Run Calum Run

Tour Of Fife: Preview

2011-07-27T00:42:00.000-07:00

The Tour Of Fife is one of the flagship events organised by my running club, Fife AC. It's a 5 day series, with a race every day, encompassing hills, trails, roads and sand. This year is my first attempt at the Tour. Club mates tell me that it's great fun. They also tell me that it's bloody tough. You can read about the Tour in more detail HERE - but please let me draw your attention to the race I'm dreading most, the Up Hell Time Trial this Friday. Although it's only 1.5 miles long, it involves a climb of 754 ft! It's going to hurt...but hopefully in a good way.

Race Report: Newburgh Race

2011-07-27T00:36:00.000-07:00

Oops - looks like it's been a wee while since my last post. Well, I have a couple of excuses. The aforementioned tendonitis flared up a bit and kept me off running for a while. I say 'a while' - it was really only a few days. Strictly speaking I should have taken it easy for a little longer and I'd have undoubtedly recovered in a shorter period of time. But being a reckless sort of an idiot, I persevered under the misaprehension that I could somehow 'run out' the injury. And guess what? I couldn't. So what should have been a minor setback ended up lasting far longer. Lesson learned :)

Oh, I've also been on hols in sunny Luxembourg. I feel rather smug in the knowledge that I went out running pretty much every day I was there, which went some way to keeping off the cakes and pastries which kept on calling my name.

But enough of the excuses - back to racing! Weds 20th July, I lined up with 120 others in Newburgh, on Fife's Tay coast, for a mixed terrain 4.5 mile race. Great weather, but the main problem turned out to be the width of the trails / paths we were running along. Apart from a stretch of road at the start / finish, most of the race was on very narrow paths where it was nigh-on impossible to pass other runners. This meant that at the very begining there was a massive sprint for position, rather like in a Formula 1 race, after which the runners did the best they could to maintain their place. That is essentially what happened to me - I tucked in behind the leading pack and stayed there. Finished in 20th position in 29 minutes.

More importantly, I finished injury free. Hooray! Well, apart from some bastard midge bites.

No Mean Feet

2011-06-07T03:20:00.000-07:00

An interesting discovery, of sorts, this week. The tendonitis in my left foot has been making itself known off and on, particularly so when running up hills. However, I noticed when walking about the house barefoot that there was absolutely zero discomfort, presumably because of the angle my foot is at. Now, I've been reading quite extensively about barefoot running and also other more efficient running forms (ChiRunning, in particular), and it struck me that now is probably as good a time as any to tweak my running style a litte.

ChiRunning - although I don't buy into the whole 'chi' aspect of this, the actual biomechanics make a lot of sense, since they're focused on taking pressure off your limbs and working from your core. Heel striking is often considered the cause of many impact injuries, and ChiRunning requires a midsole footstrike. Having given it a try, I'm quite impressed. The focus on relaxing my ankles and calf muscles in particular lessened the tendon discomfort considerably. It will take quite a while to properly get the knack of this, but I think it'll be worth sticking with.

Last night I also decided to do something a bit more radical and give barefoot running a go. Like ChiRunning, it necessitates a different approach to running form, one which has the potential to lessen the likelihood of a number of running injuries. To start with it felt BIZARRE running without the familiar cushioning of my running shoes. But at the same time I felt kinda 'springy' and light. Immediately I noticed that I was running from my midsole and there was zero tendon discomfort when I ran up hill. Side effects today? Very few, apart from my feet feeling a little more tired than usual, although I expect that they'll toughen up over time.

This doesn't mean that I'm planning on throwing away my running shoes just yet as I can't quite imagine me doing a long run of 15 plus miles barefoot. Well, maybe at some point, but it's a long way off. But I'm certainly going to explore the subject more and see if it really does make a difference to injuries etc.

Injured!

2011-06-01T00:29:00.000-07:00

There are two types of runner: those who are injured, and those about to become injured. I've just moved from the latter category to the former. Looks like I've inflamed the tendon stretching over the top of my left foot / ankle area. It's a classic over-use injury, and one which will need some TLC. Sadly, that means I'm going to have to knock this week's planned races on the head and take it easy(ish). I trained with my club last night, but I could feel that the tendon was still tender. So, a few days of lighter running for me. Frustrating, but such is running life.

Race Report: Edinburgh Marathon

2011-06-01T00:25:00.000-07:00

And there was me thinking that I'd already posted my report of this year's Edinburgh Marathon. Doh! So, bit late, but here we go...

Firstly, the weather. So much was being made of the relatively mild / benign weather conditions that people were daring to mention PBs and course records at the start area. Being a cynical sort of chap, I refused to get carried away, mainly because 'mild' weather seemed to equate 'heavy downpours and strong winds'. I don't mind running in pish weather at all - much more preferable to unrelenting heat / sun - but I'm realistic enough to know that it won't somehow enable me to run faster than ever before.

Secondly, the course. Although ostensibly the 'Edinburgh' Marathon, only approx 6 miles of the race are within the city. After leaving town via Leith / Portobello, the remainder of the course is in East Lothian, through Musselburgh out to Longniddry, and then back to Musselburgh. A minor point, granted. Being largely coastal, there aren't many hills to contend with, however.

The race. Starting in the faster area, I was initially surprised at the relatively conservative pace of those around me. It picked up after a mile or so, but I had to work a bit harder than anticipated to make up some time. The weather was chanageable, to say the least. One moment bright sun, the next peeing rain. Fortunately the wind was behind us as we ran east for the first 18 miles. And it was going pretty well up until the turn...

...and then we met the headwind. Miles 18-22 are typically when many people encounter the wall in a marathon, the moment when glycogen stores in the body are seriously depleted and it feels like you can't go on. Well, fortunately that's never been a problem for me as I've worked hard on my fuelling strategy. However, the wall of wind blasting in off the sea was something I hadn't anticipated. At times it was so strong that I felt I was running backwards. I got pretty angry at it too, as I knew it was costing me a significant amount of time.

Nevertheless, I was pretty pleased to finally finish in 3hrs 21mins. A solid enough time, I guess, but I know I can do way better. But that'll have to wait until my next race.

Grub's Up

2011-05-12T01:06:00.000-07:00

There is so much bollocks on the internet about what to eat / what not to eat when you're training. Here's a good wee article which cuts away a number of myths.

Race Report: Strathkinness-Blebo 4.5

2011-05-05T00:45:00.000-07:00

Running to finish line at Strathkinness

I wasn't planning on racing at all in May until the Edinburgh Marathon on the 22nd. But last week I remembered that my running club was staging a 4.5 mile trail race locally on the 4th. So common sense departed and I signed up.

The Strathkinness-Blebo race was, on paper, straightforward - a multi-terrain blast along a few quiet country roads, farm tracks and trails. From the start line we could see the road stretching ahead uphill, but as soon as that summit was reached it descended again. And again. I upped my pace, enjoying the chance of some downhill running. But then it suddenly dawned on me - the finish line was roughly at the same height as the start, which meant that we were going to have to do some serious uphill running at some point. Less that one mile in, the hill came in the form of a gruelling dirt track which seemed to continue up, and up, and up. Stupidly I had eaten too close to the start of the race and the exertion of blasting up the hill nearly caused me to barf everywhere.

Fortunately I managed to keep my stomach contents down and relaxed into the race. The course undulated for the remainder of the race, although there was another short, sharp uphill section. Finished in 30 mins 24 seconds, and then proceeded to eat more cake than is humanly possible at the post-race tea.

Cold As Ice

2011-04-25T02:44:00.000-07:00

So, I tried an ice bath. Yes, last week I said that I probably wouldn't, but curiosity got the better of me. You know, the kind of curiosity which prompts children to touch something hot just to see if it really will hurt, despite having been told many, many times that it will indeed cause pain. In my defence, though, I've been doing a fair amount of reading up on the subject and it seems like a useful recovery 'tool'.

Here be the theory (or, at least, my understanding of it): when you've done a hard / long run, your legs naturally feel very heavy and tired. Exercise generates waste products which stay in the legs, notable lactic acid. When you have an ice bath, the blood vessels in your legs rapidly contract and tighten, forcing the blood out of your legs and thereby removing the waste products. Also, as is well known, ice helps reduce inflamation, so any tweaks and strains you may have in your legs get a bit of TLC at the same time. Once you climb out of the ice bath and start to warm up, 'new' blood enters the leg muscles, fuelling them with oxygen. This blood also has to leave the legs as it flows around the body, taking away more lactic acid in the process.

Worth giving a go, I thought. On Saturday I nipped out to the supermarket and bought a few 2kg bags of ice cubes. Sunday I did my long run. Was a beautiful morning, so I took myself along into St Andrews, and home via a back road. I ran for a little over 3 hours, nice and steady, covering about 24-25 miles. Returning home, I had my recovery drink, scoffed a banana and then went into the bathroom with one of the bags of ice. I drew enough cold water to cover my legs entirely, chucked in the ice and pretty much threw myself in. I didn't scream, although I think I yelped and swore a lot. Initial reaction - THIS HURTS LIKE HELL! But, as I reminded myself, the discomfort is simply caused by the blood vessels suddenly contracting. After a few mins the discomfort had dissipated and, weirdly, I started to enjoy the ice bath. Well, I say 'enjoy' - I have to admit that most of the time I spent clock watching, desperate for my 12 minutes to pass. On getting out and dried, I immediately noticed that the burning sensation caused by lactic acid was pretty much gone, and by the time I had completely warmed up my legs felt no worse than if I had just done a 5 mile tempo run. Impressive! What's more today, the morning after my ice bath, I feel great and I'm looking forward to blasting out some miles this evening.

Consider me an ice bath convert, then. I've more ice in the freezer for next week's long run, although I will know what to expect, I suspect I'll swear just as much for the first few minutes.

Record Breaker...?

2011-04-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

Given the blur of activity this past week, I nearly forgot to pay hommage to the astounding achievement of Kenyan runner Geoffrey Mutai. At the Boston Marathon on Monday he demolished Haile Gebrselassie's world-best time by the best part of a minute, finishing in 2:03:02. Believe it or not, it won't count as a world record! The Boston route is largely downhill, and there are claims of a bit of a tailwind, so the course isn't recognised by the IAF. I call bullshit on that. A runner has to work with the conditions he or she finds. Mutai ran 26.2 miles fair and square - he should have that record!

Race Reports

2011-04-21T00:27:00.000-07:00

Woah, a tough week! I always knew that doing three races in less than seven days would be fairly hard going, and today I'm really feeling the effects of pummelling myself. Has been worth it though.

Beveridge Park 5K - Friday April 15th
The Beveridge Park is one of the main parks in Kirkcaldy and conveniently has a path which follows the perimeter. It's by and large a flat course apart from one hilly stretch at the top - to make up the full 5K, we had to run round two-and-a-half laps of the park, so took in the hill twice. My last 5K race was back in January when I posted 22mins, and I knew that I could go much faster. Sub 20 mins is something of a breakthrough for running a 5K, so I kept that target at the back of my mind when pacing myself. I found the race tough going, particularly on the hills. Nevertheless, I dug in and found a little extra, finishing in 19mins 14secs. Well pleased with that, although I did want to puke afterwards! Nice.

Kilomathon Scotland - Sunday April 17th
Whereas Friday's race was a relatively small field, organised by my running club, the Kilomathon is one of the big swanky (ie more corporate) large-scale races which are increasingly common. It's a new type of race of 26.2 kilometres rather than 26.2 miles, which is standard marathon distance. So, by my reckoning, it's roughly 16.5 miles in length. I enjoy this type of mass participation race as much as I do the cosier club events; running with so many others can really give you a lift. The 26.2K course was fantastic - it set out from Ingliston, at the very north west of Edinburgh, around the airport, through Kirkliston, over and back the Forth Road Bridge (my fave part - the weather was phenomenal, and the views were superb), back through South Queensferry, up to Dalmeny, then back into Kirkliston and a return to Ingliston. Because I had never run this race distance before, it was tricky to decide what would be a 'good' time. In the end I thought ahead to my intended marathon pace and aimed for going under 2 hours. For the first half of the race I was going too fast, so naturally my pace dropped a little in the latter stages, especially after a tough climb out of South Queensferry. Nevertheless, I got home in 1:59:44 - just under 2 hours, but on target all the same.

St Andrews 5K - Wednesday April 20th
I'll admit to having been a bit silly preparing for this one. A few days rest would probably have done me some good after the Kilomathon. I had a few niggles in my legs however, and I felt I needed to give them a bit of a stretch, so I did an easy 5 miler on Monday. Then I had my club training night on the Tuesday where we were set some killer hill reps. Being a stubborn sort of a twat, I didn't take it easy but insisted that I'd do every single set. Maybe not my brightest move, but it was good fun at the time. Despite this, I turned up in St Andrews on Weds evening feeling pretty ok. The course was flat, and on grass (not my fave surface to race on - I run faster on concrete), and there was a very good turnout. First lap of the race was a bit tough for me and my left hamstring was a tad tight. But it soon eased off and I managed to hold my position for the remainder of the race. I clocked 19mins 37secs, 23 slower than Friday, but I guess I should be satisfied given that it came on the back of so much running / racing.

Today, however, I'm taking the day off running and going to enjoy some well-earned recovery time. The Edinburgh Marathon is just over a month away now, though, so I know I won't be able to take it easy for very long.

For Flying Scotsmen?

2011-04-20T01:27:00.000-07:00

Watching highlights of this year's London Marathon the other day, I noticed one guy running in a kilt. Crazy, I thought. Traditional kilts, the kind I own, weigh an absolute tonne and would be utterly hellish for running. I've since discovered, however, that such a thing as a Sport Kilt exists. Yes indeed. Quite pretty things they are too. And since I wear tights when running in the cold, I suppose it makes sense to switch to a skirt when it's hot :D

I Might Try This. Then Again, Possibly Not...

2011-04-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

You've probably all heard about athletes taking an ice bath following a race to minimise damage etc. I've been tempted by the idea before, but have chickened out. Frankly, the idea of jumping into a tub of iced water doesn't exactly appeal. But the more I read about it, the more it seems to make sense. After all, we all know what a difference icing a sore muscle with a bag of frozen peas can make. So maybe I should give it a go. Or maybe not. If you hear a scream in the coming weeks, then you'll know that I've taken the plunge...

Need Inspiration?

2011-04-19T00:25:00.000-07:00

Watching and reading about the achievements of endurance athletes is the ideal way of overcoming that "can't be arsed" feeling we all get from time to time when it comes to training. Recently I've watched, several times over, this short clip of the phenomenal Karl Meltzer. It's not so much the distance that he covers which impresses me, but his overall attitude and mentality. No complaints, no moans; he just hits the road and runs.

A Busy Week!

2011-04-14T03:27:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a day off training today in preparation for a fairly hectic week of racing. First up is a 5K race in Kirkcaldy on Friday evening. This is around a public park and is a fairly flat course. In theory it should be a good place for a PB, but I'm not going to push it too hard as on Sunday morning I'm running the Edinburgh Kilomathon. Whereas a regular marathon is 26.2 miles, the Kilomathon is 26.2 kilometres, which is roughly 17 miles I reckon. An unusual distance, but it's good preparation for the marathon proper, which takes place in May. And assuming that all goes well with that, I'm doing another 5K race a few days later in St Andrews. I might push for a PB then, if I haven't fallen apart by that stage.

Sub-2 Hour Marathon?

2011-04-11T02:14:00.000-07:00

Reckon a marathon could be completed in under 2 hours? It's an awesome thought and the current record isn't too far away. I suspect that, like the 4 minute mile, once it has been broken then there will be a rush of runners doing it under 2 hours. There's an interesting feature on the BBC website about it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12933932

Ed Stone Launches New Website

2011-04-11T01:43:00.000-07:00

Without further ado, get yourselves over to the brand-spanking-new Ed Stone website, which has just gone live. Looks awesome, doesn't it? There are a couple of things I reckon you should be checking out in particular. Firstly, the Vomitorium shirts, featuring artwork by Paul Allender, look the total business. Secondly, stop by the Underground Sounds section, which showcases some of the best metal talent currently on the go. My lovely chums in Triaxis are among the bands featured, and their tune 'Lies' is track of the month - go listen now! And, once again, let me take this chance to thank Paul and Debs at Ed Stone for their ongoing support and sponsorship!

A Polish Trail

2011-04-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

The start of the trail

Today I took advantage of some lovely spring weather to venture off-road and do a spot of trail running. Places to do so are aplenty round here, but I specifically sought out the trails of Tentsmuir Forest, adjacent to Kinshaldy beach on the north east coast of Fife. Not, as you might imagine, because of the great quality of the running trails (which, I have to say, are fantastic) but for a more personal reason.

The trail, extending northwards

If you were to rewind the clock some 70 years and pay a visit to Tentsmuir Forest, then you would have no doubt come across a Polish military camp hidden among the trees. During WWII, the Polish Free Army were based here, having been assigned the task of defending the coastline from a potential attack by the Nazis via occupied Norway, across the North Sea. Anyway, among those soldiers was my wife's grandfather Stanisław Kołodziejczyk. Having joined the Polish army in 1939 aged just 16 (he lied about his age), he left his native Warsaw and, via various stops including a prison camp in Romania and then an evacuation from France, he ended up in Lanarkshire before moving on to Fife with his regiment. Although he spent much of the later years of the war in the UK, he was also part of the Polish paras who participated at the battle at Arnhem in 1944. Post 1945, after a period at a displaced persons' camp (he lost track of pretty much all of his family, apart from his mother, during the war - given the extent to which Warsaw was devastated, it's quite likely that they didn't survive) he returned to Scotland, married and began work as a miner, first in Yorkshire and then back in Fife.

The remaining building

Like many of his generation, he didn't talk frequently about his wartime experiences, but he frequently mentioned his time at Tentsmuir Forest and how happy he was while there. He's now aged 88, and sadly suffering from dementia, so opportunities to find out more from him are behind us. However, motivated by this family connection, I set off in search of what's left of the Polish military camp. To be fair, there isn't much to be seen. Just off a trail (handily marked 'Polish Camp Road'!) are the remains of a large-ish brick building. Next to it is a well, on which you can make out the carving of the Polish eagle. The remainder of the camp, I've since discovered, was dismantled towards the end of the war, having comprised temporary Nissen huts.

A hearth inside the ruins

Getting to the ruined building was a bit of a challenge - it lies just off the trail, across a small stream, and is surrounded by thorny bushes. Inside the ruins, it wasn't obvious what the building's purpose had been. My guess is that it was either a bureaucratic or washing facility. It was quite eerie being there - it was completely silent, apart from the gentle breeze blowing through the trees around me. Having taken a few pics, I followed the trail for about 4 miles before heading back to the car.

Polish Eagle carved on side of a well

Next time I visit I'm going to try and find an old bridge, near to Kinshaldy farm in the forest. According to grandad, he was once feeling homesick and carved Warszawa (Warsaw) into the stone.

Recovery

2011-04-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

The Edinburgh Marathon isn't too far away now - well, it's next month at least - so I'm upping my mileage each week. The mainstay of my weekend runs, like most runners, is a long run. I love doing runs like these - a steady pace, with the focus on time spent on feet, rather than actual intensity and speed. In recent weeks I've found that I've been getting much better at recovering from my long runs. Sure, the legs are a bit heavy afterwards, but I've managed to get a good rest / refuel balance post-runs, which means that later the same day I feel like I can go out running again (albeit not necessarily for an interval / hill session).

Anyhoo...this is an interesting piece from Runner's World on recovering from long runs. http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/general/in-the-long-run/163.html

A Brief History Of The Marathon

2011-03-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

Cool article if, like me, you're interested in the history of silly people running too far :) Find it here at the Runner's World website.

Leader Of The Pack

2011-03-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

This made me laugh: probably the smartest race strategy I've ever seen :D

Highway To Gel

2011-03-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

In theory, sports energy gels are a great idea: concentrated, high quality carbohydrate, handy enough to carry with you on a long run and quickly absorbed. Nevertheless, I've been struggling with them for years for one very simple reason - THEY ARE FUCKING VILE! No matter how much manufacturers attempt to disguise the taste with various fruit flavours, there's no escaping the gloopy, slimy texture which triggers my gag reflex every time. And it's not just me being an over-sensitive wuss, as I discovered at a recent race where a number of runners could be heard supressing involuntary wretching as they attempted to fuel up before the start. So I've finally accepted that I'll never come to terms with gels and will stick with other WAY more palatable options - like jelly beans*.

*But not green jelly beans. Oh no. They're as vile as energy gels really. I'd gargle on a dog's vomit.

Listen To This!

2011-03-22T03:52:00.000-07:00

A quick shout out to the Marathon Talk podcast, which I listen to each week. It's presented by Martin Yelling (husband of UK marathon runner Liz) and Tom Williams. It's a fun listen, and also a great source of news and interviews regarding all aspects of running. They've talked to some amazing people in the past; inspiring listening even if you're not a runner.

Race Report: Alloa Half Marathon

2011-03-22T03:32:00.000-07:00

Crikey, what a busy / crazy few weeks! A knee injury, a holiday, a couple of personal crises...and then, finally, a race. The knee injury has been the biggest concern - it happened after doing some running on the Lomond Hills a few weeks ago. I jarred my left knee during a steep descent, and since then I've had swelling / inflamation around the knee cap. Injuries aren't great at the best of times, but given that this happened so close to a race, I was immediately panicking.

I'll spare you the gorey details of everything that happened recently, but let's just say that it was with a mixture of a) relief and b) surprise that I was able to join the other runners at the start of the Alloa Half Marathon on Sunday. This was my second time of doing this race, which is maybe a little surprising given that the route takes in the town of Alva, where I grew up. Although not a 'massive' field, it's always well attended and comprises a solid component of club runners, which means that the standard is pretty high.

I'm roughly in the middle of this pic :D

In the back of my mind, following my last race at the Cupar 5, I had decided to try and break the 1 hour 30 mins mark for the first time. I knew I had the fitness - it was more a case of ensuring that my knee held out. With that in mind, you'd think that I'd be slightly tentative at the start of the race, but no chance. I got a bit carried away and tanked through the first few miles at roughly 6 min 35 secs per mile - my target pace was 6:50. But by the time we'd reached the flattish section along the Hillfoots villages (miles 5 - 9, roughly) I'd settled back down. The knee was sore, but not excrutiating.

Waving to family in Alva

A highlight of the race was running through Alva and past my wife, kids and parents, who'd come out to cheer me on. Hearing my daughter Beth shouting "Run Daddy Run" brought a stupidly big grin to my face!

The course has a rather unpleasant hilly section stretching up from Menstrie to Tullibody and back into Alloa. I say unpleasant - it's a bit of a lung buster and one guy in front of me wrecked his calves during the ascent.

So, by the time the 12 mile mark came along, I was a bit tired and desperate for the race to end - I could feel my knee throbbing and my thigh was tightening as a result. Quick check of my watch at 12 miles: 1 hour 22 mins had gone by. I tried to do a calculation in my head - was I on target? Possibly. But I could tell I was slowing. 13 miles: 1 hour 29 mins...fuuuuuuck. Just the last .1 mile to go. Tick...tick...tick...I blasted my legs as much as I could and threw myself over the finish: 1 hour 29 mins and 54 seconds. Cutting it a bit fine, but GET IN!

Shiny medal!

A nice man was handing out Mars Bars and bananas at the finish. I took one of each and pretty much ate both sideways. So tired. The knee didn't look too pretty (it's still a little melon-like, two days on) but at least it didn't fall apart on me, which I had been fearing. A satisfying end to a week which had, at one stage, been heading south very, very rapidly.

Gulp!

2011-03-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

Have a read of this feature on extreme training, the Kenyan way. How scary does that look? I don't think I can ever justify moaning about my interval sessions ever again!! Much respect to these athletes, but it goes to illustrate an important aspect of running: what you put in, you get back out.

Must. Work. Harder.

Race Report: Cupar 5 Mile Road Race

2011-03-02T11:17:00.000-08:00

Couldn't believe my bad luck towards the end of last week when I came down with a head cold, which subsequently went to my chest. I was a right old snotty mess and, typically, I had a race on the Saturday. But, you'll be no doubt thrilled to hear, I battled on despite my man-flu.

Me, wearing race number 93, obviously :D

So, the race: my second of the year, the Cupar 5 mile road race, organised by my running club Fife AC. A far more intimate affair than the Great Winter Run, as you might imagine - the entrants numbered in their hundreds rather than thousands. But, as is always the case with events like these, it was a very friendly and fun affair. Saying that, the race itself was as far from laid back as you can get. 5 miles, undulating course - the guy who won it did so in just over 23 minutes. Amazing running!

As for me, I did a PB of 32 mins 26 seconds which, given the projectile phlegm exiting my gob for the first quarter of the race, I am particularly pleased with. Other than my time, highlight of the race for me was the guy at the finish line handing out bags of jelly beans. Yum. And there were NO GREEN JELLY BEANS!!!! Hooray! Actually, now that I think about it: the race finished next to a public park. There was a guy handing out sweeties to random strangers. Hmmm...oh well, at least he didn't try to bundle me into his car :D

The Hills Are Alive...

2011-02-22T05:39:00.000-08:00

I like hills. And living in Scotland, that's just as well as it's hard to get away from the blighters. Most of my training runs involve an incline or two of some sort, but this past week my hill work has been, er, 'intensified'. Mid-week training with my running club last week involved a fairly brutal hill-based interval session. It would have been tough at the best of times, but I *really* pushed myself and was well and truly shattered by the end. In a good way though.

Sunday morning, I joined the running club for a run in the Lomond Hills, a few miles from here. The two hours we spent going up East and then West Lomond were brilliant fun, but the several inches of snow were a bit of a shock. My feet took the rest of the day to thaw out! Hill / fell runners are always telling me how it's far more interesting than road running, although I must confess I really enjoy zoning out on long road runs. That said, you can't help but be inspired when running on terrain like this.

Basick Records + New Interview

2011-02-16T05:21:00.000-08:00

Ever since I started my Run Calum Run challenge, I've been humbled by the support I've received from various places. That's why I'm really chuffed that my challenges are now being endorsed by progressive metal label Basick Records (I urge you to check out their roster - pretty damn impressive!) Many thanks to Nathan, Sean, James and Lisa for their support - and please have a look at the interview they've done with me HERE.

New Race

2011-02-16T04:53:00.000-08:00

A slight change of plans: in February I'll now be running the Cupar 5 race at the end of the month, and not the cross country event up in Aberdeen. It should be a great race - local, and by all accounts relatively flat.

More Races!

2011-02-10T11:07:00.000-08:00

Been busy the past wee while working out some more runs for this year and it's just dawned on me that they appear to be increasing in lunacy!

The first addition is Fife Athletic Club Tour Of Fife, in July. This comprises 6 races (incorporating road, trail, hill and beach) over 7 days, concluding with the mysterious 'twisted' Chicken Run!

In September I'll be doing my first ultramarathon - The River Ayr Way Challenge. 41 miles, ending up in the town of Ayr. It's sufficiently far off to not be worrying me at the moment, although I know that as time passes I'll be bricking it!

I'm especially excited by what's planned for August. My mate Giles is a cyclist and between us we're going to be doing a West-to-East Tour of Scotland, starting in Fort William and ending up, a day later, in St Andrews. 170 miles, thank you very much. We'll be doing this in a relay stylee; Giles cycling a leg, then me running a (shorter!) leg. Is going to be tough, but we're both really excited by the challenge, even if we end up crawling over the finish line coughing up blood :)

Ed Stone

2011-02-07T11:08:00.000-08:00

It gives me enormous pleasure to announce that the mighty Ed Stone Rockwear will be sponsoring and supporting me in my running endeavours throughout 2011 as I raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Paul and Debbie for their ongoing enthusiasm and commitment to my running - as you can imagine, such support is invaluable when fundraising. And while I have your attention, please go NOW to visit Ed Stone's website and drool over their range of heavy rock and metal clothing. As they say, they're kicking ass, not kissing ass :)

Carb Fail

2011-02-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

If you've ever run over a long, long distance and run out of carbs (becoming hypoglycemic as a result), then you'll know that it's not a fun experience. At all. I've heard of people passing out as a result. You gotta admire Sian Welch and Wendy Ingraham, therefore, forcing themselves to the finish line in this video when there's no doubt they'd have soon curled up into a ball on the road and died. There's a part of me which wants to laugh extremely hard at their Ministry Of Silly Walks running, but I quickly surpress it in case I jinx my next race performance :)

Join Our Club

2011-02-02T06:42:00.000-08:00

Friends, you see before you a broken man. Ok, that might be a bit of an exageration. But I do smart somewhat. Last night I broke the habit of a lifetime and - wait for it - went running with other people. Yes, real human beings. To those who know me, this will come as a bit of a shock. For others, let me explain. One of the main attractions of running for me is that it gives me time, alone, with myself. No distractions, no worries, just me taking on the road in front of me. It's not that I've had anything against other people per se; I just happen to prefer my own company while running.

Which is all well and good, but I recently came to a realisation that I needed the prompting of a coach or such to force me to keep up my interval training. Intervals - if you're interested - are periods of high-intensity running, followed by a period of recovery, then more high-intensity running, then more recovery. Repeat as necessary. Sounds easy on paper to say that you'll do 10 x half-mile intervals, but, being inherently a lazy bastard, I've always been able to 'justify' doing less than I originally intended. I do however appreciate the importance of interval training to both speed and endurance, so I took action.

A local running club meets once a week close to our house, and I've been steadily dodging joining them for years. But last night I gave in and joined them for a fantastic training session. A 2.5 mile warm up, then 10 x half mile intervals, then cool down. And, much to my surprise (and delight, I have to say) I loved it. Great banter with a nice bunch of guys who were both encouraging and welcoming. I was pleased that I managed to keep pace with the more experienced members of the club, but I'm suffering for it today. My quads in particular are complaining. Still, it hasn't put me off and I'm already looking forward to more of the same next week.

Doh! A Deer!

2011-01-29T10:53:00.000-08:00

Where I live, and where I run, is fairly rural - I usually train along country roads, farm tracks and the like. As I result I'm pretty used to encountering various wildlife en route. To be fair, much of it takes the form of roadkill, and I've been jumped by a local yappy wee dog a few times too. Yesterday I went out for a run at dusk. All was going well until the last stretch through a wood. I turned a corner and out of the gloom on my right jumped a deer, brushing past within a few inches of my nose. I jumped a little, to say the least. Ok, I shat it and ran as fast as hell the rest of the way home. Maybe I've accidentally discovered the secret of speed work. Or maybe I should take a gun with me next time and bag myself a free dinner :)

Spit Or Swallow?

2011-01-25T11:30:00.000-08:00

Over the years I've read dozens of running training manuals and hundreds of magazines, all of which have been replete with handy hints on improving technique, fitness and endurance. But it crossed my mind earlier today that there's been a constant and glaring ommission from the literature: how to spit properly.

Sorry if that's grossed you out, but spitting is important when you're running. No matter how fit or experienced you are, there are times during most runs when snot and gunk which naturally lives on the inside is forced upwards (or possibly downwards) and outwards through the exertions of running. It's as inevitable as sweating. Options are a) swallow it (eeew) or b) get rid of it. I prefer to spit rather than swallow....

So that leaves us with the problem of successfully spitting and running at the same time without looking like a total twat. It sounds easy, but it's deceptively difficult There have been plenty of times when I've seen people who've got it all wrong. Imagine if you will somebody trying to look cool and athletic as they run by during a race, deciding to spit but forgetting to check the wind direction. Result? Gunk whiplashed from chin to forehead. NOT a good look.

In the interests of science I've conducted a few experiments, and I've decided that the most reliable spitting technique is to turn head down and to the side mid-stride and confidently gob. Any hesitation and you're left with a stream of snot or phlegm that's really hard to shake off without stopping and grabbing it with your hands.

A useful piece of running advice, I'm sure you'll agree...now, all I need to do is work out which colour of lycra best suits my complexion and I'll be a world beater.

Are You Ready For The Ultimate Metal Playlist Challenge?

2011-01-23T12:36:00.000-08:00

A quick head's up: nip over to a new page on the blog HERE and help me in my quest to compile the ultimate metal playlist for runners. Some great suggestions have been made already!

There's A Moose Loose...

2011-01-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

This is *exactly* what the mouse looked like...

A day off running today, although I've not been idle. 3 days each week I do some weights in my gym. I say 'gym' - it's my garage, where I have a bench and a load of freestanding weights etc. Being a fairly anti-social git when it comes to exercising, I find this far more satisfying than belonging to a gym, primarily because there aren't that many gyms which blast eviscerating black metal on a regular basis*. Today, however, reminded me of one of the downsides. Halfway through a set of deadlifts, I noticed out of the corner of my eye something on the garage floor to my left. I glanced over: a feckin' mouse. Not only that, but a feckin' devil mouse STARING RIGHT AT ME WITHOUT BLINKING. It was, without doubt, born of evil. I fear that my bum might have made a merry toot at the surprise I got, although the sound was masked by my scream as I dropped the barbell I was holding, which then bounced off my shins on the way down. And despite the commotion, the wee mouse didn't budge! Just sat there looking decidedly unimpressed. Only when I went over and threatened it with a dumbell did it finally piss off into the dark. So before my next scheduled weight session (Monday) I'm going to get me a mousetrap. Or a gun.

*To be fair, I've no idea if there are gyms out there regularly playing black metal. Might be fun to start one - lycra and corpsepaint would be a good look.

The Strength Of Your Feet...The Courage Of Your Lungs

2011-01-19T02:57:00.000-08:00

Jesse Owens

I love this quote from athlete Jesse Owens (who tore apart the sprinting competition at the 1936 Berlin Olympics) - it encapsulates the drive that keeps me running even when I should really be questioning my own sanity.
"I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."

Great Chieftain O' The Puddin Race

2011-01-18T11:37:00.000-08:00

White pudding: tastier than it looks!

I'm usually very careful with my diet, but today I made a bit of an exception. I finally managed to shake off the last of this stomach bug, so celebrated in two ways. First, I went for a run: it went well, a steady 5 miler, although my legs were a tad wobbly on the hilly stretch at the end. Second, I went to the chip shop and bought myself a white pudding supper. Not exactly health food, but feck it was tasty and I was starving. Might have to run a bit harder tomorrow to work it off, mind you.

CackBlabbath Interview

2011-01-18T03:50:00.000-08:00

I recently did a wee interview with metal zine CackBlabbath in which I talked a little about my day job and also my running. You can read the interview in full HERE. And while you're at it, make sure you take the chance to scout around the rest of the CackBlabbath site for a really tasty range of metal / rock reviews and features. It's great stuff.

And if you're in Birmingham area on Feb 12th this year, you could do a heck of a lot worse than head to Eddie's Rock Club at 4pm for CackBlabbath's inaugural Twitrfest. Appearing are Trucker Diablo, Oaf, Sassy Kraimspri, Dakesis, Triaxis and Furyon. Ticket info can be found at www.twitrfest.co.uk. Support!

Rising To The Occasion

2011-01-17T11:51:00.000-08:00

I read recently in Men's Running Magazine (www.mensrunninguk.co.uk - read it, great mag) that men who exercise three to five times a week have a 30 percent reduced chance of suffering from erectile dysfunction. Maybe it's my weird mind, but I'm imagining all these guys who, upon realising they've run out of Viagra (also known as Coxafloppin...), throwing on their running gear and heading out for a quick 5K in the hope that it will put things right, as it were. As a solution it's not without its risks, though - ever tried running with an erection? The chaffing is HELL.

Virtua Runner

2011-01-16T08:04:00.000-08:00

21m training run created on Map My Run

Argh, what a frustrating time. Like many runners, Sunday's the day when I do my long run, helping me to build up endurance and strength for tackling half-to-full marathon distances. It's the kind of run I enjoy most - a nice, steady pace, my brain zoning out entirely. Bliss. This Sunday's a bit different, of course, given the delightful tummy bug currently working its way through my system - the only running I'm doing is a mad dash to the loo at fairly regular intervals. Sorry, was that too much info? Just be glad I haven't described what I've been barfing.

Anyways...I don't tolerate imposed restrictions on my running (whether it be through illness or injury) with any grace whatsoever, and I'm currently sulking around at home annoying everyone. To try and reduce the sense of cabin fever, I've been playing around with running routes on Map My Run. There's something strangely satisfying about 'virtual' running like this, even though it's one thing to work out a particular route but quite something else actually running it. Still, it takes my mind off the contents of my stomach for a while.

It's All Tom Petty's Fault

2011-01-15T02:18:00.000-08:00

You make me sick...

Joy of joys, the winter vomiting bug has properly struck me down. After retching, and nothing more, (sorry, hope I don't put you off your breakfast) while out running on Thursday, I thought I'd actually managed to dodge that particular bullet. Nay. Last night it got me, and it got me good. So, my plans for a 7 miler today are well and truly out the window. Instead I'm laid up in bed, praying that my daughter doesn't come running in and jump on my stomach again, like she did earlier.

On a slightly more humorous note, for some insane reason I had Tom Petty's 'Free Falling' bouncing around my brain in the middle of the night, even while I was driving the porcelain truck: 'She's a good...' *blaaaargh* '...girl, loves her ma...' *blaaaargh*...'ma, loves Jesus and Americ...' *blaaaaaargh* ...'a too,' etc. I hope I never hear that song again.

Caught Short...

2011-01-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

Here's a handy training hint, if you're thinking of taking up running. If members of your family are ill with a vomiting bug and there's even a *remote* chance of you contracting the same, then don't go for a run. There's nothing more undignified than leaning over a stone wall, retching your guts up in front of a field of bemused sheep.

Just sayin'...

A Facebook Page To Visit...

2011-01-12T07:10:00.000-08:00

Are you on Facebook? If so, please take a moment to visit the page belonging to Macmillan Cancer Support's East Scotland office. They're providing me with fundraising support during my running challenge - you can read about the other work they're doing at their FB page too and you'll be amazed / inspired by some of the fundraising activities mentioned there.

Anyone For Fajitas?

2011-01-12T03:40:00.000-08:00

Many of the larger races provide runners with some sort of souvenier at the finish line - often a tshirt / medal and, in some cases, a goody bag filled with energy bars, bottled water, blister plasters etc. Well, such a goody bag was handed out at the end of last weekend's Great Winter Run. Useful it was too, and I necked the energy bars it contained in about 2 seconds flat. Nom. Bizarrely, it also contained a sachet of fajita seasoning! Quite why it was deemed appropriate, I don't know. I love fajitas and all, but to be honest cooking Mexican food was the last thing on my mind after running a race. Might've been handier if they'd supplied some chicken and a frying pan also...

My Official Time / Position From Great Winter Run

2011-01-10T02:57:00.000-08:00

You might need Superman-strength vision to read this!

I love chip-timed events, like Saturday's Great Winter Run. Rather than having to worry about adjusting your time manually to take into account the length it time it takes to just get through the starting gates (the first time I did the Great North Run it took me about 10 minutes, simply due to the volume of participants), you just go with the flow and let the chip (strapped to your shoe) do the work. At race end, the chip is handed in and very quickly processed, which means that official times / positions are available with minimal delay. So, according to my official result I was 128th position, which I guess is pretty good considering there were thousands taking part. More importantly though is that, for my age category, I came 12th. Now, if only I'd told the race organisers I was in my 80s, then maybe I would have come first...

First Race Of The Year...Great Winter Run 5K, Edinburgh

2011-01-09T12:34:00.000-08:00

Waiting for the race to start

I must confess, my heart sank. A quick glance out of my office window on Friday night revealed that it had decided to snow. Again. By the time I was heading to bed a few inches had fallen. Great. My first race of the year was on Saturday morning and I had to somehow get my backside into Edinburgh before 11.30am. That might not sound like a challenge, but in order to make that deadline I would first have to clear the driveway of snow, drive 40 mins to the park-and-ride, wait for the bus, go into Edinburgh city centre and then make my way down the Royal Mile to Holyrood Park, where the race was taking place. Come Saturday and it all started off smoothly: up early, snow cleared, made it to the park-and-ride in plenty of time. But no bus. It had broken down. Yay. I waited, and waited, and then one finally turned up (driven by the most unpleasant driver in the world, btw). I was in danger of being late for race registration, so when we arrived in Edinburgh I had to run the mile or so down to Holyrood Park. A nice warm up, I guess.

Post race tired face :)

As for the race: this was my first ever 5K event, as I've primarily stuck to half-marathons in the past. Like all races in the Great... series, it was a lavish, large scale affair. Big turnout, despite the snow, and loads of spectators. Although cold - I'd forgotten my hat!! - I was feeling pretty fit. I knew that this race was traditionally a hilly one, with part of the route going around Arthur's Seat, and I'd trained with that in mind. Because of the snow, however, the race organisers decided at the last minute to revert to an out-and-back contingency course which avoided some of the more potentially treacherous areas. Still, as I discovered when we started, the first half was essentially uphill, although nothing too severe.

Oooh, shiny medal!

Before I knew it, race was over. I completed the 5 kilometres in 22 mins 50 seconds - 128th out of several thousand entrants, but I was 12th for my age category, which really pleased me. Although not too tired, I necked the energy bars found in the post-race goody bag in about 2 seconds flat, before heading off to an italian in town to eat my own weight in pasta. Nice to get my running challenge off to such a positive start - here's hoping for more of the same!

Why am I running?

2011-01-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

Throughout 2011 I'm undertaking a number of running challenges (approximately one per month) which will see me participate in races ranging in distance from 5K through to marathon (that's 26.2 miles, trivia fans).

Apart from being a personal challenge, I'm running to raise money for, and awareness of, Macmillan Cancer Support. We all know of friends and family whose lives have been affected by cancer – it affects us all. That's why the work of Macmillan in providing support (medical, financial and practical) to those in need is invaluable.

I'll be updating this blog throughout the year with stories of the races I'm running, how training is going and other random thoughts that may crop up from time to time. You can also follow me on Twitter: @runcalumrun.

Finally (for now at least ;) ) - if you would like to sponsor me and make a donation to Macmillan Cancer Support, please visit my Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/calumharvie. All donations, no matter what size, *do* make a difference and enable Macmillan to move closer towards their aim of reaching, and improving the lives of, everyone living with cancer, their families and carers.