Hamilton 9 Mile Training Run - 11/12/11

Time was 1hr 05mins 50secs i.e. 7mins 19secs per mile with an average heart rate of 145bpm.

Happy with that!

Hamilton Harriers 5K Christmas Handicap Race

Time today - 19mins something. No watches worn for this race, as there was a nominated time prize on offer. I am happy with that time, since that is the first time in nine weeks that I have run at that intensity. I have lost some fitness, but hopefully not too much.

Heart Rate Readings - Too High

I have now completed around four or five 10K training runs in around the 44 or 45 minute mark.  The one thing I have noticed is that my heart rate reading is averaging around 152 bpm.  Prior to injury I was covering that distance in roughly the same time, but with at least 10 beats per minute lower i.e. 142 bpm.  I remembered it took a while to steady my heart rate the last time I was out injured.  This tells me I am nowhere near ready too return to racing.  My aim for 2012 is to curtail my races to around twelve or so.  One a month seems reasonable and hopefully this will avoid the lengthy injuries I've incurred over these last three years.

16/11/11

My return to running - I used the 'medicinal workouts' as proposed by Parker in his article on calf muscle 'heart attack' i.e. calf muscle micro-tear.  Most people, like me, think they have a calf muscle pull, when in fact, they have something totally different in a condition known as calf muscle 'compartment syndrome'.  It takes a while to recover from this frustrating. but serious injury.  The protocol is rest - massage - small steps back to running'.

Three weeks out with a calf injury (again!)

Calf injury occurred on Dechmont 10K Training Run on 29/9/11.  That's three weeks with almost no running.  Overuse has caused my left calf to tighten, thus preventing me from running and now I have re-injured it on three separate occasions.  As of today I've now missed three races that I had pre-paid.  My focus now is the 2012 London Marathon.  Slow return to running is now my only option - missing it so bad!

Last 10K training run before St Andrew's Hospice 10K at Strathclyde Park.

Oh Dear - disaster has struck.  I have pulled/torn my left gastrocnemius/soleus (calf) muscle.  I won't make Sunday's 10K race i.e. the St Andrew's Hospice 10K. 

Bah Humbug!!! :-(

Half Marathon Training - 25/9/11

I ran this to 'bag' more mileage in my legs for next week's Kirkintilloch Half Marathon, but unfortunately my left calf felt a bit strained near the end. I ran it in 1hr 36mins with and average heart rate of 144bpm - quite happy with that!

Glasgow Parkrun # 139 - 24/09/2011

Official time was 18mins 43secs and I finished in 9th place.  I felt reasonably comfortable throughout this race.

City of Stirling 10K Road Race (Scottish Athletics 10K Championships and Stewarts Road Race Grand Prix Race 4) - 18/09/11

Time 37mins 10secs (chip). Very happy as this constitutes a PB for me! I was caught by around three runners in the last kilometre e.g. Robert Rogerson, Julia Henderson (not the girl in the picture below) and someone else. Although my chip time compares favourably with theirs. There was a top quality field, since it was in fact the Scottish 10K Road Running Championships. Ross Houston won the race in a really fast time - 30mins 20secs. My buddy Robert Gilroy finished in a very respectable 31mins 58secs and finished 13th, despite having a heavy cold which I hope hasn't been passed on to me. I finished in 98th place.

Cumbernauld 10K - 9/11/11

Chip time 37mins 31secs.
10th anniversary of 9/11 and a minutes silence was observed prior to this annual race. The weather was not very kind today, since it was wet and very windy. Running in that was difficult, so I am delighted with the time. The course is a bit short I think (pleasant surprise).

Paisley Vision 10K - 28/8/11

A very windy day. I was happy with my time and tactics i.e. similar kilometre splits of around 3mins 44secs. I finished 28th today, but couldn't could quite catch either Brian French or Mark Ashby in the last 200m.

Paisley Vision 3K Fun Run - 28/8/11

I only raced this because I accidentally entered it online. I even allowed a wee girl to overtake me on the line, since I soon realised this was a fun race for kids and the wee lassie was powering towards the line and trying hard to catch me. Good for her and I'm sure she'll be one for the future. The distance was well short - 2.41km instead of the supposed 3K.

Irvine Marymass 10K - 21/08/11

Time today 37mins 55secs. A windy day and a course which is 75m longer than it should be i.e. 14secs of extra running. I finished in 12th position today.
This was my 40th race in 2011.

Broadwood 5K Road Race - 18/08/11

Time tonight cannot be taken seriously as a 5K time, because the overall distance was short by 480m, so to make up the whole 5K distance I really should add on an extra 1min 35secs to make my 5K time more realistic.

Scottish Veteran Harriers Club 10K Open Road Race Championships - 14/08/11

Time today was 37mins 12secs - a PB! Happy with both performance and tactics i.e. even 5K splits.

Bella Belter 10K - 05/08/11

My time today was 37mins 24secs. I was happy with my overall time and strategy of keeping to accurate kilometre splits i.e. 3mins 44secs per km for the vast majority of the race.

Donkey Brae 7 Mile Race - 31/07/11

My time today was 43mins 21secs and I finished in 9th place - quite happy! This really is a trail race along paths and grass and up and down very steep stairs.

Hamilton Harriers - 5K Handicap Race (26-07-11)

I won this handicap race in a time of 18mins 05secs. Andy McLinden and I had another momentous battle in the final 400m and I really had to dig deep to hold on to win. Andy had a 10sec start on me, but I managed to catch him around the 2K mark. Andy then caught up with me with about 400m to go and we then slogged it out to the end.

Musselburgh 10K - 23/07/11

Time today was 37mins 30secs (chip) and I finished in 23rd place. I was happy with my time (season's best), but even more pleased with my tactics. I opted for a negative split today. First half was 19mins 02secs; second half was 18mins 28secs. I will try to adopt this approach for future races, as psychologically it feels better passing runners than being overtaken in the last few kilometres. This was a multi-terrain race across grass, loose chip paths and roads.

Glasgow Parkrun #130 - 09/07/11

Time today was 18mins 43secs and I finished in 7th place. I felt a bit tired going into this race today, as I raced hard a mere 36hrs ago doing the Bellahouston Harriers 2 Mile Time Trial. I felt stronger at the 3K mark and that is definitely a good sign of progress, since a few weeks back I was struggling through the final 2km, especially the last one going up the hill.

Bellahouston Harriers 2 Mile Time Trial - 7/7/11

Time tonight was 11mins 21secs. That was 4secs faster than last month's time trial. That is 5mins 42secs per mile pace. I finished 8th tonight - well chuffed!

Hamilton Harriers Half Marathon Championship - 3/7/11

Too tired today by far. I walked large sections of this club race. The temperature this morning was 21 degrees celsius and I hadn't eaten very much beforehand, since I had to start running by 8.30am. My time was a very disappointing 1hr 33mins 26secs. Too much racing - time to back off!

Glasgow Parkrun #129 - 02/07/11

Official time was recorded as 18mins 34secs. I felt a bit jaded after Wednesday's Vets 5K in Clydebank. Ralph Connolly (pic at top) caught me in the last 250m, but my legs had 'gone' by that point.

Scottish Veteran Harriers 5K Road Race Championships - 29/06/11

Time today was 17mins 56secs. I finished in 6th place tonight. Gerry Reid (Ronhill Cambuslang) caught me with around 200m to go, but he spurred me on to dip 18mins. Thanks Gerry!

Strathclyde Parkrun Event #62 - 25/6/11

Time today was 18mins 14secs. That was the first time I have won a Parkrun race, so I am happy! I am pictured just tucked in behind my older cousin Andy McLinden (top in the UK for the V60 in the half marathon category). Andy pushed me on in the final kilometre and I was grateful for that.

Brian Goodwin Memorial 10K - 24th June 2011

A disappointing 38mins 04secs tonight. Average heart rate was around 172bm. I shouldn't wear a heart rate monitor for 10K racing, since I feel it probably holds me back a little bit. Terrible half way splits tonight e.g. 1st half 18.24 and 2nd half 19.40 - rubbish tactics!

Mens Health Forum for Scotland (MHFS) 10K - 19/06/11

Time today was 37mins 48secs. Happy with that since it is a season's best so far. I have another 10K, which takes in part of this route on June 24th 2011 at Cartha Queen's Rugby Club, Pollock Park Estate in Bellahouston.

Kirkintilloch 10K - 16/06/11

Time tonight was 38mins 10secs, although my Garmin watch measured the distance as 10.05km (50m long). My time at 10K Garmin time was 38mins exactly. I finished in 15th place tonight. Two runners caught me with 300m to go and that of course was a bit disppointing, but nonetheless it was 18secs faster than last year's effort.

Polaroid Vale of Leven 10K - 12/6/11

Chip Time today was 38mins 04secs. That is a personal best on that undulating course, although to be honest a part of the course (from 6K to 9K) had changed from previous years and is now a bit flatter. I felt good going into this race, but was a bit silly at the start by standing amongst the 50min+ 10K runners, only having to later on dodge between them all to surge ahead - wasting valuable energy and fluency. I spotted Al MacLachlan (Bellahouston Road Runners) at the 8K mark and decided to try to catch him, but he managed to accelerate a wee bit just beyond the 9K mark to re-establish his lead. I wish I had sprinted more near the end to have dipped 38mins, but it wasn't to be. Roll on Thursday's Kirkintilloch 10K Trail Race - another tough course nevertheless! My Garmin Heart Rate Monitor was useless today - it just refused to pick up my heart rate accurately. This seems to happen to me every time I wear a monitor in that part of the world - very strange!

Bellahouston Harriers 2 Mile Time Trial - 9/6/11

Time tonight was 11mins 25secs. I finished 10th. Pace was 5mins 43secs. I really enjoyed this race. Excellent hospitality from a great club!

Glasgow Parkrun #123 - 4/6/11

I was still very tired from Thursday's Dumbarton 10K, where I struggled round in a disappointing time of 39mins 39secs. Today I felt the effects of my efforts a mere 36 hours ago. My time was 19mins 03secs. I was 12th today and quite happy as I finished in front of two other runners who sometimes are in front of me. My time today was not too bad considering I was very tired.

Polaroid Dumbarton 10K - 2/6/11

Wal - what a crap race I had tonight! I wore my Timex Ironman Heart Rate Monitor and although it gives me accurate heart rate readings, I stupidly ignored them and to my cost. My heart rate was up as high 176/177 bpm for long periods and even rose to 179bpm a few times. My splits were still on at the 5K mark (18.39), but I was severely stressed by then in the hot conditions. I was at 26.58 at 6K instead of 26.06 and this really 'broke my resolve'. My heart rate would not go below 176bpm and by the 7k mark I was walking. I then started running again, but stopped again at around 7.8K and walked for around one minute. I noticed at the 8K mark that my time was 32mins something and decided then to try to run the last 2K with more speed. I managed to catch some of the runners and finished in a disappointing 39mins 39secs. I need to learn to 'run more intelligently'.

Dechmont 10K Training Loop May 30th 2011

I was wondering how my left hip would feel after the weekend cufuffle. It felt a bit sore when I was running on it yesterday. Today I ran at an average heart rate of 144bpm and my time was 45mins 11secs. No reaction from my hip either. Hopefully everything will be okay for Thursday night's Dumbarton 10K. The weather forecast is for 12mph winds with no rain.

Glasgow Parkrun #124 - 28/5/11

I stewarded today - that's eleven times between Pollock Park and Strathclyde Park. I went out for a few drinks today with my wife to celebrate her achievement in gaining a degree. I ended up scrapping with a big heavy guy at the back of the pub - against my will! He was a complete nutter and I went outdoors with him to avoid any confrontation inside the pub. I sustained a few cuts, but it was more of a skirmish than a war. Still, I managed to upend him and he is around the 20 stone mark. Well it was in Blantyre I suppose, so nothing new there then. No more alcohol or going to the pub!

2011 Polaroid Clydebank 10K - 26/5/11

Chip time tonight was 37mins 57secs and gun time was 38mins 05secs. I was happy enough with my time, because I was actually considering not running this race as I was feeling unwell two hours before the race with an elevated resting heart rate of 45bpm. My heart rate average was around 173bpm for the whole race.

2011 Polaroid Helensburgh 10K - 19/5/11

Time was 38mins 11secs (chip) and 38mins 17secs (gun). The conditions were far from ideal as it was cold and very windy. I wore my Garmin 305 watch and heart rate monitor and ran at an average of 172bpm. My heart rate hovered around 174bpm for long periods. I was happy with my effort tonight. :-)

Glasgow Parkrun #122 - 14/5/11

Time today was 18mins 49secs. I finished 16th today. I struggled a bit going up the hill on the final kilometre - again! Still it is 22secs faster than last week's poor effort, where I was very sluggish due to the presence of a heavy cold.

Self Transcendence 5 K Road Race - Scottish 5K Road Race Championships - 11/5/11

Time tonight was 18mins 17secs. I finished in 81st place. Obviously there was a top quality field for this Scottish Championship. The weather wasn't that kind, since it was damp and windy.

Self Transcendence 5K Road Running Scottish Championships - 11/5/11

Time tonight was 18mins 17secs. A good time on a windy night - happy with that!

Dechmont 10K Training Loop May 9th 2011

Time was 45mins 23secs with an average heart rate of 144bpm. My resting heart rate was 40bpm, so not quite there yet. Before I caught a heavy cold, I was running around that loop at that pace, but at 5bpm less.

The Clyde Walkway Training Run - 8/5/11

Time today was 56mins 17secs with an average heart rate of 143bpm (7.5 miles). My resting heart rate this morning was an improved 39bpm; yesterday it was 5bpm higher. I had too much alcohol last night. Plan is to stay off it for a month or so.

Glasgow Parkrun #121 - 7/5/11

Time today was a predictably slow 19mins 11secs. The savage virus (heavy cold symptoms) I have suffered these last two weeks took its toll on me big time. My average heart rate was a very high 175bpm and it even varied between 179bpm-183bpm for quite a while. My resting heart rate this morning was a disappointing 44bpm and I knew then that I would be in for a difficult race and it proved indeed to be that way. I can, however, take solace from the fact that I managed to sustain a very high heart rate for 5km - encouraging! My heart rate maximum is 184bpm. The moral of the story - don't race if you have a very heavy cold and especially if you have something even more serious like the flu virus.

Hamilton 9 mile training run - 1st of May 2011

I have suffered from a really nasty and heavy cold for the last ten days and have trained only once in that time. I stuggled on this run today. Three weeks ago I ran the same route more than 5 minutes faster with an average heart rate on only 143bpm.

18 Mile Training Run to Uddingston and back via Hamilton - 19/4/11

Time tonight was 2hours 13mins 32secs for 18 miles. Pace was 7mins 25secs with an average heart rate of 148bpm. Peak heart rate was 159bpm and total energy expenditure was 1710 calories. Great running conditions tonight.

Balfron 10K - 17/4/11

Time was 39mins 49secs (chip). Probably the toughest 10K course I have ever run. Killer hill after killer hill. My heart rate average was 169bpm, but for most of the race it hovered around 173bpm. My tactics today were rubbish. For the first 5K I allowed my heart rate to rise as high as 175bpm and even 179bpm (briefly). My 5K split was 18mins 52secs, but I was severely stressed by then and knew there would be no way I could sustain that pace or heart rate for the second half of this out and back course. A lot of people passed me in the second half of the race (seven I think). The last two kilometres were particularly demanding. I sprinted to the finish line to dip under 40mins and was completely shattered at the end. My mate (Robert Gilroy) won it in a great time of 33mins 20secs - fab!!!

Hamilton 9 Mile Training Run - 12/4/11

My time today was 1hr 05mins 04secs (7mins 08secs per mile). That is a minute or so slower than last week, but I still have Sunday's 10 mile race in my legs and it was windy today as well. The average heart rate was 144bpm. I have decided to enter the Moray Marathon on September 4th 2011. That is 20 weeks on Sunday. My weight is 9st 9lbs and my BMI is 22.48. To run under 3hrs I will need to reduce my BMI to around 21.0 or thereabouts i.e. body weight of approx 9st, give or take a pound or two either side.

Tom Scott Memorial 10 Mile Road Race - 10/4/11

Time today was 1hr 02mins 55secs. I finished 32nd out of 164 runners. I chased Andy McLinden (fellow Hamilton Harrier and cousin) and Scott Mitchell (University of Glasgow Hares and Hounds) and caught both of them at the 7 mile mark. Then to my surprise they caught me again at the 9 mile mark and stretched away from me with about 1/2 mile to go. Andy was 7 seconds in front of me and Scott was 5 seconds ahead. I was happy enough though, since I personally clocked a PB today. It also makes up for the disappointing Parkrun I had yesterday. My average heart rate was 168bpm, but I ran the vast majority at 170bpm and it even rose to 182bpm very briefly at one stage. Happy enough :-) Ali-g won the Lochaber Marathon today in 2hrs 35mins - superb!!

Glasgow Parkrun #117 - 9/4/11

Time today was 18mins 47secs (16th placed). I over-trained this week and 'died' around the 2K mark. Nothing left in the tank; totally drained and washed out. I think one hard session (>95% effort) once per week is all I can manage; two or more just seems to wear me out and degrade my race performance. I ran six days on the trot prior to this race (not all recorded here) and paid the price - too much!!! Hopefully I can learn something from this. Sod it, I am having a couple of beers tonight. Swithering whether to do Tom Scott 10 mile race tomorrow. Might check heart rate out in the morning and see how it is.

Uddingston Hill Training Session - 5/4/11

Last week (27/3/11) I ran up and down this 570m hill six times in around 2mins 30secs, drifting to 2mins 45secs as I progressed through the reps. The warm up run to and from the start is 1 mile (1.6km). Today (5/4/11) I ran up and down seven times. The splits are as follows:
(1) Downhill - 2mins 28secs (130bpm)
(2) Uphill - 2mins 35secs (153bpm)
(3) Downhill - 2mins 33secs (146bpm)
(4) Uphill - 2mins 38secs (159bpm)
(5) Downhill - 2mins 34secs (151bpm)
(6) Uphill - 2mins 38secs (163bpm)
(7) Downhill - 2mins 38secs (154bpm)
(8) Uphill - 2mins 36secs (164bpm)
(9) Downhill - 2mins 44secs (155bpm)
(10) Uphill - 2mins 40secs (166bpm)
(11) Downhill - 2mins 51secs (153bpm)
(12) Uphill - 2mins 43secs (164bpm)
(13) Downhill - 2mins 54secs (152bpm)
(14) Uphill - 2mins 43secs (163bpm)

Total time for distance (7.98km or 5 miles) was 37mins 22secs with average heart rate (HR) of 155bpm. Peak HR was 174bpm. Minimum HR was 120bpm. Total energy burned was 536 calories.

Hamilton 9 Mile Training Run - 4/4/11

My time tonight was 1hr 03mins 51secs with an average heart rate of 143bpm. That is 7minutes 05seconds per mile pace. That is the fastest yet for such a low heart rate. Avoiding alcohol seems to be working at the moment. My weight this morning was 9st 9lbs. I would like to reduce this to 9st, although that will take a fair amount of time and dedication.

Long Training Run - 3/4/11

Sunday (3/4/11)- I embarked on a long run after yesterday's parkrun to build up my endurance. I plan to hopefully race in the Moray Marathon in September. Today I ran about 15.5 miles or thereabouts (no Garmin on today). I wore my Timex HR Monitor and I clocked a time of just under 1hr 53mins. My average heart rate was 146bpm on a quite windy day and my pace was 7mins 17secs per mile.

Glasgow Pakrun #116 - 2/4/11

I was 12th today in a time of 18mins 37secs (6 minute per mile pace). I have had no alcohol for two weeks now. This last week I have managed a good hill session and a steady 14 mile run in a time of 1hr 41mins at a heart rate average of 144bpm.

Glasgow Parkrun #115 - 26/3/11

Time today was 18mins 40secs.

I slowed around the 4K mark i.e. the drag up the last kilometre to the finish.

No Garmin watch worn today, but my heart rate on my Timex monitor was up as high as 178bpm at times. I've had no alcohol now for 6 days and I definitely felt the benefit during the race.

Strathclyde Training for Parkrun - 20/3/11

I was disappointed with yesterday's performance at the Strathclyde Parkrun, so today I attempted to 'race it' again to see if I could pace it better using my heart rate monitor. Unfortunately I was 30secs slower than yesterday. Last night's excesses in the pub didn't help, as well as a sleepless night and an early rise. My heart rate average was 168bpm and my time was a terrible 19mins 20secs. It was much more windy today as well. The kilometre splits are here also.