Its been while.

Time to resurrect this blog, cant believe my last blog was in June! shocking. Must get back to it.

So excuse me if this is long blog. I guess with facebook & twitter most folk know what everyone else is up to but I want to get back to blogging so I can look back and say *I cant remember doing that!* in my old age ;)

 
 
I did intend to blog after WHWrace last year to give a view from the other side. Even though I was meant to running I was pretty chilled out *just* being a helper.

 I helped at registration which meant to go to give out plenty hugs to lots of nervous runners and clip on the hospital band with glee. Then I shadowed Ian for rest of race. What an absolute  honour and pleasure it was to see Paul smash the heck out of his previous target & for Robbie to *only* come second having set out to beat Pauls previous record, which indeed he did. Was fab to see Fionna finish too. Certainly made up for not running myself

Just amazing.  We not only welcomed the first runner in, we also welcomed the last runner in. Then it was time to clear up & head to ceremony.

By this time we'd been awake since race started pretty much. We grabbed maybe 3hrs sleep at Oak Tree but other than that it was just case of knuckling down. It reminded me o first time I crewed in race for my friend Jen who got n just under 34hours. Used to say that was most tiring thing I've ever done but shadowing Ian last year topped that.

After ceremony we had few drinks in bar before heading off to bed with promises to meet Karen & George for dinner at 7pm. 2 alarms set and we slept through both. I got woken up by txt at 9pm from Karen asking if we'd eaten yet. First of all I didn't even know where I was, what day it was or what she was on about! Then it suddenly dawned on me and I screamed. This woke Ian up and suddenly we were rushing round getting dressed and racing up t pub to try get there before they stopped serving food!

This year I'm back running the race, its easier.

For the rest of the year I mainly ran half marathons which was a nice change. We did Loch Leven, Arran, Glasgow & Aviemore.  Ians 100th Half was Glasgow and his 100th Marathon was also looming. We were heading to California for our hols so it made sense to make Vegas his 100th. First stop was San Francisco which was wonderful. We hired bikes and road across the Golden Gate bridge to beautiful town called Sausalito, my first time on a bike in about 10years!

We visited Alcatraz and I resisted locking Ian in call although I was tempted.
Next stop was LA- where my cousin picked us up from aiport before heading
to Hermosa beach where she lives. We visited Universal studios which was ace fun, Santa Monica & we did whole Hollywood tour of course.

 Flight number 3 took us to Vegas. We were staying at the Venetian. I noticed that the hotels staff car parks were about twice the size of any hotel back home. The sheer size of these places are crazy. Our hotel had a canal in it with Gondolas, just madness. Day after arriving we headed off to Grand Canyon. Very long day but stunning to see. Blooming freezing it was too!




Next day we went to pick up our Marathon numbers. At this stage Ian had announced to everyone he wasn't running his 100th after all. He had been fundraising for SAMH and wanted everyone who had already sponsored him know. He felt he'd done too much this year and his running had suffered in the consequences, he wasn't keen on doing a death march.

When we picked up our numbers he still hadn't made final decision. It was only later that evening he said he would do it, the race gives you the option of doing half and you peel off the full course at about mile 9 so he knew he could do that if he wanted. So, decision made, Just go out and enjoy.

Not often you get to run down a closed off Vegas strip after all! As you can see he did indeed finish his 100th.

So back home to full steam ahead with Christmas. I was stunned & delighted when Ian proposed to me on Christmas morning. Followed quickly by "I think we should get married Oct/Nov, that way all the races are pretty much over"  lol

So that's what we are doing. November 6th this year.

So that was 2014. Year of the no Ultras but hey, I guess its good to give your body a bit of a break from it sometimes. Fast forward to January training weekend at Oak Tree which meant my longest training run since same weekend last year - gulp.

It went great, I felt strong and ran as many hills as I could. Just after halfway point I ran with Stuart chalmers and the miles ticked by quickly, we bumped into Keziah & Lorna about 25 miles in and we ran rest of  way with them. Great night again in Oak tree with the usual suspects!

 Next day we went for walk up Conic and surrounding area. I felt my shin was a bit sore after, as if I'd been kicked hard on it. Odd. Tried running on it couple days later and it just got worse. I rested it, iced it, all the usual and when I felt I wasn't getting any better booked physio.

At this point I had already booked & paid for training camp in Spain which my PT Donnie Campbell was organising so  I was bit panicked knowing it was only weeks away and I wasn't running at all. I was walking loads though, I was still out walking for same period of time I'd be running to and from work so didn't feel like I was losing out too much.

 On second visit to Physio I  felt like I was getting worse not better. In fact for 2 days after I was limping and it was sorer than it had been. He sent me off for x-ray to rule out stress fracture at this point. By day I got my x-ray I was starting to feel better. by time I left hospital I decided to run/walk back to work and still felt ok. So I'm unsure if it was the rest, the laser treatment or the ultrasound, maybe a combination of all of those. Anyway, not complaining, I was back and pain free. hurrah! Bring on Spain.

but that needs a blog in its own right....