Co-operative Christmas 5K Handicap Race - 7/12/08

Time - 18mins 47secs

A few hills, but not too many. Not a course for a PB - too many twists and turns and the occasional slowing down to dodge some park walkers etc. Nevertheless, a good wee race to get the heart & lungs going. Well organised and a decent 'goody bag'.

Hamilton 5K

Perfect running conditions today (5/10/08). My time was 18mins 30secs. A very flat and therefore fast course.

Strathaven 10K - 2008

A very good course to record a PB. The majority of the run is downhill, although there are two notable uphill stretches from 4K to 5K and from 8.5K to 9K. Your legs will be sore for a few days afterwards, because running downhill uses different muscle groups. The race hospitality really is first class.

My time today (23/11/08) was 37mins 57secs.

The 2008 'Diet Coke 10K Fun Run' - East Kilbride

Time 40mins 39secs.
This race came probably too soon after my two marathons. This 10K was only 4 weeks after my last marathon. The conditions were okay, possibly a bit windy in parts. The distance was in fact 10.2Km. My splits were around 3.57 per km, but the last km took me 4.50 or so. It was a 'Fun Run' and so no complaints about the course measurement. Four others in my club (Hamilton Harriers) also measured the course as 10.2km. They were all wearing GPS enabled watches. My average heart rate was 168 bpm, which is really my half marathon heart rate. Normally my 10K heart rate average is above 173bpm. I just couldn't sustain that today; nothing left in the legs.

THE EDINBURGH MARATHON 2008

Time 3hrs 21mins 15secs. Conditions - very windy. Average heart rate was 165 bpm, which is 20 bpm below my heart maximum. This was by far my most comfortable marathon. I followed the HADD advice and ran to my heart rate, being careful not to let it drift too close to 170bpm or higher. I made that mistake at the Lochaber Marathon four weeks previously and 'blew up' at 22 miles and walked most of the last 4 miles. At Edinburgh I feel my time would have been close to my PB if the wind had not been so strong along the Firth of Forth coastline.

Lochaber Marathon - 27/4/08

My time was a very disappointing 3hrs 25mins 58secs. I was on course for a PB until the "wheels came off" big time at 22 miles. Had to walk a lot of the last 4 miles. Average heart rate was 170bpm up until 22 miles (far too high - an average of 160bpm is probably my sustainable heart rate for the marathon distance). I will try to be more sensible in my next marathon.

TOM SCOTT MEMORIAL 10 MILE RACE

My time was 1hr 04mins 09secs. Heart Rate average was 171 bpm. I had a strong finish and so was reasonably happy with my performance.

ALLOA HALF MARATHON 2008

My time was 1hr 25mins 05secs. Average Heart Rate was 168 bpm. Conditions quite windy from mile 6 to mile 11.