fast mile, and a half mile cool down. When we reached the half mile mark, I set off like a hare out of a trap (well, for me. Normal speed for most), thinking I was doing some sprints. After 30 seconds, I remembered that I was supposed to sustain my pace for a mile- not. a. chance.
I’d set off so fast that my heart rate was crazy, so I had to do a short walk to bring it down. And to shout at myself for being so daft! I set off again for the last 3/4 mile, at a more sensible speed!
@TheWelshWookie had a great run- he ran a great mile!
This arrived in the post today:
I’m so excited! This year’s Great Scottish Run has only two start waves: green and pink. We’re in the green wave, which goes first. I wonder if that’s because us slowbies need a head start? Surely I’m not in the faster wave?
Tonight, I’ll be delving into this:
It’s the long awaited sequel to The Shining! I re-read The Shining on Saturday, so I’m ready to get stuck right in 😀
Today’s Stats:
Run: 2 miles, 1 mile run in the middle
Time: 19:45
Trainers: Lunar Racers
Weather: cloudy, and still warm. Might be my last vest run of the year!
I listened to a Jillian Michael’s pod cast again today, instead of music 🙂
Today’s Life Lesson: Spread sheets are sources of pain and torture.
I don’t know where it has come from, but I had one of those runs today: a great run! 😀
@TheWelshWookie and I headed out tonight, and I’ll admit that my head wasn’t really in it. But I got my trainers on, and headed out the door. Despite still having a cold, I managed to run with only two stops. Once at mile two to use a tissue (I can’t run and blow my nose at the same time- too much co-ordination required!) and once to take a picture of this wee guy:
@TheWelshWookie told me it’s a slow worm. It isn’t slow, and it isn’t a worm. Every day’s a school day! 😉
Tonight, I’ve been thinking about potential runs for next year, as we only have one half marathon booked so far for 2014: the RnR Madrid. So far, I think I might sign up for a Spartan Sprint, and maybe a Tough Mudder. We’ll see how my trail run and zombie night run go first, though!
Meanwhile, I’ll content myself with reading my mag, that arrived today:
Today’s Stats:
Run: 5 miles, slow but with negative splits 🙂
Time: 53:25
Trainers: Lunar Racers. These felt great!
Weather: cloudy, but surprisingly warm
I listened to a pod cast again, instead of music today!
Today’s Life Lesson: never argue with an idiot. People watching can’t tell the difference.
It’s been a much more active day here than it was yesterday.
Today, we’ve been to church, done the grocery shopping, been for a run and spent time at the Harbour for the Music Festival. So, we’ve enjoyed both a Sunday running session and a Sunday music session 😉
After our lazy day yesterday, I thought I’d better pull up my big girls (running) pants and head out the door. The run was not pretty: I kept stopping to blow my nose, my pockets ended up stuffed with used tissue (yuk) but, I did it. I ground those four miles out!
After a spot of lunch and a shower, @TheWelshWookie and I walked back down to the harbour, to enjoy a couple of beers, and listen to the bands playing at the quay today. It was a great afternoon: it stayed dry, and the music was brilliant. Are there many villages with free music, cheap beer and street parties this weekend?
Tonight, we have a dilemma: watch football or the new Series of Downton Abbey: which should we tape?
Today’s Stats:
Run: 4 miles, easy run
Time: 42:25
Trainers: Lunar Fly GTX
Weather: cloudy, but surprisingly warm
I listened to a pod cast for the first time in months, instead of music today!
I know I’ve said before that I’m lucky to live in a small village that has lots of events, which benefit locals and tourists, too. Well, this weekend is no different, as it is the Tarbert Music Festival!
Although we have lived in the village for almost six years, we have always been away for this weekend, except for the 2011 event, when we were able to stay home, and go to the music festival. We had a great time! Each of the pubs and hotels had different bands on during the day and evening, and there was a large marquee at the pier, with live music and a bar. It was fantastic!
This weekend, we’re also home and so we’re hoping to see some of the bands this year.
Here’s the schedule, as  it stands at the moment:
I’d mentioned earlier in the week how pleased I had been when runningtoherdreams nominated me for the Shine On award. My first reaction was delight; my second was, fab, what is it? Being new to the blogging world, I had no idea that such awards existed, but now I do, and I’m delighted to have received this from runningtoherdreams: thank you! If you haven’t visited her blog, you really should: I’m now addicted to looking for hearts in nature while I run, but I think they hide from me!
The rules for this blog award are simple:
1. Visit and thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Acknowledge that blogger on your blog, and link back.
3. Share seven random, interesting things about yourself.
I’m not sure if any of these things are interesting- you can judge that for yourself!
1. I’m left handed
2. I can drive a fork lift truck
3. I can read ancient Latin and ancient Greek
4. I’m a synesthete
5. I have an addiction to handbags
6. I can tap dance
7. I’m learning Spanish
4. Nominate up to 15 bloggers for the Shine On Award, provide a link to their blogs in your post, and notify them on their blogs
Today, I was at a networking event in Glasgow. As I left the house this morning, still half asleep, I keyed the post code into my sat nav, and I set off without thinking too much about where, or what, the venue was. It turns out that this was the venue:
It’s the Emirates Arena, one of the brand new facilities built for the Commonwealth Games, being held in Glasgow next year.
And do you know what venue is located within it? Go on, have a guess….. I’ll give you a hint…
Oh wait. Today’s post title gives it away!
Yip- the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. Our event was held in a room overlooking the velodrome itself, and it looked pretty impressive! I didn’t even think to take a picture though.  I was obviously too busy gossiping networking 😉
@TheWelshWookie and I are going to enter the ballot for tickets at the weekend- we have an idea of which sports we fancy watching, so we’ll see what happens.
So, I headed home feeling inspired, and went for a six mile run. Unfortunately, after 4 hour’s driving yesterday and 5 hour’s driving today, I had lead-legs, but the final mile was fast, at 9:17! 🙂
Today’s Stats:
Run: 6 miles: 2 steady, 2 with lead-legs, 2 quick
Time: 1:02:58
Weather: Sunny and warm
Trainers: Nike Lunar Glides
First Running Track Today:
Today’s Life Lesson: remember to take photos when you go somewhere interesting! Doh!
Have you ever unexpectedly ended up somewhere before?
Today has been one of those days….. and so I arrived home thinking…..
So I did! But it was grey, and wet and windy out, so @TheWelshWookie and I got thoroughly soaked. It felt great!
There’s only really one word that can be used to describe today’s weather: dreich.
I took a couple of pictures, just so you could see the village in the rain:
I probably had too much fun, stomping through these on my way around the harbour:
Today’s Stats:
Run: 4 miles
Time: 43:26 slow
Weather: Dreich!
Trainers: Nike LunarFly GTX
@TheWelshWookie’s first Running Track: he listens to the same playlist every day, so it is always
Today’s Life Lesson: sometimes, no matter how hard you try to convince someone that they need to listen to what you are actually saying, they just cannot hear it- they subconsciously choose not to.
We’ve made it to Thursday, and another weekend is almost upon us! Tonight, I arrived home later than planned, and not really in the mood for a run. But, I manned up, and @TheWelshWookie suggested that we try a new route. Instead of doing the usual out-and-back, he suggested we do the Big Glen, which is 4.5 miles, followed by a final half mile at the harbour.
I knew that it would be a little more hilly than usual, but I thought- why not?
We headed out, through the village, north along the A83 towards Lochgilphead. Although I drive this way most days, and I’ve walked it a few times, I’ve never run it!
We ran along the main road for just over 2 miles. The first mile or so is uphill, with some undulation over the second mile. I stopped to take some pics:
At the bottom of the hill, just at Stonefield Castle, we turned off, looping back towards the West Loch. The first half mile or so was uphill, but after that, the next mile is all downhill. I loved it!
And along the head of the West Loch.
As we ran back towards Tarbert, there’s one nasty, wee steep hill: but we ran up it!
As we reached the A83 heading back into Tarbert from the south, I stopped to take some pictures of the deer:
And a wee video clip too:
Here’s a map of the run:
It’s lovely to have a shake-up once in a while!
Today’s Stats:
Run: 5 miles
Time: 56:20 – I kept stopping to take pics!
Weather: Cloudy and cool
Trainers: Nike LunarFly GTX
Favourite Running Track Today:
Today’s Life Lesson: what people tell you sometimes needs to be checked, to see if it meets with reality…
Saturday was a girl’s day out with my sisters and my mum: we hit the town, with a trip to Glasgow’s West End, and had tapas at Cafe Andaluz. It was amazing!
Sunday was KAD’s 5th Birthday party. Since the weather was brilliant, we spent the whole day outside, and had a ball. I thought you might like to meet the Magnificent Seven, since I’ve been talking about them all week:
There were presents….
And cake:
And good fun:
As well as some more quiet moments:
I also won a comp this weekend, over on RunEatRepeat and I’m so pleased! It’s an identity bracelet for runners, and I’m planning to order it tonight. It’s from CrossTrainID so I’m heading over there now to take a look. 😀
Today, it’s back to training. Six weeks to go until the Great Scottish Run 10k, and so the Nike Training Plan has begun, with a 3 miler. Bring it on!
Today’s Stats:
Run: 3 miles, and it felt good to be focused again!
Time: 32:22, nice and slow
Weather: Cloudy with some sunshine; warm
Trainers: Nike Lunar Glides
Favourite Running Track Today: one of my PowerSongs
Today’s Life Lesson: sleep is a precious commodity….
Positives: great course, well organised, good & supportive marshalls, fab t-shirt
Negatives: unpredictable weather!
This race was the first ever Tarbert 5k & 10k event, and given that it is my local village run, I was really looking forward to it, as well as being a little anxious as I knew the course would be a challenge!
@TheWelshWookie headed out early, to open the school grounds as a car park for visitors, and to check that the tape was still intact, marking out the running route around the area he was marshaling- part of the first trail run, behind Stonefield Farm & Coffee Shop. I had my gear all laid out and ready:
That meant that I had plenty of time to get ready, and pose…
I planned to head into the village to support the 5k runners, but I do not know what happened- I lost track of time. And so I ended up running out of the door, quite literally!
As I walked past the Village Hall, I saw that it was bedecked in bunting, ready for the barbeque and party later in the day:
As I made my way along to Garvel Road, ready for the start of the race, the 5k runners were still milling about at the finish line. At this point, I was pretty envious: their race was over, and the party had begun!
I took a couple of snaps, just to capture the views, and because the weather had taken me by surprise- it was almost sunny! The rain seemed to have vanished: it had surprised a lot of runners, who were wearing long running pants and jackets!
My nervous walk along Garvel Road:
The facilities not far from the start were great: runners could use the Harbour facilities before and after the race: toilets, showers, etc. The start itself was at the end of Garvel Road. One of the first things I noticed when I arrived was that this was Serious. With a Capital S. There were loads of club runners, and runners who looked like they meant business! But I could see that there were quite a few ‘normal’ runners like me!
With about 5 minutes to go, Councillor Anne Horn gave the safety briefing- reminding us to take care on the trail parts of the course, as they would be slippery and soft underfoot. And then, almost suddenly, we were off!
As there were only 200 runners, everyone started at once. I tried to hang to the left hand side of the road, and let the faster runners past me…. there were plenty! I tried to remind myself to just go at my own pace.
Here’s the map of the race:
At the end of Garvel Road, we headed up the main road, and uphill again, over the High Road. Remember I posted a pic from up here, when I was out checking the route?
The view from the High Road
We then ran down the other side of the High Road, and headed off along Campbeltown Road towards Stonefield Farm & Coffee Shop. I knew that @TheWelshWookie was at the highest part of this section, so I was looking forward to reaching there! The route took us past the shop on the left hand side, and past the wigwams, which are available as holiday accommodation. Then, we were greeted with a sign saying: Welcome to Jurassic Park with a cartoon runner being chased by a dinosaur- that made me laugh!
The trail climbed steadily, and at this point, the faster runners were heading back down. Us slowbies were walking, or run/walking because I was knackered to let the faster runners by. We reached a cottage ruin, known locally as Maggie’s Cottage, which I thought was the turning point. How wrong I was! We still had a good distance, all uphill, to go!
Eventually, I caught sight of a fluorescent jacket, and I saw that it was @TheWelshWookie! Yay! We’d reached the top! He managed to take a snap, with me actually smiling- maybe it’s a grimace!
We then turned around, and ran back down, around the opposite side of the coffee shop. I must admit, I took it easy running downhill, as it was pretty slippy underfoot, and I have terrible balance at the best of times! At the bottom of the hill was a water stop, but I was all good, and kept going.
As we left Stonefield, we headed back down Campbeltown Road back into the village. For me, this was the part I was looking forward to – my regular run along the harbour out to the end of Pier Road, where I’m used to views like this:
At this stage, the sun really broke through, and it was pretty warm. I managed to pick off a few runners along the road. The 5K mark was just at the fish quay, which was great. I’m pretty sure that there were lots of people thinking ‘Is that all we’ve done?’
I really enjoyed my run all the way to the turning point at the end of the road, where there was a second water point. I filled up my bottle, and headed back. Why I didn’t take one of the jelly babies on offer, I will never know!
All along the route, the support was fantastic. People were out, cheering and clapping us on. The marshals, in particular, were very, very encouraging, giving me that extra boost to push on. They also had a tough job because none of the roads were closed to traffic, so they managed to cheer us by, while keeping an eye on safety.
I then reached Big Brae, which leads onto the Castle loop. After the experience at Stonefield, I knew that the fast runners would be trying to run down while us slower runners were heading up. So, I decided to play safe, and walk to the left, to let them pass more easily. But as soon as I arrived at the Castle loop, I was determined to run this part of the trail. I managed most of it- only walking a short distance up the hill on the loop. My GPS ticked off the 5th mile, and that really boosted me- I was on the final mile!
I finished off the Castle loop, headed back down Big Brae, and made my way back along the harbour to the Harbour Office. This was it- the home straight!
The support along this final part was tremendous- loads of cheering and clapping. @TheWelshWookie was waiting at the finish line, ready to take my pic:
I was so excited to finish that I forgot to switch off my SportWatch GPS! Doh! @TheWelshWookie handed me a bag of jelly beans, which I scoffed right away. I then collected my goodie bag.
Here’rs the contents of it:
I collected my medal, and headed back to cheer on the rest of the finishers across the finish line.
But, yet again, I was distracted. By some deliciously amazing home baking for the finishers- including home made tablet- pure bliss!
There was even some entertainment for the kids:
And just to prove that the sun came out:
We waited for the prize giving: well done to the winnersl! Each trophy winner received a voucher for The Gallery- lucky folks! 😀
We then headed home for a very quick change, and headed back out to the Village Hall to join in the rest of the Tarbert Harbour Authority Centenary celebrations. When we arrived, we received our ‘wages’, a copy of a salary cheque issued by the Harbour Authority 100 years ago:
That entitled us to a free drink at the bar, and free food from the barbeque! Result! Why does free beer taste so good?
i wore my new t-shirt, of course 😉
The Village Hall was really busy, with some people dressed as they would have 100 years ago:
It was a real party atmosphere, with stalls and entertainment.
It was a great day!
My Stats:
Time: 1:06:55 I finished 85th out of about 140 or so runners.
The Medal: A hand made, pottery medal, made locally:
A taste + rate / debate of gluten free dining in Glasgow Scotland. By newlyweds team The Murphy’s. Want the latest on her fashion updates too ? Join writer/ blogger @cityslickerinthestix.com
TartanJogger 