Since finishing the Way I am glad to say I did not loose 'my way'. I rested well, over 3 weeks with nothing more than jogging with Munro.
Turned up at the odd Eglinton park run, just outside my PB, well, by a minute or so but if you consider I've been running over 5 minutes outside it you could say I'm getting there.
I entered and enjoyed a few local races. Girvan half marathon, first half since 2007, way outisde my PB time but under 2 hours so I was happy enough.
Cairn Table hill race, beat Tim, that is always worth a mention.
Then the Dundonald 10K, I love saying this... 1st FV35 haha. I think everyone was on holiday but I'll take it.
Then it was back to the Ultra world. I sort of tapered for the John Lucas Round Strathaven 50. I didn't have a clue what to expect from this race. I was worried, it was all on tarmac, it had a cut off time of 10 hours. Tried not to worry too much and was assured I wouldn't be pulled from the course if I missed the cut off. Thankfully I had a good day. As we are in Scotland we had good old Scottish weather. Wet & windy at the start with everyone huddled in the wee tent or their car. It did dry up for the start and the forecast was promising a wee bit of sun at some point through the day.
As always I was slow from the start, but I was not last, at any point. This for me is pretty unusual but it seemed I was not the only person with an old diesel engine that needed a few miles to get it going. The route itself was enjoyable, quiet back roads lovely countryside views. I didn't get bored and maybe thanks to my Hoka's or possibly all the weight training I didn't get aching quads by 20 miles either. The checkpoints in the small towns were excellent, lots of happy helpful folks offering cake and coffee, maybe what a cyclist needs but not a close to the wire runner. Made a mental note to cycle it next year.
The cyclist were great, all shouting encouragement. I fair noticed the silence once the majority of them had gone by.
I had a real struggle between miles 30 and 36, I found the constant long dragging hills, quite a drag. By the time I got to the 40 mile checkpoint I was out of sorts and feeling very sick. Helen & John were here doing a grand job, they didn't let me linger. T'dTFU and plodded on meeting Noanie and Elspeth about mile 43 marshaling. I had a wee moan about my woes and carried on.
I soon picked up my pace when I realised I was well within the 10 hours. Not only that, if I got my finger out I'd get under 9. The gauntlet was down and I had a goal. The miles at this point seemed never to end and at one point I was awfy sick. Think I'd had too much water. Felt slightly better after that wee mishap.
I finally got back onto the roads we had earlier set out on. I knew I didn't have far to go but the clock wasn't for waiting on me. Only one more mishap when I ran straight down the hill following the cycle signs (as per route) Apparently they had a marshal here earlier but
they had been taken off the point. A marshal who had been cycling round all day saw me and came after me, gladly I had only gone a short way but had to go back up that bloomin hill... now I was really having to fight the clock. I didn't know how far I still had to go, knew it wasn't too far as I could see the houses so just went as fast as legs with 50 miles in them could go. Wayyhay finished in 8hrs 54. After all the worrying and fretting!!
Now I'm excited about the G24. This is a great race, well for me it's a run. I can't see how it's possible to 'race' for 24hours but I will enjoy running it. It's also the start of my annual leave and our wee holiday in Aviemore. Only one more night shift and two lates to go. Wishing my life away here.
Other wee runs to finish the season, Pentland Skyline is looking good and I have entered Jedburgh for a 2nd year. Then it's Cross Country .. hell I just love Cross Country.
Winter training here I come.
Safe running
Karen & Munro
