Review>May

Started the month on a high after the Fling stuff, felt invinsible and felt like a whole new world was opening up. I'd always said to Karen & George that they'd never get me on a hill/in mud/on trails, what on earth was happening here? How very odd indeed.


I had a wee chat with Leon who'd thankfully met me, seen me run etc at pose clinic so could advise me on trail shoes, and sell me my first ever pair!

May brought my first ever 20mile race, and a tester for forthcoming Edinburgh marathon, where i had pinned hopes my first ever sub4, training was going great and i was full of confidence again.Had bit of a blast with Boab & Gav as we registered then got bussed down to start. It was a very hot day, which actually was great training for the big day itself. My plan (haha, i dont do plans) was to get anything between 2.50 and 3hrs.Ran with the ever fabulous Gavin for first 13 miles and he took off after that, really kept me going, thanks Gav! I finished in 2.52! woop! Very disapointed to not get medal, in fact anything at all, wont be doing THAT again, bloody cheek, dont hey know who i am? We headed to pub after then up town for champagne & chips, that took the sting off somewhat lol

that was my 3rd race in a week, and 3rd PB in a week, i was on cloud nineteen!

Later on in month i decided the trail shoes needed proper trails instead of trying them out on grass whilst running to work, I took the pentlands, on my own. hahaha, i have to copy and paste my previous blog cause it made me laugh reading it>>>

Confessions of wannabe trail runner- Part 1
Woke up this morning with thoughts of doing 23 miles, last long run for marathon training. Then i saw my shiny new trail shoes, lying by side of bed, as yet untrailed and a daft thought popped into my head. I know, I'll run up the pentands. Cause that's what you do when you have no concept of hill running, trail running, whatever...

Oh, and do it on your own why dont you, not like you can get lost on a hill...fuck me.




Thank god i packed my jacket, and my gloves which I've not worn for months! I had done 6 miles by time i *joined* the Pentlands, and by swiftly hopping over a style not far past damhead i was on my way up the hill. Fuck. fuck. what a stupid fuckin idea.











I was practically crawling by time i was half way up, then it got sunny, then it started raining, my jacket was off and on more time than i can count. The higher i got the windier it got, suddenly i realised i was at top , fuck me. Big pile of rocks and a mad woman trying to hold onto hill for dear life, i shouted (couldn't hear a fuckin thing) at her to take pic of me, which she did. I said something like, i' must be fuckin mad and i'm going that way, and ran off (i did thank her tho)

I'm really sorry for all the swearing but i swore whole time i was up there. As i ran away from her the wind picked up to gale force i reckon, the only way i can describe it is that imagine that's how windy it would feel getting sucked out of a plane midflight, i started to fear for my life as i got close to edge at some parts and thoughts of dying on the pentlands flashed through my mind. srsly. So, i just ran on, then suddenly I'm tumbling down a bloody hill, did i mention the hills? fuck. First fell run fall , got to get it out of way yeah? fuck.

Found a trail, yeeha, i like trails, why did keep losing them though? i was running through bogs, yes George/Karen, bogs, and streams,and heather and tumbling over rocks and whatnot.I actually contemplated calling Mountain rescue, as i looked down a crevice full of rocks and streams.. fuck. got to bottom and found signs saying MOD, careful, you might get shot or something, i reckoned that be a great way to get me off this god dam hill and carried on regardless. Saw few squaddies who shouted something at me, no idea what, maybe it was *careful there's land mines along that path* didn't care by then. I found myself passing through 2 golf clubs and before i knew it i was almost back to where i started, and back on to the road, woohoo somewhere i can run without fearing for my life! By this point i was at about mile 13, i knew where i was going and was happy as larry (why is larry happyand who is he?) off i ran down to morningside, getting dirty looks at my dirty muddy legs from the posh morningsiders, up into brunstfield, into the meadows and onto a home straight.Eventually stopped on Kirk Brae(the name should give away reason) as i saw 2 girls at bus stop and thought of warm bus and a seat overode anymore thoughts of running. So, i didn't do 23 miles after allI did 21.81 miles instead. Elevation of 2008ft , it took me 3hrs 46 Min's, waaay slower than i normally run, that's good though, so *they* tell me (the end!)

May was a good month, i saw my friends a lot, went out for lots of girly lunches,drank mucho champagne, went to good friends wedding, saw relatives over from LA, i was so happy i was bit scared it was all a big bubble ready to burst.

People were seriously stressing out over Edinburgh marathon as the temperature soared, i wasn't too fussed if there's one thing I've learnt in my short running life is that you can change pretty anything, except the weather, deal with it!




I had Rach & Diana staying with me for Marathon, Rach running, Diana supporting, had Bob & Kerry over for pasta dinner night before, carb loading big time. We had it in the garden as the weather was glorious. I was super chilled out. Met Jen & Steve day before for lovely lunch and a catch up, i think it was here i was signed up to support Jen on the WHW race, another lifechanging thing. More on that when we get that far!


here i am at start of race! this on front of Edinburgh Evening news











Ran for first 15miles with Rach, unplanned, we just ended up running together which made the mile just fly by, she got a stitch though and told me to go on ahead so i did :( Boiling hot day but i was determined that my training was done, i would get my longed for sub 4 at long last. My last Marathon had been Loch ness which i did 2 yrs previous(got 4.05) just before i got injured for 8 months so it was long time coming.

Finished race in 3.57mins bang on. Delighted.

Had few drinks in sunshine with everyone then it was home, changed and party on!

What a delightful way to end a delightful Month.