10K

Advent Special – Day 3 #L2P24

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Past adventures & the Big Number!    

So what made me think I could achieve such a challenge?  OK some people could do this in their sleep, but not most of us!

Well, I started jogging and did my first 10K back in 2002… it took me 1 hour 2 minutes and 45 seconds… I thought I would die afterwards!

Since then, running, I’ve done 8 x 10K’s;   3 half marathons and 2 marathons.

Personal Best times – I’m no athlete.. more of a plodder!

10K                            56 min  8 s

1/2 Marathon      2 hr   9 min  50 s

Marathon           4 hrs 34 min 28 s (1: Lochness 2013 & 2: Brighton 2015)

Loch Ness Marathon 2013

Loch Ness Marathon 2013

Brighton Marathon 2015

Brighton Marathon 2015

Cycling… back in 2010, I did a Skyride in Glasgow and heard about Pedal for Scotland – a cycle from Glasgow to Edinburgh (supposed to be with the prevailing wind).  So I signed up with my friend Claire and did my first 46 miler.

Since then I’ve done 3 x Pedal for Scotland challenge cycles (46 miles) but I was on my mountain bike (2001 Trek 4900 hard tail), initially with chunky tyres and then with slick commuter tyres.  I was so frustrated at how fast those Lycra-clad  people on skinny road bikes were whizzing past me, that in 2013 I got a Decathlon Triban 3 through the cycle to work scheme.  In September of 2013 with my brother and ex colleague, we set off on our first 110 mile cycle!  After 8 tedious windy, cold, hilly and difficult hours, we got to Edinburgh and jumped straight on a bus home to warm up and refuel!

2001 Trek 4900 Hard tail, front suspension

2001 Trek 4900 Hard tail, front suspension

 

B'Twin Triban 3

B’Twin Triban 3

I also walked the 95 mile West Highland Way from Glasgow to Fort William back in 2008 over 5 days and again in 2011 over a more leisurely 6 days.

Then in 2013 I walked the 79 mile Great Glen Way from Fort William to Inverness with my friend Claire and my two dogs.  Sadly both Claire and Candy got injured so only Winnie and I made it the whole way.   I was always looking for new challenges and constantly surprised at how, with focus, training and determination anything could be possible.

 

There was one last motivating factor… it was coming up to a big birthday… the BIG 4 0 !    And I thought, wouldn’t it be better to get money for charity than gifts for me?  And wouldn’t it be a good motivation to do a big challenge before everything heads south!

So I thought ‘London to Paris’ Bring it on!  If only I knew…

 

 

Tuesday Best – Battle of the Bridges

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After the success of our last outing on Friday, Irene and I agreed to meet regularly and on Tuesday we met at Lancefield Quay after work and set about achieving another 10K training session.

Dogs in tow (or really towing us) we headed off along north Clydeside past the Kingston Bridge and then along the lovely newly developed footpath passing the Broomielaw-Tradeston Bridge (aka the ‘Squiggly Bridge’) at quite a pace. We went down behind the casino under the George the Fifth Bridge and up the steps (where my heart rate hit 211bpm!) then along the river under the 1st and very quickly the 2nd Caledonian Railway Bridges, through the tunnel below Glasgow Bridge and out along the riverside next to where I used to go clubbing in my youth! Only young goths or emo’s to be seen here at night now!

Following this we jogged on past the red South Portland Street Suspension Bridge, up on to the roadside path and over the Victoria Bridge with the pedestrian lights at green. Then we jogged under the city Union Railway Bridge and agreed this was a fast pace! We were delighted to be able to let the dogs off the lead when we got across the Albert Bridge and into Glasgow Green where there was some filming going on… nothing like an audience of extras on an open top bus to up your pace!

The path takes you away from the water here and I didn’t notice the Tidal and Weir Pipe Bridge but next it was the blue St Andrew’s Suspension Bridge to our right as we pushed on. We jogged under King’s Bridge, Polmadie Bridge and Rutherglen bridge before the path was closed for refurbishment ahead of us so we turned around and headed back slightly slower.

Upon reaching Irene’s place we hadn’t done the full 6.2 miles so we did a fast wee loop and got back to her apartment in a record breaking (PB for me) 56 min 01 s. (I’ve knocked 5 seconds off my best ever time achieved back in 2005!) All that effort certainly took it out of me… in more ways than one! nuff said!

Tonight I was going to go cycling but with skinny slicks in the rain I didn’t fancy my chances so I’m having an impromptu night off and will make up for it over the next few days!

No photos tonight but you can get your fill of Glasgow bridges online and even do the Heritage trail walk for yourself!

Here’s the Strava results:

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10K School Run

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UPDATE – typo fixed – 58 mins 33 seconds!

Ah what a relief it was only a 2 day work week and by 5pm I was ready for the weekend although completely zonked!  I have to admit if Irene hadn’t agreed to go running or had said ‘lets just give it a miss’ when she arrived I might not have done any training on Friday night!

Irene and I have been friends since primary school and we used to do running training together in the past although Irene has significantly improved her performance since then and has done some excellent 10K races.

It was a simple ‘Out and back’ course tonight – another one that I’d planned on walkjogrun.net in advance.

We headed out, Irene with Winnie (long legs) and Candy with me (short legs)! First things first, dog toilet stop as usual…! Then headed down the hill out of Neilston at a fair pace feeling pretty fresh.  It was dry and reasonably warm.  Irene and I caught up on our news as drivers went past smiling and laughing at us 2 ladies in lycra and 2 trotting dogs!

It was reasonably straight forward, jogging through Barrhead and there was enough space on the pavement for us to jog close by however, as we headed out past Cowan Park and then along the road towards Darnley, the path became significantly slimmer and we had to go almost single file as the rapid traffic roared past.  I checked the mileage had reached the 3.1 minimum before we turned around and jogged back.

Irene and I agreed we were both finding it pretty tough as we headed back through the town and that became harder as we passed Tesco on the first ascent out of Barrhead. I  I have to admit I had to catch my breath a moment at the junction for Neilston so we had a brief walk!

The hill was hard, there was little chat as we carried on up the next gradual hill then we we spoke some more on the relatively flat stretch of path before we jogged continually up the steep slope until we’d reached the very welcome 6.2 miles (10 Kilometres).

Before long we were home and I looked up the results.  Yipee!  We were both delighted to find out we’d done a tough hilly 10K in 58m 33s and I’d earned some Strava cups!!   After a quick shower and some preparation we were enjoying the culinary masterpiece that I made, Chicken and Vegetable stir fry followed by melon and finally a strong coffee and some lovely chocolates courtesy of Irene…  the best bit was it was all with no guilt! =)

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