THURSDAY 28TH JUNE

Ran home from work via the canal, weather ok, pelvis sore but felt ok...

Hoka Highland Fling - A fling to far...

Set out on saturday morning at 7am knowing it would be a tall order to just finish todays race, which in retrospect why was i on the starting line. As the heading says iv done the highland fling 5 years in a row and going for my 6th. So that was the stupid reason my toe was on the line.
My run was uneventfull until the 2nd last step going down conic hill, i stood on a rock fell over like a manchester united left back, looking for a penalty. Result was twisted left ankle/neck and a poke in the back from the step, a minute later up and running. So uneventfull till 26m and half a mile before the next check point and took my eye of the ball/ground and did a derek johnston in the box, but this time right twisted ankle and i didnt hit the grass it was heather instead. Its not often i have a sensible idea but i called it a day, got to the check point and passed a ambulance. Which i later found out that my friend ellen who organizes the race had went head first and injured her shoulder. So i was pretty glad i came to my senses and DROPPED OUT.
So this will be my last blog on the clydesdale harriers website, well it was taken off by the club committee on march due to some reason or another. This being the first reason for me stopping my blog for the club/ committee. Second the club blog is in my opinion a accident waiting to happen and with the club president seeming to be negative and dismisive of the young athletes running in the club over the years. I can go on and on but as my post says a fling to far and i believe that my time as a clydesdale harrier has been a year too far. I will ask the web manager to remove my blog and my letter of resignation will be in the post. So for a second time in this blog im calling it a day.!
I am planning to keep my blog running for my personal training and for self motivation.
Thanks for reading my blog and happy jogging...
Jogging For Jesus.

Saturday Night

On saturday night i have a evening wedding reception at the house of a art lover, thankfully my wife is going with a friend leaving me the option of trying to get home as quick as possible and try to get dressed for the night or go for a protien bar and watch the kids.
So the plan is, if im not injured, i will atempt to turn up at some point for the event...

Day Before Highland Fling

Getting excited about tomorrow, my thighs are heavy and iv only got a 53 mile trail race, over GODS COUNTRY... So plan is pasta for dinner tonight, up at 5am tomorrow, then pasta for breakfast and head to milngavie for 6ish for a 7am start. The weather forecast looks good, so wont need sun glasses or sun tan lotion.

Another Run

Went for a run this morning, just did the same run as yesterday. So another 4 miles and legs arent too stiff from my run/massage. The guy who does my massage was telling me, Bobby  The Knees Rossburgh has taken early retirement, so good on ye and hope your running is going well.

MASSAGE

Been to achilles heel sports injury clinic, had a good massage legs a bit tender.

25th april

Just back from my run in the rain, my back was ok and i wasnt sick, so a 4 mile run done.

A RUN

Just got my new shorts and hat on to try a run, heres hoping !

PEOPLE WHO I MISS

Well the list would be enormous though i think on a personal view it would be my old coach Derek McGinley. I first started training at the dale as a 1st year in secondry. A strange fellow had come along to the school sports at st andrews and asked me to join the harriers. This small man with a big heart, coached all the young kids at whitecrook and the only thing that was bigger than him, was the two holdall bags he always carried. This legend of a harrier was eventually to leave the club due to with, the committee not entering a boys team as one of the kids hadnt paid his fees. The end result was no team entered even though they would have won.
When i sat on the committee the entries were being filled in for the national champs cc, a runner called ian murphy hadnt paid his fees, so no entry. So hand in my pocket i paid his club fees and he was first finsher for the club that year. Sometimes its a bigger man that says enough is enough with these stupid games that go on in clubs and so Derek McGinley left the club was involved in the administration of athletics meetings all over scotland. Derek was a real gentlman with a heart of gold that i still dearly miss.

TUESDAY 24TH APRIL

Today i got a massage for my back, so a step in the right direction. Tomorrow iv booked a deep tissue massage at achille heel sports injury clinic. There are a few things in life that i hate, one is the achilles heel shop, i was told once if i didnt have anything nice to say, dont say it so. I wont.

Blogging or not to blog that is the question.

After some thought of my life in athletics, i have decided to stop blogging, i have been told by a scottish international runner that it  was just a blog about a guy running, with no pish involved. I have always tryed to keep my love of running which hasnt stopped over 30 years. Unlike my 30 year love with the harriers i knew a while ago the nail was in the coffin, when i was told by a parent that my name was being brought up on the club committee meeting and not in a nice way. Then the committee decided to remove my blog without notice and later sorry wasnt mentioned,  i had in the past asked the committee to put my contact details and venue with times on the club blog. Once again ignored as i am only able to coach mon/wed nights. Which i asume is the reason the commmittee didnt add my details.
I still coached athletes till the end of this year from the club namely claire/ roshien/ rachael, as well as andrew hunter, who i am still coaching. So i will do my best, to get fit and run as many races as possible either as a unattached runner or even join a club who knows. 
I am planning to run this saturday at the highland fling and this race will be my last blog entry.

CLUB BLOG

Not quite sure whats going on with the club blog, with some of the head lines, by the club president and the remarks about younger athletes in the national. Maybe someone has been drinking and blogging at the same time or maybe it is personal attack on coaches and young athletes.
I seem to remember coaching a u15 boy athlete who was 2nd with 800m to go, and finished 4th and ran his best race of the year, in the nationals. I also seem to remember another athlete  i coached wnning a medal at the nationals cc champs. But maybe the club president was still eating his breakfast, when i was already at the event shouting on the young harriers who had trained all through the winter to turn up for the club.
I believe this comment by the club president, to be personal and vindictive to the coaches in the club who go unpaid and spend half there life helping the athletes they coach.  This is the first time in 30 years of running and coaching in the harriers that a club president has said such things about coaches and these young clydesdale harriers who try there hardest for the club and i believe the only thing to do is to resign from the harriers and id hope that the club would have the decency to mention the fact at the AGM,as a harrier who left last year after 40 years running for the club didnt even get mentioned.

FRIDAY 20TH APRIL

Been injured since easter monday, lifting a plant pot at my mums house. On loads of pills and slowly getting better the Highland Fling race is next saturday and i am struggling to make it for then. I have finished the fling 5 times before and this race is my favourite of the year, so God willing i will be happy to be at the start and finish.
Hope to see some friends at the AGM tonight.

FRIDAY 6TH APRIL

Today, i went for a run with Derek, we decided to go to cochno rd and run from the car park, up fishermans path to the jaw reservior and onto the old kilpatrick hills. We managed a very enjoyable run of 6.5 miles in 1hr 16minutes. There was a few hills involved to make it a hard run as well.

THURSDAY 5TH APRIL

Was working till 8pm tonight, so ran home along great western road, to give me 5.3 mile run today.

WEDNESDAY 4TH APRIL

Ran home from work tonight along the canal giving me a 6.4 mile run. Ran quite strong for the whole run, thighs still tender.

TUESDAY 3RD APRIL

Ran from to partick to clydebank, to give me a 4 mile run, had a coffee at my mums, then ran home for 2.5 miles.

MONDAY 2ND APRIL

Ran home from work along the forth and clyde canal giving me a 6.5 mile run. This run wasnt pretty and it probably looked quite funny.

SATURDAY 31ST MARCH

Ran the G2E race today, happy that i ran the whole race and a pb of 13 minutes. I was happy with my race as last year, i was alot fitter, but still managed a pb, though i think that my legs are alot worse than last year. Happy ! but with sore legs.
Weeks Mileage. 84 miles.

MONDAY 26TH MARCH

Ran home from work via my coaching session at scotstoun, giving me 8.5 mile run for the day. Only four days till my first ultra of the year.

SUNDAY 25TH MARCH

Today i ran over the old kilpatrick hills giving me a wet and hilly 20 mile run.

THURDAY 22ND MARCH

Ran home from work along the forth and clyde canal.6.5 miles.
Weeks Mileage 56 miles.

WEDNESDAY 21ST MARCH

10am. Ran to work via clyde tunnel, bellahouston then along to the royal. 12 mile run.
17.30. Ran from the royal along grt western road to whitecrook. 7 mile run.
Weeks Mileage; 50 miles.

TUESDAY 20 MARCH

Ran to work 6.5 mile run. No run tonight as its my wedding anniversary and i got that look, as too say ur not running tonight are you.
Weeks Mileage; 31 miles.

MONDAY 19TH MARCH

Ran home from work via scotstoun, giving me 10 miles for the night.

SUNDAY 18TH MARCH

My plans for todays run fell apart due to something called mothers day. Was told it was ok to go out in the morning but i knew this was a gesture so decided to spend the day with the family and did a 3 hour walk with the  family. So my run was delayed till 4pm, so off i went to milngavie for a 14 mile run in Gods Country and i must admit i have realy enjoyed my running this weekend. So a great start to my weeks training and 14 miles in the bag.
 Total weekends mileage 33.5 miles.

SATURDAY 17TH MARCH

3pm - Milngavie, along the whw route to drymen then cycle route to balloch train station. 19.5 miles.

Toal weeks mileage, 67.5 miles.

WEEKEND PLANS

Plans for this weekend are 20 mile run for saturday, starting from milngavie to balloch train station, along the whw route.
Plan for sunday, as saturday but see how i feel in the morning.
The ploblem with trying to do long runs at the weekend is having a family. So this weekend my wife is away to wishaw for her hair cut, so i will need to wait till she returns home and then hopefully start my run about 3pm or if later i might need a head torch. Hoping to get home about 8pm.
Sunday -  the plan is to get out the door in the morning and hopefully back in time for the afternoon to do something with the kids.

THURSDAY 15TH MARCH

Ran home along the forth and clyde canal. 6.4 miles.

WEDNESDAY 14TH MARCH

6am, Ran to work 5.5 miles.
6pm, Ran home from work 6.4 miles.

TUESDAY 13TH MARCH

Ran from whitecrook to knightswood. 2.75 miles

MONDAY 12TH MARCH

6AM Ran to work along grt western road giving me 5.5 miles
5PM Ran to scotstoun via govan, giving me 8 miles
7.30 PM Ran home from scotstoun 2 miles
Total Mileage ; 15.5 miles

SUNDAY 11TH MARCH

Went to run and become yesterday, to buy a new pair of running shoes. I had decided to try the new sponsor of the highland fling race this year, HOKA shoes. After trying both their trail and road shoes i decided to buy both, so i left Edinburgh a little lighter than i had entered (ie) £245 and a £25 discount.
So today was my first run and after 1 mile, i felt as though i do like my new shoes, though time will tell if i still like them after a month. So 12.1 mile run tonight and a start of another week.

FRIDAY 9TH MARCH

Ran from knightswood to clydebank and back, giving me 6.1 mile run for tha day.
Mileage 39 miles.

THURSDAY 8TH MARCH

Ran home from work along the canal, giving me a 6.4 mile run home.

WEDNESDAY 7TH MARCH

Ran from work to scotstoun to coach andrew, then ran home giving me 7.9 miles for the day.

MONDAY 5TH MARCH

Ran home from work tonight through govan, then through the clyde tunnel. Giving me a 10.33 mile run for the day.

SUNDAY 4TH MARCH

Ran from my house today through westerton onto the boulavard lane the home along the boulavrd. This gave me a 8.2 mile run for today.

SATURDAY 3RD MARCH

Ran from merchant city home at 6pm, giving me 6.4 mile run today.
Total Mileage 45 miles.

FRIDAY 2ND FEBRUARY

Ran home from my mums house in whitecrook giving me only a 2.5 mile run today.

THURSDAY 1ST MARCH

Ran to work this morning, giving me a 6.4 mile run along the canal.

Ran home from my second job at labelle forme, giving me a 5.4 mile run home from merchant city.

WEDNESDAY 29TH FEBRUARY

Ran to coaching and back giving me 6.2 miles for the day

WEDNESDAY 29TH FEBRUARY

Just waiting to leave for coaching, my only athlete i am coaching at the moment is andrew hunter of clydesdale harriers.
I have been told on face book, that my blog has been removed from clydesdale harriers web site, as am no longer a paid up member of the harriers. I have had no contact from the club on any failure to pay my fees or that i needed to pay any fees. I am strugging with my training just now and feel a change might be a good thing at this moment in time. So i will have a serious think of what to do and wait and see what is best for me.
I have had great time at clydesdale harriers and will always be a harrier, though it does seem that the running club i love, isnt the same as it was and im definetly not the same athlete i was.

TUESDAY 28TH FEBRUARY

Off work today, so me and suzanne went to crianlarich hotel and went for a little walk today.
Crianlarich to Tyndrum- lunch then back to Crianlarich hotel.
Distance 12 miles. Time 6hrs 15 min.
Weather, light rain.

MONDAY 27TH FEBRUARY

Ran 7.6 mile run this morning.

SUNDAY 26TH FEBRUARY

Ran from central station to whitecrook, then a coffee and run back home.
 Giving me a 11.6 mile run for the day.

SATURDAY 25TH FEBRUARY

Ran 9.4 mile run today through knightswood to clydebank and back.

FRIDAY 24TH FEBRUARY

Today visited my mum and ran home from whitecrook, only giving me a 2.4 mile run. My calf was sore sore today.

THURSDAY 23RD FEBRUARY

Ran home from GRI home along the forth and clyde canal. It was light till my last mile home and gave me a 6.4 mile run for the day. My calf injury from 94 has been with me for the last few months as well as a sore back. Which is limiting my training, so just now, the ultra season is on hold and will just try to train as much as my body will let me. So plan b is to just complete my ultras this year with the goal being if im strong and injury free for the glemore 24hr race would be a bonus. If not just aim for 2013 for pbs in my ultra races.

WEDNESDAY 22ND FEBRUARY

Ran home from my late shift at work. 5.5 miles

TUESDAY 21ST FEBUARY

Ran from work to whitecrook, giving me a 7 mile run.
Ran from whitecrook to home giving me 2.2 mile.
Total 9.2 miles

MONDAY 20TH FEBRUARY

Work to scotstoun 6.5 miles, scotstoun home 2.2 miles.
Total mileage. 8.7 miles.

SUNDAY 19TH FEBRUARY

5 miles on canal.

TUESDAY 7TH JANUARY

Ran home from my late at work, so only did a 5.5 mile run tonight.

MONDAY 6TH FEBRUARY

Ran home from work tonight. My back pain is gone in my back and my man flu is almost away.
Enjoyed my first run back, but was a real struggle. 6.5 miles tonight.

16 TH JANUARY

Have given in to my back pain, as iv got sciatic pain in my lower back, so will take the rest of the week off training.

15 TH JANUARY

Ran to work this morning at 7am, giving me a 5.5 mile run.

Ran home from work tonight at 8pm, giving me a 5.5 mile run for today.

14TH JANUARY

REST DAY.

Weeks Mileage.

Years Mileage.

13TH JANUARY

Unlucky Friday the 13th my calf got very sore,during my run today.Though I still managed to keep running, probably cause it was so cold.Today's run was knights wood, along get western road through botanic grdns,along kelvin walkway, through gars cube estate then home. Giving me a 7.2 mile run.

12TH JANUARY

Today I ran from my mums in whitecrook, along the canal to Erskine bridge, onto the boulevard through duntocher. Along the boulavard lane, through the back of drumchapel, up pendickle and along maxwell avenue, then home.This gave me 11.03 mile run for the day.

11TH JANUARY

Ran home from work tonight,along clyde walkway, govan, clyde tunnel and home. Giving me a 8.5 mile run for the day.Iv been struggling all week, being tired, sore legs and sore back.

10TH JANUARY.

7am. Run to work along grt western road, 5.5 miles.

6pm. Ran from gri through the south side, along clyde tunnel then dunbarton road, to clydebank. Total 11 miles.

Days total mileage. 16.5 miles
Comments, feeling tired tonight.

9TH JANUARY

Ran home tonight, from the deep dark hole,known as the Glasgow royal infirmary. I ran through govan with a work colleague and ran through the Clyde tunnel home, to give me a 10.75 mile run. Not a bad start to the week.

8TH JANUARY

Today I did a 5.25 mile run at 7pm. I was quite happy just to do a run today and keep my run of a run every day this year.

TRAINING 2012

Well thats my first full week back training and the first week of the year. Its not as good a week as last year, but its a start. So is it a good idea to run 50 miles your first week back training, as well as being injured !  Well i have been running for over 32 years now and my body is conditioned to running, i have no problem in running 70 miles a week though i do sleep alot when i do. The problems i have now are i dont run very fast to start with, so i wont be running fast for me for about 6 weeks.

Goals For 2012.
I would like to run as i did last year, but with my main aim, being the glenmore 24 hr race, where i would like to run 100 miles in 24hrs.
Failing to plan is planning to fail.

7TH JANUARY

6pm. House to grt western rd along to kilbowie roundabout and back.

Total Mileage.    7.2 miles.
Weeks Mileage.  50.2 miles.
Years Mileage.   50.2 miles.

6TH JANUARY

Today is my day off, so after visiting my mum, i ran up kilbowie road along bearsden road, up pendickle and along maxwell avenue. This gave me a 7.5 mile run for today. Weather was good though started to rain the last mile.

5TH JANUARY

6.30AM. Ran to work along grt western road. 5.4 miles.
18.00      Ran home from work along grt western road 5.4 miles.
            Total Mileage. 10.8 miles.
The weather today was just so nice, no wind and no rain during both my runs.

4TH JANUARY 2012

Well this was my first day back at work and i had to do a 12hr shift. So at 8pm i was heading home with the familiar sound of wind in my ears and rain in my face. Did i think, just get the train home tonight, no not once. Im so glad i did my run home and managed 6.5 miles. With a large smile on my face, cause if  you can run in this weather, it just makes it so easy when its light and the sun is shining.
Total mileage, 6.5m.

REVIEW OF 2011

Well here goes, in 2011 i trained harder than anyother year, the last being 1994.
My calf injury stayed away for most of the year.
The main thing last year was from january onwards, i raced alot of 5k park runs, with a 7.5m warm up and 7.5m warm down. My mileage was 60/70 miles a week.
I lost a bit of weight due to training hard, though i kept the carbs high with wine/beer.
RACES.
Well, when i look back i actually a very good year racing.

Glasgow to Edinburgh,
 ran a pb, though i went off too fast and my ankle swelled up like a balloon in the last 8 miles or so.

Highland Fling,
ran a pb again ! with the day being very warm and getting rid of last years twisted ankle at 19miles. Then running 33 miles with a torn ligament and alot of pain killers.

WHW Race,
again, i ran a pb, in horrible wet, windy conditions.

Devil o The Highlands,
Again ! another pb, with it being a very hot day.

So what happened after the devil, why didnt i do the glenmore 24 hr race and keep the hard work of the year keep going. Well my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer in both lungs and cancer of the throat as well. 50 years of smoking catches up eventually. My father passed away after 6 weeks of being diagnosed.
Sometimes u dont want to run, this was only the first time since i was 13 years old, i didnt want to run.
Now the wheels are on again, im training again, i cant wait to get fit again and im looking forward to another year racing and just jogging for jesus !

Hope everyone has a excellent 2012 and stay fit.

3RD JANUARY 2012

Ran to my mums 3.5 miles and had a coffee. Ran home again giving me another 3.5 miles.
Total Mileage. 7 miles.

2ND JANUARY 20012

Ran 5.7 miles along the forth and clyde canal to maryhill, then ran through garscube estate then home. My calf was niggly but not too bad.

1ST JANUARY 2012

Did a 6.5 mile run tonight, my calf got sore after 2 miles, so will be plodding the new year with a limp.
Frank Horwill, the athletics coach passed away this week, he was a super coach and alot of my training when i was younger was based on his coaching.
Happy New Year to Everyone,