Training Log Archive: Rosco

Short long run with the new shoes. From home, Cambuskenneth, BofA, Carse of Lecropt and back. Again not feeling spectacular, nasty northwesterly wind and slightly dodgy gut. New shoes were fine, but the jury's still out, especially as they gave me a wee blister after about 9 miles.

Really into the taper now. Looking forward to feeling as good as I did 3 weeks ago. Ever since then I've just not felt quite right.....

C • feeling good. 3

Quick bike out to the Running Company and back to purchase some racing shoes.

Test out the new shoes. I felt awful to start, but may have been to do with cold wind against and possibly not eating enough beforehand. Through Riverside, Cambuskenneth over to the uni pitches. Then 6x100m strides, jog back each time, then trot back home. Started to feel much better on the way home and felt light and easy, strong and powerful on the hill up to home.

The shoes are nice and light and feel good at speed. That's what they're designed for after all. However, having now looked at the Brooks website they say ideal for races up to 10k.... Hmm, will decide in the next week whether they will be my shoe of choice for the marathon. But they were the only racing shoes the shop had, it was all or nothing....

Easy run round Gallowhill and the King's Park. Beginning to feel a little more like it again, could almost say there was a spring in my step. By next weekend I will be a caged tiger - or better even cheetah - ready to be unleashed and run, run, run like the wind my beauty. Well I better be. Rarr.

Easy jog with the FVO posse of Jase, Jon and Adam. From the uni, round Abbey Craig a couple of times and back.

Can't quite tell whether I'm getting a cold or just being paranoid.

JK Relay, Leg 1, Newtyle Hill.

Great fun race this, just don't have the speed or terrain fitness to be right at the sharp end unfortunately.

From the gun, didn't stay in our seeding long and was in deep mid-pack by the first control. The first two loops went well though; no errors, running with Jegor mainly, Tullster sprinting past on occasion.

Was disappointed then to exit 10 and see a big posse already on their way to 11, the long gaffle definitely a disadvantage. Jegor and I differed on routes, but rejoined at the start of the woods, Roger just ahead. Up the ridge, I bashed my head on a branch, distracted momentarily, I went for the wrong flag, an obvious knoll. I quickly regrouped, but Jegor was gone, Roger had a good lead. Then from here I cursed not buying ankle tape as intended, tentative down the slopes - I found myself adrift. Mediocre navigation too: 12, unexpected gully, 13, indecisive compass, 14, confusing paths, unnecessary traversing of rocky ground, before more badness on the steep ground, 16 and 18 in particular. Time losses all small, but in a relay costly. Duncan Birtwistle, clearly struggling physically, kicked my ass through this section.

Not an amazing result for the old boys, disappointing not to give Will and Marcus more to work with. Oh well, did better than the young boys:)

wee wu and very wee wd with Kyle - knackered.