still fun

just enjoying it and not really pushing. should i? had a great yoga session on monday and then had to fly to london to give a talk on tuesday. That meant the run in the gym was not on as I did not get back till 10.pm. wednesday should have been yoga but came home from work really late and so hungry that it was food or yoga... food won. sorry Jo. Then thursday my PhD student Besma, became a a Dr, and it was her last night in Glasgow going to Manchester and a new lab, so I just had to socialise. Just do not seem to be trying do i? still 7.5 K round mugdock reservoir on saturday. It was lovely and a beautiful rainbow. so many poeple running now, its such a good feeling. Then all the saturday runners went back for bacon sarnies! yummy. Today I went out on my own for a 5K and met two friends also jogging. There is definetly a lot of us ladies out there trying. It was so cold today my asthma was getting to me. That cold just hits the lungs so only once around the reservoir. No reason to my running, I must get some plan.....

Fiona: Week 3

Monday is my cheeky easy day. I don't eat so well (Divine chocolate at 2pm... Carbs to the max al day...), mostly as its usually a hugely stressful day, and I do less exercise. On this particular Monday I did 10 mins X training- HARDCORE.

Tuesday training was properly hard. It was 6x600m sprints, where each leg feels like forever. I managed them all sub 2.15 though, which isn't terrible for me. Loads of people from the club showed for sessions for once and there was a really curious astmosphere afterwards, where we all kept hugging and patting each other on the back and saying people did well. A bit like how people would act if there was a nuclear disaster and they were truly glad to have survived... Which is pretty much how I felt. Also ran 1.5 miles warm up there and 1.5 miles back.

Wednesday was the GUHH club's Re-Freshers run, which is like a recruitment run, aiming to promote running in those who don't already do it. I did the three miles fast run, which due to some creative route planning, turned out to be the four miles fast run.

I made this poster for it- thought I did an okies job :)

On Thursday I turned up to sessions and realised I'd forgotten my shorts. Then all motivation I had, which had already been beaten black and blue by coursework, left me and instead of borrowing shorts or running back to get mine I just went home.

From Friday I was trying to make an effort to eat better (ate so much junk this week) and I also made an effort to work out more- did a boxfit class and abs work on the floor. Been reading a lot about how important a strong core is to running and since my core is currently doughball-esque I thought I should step it up!

Saturday I did an hours walk with my parents. Sunday we had arranged a long run with the club- a violent 10 miles. Except I failed utterly and did 5. I was just so freaking exhausted, so stiff, so DONE WITH IT. I have been eating badly, hardly sleeping and stressed out about uni so I'm not surprised.

Plan for next week is therefore: eat better, monday gym, tuesday sprints, wed run, thursday session, friday swim then BUCCCS on Saturday, asleep each night before 11pm. Hopefully.

Fiona McG

Fiona: Inspiration To Us All

The Ignis Asset Management 10K is a women's only race. Part of what makes that race so special is the atmosphere surrounding it. I thought this Nike athletes ad was really appropriate:

"Are men bigger, stronger, faster? Yes. Is that all that has to do with being an athlete? No."

Fiona McG

January Blues

Well January has not really been the start to my running year that I hoped! A complete aversion to exercise for the past 6 months has put me right back at square one with the old training malarkey and right now I could figuratively run a mile but perhaps not literally!

However, Monday will be my start day! I'm going to get back into Zumba, get back to the gym and maybe even buy some new running trainers to I can actually start training for the race! That sounded dangerously like my usual diet mantra....'Monday will be the day I change my eating habits and unleash the skinny Amazon I know is lurking inside my 5ft 4", size 12-14 frame!'...then of course Monday arrives, I get on the train home and someone is eating a burger in the seat beside me and it all goes a bit 'pear shaped' (pardon the pun) as I go home and eat my own body weight in twiglets while waiting on a 4 cheese pizza to cook in the oven! But, alas! I still have time to get back into running! I will achieve my goal! I will be fit! And I will probably still cry as I cross the finish line!

Hmmm - right now May seems like ages away but I think that if the next 3 months go as quickly as January has then it'll be here before I know it! Eeeek! Better get those new trainers bought and get cracking! Thank goodness tomorrow is payday....x

Fiona: Devil's Burden

Hi all!

I ended up doing nadda after my last post before the Devil's Burden... 

MAN that is a tough race. My leg was literally 2 miles straight uphill and then rolling hills for one mile, followed by another half mile directly and steeply downhill. Today my ankles are starting to majorly ache and I bet by tomorrow it'll be sore. I also did nothing today. The first two miles felt like forever, and when I reached the halfway pt I was thinking 'are you kidding me?!'.

Its also very much a local's race. Unless you know the hills the navigation is challenging (every racer is required to carry a map, compass and whistle and wear full body cover). I almost got lost once, only prevented from doing so by another kindly participant who yelled at me and gestured. 2 of the 3 teams Glasgow Uni entered got lost on leg 3 (with my poor friend Stephen ending up doing 16k over 2 hours).

In retrospect I enjoy that I DID it, but I wouldn't say I enjoyed it. Unless you're a serious hill runner its just tough, though it can teach you a thing or two about running through pain. 

Fiona McG

its all to do with time

Started the week with a great yoga practice with Jo our teacher back from very serious flu, and it was lovely to have her pushing us through our practice. Really stiff the next day, like some steam roller had ironed out my body, but went to the university gym to try and do some interval training. My trotting is always so slow that I am going to try and speed up. Wednesday was a trip to London for a committee meeting and Thursday we had visitors to stay so I just did not have any spare time for exercise. Several excuses coming up but I was good on the weekend. Saturday is the Mugdock reservoir run, as I am working up to running twice round for 10K. Still only doing it once and it was so icy that it was hard to jog at all, more of a skate and I had to stick to the grass. Very foggy too, got round the reservoir before I noticed it. I listen to radio 4 Saturday live while I trot and got caught up to the stories. This time all the runners came back to us for coffee. My kids did good and phoebe made pancakes, Hannah lemon muffins and Alice croissants. All got scoffed too with gallons of coffee. Made it worth getting up and running. Saturday night was quite a late night to a Celtic connection concert at the Fruitmarket with more running friends from Edinburgh. They got us up Sunday morning for another Mugdock run as they are training for the Cape Wrath Marathon, so were planning to run10 miles. I opted for 7K (1.5 times round reservoir). The weather was much warmer and so much better for my asthma though the hip was twinging. It was nice though lots of geese on the water. Read the papers until they finished their run in 1.5 hrs.

Fiona: Fuerteventura

Hi again guys,

Got back from sunny Fuerteventura on Monday night (or technically Tuesday morning!). I'm going to be wildly honest- outside an extremely unskilled game of tennis we did no working out at all. We did, however, have a total blast and made great pals in the sprint team! Actually, I tell a lie, two boys did a whopping 24km run one day.

This week so far I have done my strength training at the gym (oww, hello arms), ran a whopping 7.5 or 8 miles yesterday and today Im planning on super circuits at 5.15pm (this one is a tough class). Eating since I got home has been okay- a little too much chocolate perhaps but hey, thats WHY I run...

I should tell you why I did so much yesterday... It isnt that I'm a cool, dedicated athlete. Its that Julie and I got lost on a group run. I had a date so we ended up tempo running two miles, found the start of our usual 6 miler and raced around that too at a massive pace. And I was still late!

There are a lot of hard races upcoming for me- this weekend is the (aptly named) Devil's Burden Hill Relay - I'm running leg 2 as part of a mixed gender team. Its hilly to be sure. Then its only 2 weeks till British Uni Cross Country Champs in Birmingham- eep!

Fiona McG

Had a good run tonight!

Hi all,
After taking part in a very snowy Great Winter Run I got back into regular training last week with the Glasgow Running Network (following a month off due to snow and flu).
I went out on Tuesday nite with Holyrood group and Thursday nite with the Pollokshaws group. By the Thursday night it still wasn't getting any easier with my breathing - ooof! But I had a good blether with one of the girls from my group called Tammy who gave me loads of good advice on marathon training.
I then did Glasgow Parkrun on Saturday morning - crumbs - it was hard work. I hadn't done parkrun for a couple of months and forgot how tough those hills can be. It was also really rainy and miserable (I very nearly didn't go - but my fiance uttered his catchphrase "your skin is waterproof" - so off I went to the park). Not surprisingly - there was no PB for me!
I'm working down south tomorrow so went out with the Gorbals group tonight - and had a REALLY good run. I started chatting to a couple of the girls and one of the coaches and it made the time pass much more quickly. I've arranged to meet one of the girls at Tollcross group on Wednesday night - have not been to that one before so it will be good to meet up with someone else who hasn't been either.
I feel much better following my run tonight. Hopefully I'll get a good sleep too - early start for the airport in the morning. Pam x

First Run :)

Ok so the ice finally melted ...

My first run in a good while took place this morning, nothing brillient I must add but its a start.
Went a wee run round Broadwood Loch and bumped in to a couple of other motivated people doing the same thing.

What I did notice is that when you run past people -and give the usual runner to runner nod- that I always wonder where they have ran from and how much further they are going to run.

Anyway glad that I have finally went out and hopefully it will kickstart me into training.
Back at Uni as of tomorrow but have mondays off so that may be a perfect morning to run.

Also Yorkhill have asked me to be part of their running team and feature on their website and letters in order to get lots of others involved in signing up for running events and raising money for Yorkhill, so excited about that

First week down

Well since I was asked to be an online face of the race I thought i had better start training. This years 10k is really important to me as i am running for a cause very close to my heart The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice, and i would like to beat my fastest time of 59mins....

Tuesday - The week started great when i got back into my step aerobics classes on Tuesday night after the christmas and new year break, it all went really well untill i stopped by the local chippie on the way home. Never mind there is always tomorrow
Wednesday - Time for the work to begin with another step class, oh dear clearly the 3 week break has knocked me back a bit because i felt like i had did 10 rounds with Mike Tyson...
Thursday - Feeling good after last nights excercise time for Attack and a wee run home, I worked really hard in class tonight then took the (roughly about 3 1/2 miles) run home, which might i add took me over half an hour - clearly i have alot of work to do.

I have used tonight (Friday) to work out a training schedule to hopefully i can get back on track and of course i will keep you all updated on my progress

Naomi x

Fiona: A Week in Training 1

After my crazy Body Workout class, i woke up on Monday to thighs so tight I couldn't descend a staircase. Consequently I was dreading the evening training with the club (GUHH)... Just goes to show how wrong you can be. It was chucking it down but the run was one of those rare ones where rain just makes it easier to breathe. I stayed bang middle of the pack with the boys for the 6 miles, which is faster than my usual pace while training, and finished the run in under an hour. Shame I then forgot my towel and had to drip dry in the gym showers!

Tuesday I was going to do a boxfit class to take the strain of my thighs (which are definitely feeling it). Got to say, I don't think having to sit it a library till 2am is great for your legs post-run. Ah the joys of being a student... I ended up going to sprint sessions instead (ouch but awesome), where coach told me he wants a 45min 10k this time, no excuses. Oh dear. Sprints covered 2.5miles (1 mile warm up, 200mx13 reps = just over1.5 miles).

Wednesday was an appalling run- only 4 club members showed, I was so so stiff and I kept getting frustrated cause I could talk completely normally (ie breathing was A OK) but not run any faster cause' my legs weren't up for it. We ended up doing 5 miles or just over. In the rain. And Thursday morning I was SORE. So I had a rest day.

I know I said I'd blog on Sundays, but I'm doing so early this week cause' I'm off to FUERTEVENTURA today with the athletics club (they call us Hares and Hounds the 'giraffes' ha ha, because we are all tall and skinny) to do some sprint training and, if I'm honest, to bask in the sun. I'm so excited for sun! And training, obv :-D.

Fiona McG

Raising money for Yorkhill

Huge thank you to Mhairi Duffy for kick starting my fundraising by offering to donate £100 to Yorkhill for my Womens 10k Lanch Hoody.

So I have now set up a just giving page in order to collect sponcers :)

Anyone who would like to donate can do via the link.

Thank you very much in advance.

Ice Ice Baby

Firstly really enjoyed the launch of the 2011 10k on Monday, was a good laugh and amusing to see the funny looks we were getting from people above wondering why we were running on the spot at the top of the concert hall :)

Was also excited to find out we were in the Evening Times (see picture) and the metro :)

As a Snowsports fan I genually love the winter and snow hoever currently the one thing I stronly dislike is the ice !!

So I was ready for starting traing yesterday and got all motivated for a run however the paths around cumbernauld at the moment have sheets of ice that could put george square at christmas time to shame.

Seriously not only the paths but the side streets and even the edge of the roads have thick layres of slush which make it an impossible task. The only way I could have had a decent run would have been to go in the middle of the road and leap over the coming cars - which for obvious reasons I decided wasn't the best idea ! So I went for a walk and ended that plan there.

Training will comence at some point but if this ice dosen't start to disappear it may have to begin in the gym for a while ....

first blog for me

Guilt! I start the build up to the Women’s 10K with guilt for not keeping my trotting up and letting the snow and ice be a good excuse. I call it trotting, as my speed can not be considered a jog or a run. However I am still pleased with myself for trotting any distance. I started running 6 years ago, completing my first Women’s 10K with my friends Ali and Mads. Ali kept Mads and myself going by telling stories and we made it. My time is always around 70mins but I do keep jogging even up hill. I have exercise-induced asthma, so its all a bit of an effort. Each year I need an incentive to make sure I do not give up training and this year it’s as an online face for the race. So I started jogging again last week, round the Milngavie reservoir - 35 mins to complete just under 5 K. Got to improve. Keep on with my yoga as its good for running but our yoga teacher has been poorly, so we all got together in the church hall and quietly did our practice together in our heads hearing Jos voice, was great but not quite the same. Went to the gym tonight and trotted on the treadmill for 25mins (only 3K). Got a bit to go…….

Great Winter Run - hard going!

Hi there,
This is my first blog since being asked to be one of the featured runners on the Women's 10k site. I'm not the fastest of runners - but I really enjoy it. I've been running for a few years and have done several 10ks and did my first half last year. 2010 was my first time doing the Women's 10k and I loved it - it's a great race and there is so much support on the day.
I'm really excited about being asked to be part of the race and hope I can encourage others to take up the challenge.
I signed up to do the Great Winter Run a few months ago - and as a bit of hill work is involved I wanted to keep training over the festive season. However, despite the best of intentions of keeping running throughout December I really struggled to get out during the snow and ice. I'm not very sure footed so had to miss out on my usual road runs - I did manage to do a few track sessions at Kelvin Hall with Glasgow Running Network. The weather picked up but then I got flu and a chesty cough so my fiance wouldn't let me go out in case I made myself worse - probably a wise man! I went for a run on Thursday nite with the network but really struggled - so was dreading the race on Saturday. To add to my woes - the snow came back on Friday night and was particularly bad in the east.
The race went ahead on a contingency course - which was an out and back rather than the usual loop round Arthur's Seat. It was pretty slushy and slidy underfoot (and still a bit of a hill to contend with) - but I managed to finish in 33.02.
It was a great atmosphere though - Liz McColgan started the race and there was a great turnout and lots of supporters out for the runners. Thanks to my friend Sam who stood about in the cold waiting for me. We treated ourselves to a nice lunch after the race.
So that's the first race of the season done - out with the network on Tuesday night. Hopefully the ice will be gone by then!!
Pamela May xx

Fiona: First Post!

Hi Everyone,

My name is Fiona McG and I'm one of this years' Runner-Up Face of the Race applicants. Glasgow Life kindly asked me to blog about my training too, so you can all share the ups and downs (and believe me, in rainy Glasgow there are some downs). I'll try to update weekly on a Sunday with what I've been up to.

I've run the race twice before and I love the Girl Power atmosphere at it. My best time is 54.15 on this race but this year I'm faster than that (I hope!), so I'm aiming for a personal best. My current PB was set on the GSR 10K.

Now its officially 2011 and there are exactly four months to go, and I'm getting down to some hardcore training. This year I will be doing a variety of 5Ks, 10Ks, Half Marathons, parkruns and university events (since I run with the Glasgow University Hares and Hounds team) so there's no slacking for me!

So far this year I've been heading out on the odd cheeky 6 miler, but its easy to slack when the team isn't in training. There has been a lot of random activity- today for example I was at a Total Body Workout class, which was sore. The trainer is definitely some sort of closet sadist, considering how lovely she is when you chat to her!

Fiona McG