The musings and ramblings of an itinerant Scottish runner

Sunday, November 30

A close shave

I'm posting this as a reminder of what I look like with a 0 guard clipper.

It was perishing when we went out for our 10 miles at 8.45am. The temp was -4c!

Thank goodness for my Nike skullcap.

The run itself was grand. Total time, 1hr 31mins, ave. pace 9.06mi.

Saturday, November 29

The finer side of life ...


Coffee
Originally uploaded by Sparks57
Aside from running in new places, there are of course advantages to being in continental Europe.

I have a vice for strong coffee, particularly when drunk with red wine. Or is it the other way round?

Whatever, there was a certain civility about it in Brussels and it would have been very rude not to have joined in.

When in Belgium ... and all that.

Brussels run


Brussels run
Originally uploaded by Sparks57
This was it - 4.98 miles in the centre of a very chilly Brussels on Tuesday November 25.

I walked from the hotel right beside the European Parliament's Berleymont building and scoped out the route the night before.

I wasn't alone in running round the park. Other runners were doing a similar route.

It's great running in foreign cities. It's a good way to see different parts of them and to smile nicely to other runners when your paths cross!

I'm back

The end of the year always brings a spell of reflection and this year is no different.

I've run two races in the past week and both have brought significant PBs, which caused me to consider the last few months in particular.

In all, I've recorded personal bests at 3k, 5k, 10k and marathon. Undoubtedly the highlight was sub-4hrs in Amsterdam - even if it was by just one second.

But the 43.27 at Strathaven last Sunday (1 min 28 secs off my previous PB) was a great surprise and then taking 50 seconds off my October 2007 time in the Glasgow Green 3k yesterday was confirmation that I've held on to at least some of the conditioning from the marathon training.

Ironically, being in London Monday-Friday has so far allowed me to train more regularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I've found Mornington Chasers in Camden to be very welcoming.

I've done tempo runs on Tuesdays at a higher pace than I'd have done at home because I haven't yet found my "level" within the club. Thursday nights are either track or hill sessions. I've done one of each and have felt the benefits.

Sundays will be at least 10 miles from here on, probably around Chatelherault. It's good to be back on home soil for those!

No big targets for the foreseeable future, just to enjoy running and do well in the job in London. Race-wise, the next one will be the Cambuslang 10k on December 28 and I fancy the Jack Crawford 10k along the Forth and Clyde Canal on January 17.

There's also the new Glasgow parkrun in Pollok Park on Saturday mornings. They look like being good fun.

First chance I'll have to do one of those is December 21.

Onwards and upwards!

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Weebl and Bob - total quality!