Kenzie

Cheers. Yeah, I knew it was coming but I just couldn’t cope physically. More mileage in the legs and extra hill training required prior to next year’s intended attempt. Who is all taking part in the GSR this weekend? I’ll likely head over to Bellahouston Park to encourage runners. If you want a personal shout let me know your intended attire and I’ll keep an eye out for you. If I’m feeling generous I might even invest in some jelly babies or a cheaper alternative!

Cheers. I also had the combination of my right calf and left hamstring going at the same time with about 2k to go as I attempted to make a late push. A beautiful course, but very up and down (even the downhills are hard work). Yeah, I was holding back the tears at times. It was a real positive atmosphere and everyone is equal whether they take 2 and a half hours or 5 and half.

Loch Ness Marathon defeated me! All was well and looking good for a 3 hours 10 minutes finish, but a long - seemingly never ending - hill (just after Dores) after about 30k of running already was the doing of me. Disappointing as I normally excel in the hilly parts. My legs, and probably more importantly my mental state, never really recovered and the last 10k was purgatory. Finished in 3:19:37, which I’ll be positive about as it was my first marathon and it’s a notoriously challenging course. I already want to do it again, possibly do the Edinburgh Marathon also next year followed by Loch Ness again. Next up for me is the Southside6, which is hills/stairs; I’ll be taking it easy this week though. Good luck to all P&B’ers gearing up for the GSR. I intend to get out and support all runners, thoroughly enjoyed staying around encouraging runners later on today, a bit emotional at times watching people running for important causes that mean a lot to them personally. I’ll definitely be getting sponsored next time I attempt a marathon.

Cheers! Good luck for achieving a PB at the GSR. I was half considering entering after Sunday if I felt I could get a PB at it, especially with the course changes being more favourable to a quicker run, but I think entries are now closed. Only twice have I managed 20+ miles. Both times were quite hilly routes on the way out with mainly a decline to the end of the run (basically the opposite of the Loch Ness course by the looks of things). I've been focusing on getting my body used to my planned pace whilst tapering off with shorter runs the past week.

I opted for the Loch Ness Marathon this year instead of the Glasgow Half Marathon. Anyone else running it this Sunday? I’m quite looking forward to it despite not training as much as I hoped to with illness, new job and moving in with the girlfriend limiting time and energy. Aiming for sub 3 hour 15 minutes, but really have no idea what to expect for my first marathon, although I’d be disappointed not to achieve that. My main concern is setting off too fast; the first 10 miles seem to be mainly downhill with a few challenging hills later on. I have a habit of pushing too much in training runs and seem to be incapable of taking it easy, which isn’t going to work out well over 26.2 miles!

I'll likely enter next week. It’s more the spare time over the summer that makes the date suit for me. I quite enjoy running in any weather conditions. Today was about a constant incline for 5k with 20+mph winds and lashing rain coming straight at me, the way back was a bit easier mind!

Absolutely hate it. I seem to lack the ability to run much slower when restarting and keep to the pace I was at before when fitness levels were much higher, it means having to stop a few times though. Legs are constantly sore at the moment, and become stiff after sitting for awhile, despite doing a lot of stretching before and after my runs. I’ve done a few 10k-ish runs in the past week or so whilst stopping on the odd occasion. My running is a bit aimless at the moment and I really need a goal, I enjoy running but have no desire to push myself. I’m currently trying to gradually build up my fitness/motivation before creating a training program after my exams are out the way. It will be my last summer of ‘freedom’ before entering the ‘real world’; I’ve always fancied attempting a marathon and giving it a real go, so now’s my best/last chance I feel. I quite fancy the Loch Ness marathon. Anyone recommend it? I’ve read a few positive reviews online and in magazines in the past about the event as a whole. I’m a bit peeved at the GSR half-marathon date change; I might not even do it this year after really enjoying it the past two years. Any advice from other runner’s on motivation would be appreciated. I’ll hopefully have a race to train for soon and have recently rejigged my iPod. I have no issue’s about getting out into the wind/rain/cold, it’s more the pushing myself whilst out there at the moment. I also might be after a new watch, my Garmin 305 let in quite a bit of water this morning which was disappointing, hopefully once it dries it still works!

I can't remember who for (Ziggy?), but I remembered I'd let them know when the Southside6 entry comes around for this year as it normally fills up straight away. A challenging, but enjoyable, course. Link: http://www.southsidesix.org.uk/2013/02/getting-ready-to-launch/

Aye, plenty of long hills, then there are stairs at Bellahouston Park and for your ‘sprint’ finish at Queens Park. Hated it last year, but I’m glutton for punishment. The only road they closed off was at the start when exiting Queens Park, admittedly there are a few road crossings that can force you to stop which isn’t ideal. Just checked and it was mid-May I entered for this year. It filled up straight away though, probably best to sign up to their mailing list: http://www.southsidesix.org.uk/ (on the right hand side).

Doing the Southside6 on Sunday, it’s going to be torture, just as it was last year for me. Training has been almost non-existent since the GSRHM again, mainly due to a lack of free time. Any tips for trying to keep up distance running with limited time would be good? However, I attempted the same course route as last year the week after the GSRHM and shaved 10 minutes off my Southside6 time, they’ll likely be back on now and then some! The race is basically running through the 6 main parks in the Southside of Glasgow, link to the route: http://www.southsidesix.org.uk/the-race/the-route/

Yeah, that was my 2 seconds of fame, Sky+ recording failed so had to view it on iPlayer.

Yeah, I seem to recall you saying that last year on here. See you again next year!

Think that would've been me judging by our times and your start position (bash in 13290 on the marathon-photos site if you want to check, it features an action shot of a ginger guy giving me a left hook on the line, just what I wanted after running a half marathon ). I actually quite like Pollok Park (weirdo, I know), I have a few 'golden rules' for tackling hills and it seems to maintain my pace as if I'm on the flat. Quicker but smaller strides, straight back, pretend to be pulling on a rope with my arm motions and repeatedly counting to five. Well done on smashing your PB also, such a great feeling.

Had to do a bit of hurdling myself. http://www.chipresults.co.uk/Default.aspx?event=2012GSRHalfMarathon Click the 'download results as pdf' for your splits. Well done. Edit - Just downloaded it and it doesn't have the splits up. Possibly be up later as that's how it says you get them. Edit - It's 'download results as csv'.

2 seconds less insane according to official times! Well done on your PB, think I might try a parkrun sometime, never done one before. Sad to hear about a man dying, I did see a man down in a maroon jersey, but he seemed to be injured and not in any serious danger.

Hope everyone achieved their goals! Smashed home in 1:25:54 according to my watch (delighted!), I'll await the results going up to confirm time (second year running I had a safety pin failure and had to pocket my number).

Hopeful of a sub 90mins, will be gutted if I don't achieve it. I'll be wearing a QP top if anyone sees me. Good luck to all P&Bers!

Cheers, my time matches. Absouletly raging that someone with the same name as me beat me! 338th overall!

1:30:31 going by my Garmin watch. Well chuffed with my time considering my training got aborted four weeks ago after doing in my ankle ligaments. Started much faster than intended but managed to maintain it, must have been the race environment that pushed me on. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and race, reckon it will be the first of many distance races, I've got the bug. My number (and therefore my chip thingy) fell off early on, but I managed to stuff it in my pocket, I assume I'll still get my time in the paper/online (wherever it goes)? If anyone saw a flash of black and white flying by them it would've been me in my Queen's top.

Cheers. I must have been around an hour about one year ago for a 10k. I'm impressed by the improvement, I'm at the fittest I've ever been right now. I'm normally a lurker in this thread, but I enjoy it along with Gaz and your blogs, it helps with the motivation.

Have been really good with the running this week. Rewarded myself with new trainers this morning after my old ones look as if they are suffering from a gun wound. The cushioning had totally gone below my right ankle and they cut into my ankle resulting in a surprisingly large amount of blood, considering I didn't even notice until after running. They have served me well and went out with a bang. Invested in some comfy bad boys from Run4It, which was recommended before in this thread. Trying to build up to do longer runs, and doing them outside. In the past week I've done: Sunday: 34:40mins (outside) – 6.75k Monday: 20:54mins (gym) – 5k (also jogged 3.5k to 5-asides in the evening) Tuesday: 25mins (gym) – 5.53k Wednesday: 30mins (gym) – 6.66k (fartlek) Friday: 43:56mins (gym) – 10k Sunday: 54:50mins (outside) – 12.25k Monday: 19:59mins (gym) – 5k (will be jogging to 5-asides in the evening) Delighted with my 20 minute 5k this morning, I laughed when a mate said he could do it about a month or so back. Had kind of set that as a target ever since. Really enjoyed the beast of a Sunday run and I really want to have the motivation to keep doing them. I find it much easier to go to the gym, but my membership is up at the end of the month and I can't afford to renew. I will badly miss it, it has helped me shift almost 2 stone. I've got a track nearby and I'm going to plan some routes in my local area for a bit of variety. Hopefully that will help keep me interested and motivated.

Aye, been to a few Milburn gigs before, always great! Listening to the new album just now, not that impressed, hopefully they don't mainly play the new songs.