P&b Running Club

[BishyTON]

I've done a ten miler now and had a sore heel ankle after doing it. I'm going to do a 16km run tomorrow as my final 'big' prep and then just do a couple of wee tune ups later in the week. If my heel is still sore I might just take painkillers before the half, is that wise?

If necessary then yes. I was popping ibuprofen before GSR last year when I had a minor, but painful foot injury and it served me well.

I would probably advise against doing the run tomorrow though - you will only make the injury worse and missing a long run at this late stage will not make any difference. At most I would do a couple of miles just to keep your legs moving.

[Stellaboz]

PB of 52:13. Fairly happy considering little training due to exams past month.

Ah Socks you'll batter the full marathon mate. You're born for it!

[morrison]

If necessary then yes. I was popping ibuprofen before GSR last year when I had a minor, but painful foot injury and it served me well.

I would probably advise against doing the run tomorrow though - you will only make the injury worse and missing a long run at this late stage will not make any difference. At most I would do a couple of miles just to keep your legs moving.

Very much this.

Well done Stellaboz, happy days indeed!

Socks, you'll be fine. I think it's normal for the taper to do slightly crazy things to the mind and body. It'll come good. If it makes you feel any better, since the Edinburgh-North Berwick 20m at the start of the month, my total running amounts to another 20 miles! It's my lowest monthly mileage since December. At least I'm well rested.

As for ultras, I'm struggling to imagine an LSR where I'm going even slower than for marathon training. Fuelling'll be an even more important thing, I'd imagine.

[Socks]

Ach, I guess I will be OK - at the moment though, it just seems a hell of a long way to run when 9 miles is a struggle. But reading some more about it, there's quite a bit of comment about the second week of the taper being the bit that feels worst, so here's hoping that's the case.

I'm sure you'll manage fine as well morrison, with all the racing you've been doing recently and the decent times you've posted, form looks pretty good. Will be interesting to hear how you find this one though, after a different preparation to your last one. Looking at the Black rock results, I guess it was you that got a time of 30:18 last week - if so, you beat me by 11 seconds.

Well done Stellaboz, that's not bad going to run that on very little training.

[morrison]

Yeah, that was me, Socks. My unimaginative username from years ago makes me easy to track - keeps me honest

I've just been through the 203 photos on their website from the race; I'm not in a single one, and neither is my mate! Not that running photos are the most flattering you can take of someone.

[Scorge]

Good luck to all doing Edinburgh this weekend. I fatally hovered over entering the marathon and by the time I had the confidence to go for it, it had sold out. Oops.

morrison - I'm doing the Speyside Ultra, mid August. Didn't want to do a silly-distance one, felt that 36.5 miles was probably a big enough test as is.

The training is pretty similar to marathons, however I am rotating my weekend long runs in terms of distance so doing a fairly easy 10/11 miles one weekend, then building bigger distances on the alternative Saturday. Also sticking in a fairly sizeable mid week run at pace (7/8 miles). Next month takes in the trail/off road suraces, then after that I should be good to go barring injury....

[Cardinal Richelieu]

Doing the Edinburgh half - bit concerned about the early weather forecast but as long as there isn't a Force 10 howling in off the Forth it should be okay.

My training regime hasn't exactly been regimented. Having said that, I plan to run to work on Thursday morning (Mount Florida to East Kilbride) ... if I can do that then Edinburgh will be a doddle.

[ICTChris]

I've had a sore achilles for a few weeks and I was a bit nervous going out for a training run yesterday. I ran 15km at Crammond (three laps) but managed it OK. I didn't time it but think I did it in around 1 hr 35 minutes, which I'm reasonably pleased with. My achilles/ankle felt fine after the first few miles so I'm happy enough about it.

The fact that I'm having to run a half marathon at 8am the day after watching my team in the Scottish cup final isn't something I'd banked on though. Hey ho.

[morrison]

That's almost enough to make a County fan feel sorry for you, Chris A bit rotten not being able to enjoy a few pints today. Hope the injury behaves itself tomorrow, too.

Parkrun completed at a bit quicker than MP today, and now time to put my feet up and take in the cup finals. An excellent weekend!

Good luck all for tomorrow, have a great race.

[true_rover]

Good luck everybody for tomorrow - always seems a good atmosphere around Musselburgh for the finish.

Managed three runs while I was away in Florida for the last couple of weeks - nothing more than 4.5 miles as it was just too hot (even at 8 in the morning).

On the plus side, did pick up a new pair of orange adidas running trainers in the sales while I was out there - can't wait to test them out!

[Socks]

Well, I'm sure we're all delighted at the weather forecast for tomorrow! It seems that pretty much every year this event gets either a rotten wet and windy day or a roasting hot one. The last 9 miles of the marathon after the turn are going to be pretty tough into the wind and it looks like the half earlier in the day might get an Easterly wind which won't be too nice either. Still, all the best to everyone running.

Morrison, have a close look at photos 185-189 from Kinghorn. I thought I wasn't in any either and had another look today - I'm in one of those ones taken near the finish (and in the background of the one before) - they seem to be in sequence, so you might see yourself given you were a few seconds ahead of me.

[morrison]

No luck, Socks. It's true for Kinghorn, but I meant today!

Went out at a pace that would've resulted in a PB, and was going okay until mile 19. Then the wheels came off, and going into the wind on the way back I just concentrated on finishing. Went through halfway at 1:38:xx, and finished in a PW 3:41:15

Training's been terrible since Paris, and I think the inactivity caught up with me. I thought I could get away with it after running the sort of pace I went out at for the North Berwick run, but I've learned a lesson today. Respect the distance!

How did everyone else get on in the their respective races?

[Socks]

Ha - not just me that died on the way back then - will check the splits later, but it's very safe to say I didn't manage negative splits!

I too felt quite good til about 18 miles but heading back into that wind after the turn was a killer. I was faster than I expected, going through 16 miles in about 1:58 and as it turns out I should have been stricter at sticking to what I was aiming for, and I was a wee bit annoyed I had to walk for a couple of minutes twice near the end. My time was 3:25:58 - was aiming for sub-3:25 but not really disappointed as those last few miles were torture and I just wanted to finish. Got to be pretty happy with that for a first attempt, and I felt I was capable of improving on it.

Certainly an experience, and fulfils a long-held ambition. Really appreciated the wee chat with the folk I crossed the line with, and it seemed that all of us had a deep respect for each other - great to see. The other highlight of the day was suddenly hearing someone next to me shout '**** off wind" at about 20 miles which I think summed it up nicely for all of us! I probably mortified the mother of a young kid near the end as well with a wee sweary shout but my leg had just cramped and it was bloody sore. I'll certainly be trying the distance again, and some good lessons learned for me too.

Wouldn't be too disappointed, morrison - maybe just a race too far after all the good ones you've had recently.

Hope everyone else had a good one - will be interesting in particular to hear if Chris made it up for the start after the final yesterday!

[Thundermonkey]

How was the weather today for the marathon. I read a guy complaining about head winds in and out. To be honest, that was my experience of Edinburgh but that's just down to the course IMO.

[Cardinal Richelieu]

Half Marathon for me. Don't think I've got the wherewithal for the full bhoona...

Woke up at my burd's flat in Edinburgh at 7am. Weather grim but maybe not as bad as forecasted. The slight optimism that it might not be too bad is up the swannee once I realise I've left my running shoes in Glasgow. Mad dash to Leith Tesco to discover they don't open till 8am.

Drive up Leith Walk. Jog the remainder to the non-elite starting bit cos we're running late. I'm weighed down with a waterproof jacket that wouldn't look out of place in the Antarctic. Rain coming down in sheets. One of those situations where you wait for the other one to say "ah f**k it, let's dinghy it" never materialised, so we pressed on.

Some chap hands me a poncho which is like manna from heaven. I'm lumbered with my "fashion" trainers that flap around like clown shoes cos they're a size too big (they look nice though). Baseball cap down low cos I'm a speccy b*****d and can't see in the rain. It didn't rain from start to finish despite the 96% chance of rain forecast all week. All extraneous rain-deterrent devices pocketed once I realise it's actually perfect conditions for running.

2k in and I already need a piss and a shite. Opt for the former and dive into a pissoir and bake the main course for the next 10k until the need for a number 2 vanishes. But by then, my ill-fitting shoes were my number 1 priority - I thought my middle toe was going to fall off.

Ignoring the nagging pain in my right foot and the impending rash between my inner thighs, I battered through Portobello and Musselburgh, and was actually close to enjoying it when I reached the bit where you see the faster folk running the other way. I thought it would be a Km or two before you came back, but it went on forever. Every time you thought you were about to do a U-turn it was a false summit. I can only imagine what the marathon runners were going through.

Got to the last few hundred metres with the big metallic slippy bit. Nearly came a cropper a couple of times cos my shoes had no grip but sprinted the last bit ... lots of people laughing at me which was probably the gormless look on my face, but got there in 1:51:18... 15 seconds more than last year at the GSR.

The journey back to Leith took longer than the run. But I enjoyed it (you should see my inner thighs - pics on request), but I've no idea how anyone could do that twice. Kudos.

[Ken Dodds Dads Dead Dog]

4.16 for me in my first ever marathon. Not too disappointed as I've not long had a knee op. Wanted to stop and walk near the finish but didn't want to look stupid in front of the crowds so had to keep going. I was praying I didn't get cramp in front of everyone. Seen a few folk puking. At least I wasn't as bad as them.

[ICTChris]

I finished the half in 2:15:09. I had put 2 hours 15 as my expected finish but I had hoped to hit 2 hours - the issues I had with training put paid to that. I really enjoyed the first ten miles or so, it was a great atmosphere, the weather was fine, rained a bit at the start but that eased off. No wind which was a bonus. The last three miles were a struggle, the bit where you run down and then back is soul destroying! I also got a really sore shoulder for some reason? Wore my Caley top which got a few mentions, saw another guy wearing a shirt as well, top man.

Considering entering another half to try and better my time. Bit disappointed there isn't a half for the Loch Ness Marathon in September.

[Cardinal Richelieu]

I finished the half in 2:15:09. I had put 2 hours 15 as my expected finish but I had hoped to hit 2 hours - the issues I had with training put paid to that. I really enjoyed the first ten miles or so, it was a great atmosphere, the weather was fine, rained a bit at the start but that eased off. No wind which was a bonus. The last three miles were a struggle, the bit where you run down and then back is soul destroying! I also got a really sore shoulder for some reason? Wore my Caley top which got a few mentions, saw another guy wearing a shirt as well, top man.

Considering entering another half to try and better my time. Bit disappointed there isn't a half for the Loch Ness Marathon in September.

Good work. I've got a sore shoulder too - equally clueless how I managed that.

I ran in my Dukla Prague Away Kit, which a couple of people mistook for a Motherwell top.

[Blootoon87]

Well that was my first/last marathon. Wanted under four hours but ended up with 4.03.xx. Happy enough with that, those last 8ish miles were absolute torture with the wind. It really is a stupid distance to run!

[Socks]

Well done folks, good efforts there from everyone.Glad I took today and tomorrow off work - I expected to be sore but not quite as bad as this!

Chris, Inverness half is in March. If you want to try another one this year Scottish Half in September (course is around East Lothian) or GSR in Glasgow in October probaby your options.