Tag: rain

Monday Motivation

Monday Motivation

by TartanJogger ♥ 14 Comments

I don’t know where it has come from, but I had one of those runs today: a great run! 😀

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@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:

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@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:

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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.

Have you booked any runs for 2014 yet?

Sunday Sessions

Sunday Sessions

by TartanJogger ♥ 2 Comments

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?

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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!

Today’s Life Lesson: just do it, as they say…!

Football or Downton Abbey?

Tarbert Music Festival

Tarbert Music Festival

by TartanJogger ♥ 6 Comments

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:

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And you can find the festival website here

I’m not sure how much running I’ll be doing- but there will be plenty of toe tapping and, dare I say it? Dancing?

Today’s Stats:

Run: 5K, easy run

Time: 31:33

Trainers: Lunar Fly GTX

Weather: drizzly. Cool, but not cold

First Running Track of the Day:

Today’s Life Lesson: not everyone appreciates Christmas scented plug-ins in September…

Do you have any weekend plans?

A Ridiculous Run

A Ridiculous Run

by TartanJogger ♥ 12 Comments

I’ve entitled this post ‘A Ridiculous Run’ for two main reasons:

1. Some of the hills we tackled today were so steep, it was ridiculous:

2. I went out, looking nothing short of ridiculous!

After such a lazy day yesterday, I was looking forward to getting out in the fresh air, and blowing away some of the cobwebs. Also, I wanted to run, in honour of fellow running blogger 278toBoston’s first ever marathon, which he is running today.

@TheWelshWookie had a complete moment of madness, and suggested that, instead of running our usual route, we should go off road, and run one of the trails behind Tarbert Castle. It sounded like a great idea!

I started with an espresso, though:

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We decided to run with camelbaks, instead of using hand held water bottles. And it was raining. So I’m sure that I’ll have drawn some weird looks!

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Instead of heading straight for the Castle, we decided to tackle my nemesis from the TT10K: Big Brae. So, we did. And we ran up most of it. Result! We then ran/walked the blue route, which takes in some of the steeper hills along the trail.

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We ran up the hills, and walked some of the straight and downhill sections, to make the most of the day. It was tough, but in a good way!

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Some of the viewpoints along the way give some great views down towards the village.

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We ran past the Millennium Cairn, where is was particularly muddy today, due to the rain. It actually felt great, to be caked in mud for a change! Weird, huh?

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I need to admit that the final mile and a half was virtually all walking: the downhill sections were pretty steep, and I don’t have great balance at the best of times. But, we got out there, and we did it!

And the heather was blooming:

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Here’s a map of my run today:

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When I returned home, I caught up on 278toBoston’s progress: marathon done in 4:14:32 – amazing! Well done, what an achievement! I hope that some of the cooler air from here made its way over to you 😉

Today’s Stats:

Run: 4 mile trail run/walk

Weather: cloudy, with both rain showers and sunny spells

Trainers: LunarFly GTX +3

Favourite Running Track of the Day:

Today’s Life Lesson: sometimes the tough runs are the ones you enjoy most!

What do you find yourself thinking about when you run?

Dreich!

Dreich!

by TartanJogger ♥ 4 Comments

Today has been one of those days….. and so I arrived home thinking…..

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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.

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I took a couple of pictures, just so you could see the village in the rain:

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I probably had too much fun, stomping through these on my way around the harbour:

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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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QEPrDBMqJ0

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.

What’s your favourite weather to run in?

Lucky Number 7

Lucky Number 7

by TartanJogger ♥ 5 Comments

Last night, I met my new nephew for the first time, and he is a cutie! I can’t believe he is 9 days old already…. but he seems so tiny compared to his brothers and cousins!

I’ve been describing my nephews over the past week as our very own rugby sevens team:

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I had to post a pic of the Wales Rugby Sevens team, for @TheWelshWookie!

I now have seven nephews on my side of the family, and we also have a beautiful, talented, wonderful niece and a fun, entertaining, brilliant nephew on @TheWelshWookie’s side, too.

There are lots of good things that come in sevens. There’s the Seven Wonders of the World:

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And the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World:

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Of, course, I could compare them to the seven dwarfs….

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And my favourite- Seven Harry Potter Books 😉

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There’s also:

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As well as:

  • Seven Samurai
  • The Magnificent Seven
  • The Seven Sisters
  • The Seven Hills of Rome
  • Seven Sacraments
  • Seven Seas
  • Seven years of luck

Ok, so we’ll gloss over this one:

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Today’s Stats:

Run: 2 miles

Time: 19:55 woo hoo!

Weather: Sunny

Trainers: Lunar Racers +3

Favourite Running Track of the Day:

Today’s Life Lesson: When writing, remember to save, back up, save, back up…

Can you think of any more groups of seven? Which is your favourite?

Birthday Celebrations!

Birthday Celebrations!

by TartanJogger ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Today is @TheWelshWookie’s birthday- altogether now:

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We celebrated with some dinner in the cafe.

Followed, of course, by a glass of vino and a dip in the hot tub 😉

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It’s also my nephew’s 5th birthday today- a big

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to you too, KAD! xxx

It’s Birthday Overload here!

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Today’s Life Lesson: check the zip of your jeans before you leave the house…

Have you treated yourself today?

Raining in Rothesay

Raining in Rothesay

by TartanJogger ♥ 3 Comments

Today, I found myself in Rothesay. But it was raining.  Bleugh!

The sun was, however, breaking through the cloud over Portavadie first thing this morning:

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I have only ever been to Rothesay once before, and I was hoping to see the Isle of Bute in glorious sunshine, but it wasn’t to be.

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The trip involved two ferry journeys:

1. From Tarbert to Portavadie

2. From Colintraive to Rhubodach

On the drive from Colintraive to Portavadie, I pulled in quickly at Tighnabruaich Viewpoint to take a quick photo, but headed off again pretty quickly to catch my ferry home.

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Maybe my third trip- whenever that may be- will be sunny!

Today’s Stats:

Run: 2 miles, and it felt pretty good

Time: 20:09

Weather: Glorious sunshine

Trainers: Nike FreeRuns +5

This was not part of my running playlist, but it has been stuck in my head all day….

Today’s Life Lesson: take two photocopies of everything. One will go astray….

Did you use any public transport today?

A Terrific TT10K

A Terrific TT10K

by TartanJogger ♥ 6 Comments

I did it! I ran the TT10K, and I loved it!

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I survived my third run in 12 days!

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The weather was very kind to us: it did, unexpectedly, involve some sunshine.

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Yes, I found both off-road sections pretty tough, as they were both uphill, but what an amazing sense of achievement!

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I’m pretty pleased with my time, considering the course, and I was definitely helped along by the really positive marshals and fantastic support.

We’ve been to the Village Hall, to take part in the Tarbert Harbour Authority Centenary Celebrations, and partied with free beer and BBQ! I wish all races ended like this!

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I’ll post a full race report soon, but for now, the hot tub is calling; and I actually have a mud-related blister to tend to (there’s a new experience for me!).

Who’s up for next year? You’d be crazy to miss this one from your calendar!

Today’s Stats:

Run: 10K race: hilly, part road and part trail

Time: 1:06:00 or so. Forgot to end my run on my Nike+ SportWatch GPS at the finish line!

Weather: Cloudy with sunny spells, warm and humid

Trainers: LunarFly +3 GTX

Motivating running track today: This track played just as I got onto the Castle Loop- it’s one of my Power Songs. I LOVE it. And I needed it!

Today’s Life Lesson: Even older trainers and socks can still cause blisters, especially when caked in mud!

What was your first off-road run?

TT10K Tomorrow!

TT10K Tomorrow!

by TartanJogger ♥ 2 Comments

It’s the night before is the inaugural Tarbert 10k run, the TT10k.

It’s also Friday.

It’s also sunny, which wasn’t forecast.

Woop Woop!

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@TheWelshWookie and I went for a short run, mainly to look like runners when we visited the registration marquee because it was such a lovely evening, and I wanted to have a wee stretch/limber before tomorrow.

I took some pictures, just to show how gorgeous it is tonight. The forecast for tomorrow is torrential rain and high winds, so I wanted something to compare with my photos tomorrow!

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We then went to the registration marquee, and I collected my bib for tomorrow:

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It was lovely, being greeted by the ‘caution, runners’ signs on my way home!

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I’m now organised, and ready for tomorrow.

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Bring it on!

Today’s Stats:

Run: 2.5 miles, slow and steady

Time: 27:32

Weather: Glorious sunshine

Trainers: Lunarglides

First running track today: this will get stuck in your brain!

Today’s Life Lesson: if you see me standing in a queue at the supermarket, join a different queue. I’m likely to be in the slow moving one.

What’s the weather forecast for you tomorrow?