The Great Glen Way Part 2

So Day 2, disaster struck. Struck Andrew's knee.  So we had a break on day 2 instead and went to the Loch Ness museum and FINALLY saw Nessie...

Shocking...

After this item was ticked off the agenda, Plan B was actioned. Basically we got to stay in the nice hostel (Morag's Lodge, if you're ever passing, is definitely a lodge to stay in) we were supposed to run to today, but by driving there instead of running. Well, I feel kind of guilty about that, but fortunately the feeling passed over a few games of pool in the pub, roast beef and red wine and a nights rest. That is the medicine for healing a knee.

It worked! Rose at the crack of dawn to begin day 2 again, and were off before the first rays of light had even begun to creep over the mountains. Something about running before it gets light. It's an ordeal to get out of bed, of course, but once you are I kind of get the shivers running into a new day in that weird blue-grey light. 

This was the route today, Fort Augustus at the west end of Loch Ness to Gairlochy 

Tough day of 25 miles! But every mile was delightful!

Lots of canal to start with, nice and flat. Running along the Caledonian Canal in the dark is certainly something. Especially when black sheep with horns jump out of the trees right in front of you! Was a tiny challenge after a few miles when after all of the heavy rains the canal was overflowing over a ford into the river below, so climbed along a fence across the water. Kind of wimpy, but the river was very close and looked mighty angry. Grand to reach the other side!

Then at the end of the canal and the start of Loch Oich, another obstacle. The path was closed due to storm damage! At least there is an alternative path along the other side of the loch. Alas, this one is longer and goes UP the mountain rather than along the side of the loch. Oich!

Quite a tough section up through more pine forests. Fallen trees along the path even here and many many trees have blown down. It would be terrifying to be up there in the storms. 

Tired at top of hill. Ate a fudge bar. Better.

Down a steep hill to Invergarry. It has a nice bridge and highland cows, and two new bungalows built right next to each other, which I thought was a bit weird with all this space surely you would want to be further away from each other. They must really like their neighbors. That's all I remember about Invergarry, because immediately after it there was a massive hill that went on for miles and miles. And miles. It's probably still going on somewhere. Thankfully there was Haribo Star Mix to power through. Blue gummy bears!? Never tasted so good!

Finally after what seemed like an actual day we reached Laggan Lochs, which on consultation of the map appeared to be only half way. I'm going to stop looking at the map. It's mean.

Half time was called and ham mayo and salad sandwiches eaten. Nom nom! Now entering the dangerous part....

Yikes. Let the second half commence. This was all along Loch Lochy. There are so many lochs in Scotland they must have run out of names by the time they got to this one. Although, I guess it is very like a loch, very much so, so the name is indeed fitting. It even has a beach (perfect for a picnic).

Loch Lochy is beautiful. I entered a positive phase for this part of the run, impossible not to be charmed by the scenery, even in the mist. In fact, the mist makes it even better, every so often a glimpse of the mountains above the mist is seen, like the glens are keeping their secrets, but letting you see a tiny bit. 

So, 25 miles completed upon reaching Gairlochy. Tough but brilliant days running.

Now to celebrate with FOOD at the Aonach Mor Hotel!!!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year one and all! Many thanks for all of your support during 2013 :-) Mixed emotions to say goodbye to this year, it is one that has given me personally many fantastic experiences and memories, lovely people met, goals reached, money raised. But it's also been a difficult one for my family and big changes which have been difficult too....

So here's to 2014, may it be a good one all round for everyone!

Of course, training over Christmas and New Year went according to plan. Only kidding. 

I will just skip over the aspects of my training schedule I might have missed in favor of mulled wine and mince pies on the sofa safe and dry out of the cold torrential rain, and move swiftly on to.....Andrew and me did most of The Great Glen Way over New Year! It's 80 miles, from Inverness in the east to Fort William in the West. We arrived in Inverness on Thursday and on the way decided that it would be good to finish the year with one last challenge. We thought that 20 miles x 4 days would be OK to do. And there were just 4 free days in between parties, it was a sign!

Preparations.... On the Friday we tripped into town to get a map, running tights for Andrew (finally, you are wearing tights, ha ha ha!), water bottles etc. Friday evening was spent consulting the newly purchased map and planning each day's run and calling B&Bs....

Now all that was left was to cross fingers for the weather, maybe somehow we will avoid the storms and rains that have been battering the country.

Day 1.... Woke up early on Saturday and the rain was only light, perfect! Andrew's parents were really kind and got up early to to drive us to Drumnadrochit which is 20 miles along the trail from Inverness. Plan was for Day 1 to run backwards from Drumnadrochit to Inverness, due to some logistical hitches with finding accommodation in Drumnadrochit.  And then get a lift to Drumnadrochit again on Day 2. 

Day 1 route:

First couple of miles were along the road we just drove along and Andrew's Mum and Dad waved cheerily at us as they drove back to a nice warm house. Sigh. Still, scenery is stunning, am so excited to be out in the highlands that I don't even care it's cold! The route then goes up into the forest above Loch Ness. 

Beautiful! Had a little break here, half-way up the hill, looking for Nessie, not because was tired. Sadly, even after extendinging the break, there was still no sign. Must carry on then. Ugh. REALLY big hills here! I suppose that's where 'the Highlands' comes from now I think about it. Oh.

Well Day 1 was very hilly! The toughest day according to the Great Glen Way guide. First few miles were a big climb through pine forests to the top, fab views though, totally worth the effort. Christmas cake tastes even better at the top of a hill.

Snow at the top of the hills! The route then left the loch side and went behind the other side of the hills through more pine forests, they look magical! The floors and fallen trees covered in bright green moss like a carpet for fairies and imps, and tree stumps for their houses, and frosty fronds of pine branches to swing their fairy wings on. OK - getting carried away here, but it's true! Everything feels like a different world up here, clear and still. It's difficult to remember why everything that stresses me out back down at the bottom of the hills, which looks so small from up here could ever be important.

The last part of the day was down into Inverness, along the Caladonian Canal and along the River Ness up to the Castle, which was the official start of the run, but confusingly at the end of the first day!

Then home for hot tea and butteries! 

Nice hair do.

Merry Christmas!

Week 1 done! BOOM!

Mon 16th Dec: 6.06 miles, middle 4 at 10 mile pace; 49:27 min; 8:09 min/ mile average pace; 515 kcal
Tues 17th Dec: 5.10 miles easy jog; 43:51 min; 8.34 min/ mile average; 433 kcal
Wed 18th Dec: rest
Thurs 19th Dec: 30 min bike, core work
Fri 20th Dec: 6.98 miles, middle 3 at marathon pace; 63:44 min; 9:08 min/ mile average pace 593 kcal
Sat 21st Dec: 10.00 miles, steady running; 91:54 min; 9.12 min/ mile average pace; 850 kcal
Sun 22nd Dec: 10.02 miles steady running; 90.26 min; 9.00 min/ mile average pace; 851 kcal

All good so far. Worst part was starting core work again, but this looks to be even more important when running longer distances, so better get back on it. Unfortunately I had a cold at the same time - sneezing hurt.

So next week is CHRISTMAS! Merry Christmas one and all!

This is the plan for next week, but obviously it is the season to be jolly....may not go entirely according to plan....

Mon 23rd Dec: 5 miles easy jog
Tues 24th Dec: 7 miles , middle 4 at 10 mile pace
Wed 25th Dec: Christmas Day 
Thurs 26th Dec: 7 miles, middle 3 at marathon pace
Fri 27th Dec: rest
Sat 28th Dec: 90 mins steady
Sun 29th Dec: 90 mins steady

Week 1: the beginning!

Today is the official beginning of my ultra-marathon training...WOOP!

The day dawned bright and warm and clear. No just kidding - it's Chorley in December. It was dark for most of the day, freezing and raining. Mmmmmmmm! 

I think in order to be able to successfully do this, I need to be strict and organised with myself and have a proper schedule to stick to. I did some research on ultra training, and lots of people say that you need to listen to your body and not stick religiously to a schedule, and adapt if it's not working. So, there is a compromise. I have the schedule I think I want to follow from now until April and I will post up here at the beginning of each week my schedule for that week, because once I tell people I'm going to do something, it makes me more likely to do it, to avoid appearing lazy :-) But then at the end of each week I will think about how I'm feeling before I decide on the training for the next week.

This is the first ultra I have done, so I want to record everything I do - all the training, including all the things that work, all the things that don't work, all the good times, and I am sure there will be some hard ones along the way too....

...so......this is the plan for Week 1!

Monday 16th Dec: 6 miles (middle 4 at 10 mile pace)
Tuesday 17th Dec: 5 miles easy jog
Wednesday 18th Dec: rest (for EXAM!)
Thursday 19th Dec: rest, with strength training
Friday 20th Dec: 7 miles (middle 3 at marathon pace)
Saturday 21st Dec: 90 minutes steady running
Sunday 22nd Dec: 90 minutes steady running

My first run this morning was quite unglamorous. Quite excited for the first mile which involved mostly running down a big hill, and was feeling that things felt easy. Reached bottom of hill and it flattened out and got harder, at the same time I was supposed to increase pace. Splashed through puddles along the canal for a while, and worried about all the miles of training ahead if I was finding mile 2 tough....

Miracles and things

Went for a short early morning run this morning along the canal. I was feeling quite stressed so was blasting out a few quick miles whilst listening loudly to Christmas songs “Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and AUUUULD LANG SYNE". Oh yeh! I saw a man running up ahead. He looked a serious runner type in a yellow race t-shirt, shorts (in December, yes) and a bum bag (in runnery-type circles, bum bags take on a whole new meaning from the dubious fashion statement of the 80s. Or was it the 90s? Or the 70s? Anyway. Serious runners who run a long way carry them to carry all sorts of energy and blister/ pain related relief). I called out "hello" as I went past.

“ARE YOU IN A RUNNING CLUB?” was the reply.

So I stopped and told him that well yes, I was, but it was one in Leeds as that’s where I’m staying most of the time at the moment.

“Oh well, someone has to” he replied (how rude – definitely a Lancashire chap then). “The reason that I shout at girls as they run past me is that I run with Chorley Athletic and Tri Club, and we need more girls to run in the league”. Glad that’s cleared up then.

“How far are you going this morning?” he asked.

I said I was doing a small loop around the canal, and asked where he was off to.

“I’ll tell you a story that will make you keep running” said he.

“Go on” said I.

“I died last year” was the reply.

“Oh” I said (but in my head, I thought... “I could have sworn that I woke up this morning and have had breakfast and even tried doing some revision, I couldn't possibly still be dreaming. Maybe I should poke him to check he’s real. But he’s right next to the canal; that might make him fall in. But then if he’s not real, would it matter if he did fall in? In fact if he’s not real, I probably wouldn't even be able to poke him so it wouldn't matter anyway. What should I DO??????”)

Fortunately, the ghost spoke, and solved my quandary “Yes. I had a cardiac arrest. I was dead, but the doctors managed to bring me back. Everyone tells me that I should take it easy, I've had two heart attacks, but you know what my cardiologist said? That if I hadn't been fit from running, I would not have got back up again to be standing here to tell you that I was dead. So I’ll keep on running, thank you very much.”

“Wow” I said, “What a tale to tell! What a privilege to have met such an inspiring person completely unexpectedly on my Saturday run. Truly amazing!”

“I’m not amazing” he said “there are people who have been through far worse , than me”.

Well OK maybe, I thought, although actually, dying is probably pretty high up on the list of bad stuff that can happen to you. But really, what a guy!

We chatted for a few more minutes, during which time he recommended the ‘Through the Villages’ race which occurs in November each year, which he cheerfully quipped was “8.45 miles of pure hell and makes the Royal Marines cry”. Well then, that’s a glittering recommendation if ever I heard one.

Then I ran home. To be honest I still wasn't utterly sure I was awake and that that conversation had really happened, so I had a cold shower and switched on the old internet to check if there was such as thing as the ‘Through the Villages’ race. 

There is. 2^nd November next year. I’ll be there. 

I guess miracles do happen :-)

Pie

Revision has given way to mince pies and singing Christmas songs....

Ooops. Ah well, it was going to happen at some point.

Also, a great procrastination activity = researching ultra marathon training. This is also hugely useful way to spend/waste time, and this research will no end of help 10 minutes into Thursday's exam when I remember that I can remember nothing about type 2 diabetes, but EVERYTHING about the training program for a 50 mile race.

My ultra-marathon is 123 days away. Is it bad that when counting the weeks on the calendar I could only remember up to 49 in the 7 times table? That is how drained my brain is. I guess. Or I really am thick. 

Anyway. 123 days. That's 17.5 weeks (7 times table is working again). The Runners World Website's training plan says you need 16 weeks to train for your ultra-marathon. So, Saturday next week then is when it all begins: ***Day 1 of training = 21st December!*** To be completely honest, I'm a tiny bit disappointed that this is starting 4 days before Christmas. Mulled wine, wine, mince pies......oh how I will miss you. 

But, following further research, I found that it's important to fit your training program around your life, and it can include treats, so as to increase adherence and enjoyment. I will be sticking with the mince pies then. 

Worried!

....and if you want to go somewhere, go running.... :-)

This week has not been too much fun, I am not liking revising again for my dietetics exams after a few (OK, maybe quite a few) years off! But, as I was reminded, I chose to do this, so shut up complaining and get on with it (ta, Andrew :-D). It's OK, it's true. I guess it's easy sometimes to get so tied up in things you loose sight of the bigger picture.

And, I have another example of how GOOD running is for you.... as the first time I didn't go for a run last week on Friday and stayed inside all day freaking out about type 2 diabetes and heart disease (never mind the nutrition, by blood pressure was way through the ceiling by the evening!) I had my first proper migraine headache! With flashing lights and everything! Excellent.

So, lesson learned. Always make time for what you love and what makes you happy: family, friends, hobbies, laughing, whatever......life can throw anything it likes at you, but you can control how you react to it!

And apart from that have done some brilliant runs this week, thanks everyone who has been out with me! Sunday morning 10 miles yesterday, all around the reservoirs and Rivington.....beautiful day not like December at all!

Blood pressure back to normal.....