Guilty, Feeble, Organisational and Motivational

Since starting my blog about running... I have spent the last 2 weeks feeling guilty about my lack of running. A key component in a running blog, I feel.

Therefore it was back to my training group on Wednesday.  After a few near vomit experiences (and that wasn't even completing the full session) I have established I'm not quite back to full fitness, or even a reasonable level of fitness. I am a pathetic attempt at an Ultra Runner.

As if my feeble attempts at training sessions were not bad enough my organisational and motivational skills have been equally rubbish.  Consequently due to said organisation skills, we never ran any of the RAW route as intended. We ran part of the WHW route instead - Milngavie to Drymen.

Quite a change of route you could say. But with lack of organisation, car issues, no prior experience of the route, a wedding the day before and bad weather forecast, the thought of trying to read maps AND run with a hangover seemed too much to face on Saturday morning.

Further to the above I also decided to have ONE drink too many (curse you delicious Babycham) at the wedding and a last minute change of plan (a drunken phone call) meant Craig and David had to come pick me up in the morning. I could have driven if I needed to. I could have. Honestly. But I enjoy being chauffeured.

ANYWAY obligatory starting picture:

2 miles in and I was ready for jacking it in.  Ever thought that once you get up and get started running you will feel better? Yes? Ever then realised that once you're actually out running that YOU DO NOT in fact feel better and spend the entire run imagining how good it would be if you had stayed tucked up in bed with a coffee and a croissant? Yes? I had 12 miles of that...

What I SHOULD have been doing:

What we were ACTUALLY doing:

Picture doesn't quite capture it, but that's them running head first into wind and rain.

I don't actually know what they were doing in this picture...I told them to pose?!

But I did it. And I'm glad I did it. I felt better once it was over. That's what you're supposed to say right?

I was swiftly back to bed to pretend Saturday morning never happened. Waking 3 hours later and feeling gre... no I can't lie when I type... I still felt miserable.

Moral of the story? Sometimes it's best not to go that early run. Stay in bed. Run later. Just do it.

At least I'm an honest runner, if not the most motivational one.

Saturday Run: 12.03 miles - 1hr 53min (Dani's Garmin link)


Lastly, nothing to do with running but I have a forum and I am going to use it.  I "acquired" the gorgeous Kelly's (bride's) bouquet at the wedding. I'm no bouquet expert but this is definitely one of the best I've seen.  It's so bright and colourful it makes me happy. So does Tequila mind you...

Bouquet makes me happy:                                            

Tequila makes me happy:

Trainers - I need new ones.

Just what it says on the tin - I need new trainers.

But I am like a WAG who's hubby has been relegated to GM Vauxhall Conference, I have no loyalty.  I have my preferences sure, but nothing that I wouldn't drop quicker than house prices in 2008 for a freebie or a sale.  I'm as deep as a puddle.

For anyone who has seen me running, the above may help explain why I may be seen wearing running t-shirts either emblazoned with holes or dates such as 1995 a 1997 on them. Why? Because I don't care.

I am the first to admit that some of these items should be laid to rest at the bottom of a bin (they are not worthy of a charity shop). But much like Tom Hanks and Wilson (the volleyball) in Cast Away I have grown worryingly attached to such manky material items. In particular my long sleeved 1997 National Cross Country t-shirt.  Picture below.

  

ANYWAY Trainers! So here is my shortlist:

Brooks, never tried Brooks but these seem suited to me. I was sold on the quote "the first choice for medium heavy to heavy runners." I feel that's me.  Most of the potholes in Glasgow City Centre are not actually from cars, but from my heavy heel strike running style.

Saucony, one of my "preferences". These Jazz Grid's were my feet's sole mates.  But 2 weeks before the Highland Fling last year in a hasty moment of taper craziness (obviously trying to fill my time), I put them in the washing machine and they shrunk and burst.  Leaving me 2 weeks to find a suitable replacement for my heart broken feet and break them in for a 53 mile race. If anyone can find these shoes online in UK Size 5 PLEASE GET IN TOUCH.

Inov8, I fall. A lot. And I hear these have great grip, but I am concerned that there may not be enough cushioning for my "medium heavy to heavy" running style. Sure I shouldn't buy cushioning and go minimalist blah blah. But sometimes you want cushioning, it's as simple as that. I want it.

 

That leads me to Hokas. Honestly, I am concerned I will fall madly in love with these shoes and forever more be looking for shoes that effectively have 2 soles. As they are so different from the traditional running shoes, I don't want to be dependant on one brand. Independent woman and all that. Do you think you can ever go back to normal shoes after Hokas? Still deciding whether I want to test this out.

And finally Nike, who hasn't owned a pair of Nikes at some point in their life? Really who? Having previously owned and loving the classic Pegasus, these trail version have got some serious appeal. Plus they have the best colours out of them all, personally.

Hmmm pickler. How to pick? Eeny meeny miny mo?

Stayed at Balmaha this weekend, no running, drinking only. Next weekend I have my friend Craig's wedding on Friday.  Wedding No.2 of 8 this year. Planning on sorting out my hangover with my friend Daniella for a 15 mile run on the River Ayr Way Race (RAW) route on Saturday. She's a newbie and this will be her first run over 11 miles. Not entirely sure of logistics or where on the course we are actually going to cover... but that's the plan so far!

Dumbarton 10K - 44.15? Yes please!

SO, this is my first blog.  I have always said I would start one and after a year of injury the last couple weeks seem like a good place to start.

My name is Heather Calderwood, also known affectionately to some as "The Flying Pig".

A not-so-quick & boring synopsis of where I am today:

Like most runners I entered into the world of Ultra Marathons after being the WHW support runner for my brother in 2010 (22hr 22min).

After completing my first (and only) ultra in April 2011 - The Highland Fling (53 mile trail ultra marathon) where I debuted as 3rd Female in 9hr 42min and also took 3rd in Scottish Champs and UK Trail Champs - not bad eh?! I ran a 10k a week later with a friend, at around 7/8k I felt something around my inner thigh and inside knee. Despite progressively getting worse and worse, I of course, plodded on.

My leg deteriorated in the weeks following the 10k, to the point I was walking with a limp. Months of physio and a MRI scan revealed severe groin and hamstring injuries. So severe that despite months of not running, the areas were still showing severely inflamed and damaged in the scan. With a hip and pelvis also out of alignment these were unable to heal.

Banished from all exercise whilst things calmed down I effectively did nothing but ate junk food and drank red wine until February 2012 when I was given the O.K to start back training. Fling and WHW Goblet glory still a possibility I threw myself back into training.  Training runs with Craig, John Kennedy and David Gow meant there was A LOT of swearing, falling, tears, snotters, percy pigs and hot baths but...I was getting there! There would be no good times but it would be do-able. The Goblet looked to be within my sweaty grasp. 2 months of running I decided I had established enough of a base fitness to return to my running group.

1.5 weeks in and my leg felt "off" one Saturday morning run.  The following Monday night's 2 mile warm up was relegated to a walk back to the carpark and hitching a lift home. Emergency appointment at physio made and banished again for 8 weeks. Give or take some weeks, and empty bottles of wine, this roughly leaves me where I am today.

Dumbarton 10K - 44.15

Despite only being back for 4 weeks and swearing to take things easy, my brother beating my Highland fling time (not enough credit is given to sibling rivalry in the sporting world) and watching the Clydebank 10k was enough to reignite my racing fire and I promptly went home and entered the Dumbarton 10k.

I had a game plan of getting to 5k and feeling good. 5k came and went and I felt great. Brilliant. So executed the next part of plan which was to push the last 5k.  This is where my lack of fitness showed.  At the 8k point I was, what can only be described as, "done in". Nearly relegated to walking I realised that if I started to walk I may not be able to start running again, therefore had not choice but to slow down last 2k.

If my face wasn't already a deep purple, I am sure my cheeks would have went a shade of red with embarrassment at my amateur move to fly past people at 5/6k, who then appeared to sprint by me at 8/9k. Training point? Learning to pace myself...again.

Even with my slow final 2k, I crossed the line in 44.15 - DELIGHTED! Not near my PB (40.24) but personally I am delighted with this result!

Medal as proof :-) 

Before I broach on novel length - I think I'll leave my first post at that!

Heather

Tester

Test post and picture :-)