Meadows Loop - 7.5km - 54min 38sec

This was definitely a jog as opposed to a run. My legs felt ok but my right knee is giving me a bit of gip especially when I run on a left hand slope. Also my shoes are feeling tight over the bridge of the MTPJs and my left big toe joint is really sore. The laces are practically undone and still it's sore. Perhaps I'll put my triathlon laces on them.

Anyway, Edinburgh 10km next week and Dunfermline half marathon the week after. Hopefully they'll both go ok.

Balfron 10km - 1 hour 7mins 30 sec.

One word....TOUGH!

This was really difficult. Firstly I'd not run for 10 days and secondly the route was up and down and up and down. It was bloody relentless. There was nothing to be done but to put the head down, listen to the tunes, and get to the end.

I did this with Tash and Simon and although I'm glad we all finished, I'm really worried about the Dunfermline Half Marathon as I don't know if I could have run any further today. Had a great sprint finish though so was please about that.

Our times...

Tash - 59min 59sec
Me - 67min 30 sec
Simon - 76min 50sec

Edinburgh 10km next weekend.

Meadows Loop - 7.5km - 48min 20sec

I am desparate to run something faster than 10km/h so today I went out into the freezing fog of Edinburgh and really tried to push it.

Unsurprisingly my feet were aching within a few minutes and the more I lengthened my stride the more painful they became. Rubbish. So with that handicap I still tried to push on through and get a good time. Of course I was aiming for 45mins or less which will be a major accomplishment this year and towards the end of the run I felt that my pace was fast enough that I stood a chance of getting that time. However, I forgot how slow the start of the run was and when I looked at the stopwatch I couldn't help being pissed off with the time - even though it's the fastest I've run this route so far - 9.3km/h

Next time I do this short run I'm going to try for 9.5km/h. At the Balfron 10km I'll hopefully be able to eek out the remaining 0.5km/h and come in under 1 hour. That said I'm screwed for the Edinburgh 10km as there's about a million hills. Pure Pish.

Simon's Meadows Loops - 13.1km - 1:32:33

Ran down to the Meadows today to meet Simon for a run. Tried to really run flat out on the way there but my feet were hurting loads and I did the 2.7km stretch in 17min 18sec which worked out a 9.4km/h which, although the fastest pace I've run to date, was still slow and only over a short distance. Also it means there is very little chance of me doing a 10km race this year in under 1 hour which is one of my goals.

Anyway, we ended up doing 4 laps of the Meadows before I peeled off and ran back up Polworth Terrace to the flat. The overall speed was only 8.5km/h and I'm getting quite disheartened with how little that's changed over the last few months. I'm definitely putting in the miles but I just can't seem to increase the speed. Perhaps I need to incorporate different exercise too e.g. spin classes or Fart-lek. Just don't know if I can be arsed though and that's a real problems.

Also, shifting a few pounds wouldn't hurt... easier said than done when you've got a fridge full of Easter chocolate!

First Run Post Half Marathon - partially timed.

To some extent I've been dreading running again since the half marathon and the last 2 mornings that I've tried to get up and do something about that, there's been a smidgin of rain and hint of wind and that's been enough to make me go back to bed.

However, Stuart's been angling at doing some exercise for ages now and to be honest I've been putting it off as he's too fast at most things and training with him scares me. That said I agreed to go on a run with him today and the plan was he would head over to my flat and we would run from there to Arthurs Seat, round the Seat and then up to his in Braidshill.

It was too fast... and certainly too fast for my first run post-half.

My split time by the pool was 28:09 (over a minute faster than my PB at that point) and the split at the second pass of the pool was 1:12:13 (a massive 4 mins faster pace than my PB).

I was pretty spent by that point and my legs and ankles were really beginning to hurt. We ran/walk the remaining 4.5km back to Stuart's which had some horrible hills. I drank 3 pints of water when I got to his and that was a first. I've not felt that thirsty for ages and I drank far less at the end of the half.

Following a very welcome lift back to the flat I had one of the best showers ever and even now I still feel washed out. I'm happy about the times and that sort of training is what I need to improve my half marathon times and help give me a good time in the 10km races I'm doing.

By the end of the season I'd like to be able to run 10km in under an hour and get 2:15 or less for my half marathons. I think a sub 2 hour time might have to be reserved for next year!

Edinburgh Half Marathon - 2hours 28min 21sec

One down.... 3 to go!

So that's the Edinburgh Half out the way and how was it I hear you ask? Tough. There's no doubt about that and although I'm glad it's over I'm really happy that I did it.

Anyway, it started over at Meadowbank Stadium and as with all these things it took a while to get going. It was really cold so everyone was crammed inside the stadium instead of going out to the track. Eventually, the call went out that the race was due to start so we traipsed out into the grounds and froze for 20mins before eventually the croud started moving.

All to soon, the start line was upon us and with a click of the stopwatch and pre-emptive salute to the camera we were off. Within minutes Matt had opened his stride and left Arfon and myself in his wake - we wouldn't see him again until the switch-back when he must have been about a mile and a half infront of me.

By the 3 mile stage I was feeling good - bored actually. Arfon was falling behind slightly and so I was stuck with nothing but my ipod and my shoes. Till this point I'd overtaken nobody and everyone else seemed to be running faster than me including 7 army blokes that had massive packs on there back (and it would take another 2 miles before I could drop them). I grabbed a quick glup of water from the water station and threw some over my head - cause that's what they do on the telly - and squirted some glucose gel into my mouth. It actually tasted not bad. Not sure if it helped any but I felt better for eating it.

I didn't see any more mile markers for ages until I reached the Racetrack at Musselburgh. A bit of a teast that - being able to see the finish but realising you're only just over half way there as the 7 mile marker drifts by. From there till the return leg was a test of mind over matter. It was soooo tough running away from the start line knowing that I would have to run all that way back again. What made it worse was that I passed Isla's mate, Sara, and then Matt who we already on the home stretch. Matt and I had a comedy relay lucozade baton swap which made me chuckle for 100 metres or so which was light relief. About half a mile later I wished that I hadn't given Matt my remaining lucozade!!!

Soon after that I was doubling back towards the Racetrack and I couldn't be happier. It definitely put a spring in my step but unfortunately it seemed to have the same effect on everyone and the girl I'd been using as a pace maker also picked up her pace. Shortly after that I saw Arfon and we had a "high five" for encouragement.

The remainder of the race became a bit of a blur. Lots of people were walking although numbers overall seemed a bit thin on the ground. I was really disturbed by the number of folk who were doing the run/walk thing and despite running the whole way I couldn't catch some of the walkers. I guess my running pace is so slow that these freaks can out-walk me. I remember grabbing another bottle of water at about the 11 or 12 mile mark but I felt sick drinking it so just chucked it over my head and this time it made sense.

Soon the finish line was in sight for the second time and this time it wasn't a tease. I'd already done some mental arithmatic earlier on and knew that if I'd been consistant with my pace then I was going to come in under the time I wanted so seeing the line spurred me on to eek out the last bits of stamina and chop off a few more seconds.

As I approached I saw Isla and KP cheering me on and got in an opportune "high five" for the camera before putting on a pathetic final sprint over the line. Matt was waiting for me with a grin and after some well deserved juice we got a hold of our medals, bananas and t-shirts. All in all I felt good. Legs were not bad and no signs of cramp and my joints felt (and still feel) fine. Could I have run further... not sure about that but I'm happy I completed the race, running all the way with a smile on my face at the finish and surely that's the main goal of any race?

Here's the details of the race...

Applicants - 4700
Finishers (within 3 hours) - 2469

______Position___Category Position___Time
Matt:___2107_______801_________2:12:09
Zain:___2371_______848_________2:28:21
Arfon:__2431_______861_________2:41:55

Next time we've got times to beat so I guess there's nothing for it but to get back out on the road again... but not till Wednesday.

Meadows Loop - 7.5km - 50mon 44sec

This is the last run before the half marathon and it was supposed to be a short easy run... supposed to be!

Started off far too fast and that chest pain came on within seconds and lasted for a good 7 mins or so. Then my right foot started hurting and didn't really improve at all. Slowing down helped a bit but it was still there niggling away in my shoe. Before the run I checked the laces were nice and loose so I can't blame that.

I ran too quickly up Laurison Place and by the time I was on Potter Row I was out of breath and that really slowed me down round the meadows. The up hill part of the meadows were terrible because of that. Also by the time I got to Bruntsfield I had no kick for the down hill or the finish.

Happy about the time but perhaps as my last run before the race I should have taken it easier. I'm now petrified that the marathon is going to be a massive mixture of agony, tears and humiliation.

4 Days to go. Oh dear.