Munter

Marathon training now kicking in. Ran 31kms at a slow pace on an undulating route yesterday in the sun. Was a slow 3 hours, but good to get the distance in and also run just over 3 hours for the first time ever. My legs are dead today. I also am gaining a new found respect for anyone that completed a marathon!

1:46:02 for me which I'm delighted with as well. I started from the portaloo which wasn't the plan, but it did mean by the time I got finished there was an empty road to run down for the start! Great encouragement on route, especially the couple with some huge PA system in their garden pumping out Queens greatest hits as I ran past. Didn't notice the rain and wind after the first 5km but the marathon wouldn't have been fun in that downpour later on. Dundee half next and looking to go 1:45 or better.

Good times! All the best to those running the Edinburgh half and full marathon tomorrow. I'm in for the half, targeting anything under 1:48 which I did at the Angus half last month. Carrying a weird foot injury so might depend on that and whether the stupidly early start (up at 5.30 to get through) has an effect.

That Boston bombing dream is very strange. I can't think of a rational explaination. The amount of detail means it can't be a normal coincidence. Must be some kind of premonition. Anyway great thread and here's another classic. The Solway Spaceman. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-27391210

Dancing in the streets of Perth tonight. Great game. Well done Saints!

Get in there! My postal application for the Black Rock 5 has come through with a positive result. Delighted as missed the online application for the third year in a row. Is it 5km or 5 miles? Not that it matters much, just like the idea of the run being pretty unique and challenging with running on sand/in water. Also results in from the monikie 10km and finished 64/274 which I'm pleased with even if the time was slower than hoped. Top 50 next year!

Annoyed I missed the Black Rock entry for the second year in a row. Have sent a postal application but not holding out much hope. Looks like a really unique event with great banter so fingers crossed...

Thanks Ziggy thats excellent advice. Always helps to get a personal opinion from someone who's been there and done it! The pacing is very difficult to get right. The long run was done at what I felt was a very slow pace at the time, and really I'm not sure I could run slower. This may sound crazy but I always seem to feel I'll injure myself if I run too slow. I'm tall and a bit chunky so really feel the impact on my ankles, knees and hips if running too slow. When I occasionally run with my other half she runs a fair bit slower and this is when I get soreness and struggle to recover. I guess if I'm feeling really jaded then I know I'm doing too much too soon. Started a few core exercises like planks, sit ups and the like last night. Lots of improvement possible in that area which should help the speed and stamina, but right now my guess is that losing a stone of weight will have the biggest impact on my running. Easier said than done though. I've got a 10km a week sunday, then I'm doing the Edinburgh half later this month and the Dundee half in July. Could really do with another half in August but doesnt seem to be anything in Scotland. Surprised Aberdeen doesnt have a half - maybe an opportunity for someone to set something up? cheers again

Yeah I'm ahead of the basic training schedules you get online, but the past has shown other things pop up and sticking to them is almost impossible. So in the run up to the full marathon I'm doing half marathons as part of my plan (Angus, Edinburgh and Dundee) before the full marathon. I signed up to RunKeeper Elite yesterday and noticed that had plans so might try and keep to one of those. Seems you either run almost everyday and do shorter runs, or run less (3 or 4 times a week) and have a couple of long runs. I've been doing more of the later. 27kms took about 2 hours 40mins but I was very jaded and had to stop for a dump in Carnoustie (nice of them to have place toilet facilities at the side of the golf course!) so probably running that at around 2.30mins. Assuming I could keep going at that pace for another hour and a half I'm pretty much at the right pace to just shade under the 4 hour target. Not sure I've got the stamina TBH. What I find hard is figuring out whether to run longer, or run faster and more often. I'm thinking the answer is probably a mix of the two!

Loch Ness in September. It is my first. I'm aiming for a sub 4 hour run. Was quite confident until that long run on saturday. Not so sure now. A few folk have said once you run over 2 hours it's a new level of challenge. Certainly am going to have to get my distances up quite a bit in the next few months. Trouble is I was hoping that I'd be losing some of the extra weight by now but it isnt going anywhere. The more I run the more I'm drawn to eating bad carbs to replace the calories. What I need are some filling snack options that dont take ages to prepare, or cost the earth but which fill me without adding loads of nasty carbs.

27km this evening. I am total broken. How do people run marathons?!?

Latest from Sevco Media: Posted Today, 01:51 PM I've heard that Nerlinger has been contacted although no info yet on in what capacity. A new saviour awaits? If there are redundancies and McCoist isn't on the list I'll be shocked delighted.

This story just gets better and better. You just could not make this stuff up! What a total farce. Unbelievable, but beautiful. Now when's the next deadline?

Cheers - it's even more pleasing as I know I have a stone or more of weight to lose and with a bit more stamina from the longer training runs coming up as well I should be able to cut some more big chunks off that time. Would love to run a sub 20 min 5k but just don't think I'm made for speed!

Did the angus half today. First race getting ready for the Loch Ness marathon in september. Set myself the target of sub 1:50 and finished in 1:48 which is a PB. Was pretty pleased given the second half of the run has some nasty hills. Anyone else done the Loch Ness? Anything to watch out for?

Back in the summer of 2012 a few posters made the point that this would run and run. Quite incredible that we are almost two years on and this story rumbles on. It does seem like it could go on indefinitely now with no end of spivs lining up for their turn to fleece the stupid faithful. Just hope zombie co. survive long enough for us to give them a going over in the Ramsdens. Then another new co. and a return to division 2 for the orc hordes!

Did 19km this morning which went reasonably well. I'm running a steady 40km per week now which is good, just got to add a couple of sprint training runs in now that I've got the two longer runs a week dialed in. Where I stay is pretty hilly so all my runs from here end with a killer couple of km to finish. At stages I'm barely moving faster than walking pace. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll have developed some better muscle tone and stamina and can keep my pace steady even up those hills. First day of trying the SIS recovery shake thing after the run along with an electrolyte tablet in my drink. Might be too soon to tell but I think it has made a difference to my energy levels today. Well done to the park runners. Some of those 5km times are amazing!

cheers Ziggy. I totally cant take the gels - they make me chug! I usually take jelly beans if I need some sugar on a run. Was checking out the SIS post run shake with protein/carb/electrolytes. Quite expensive, but like the idea I can just down one of those after each run and it'll keep me right without having to worry too much. If the jelly beans don't do the job on longer runs I might have to look at other options for fueling during exercise.

I'm quite happily ramping up my distance at the moment getting ready for doing my first marathon, but before that I have a few half marathons in the summer. At the moment my training is really focused on getting at least one long run in each week (usually a saturday morning) as well as a couple of shorter runs. My training plan now has me starting some sprints/interval stuff and hills which will be fun... Anyway I'm just wondering what I should do for making sure I'm hydrated well on those long runs and have the right food for recovery? I generally dont need anything up to 2 hours running, but I'm now going longer and could do with taking some water. Should that have electrolytes in it? Some people swear by the gels but its just junk and sugar and I hate eating them on the run so would prefer to avoid. I'm looking at a protein/electrolyte shake to take as soon as I finish my long runs. Do you think this will be enough along with a normal semi healthy diet? I know everyone is different, but would be good to hear what works for you. cheers

Ran 25km this morning. Totally knackered as the second half was uphill. Feeling pretty confident I'll be ready for my first marathon in Sept.

17.5km this morning which took 1:32 Great getting up for sunrise and starting to enjoy the longer runs. Seems like the park runs are getting really popular. Dundee got another record today again. It will hit 200 soon which is getting a bit crowded I'd have thought. Maybe time for a Dundee East run as well?

Monkfish there are literally hundreds of 10kms in the UK during the year. Check out www.scottishrunningguide.com which has most of the Scottish ones listed. Good ones are Edinburgh and Glasgow at the same time as the main marathon festivals, but some of the smaller ones are fun too. I did the Forfar 10km on a whim last year and it was a fun route. Ran back home from work again today. 18km and 9 mins faster than last week so almost back to pre-crimbo pace. Pretty happy with that.

Have bought one brand new and one second hand car from Arnold Clark. No real horror stories to tell, although friends/family have had less luck. In most cases they do sort stuff out but you really have to fight for it. To be fair I have this to be the same for most garages. Now I always buy new online via a broker. Cars are bought in volume by the garages and get bonuses based on the amount they sell in a period. Therefore it might be worth more to a garage to sell you a car at cost and make their bonus, than miss the sale and therefore the bonus as well. I have bought three cars this way (using three different brokers) and I wouldnt do it any other way in future. The last car was list price £18k, I got it for £13k including upgraded extras. Full UK spec, full manufacturers warranty etc. I had to fly to London (Easyjet £45) to pick the car up and drive it back (£60 petrol) but thats no big deal when you're making such a big saving. Also screw garage finance most times its really bad terms. A 3-5 year personal loan is a better option unless you get one of the rare 0% interest deals. If you want some broker recommendations just PM me.

Itzdrk I would certainly recommend you get along to run 4it or another proper running shop and get fitted correctly if you're running regularly. I did this when I started and found I over pronate badly. Getting good fitting trainers and a pair of super feet inserts has worked wonders - no injuries in 3 years! Both run4it and sweatshop have pretty good sales on at the moment. You probably want to spend about £100 but could get something good for half that right now. Sweatshop have 50% off on Adidas for example and the mizunos I swear by are down to £65 from £125 in run 4 it. Worth mentioning most folks recommend you change trainers after about 500 miles. Hope that helps

Amazed at how mild December and January have been. Out last night for a 10km with sprints and it felt like spring time! Strength and speed coming back to pre-illness levels slowly. Cut another 2 mins off my recent 10km time, so only another 3 mins to go. Planning a long run tomorrow with hills at the end so will see how that goes. Will be signing up for the Loch Ness marathon this week so no going back after that!!