ArabGaz

Tynecastle's Gorgie stand has a small section at the bottom that can be lifted up with some sort of hydraulics gear to allow hospitality punters to view the remainder of the stadium. It took me about 3 drunken visits to the (superb) hospitality suite in the Gorgie stand to realise that there wasn't simply just a window there. From the inside:

Apologies if it's been posted previously but Broomfield Park's pavilion was always an odd sight on the old Sportscene back in the day.

The pitch at Lochee's ground is something else as well. The far left corner from that stand must be about the same height as the crossbar at the same end.

It is supposed to be a flat, quick course but to be honest I found it to be a wee bit hillier than I was expecting. If my memory is correct there is a wee brute of a hill round about the 15/16 mile mark just as you cross the Wales - England border. It's not long but it is steep and it was one of those climbs that can sap your legs for a minute or two. Fortunately the ascent is in a village with crowds so you'll hopefully be able to feed off them. Also, right near the end (maybe 23 miles in) there is a long, drag up a street in Chester. It's not steep but at that stage it was enough to make my have a little cry to myself. The last mile and a bit running along the river and then back into the racecourse is magic though. Kind of wish I was going again just for the finish.

I ran the Chester Marathon last year and i'm fairly certain you'll have a blast regardless of your time. The atmosphere on the day is fantastic.

That's really handy, BishyTon. Cheers for that. What sort of reps would you recommend for a 10k? I'm kind of struggling just now with my speed/times as i've just been plodding along at the same steady pace. I'm going to have start throwing a few quick reps in the mix as well to get my legs properly going again.

I think with an endurance sport like running the mental side is a huge factor in performance as well. There are times when it's going to hurt but you'll just have to find a way to keep your legs moving and power on through. Looking for a wee bit of advice on trainers. Anybody use Saucony? I know they are very popular but i've always used Adidas (Supernova Sequence) so i'm slightly wary of changing brand. I generally buy through the Sports Shoes website and they have some cracking deals on but nothing on my trusty Adidas (or anywhere else online for that matter). Kind of trying to decide whether to change up or spend a bit extra and go with what I know.

I've been a bit lazy the last 4 or 5 weeks and done the square root of nothing. Went out for an hour today and ran a rather decent (for me) 7.6 miles in a howling wind. Always seemed to be a headwind as well so i'm completely weatherbeaten now!! Has anybody ever been to a Jog Scotland session before? I need to find a bit more motivation so i'm thinking about signing up for a block of sessions.

Garmin 110 for me although i've had it for a few years and it rarely picks up my hrm nowadays. Oh, and I have mine linked to Strava as well.

That's a really good effort Stu for a relative beginner. To be honest when I was training for my marathon I just tried to run an extra 5 or 10% each time to build up my distance so I personally don't see any issues with your method. Other, more seasoned runners might have better advice but I would keep at it for a few more weeks and everything will click into place. You'll be chewing up 6.5 mile runs without even noticing. Honest!

Aye, but I find it's a different kind of pain. Once you get used to it you see how far you can push yourself and in a weird way it's quite enjoyable when you reach breaking point. On your first effort though you're really just trying not to be sick.

The instructor will tell you when to put the resistance up (or down). These classes are excellent for fitness but spin can be a fairly brutal experience if you haven't been before and go off too hard. I'd take it easy-ish for the first few classes then build up from there to feel the benefit.

Well done all. The distance some of you have ran this year is a wee bit mind-boggling. I finished my running year yesterday on 501.38 miles after a brutal 6 miles in the driving wind and pishing rain. I'll probably give tomorrow a miss but I hope to get out again on Sat and Sun to kick start my year. All the best for the New Year!!

A wet, windy and ultimately miserable 10.2 miles at lunch time today. I really struggled and i'm fair chuffed with myself for not throwing in the towel after a couple of miles. 24.8 more miles to reach the magic 500.

5 miles on the treadmill last night takes me to 455 for the year. It's going to be tight but i'm determined to reach 500. I'm on holiday from tomorrow so no excuses (despite the weather forecast looking fairly grim for the next week). Has anybody set their goals yet for next year? I'm hoping for..... Sub 41min 10k (pb is currently 42:07) Sub 3:40 marathon (pb is 3:49) 600 miles for the year. Should be achievable if I stay clear of injuries and get my arse into gear from the off in January.

Went out for a brief 4.5 miles tonight which was my first run in about 3 weeks. I was out Fri, Sat and Sun on the booze so struggled like hell and my heart rate was through the roof for what would normally be a gentle trot. I wasn't going to bother again until January but checked Strava (on the back of Co. Down Hibee's post) and I was on 445.5 miles for the year. I think i'd regret not reaching 500 for the year so i'm going to force myself to get out there.

If my memory serves me correct, that'll be the episode with Jez on jury duty and yes, it is a belter.

I've actually quite enjoyed the weather for running in. Went out yesterday for a 6 miler and then another 7.5 miles tonight. Both in the pissing rain but with very little wind and an ideal temperature. They were actually my first 2 efforts since the Chester Marathon 5 weeks ago but I felt really comfortable. I don't have any definite plans, perhaps the Wimslow half in April and Edinburgh at the end of May, but it's great just getting out and keeping the legs ticking over without having to worry about peaking for a race.

Yeah, I use mine all the time. I try to run to a low, steady heart rate (140 - 150 bpm) for my long runs rather than, for example, going out and trying to run consistent 8 minute miles. I find that when my heart rate stays within that certain bpm target, my pace becomes very consistent. I'll also find it to be a good indicator of my fitness level because if you're on form you can run at a faster pace whilst still keeping your heart rate in your target zone. I'm sure there are purists out there who would rather run on feel but frankly, I need all the help I can get!! I'd say it's well worth a go though to see how you get on with it.

I do all my runs without music and don't mind it at all. Saying that, a lot of my longer runs are out on country roads with no pavements so I have to listen out for traffic on blind corners. I found that when I used my ipod I couldn't really control my tempo and would run to the speed of the music so my pacing would be all over the shop.For monitoring my pace I use a Garmin 110 (with hrm) and i'll upload all my data to Strava.

Cheers guys. I've kind of targeted 20 miles as being fairly achievable and then i'll "only" have the 10km to negotiate after that. I've got my gels sorted and there will obviously be plenty of water stations so i'll be ok on that side of things. I'm in the 3:30 wave but i've had a few niggles so that will tough to achieve but reckon if I hang at the back at the start and don't get caught in the initial stampede I should be fine for a reasonable time. A possible plus point for me is that where I normally run is fairly hilly whereas Chester is quite flat so hopefully that will help me come the latter stages.

Just had a quick read through this forum and there are some cracking times by some of you guys. Very good going. Has anybody ever run the Chester marathon before or taking part next Sunday? It's going to be my first attempt at the distance. A couple of weeks back I managed an 18 mile effort. My intention was to run 20 miles but by 16.5 I was gubbed and by the time I reached 18 I just had to throw in the towel so I am quite concerned about making it all the way. I did manage 15 miles on Saturday though which was quite comfortable so maybe there will be hope for me yet!!! Can anybody, from raceday experience, advise how much the occasion and the adrenaline helps you out?