Running: Marathon Ultra-Marathon & Adventure

July 15, 2015

The West Highland Way Race: Kinlochleven to Fort William

The third instalment of my 2015 West Highland Way Race experience.

Sarah was supporting me for this last section. I knew as we set out that she would definitely be taking the lead and that her quiet strength and determination would get me through it. During the decent to Kinlochleven and whilst I was in the centre I had been mentally adjusting my expectations and frustrations.  Pace had slowed dramatically and time at checkpoint was longer than I had planned.

July 15, 2015

The West Highland Way Race: Beinglas to Kinlochleven

The second instalment of my 2015 West Highland Way Race.

It took a few minutes to get going as my sore arse and elbow realised that they were not getting any sympathy or respite. More steady progress and passing a few people. Through the sheep tunnel and up the hill and just as I was approaching cow poo alley I caught my toe and down I went sliding along the track: ooft.

July 14, 2015

West Highland Way Race: Milngavie to Beinglas

The first instalment of my 2015 West Highland Way Race experience.

The West Highland Way Race (WHWR) is the jewel in the crown of the Scottish ultra marathons. It is that pinnacle that many of us aspire to. For me, rightly or wrongly, it was something that I felt I had to do to truly become a full card carrying member of the Scottish Ultra family.

May 25, 2015

From Frostbite to Sunburn – The Hoka Highland Fling 2015

No one ever really knows how a race will go for them. They will have hopes, expectations and confidence from knowing that they have trained and prepared. There will probably be a certain amount of nervousness and there will almost certainly have been the nagging doubts resulting from ‘taperitis’.

March 19, 2015

VO2 Max & Lactate Threshold: Forrest Gump to Wyle E Coyote

A new aspect has come into my life as a runner: science. Heart rate, VO2 max and lactate threshold are all things that I was aware of but never really thought applied to me, at the level I perform.  Now that I am working with Nairn at the Life Sciences Department at Glasgow University they have taken on a greater significance for me. It is through these tests that Nairn is able to measure my fitness and any improvements (or decline). They provide the basis for training advice and recommendations for race pace.

December 22, 2014

The Volcano Marathon part 3 – Marathon day (20k – 42k)

Had I been thinking straight or even thinking at all I would have realised that things were about to get a lot tougher, but blissfully oblivious I trotted along quite happily, continuing to admire the surrounding. A long gentle climb, a nice downhill and we then turned right off the track to follow another one into a valley, where we got our first sighting of Alpacas and donkeys. What more could you ask for: volcanoes, desert, alpacas and donkeys.

The 2nd instalment of my volcano marathon experience.

Title photo: Mike King. Copyright www.volcanomarathon.com

November 7, 2014

It’s November and it’s groundhog day

Hmm, I seem to have been here before?

It is early November and  there is a bed with a pile of kit laid out;  a pile assorted electronics; a folder with itineraries; insurance docs passport and currency out and a large empty  holdall on the floor.  The intended destination: Chile.

October 25, 2014

Training for Altitude – Hypoxic Training

Since I will be running at high altitude in the Volcano Marathon, and have never been at altitude, let alone run at altitude, I jumped at the opportunity to do some hypoxic training. It is not about performance or improving performance, it is simply for me to get a feel for how my body will react, and set my expectations based on how I respond.

October 12, 2014

When the wheels fall off the bus ….

I have run Baxter’s Loch Ness Marathon on 7 occasions now, and it is the marathon that I have run most frequently. Bearing in mind that this is my most frequented marathon and the law of averages, this event has provided me with my 3 best times and my worst time, and been the scene of some major highs and major lows.

October 4, 2014

Glenmore 24 race report

The Glenmore 24, is as it says on the tin, a 24 hour trail race that is run on a 4 mile forest trail at Glenmore near Aviemore. There is also a 12 hour event. It is a superbly organised event by team BaM who are also responsible for the GO33 and Great Glen Ultra. Having previously done the other events, I knew that this would a relaxed, fun and well supported event, and I was not disappointed.