Blinded by the Light

Well here we are at day 29 of the Marcothon challenge and the light at the end of the tunnel is clearly visible. Make no mistake it has been tough getting this far.

The second week, day 14 was completed with our standard fallback position of 3 laps of the hospital after work.  It is somewhat alien to be spending Friday night out running in the rain soaked streets on the biggest party night of the year but that’s where we were.  The following morning we were back at parkrun running our normal course for the first time this month.  It was great to get back to a bit of normality but it didn’t last!  On Sunday we were rather ambitious, well I was and we set out to run 6 miles but it was a struggle for me and made me rethink the mileage I was attempting for the challenge.

Monday arrived and we were up bright and early to greet a new working week, much earlier than normal as we had to fit in our run before we went to work.  Dragging ourselves out of bed at such an early hour was as big a challenge as we have faced.  Needless to say the run was the bare minimum - 3 miles.  Challenge met, Moira was able to go to her works lunch and relax and enjoy it without her run preying on her mind. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we were back to JogScotland duty and completed our mileage with our group. On Friday, as many of our work colleagues disappeared off to start their Christmas holidays we headed out for our last run of the year at Little France – an old favourite – The Innocent Railway.

Saturday and Strathclyde parkrun brought with it another challenge, could I improve on last week’s performance?  The answer, of course was only just, but 7 seconds is 7 seconds.  Sunday was a struggle; it seems that Sundays are turning out that way at the moment.  The plan for Christmas Eve was simple; Moira was going out for a 10 mile run while I was at work and I would come home and do my run when I arrived back. As it turned out this was my hardest run to date. Why so difficult?  Running on your own, knowing that your team mate had already done her run earlier.

Thanks to Bob Marshall for Photo

Christmas Day, is always perceived as the most difficult day to fit in a run but thanks to Edinburgh parkrun, it was a doddle. We both thoroughly enjoyed Edinburgh parkrun.  There is something nice just turning up at a parkrun and just running it.  No pressure or responsibility.  I was rewarded with my fastest time since my comeback although I am still not running freely as yet.

Thanks to Bob Marshall for Photo

Boxing Day, however, was a different story.  Again I had to go into work and I was longer than anticipated. Moira managed to fit her run while I was at work and on my retrun we headed for the traditional boxing Day festivities with Moira’s family. So while Moira tucked into the second round of turkey with gusto, I was mindful of my pending run. We returned home and I set off for my run by torchlight in the sleet and snow that was falling round Harburn.  So Boxing Day turned out to be every bit as bad as Christmas eve.

The following couple of days were spent running the Camility loop at home, battling the elements. It was a relief to get back to parkrun on the Saturday.  As it turned out this was my favourite run of the month and for the first time I was starting to feel I was running with a bit more freedom, while Moira seems to be developing a sore knee!!.  The end is now in sight!

When the goin’ gets tough the tough get going!

If only it were that easy, almost two weeks into the challenge and the going is getting tough.  Three miles or 25 minutes a day sounds easy but after a time the relentless run after run gets to you. Day 5, 6 and 7 were for me three laps of the hospital each day, pretty boring but necessary as I recover from the Achilles problem that has plagued my running since April.  Moira led the jogscotland group on day 5 and day 6 and joined me for the icy trot round the hospital.

Saturday saw us arrive at Strathclyde parkrun to face up to the third week of running the alternative course, again making our task just that little bit harder.  Our game plan was simple to get inside the time set last week and thankfully both of us managed that goal.  All In all it was a good start to the 2^nd week of the challenge.

Thanks to JammyBilly for Photo

Thanks to JammyBilly for Photo

Sunday morning saw us return to Strathclyde Park for this year’s Jogscotland Christmas Cracker. Billed as 5K, it turned out to be over 6K – who says Jogscotland don’t give you value for money? IT was definitely a PW for me on a 5K. I am still trying to work out what’s worse the ignominy of my first DNF last weekend or my worst ever 5k time this weekend!

Monday and Tuesday, Moira and I were on annual leave to get ‘Christmas sorted’! Our running both days saw us tackle the Camilty loop from home – a nice wee 4.25 miles door to door.  Once we negotiated the ice it was a nice wee run in the country.

Day 12 and Day 13, I was back with the University of Edinburgh jogscotland Group first with the beginners then with the speedy lot on the Thursday.  Moira, on the other hand had to be creative – attending her first aid course, ready to run. Both days running back to work from the centre of town. This challenge certainly opens up avenues of creativity when it comes to planning your running – all part of the challenge I suppose! Still 'in the challenge', which is the main thing!

....and we're off!

Well the Marcothon is underway and the sponsorship is pouring in, however, the prospect of getting through December is still a daunting one.

On Friday night our training took a new twist – the SOL runleaders pub run. A very respectful 19 turned-up for the inaugural pub run.  Although it has to be said Moira and John’s costumes were a bit shabby compared to the others on show.  The undoubted star was Golden Gordon masquerading as  He-man. The light suits of Nick and Michael were also pretty impressive. Well seen that this was not the Carnethy Boy’s first pub run.  Unfortunately, Moira and John had to leave early to catch the last train home. So the run from the Sheeps Heid was undertaken with heads stooped and full of regret.

Thanks to Corrie Roberts for Photo

Saturday morning brought with it freezing temperatures and the prospect of day one of the marcothon taking place at Strathclyde parkrun’s alternative course again. Sure enough we turned up to be confronted with the sight of the start position moved closer to the Watersport Centre, a sure sign that the alternative course was the challenge today.  It wasn’t long before the parkrunners arrived, among them Marco and Debbie Consani – the couple behind the Marcothon challenge.  All too quickly we were set-off by Iain and were heading out on the arduous there and back and there and back course. By the time you are on the final push, you question the wisdom of running in icy conditions.  It was quite a sight seeing the bunch of runners congregated at the finish and the condensation rising from the crowd.

Thanks to Bob Marshall for photo

Sunday saw the inaugural running of the 7 Reservoirs multi-terrain half marathon. The conditions in the Pentlands were pretty treacherous but the race went ahead.  I was in two minds about taking part in the race all week and my thoughts were that I would get to half-way and make a decision about completing the course or not.  The first six miles of the race went very well and I was holding my own in the field of runners.  However, once we left Glencorse Reservoir and started heading across the snow towards Bonaly car park the surface was playing havoc with my ankle and numerous runners were gliding past me, the decision was made for me.  I hobbled out of the race at mile 8, and with that I had the ignominy of my first DNF.  It was a tough decision to make but on reflection, it was the correct decision as we had too many sponsors backing the Marcothon attempt. Moira continued and finished the race in a personal worse time for a half, but the views from the varoius points in the pentalnds on such a sunny day were compensation enough.

Thanks to Bob Marshall for photo

Day 3 and Day 4 of the Marcothon saw us simply run three laps of the hospital each day and fulfil our obligation.  The runs were particularly hard for me as my Achilles was aching, even when it was heavily strapped up. Day 3 was completed in darkness and Day 4 was run at lunchtime. So yes safe to say we are off and running!

One week to go……………..

The last week has been spent resting up my ankle in an effort to get back running before December the 1^st.  Moira has been out running at every opportunity and is racking up the miles and parkruns completed. With the deadline fast approaching I chose to take things in hand and seek professional help in the form of Grant McLullich, our sports therapist on Saturday.  To my shock Grant recommended I start running again and gave me a series of exercises and stretches to build up my Achilles tendon and strengthen my calf muscles.

On Saturday, I took up my position as Run Director at Strathclyde parkrun and instigated the use of our alternative course, used  when conditions become too icy for our regular course.  There were a   few raised eyebrows when the finishers looked at their watches after they crossed the line and realised that they were slower than usual. As far as I was concerned it was job done – can’t have a new course record set on an alternative course.  

So on Sunday, John tentatively set-out on a four mile run while Moira completed her ten mile long run.  I don’t know if it is the fear of another set-back or lack of confidence but it was a struggle to get out there again.  The run went OK, but I did feel it in my muscles and my breathing, I was shocked by the amount of fitness I had lost in month. This made me doubly determined to complete this year’s marcothon and regain some of that lost fitness. On returning home,  I managed a rigorous stretching routine - so fingers crossed!

On the subject of the marcothon, we have spent time getting the PR and fundraising page together. It is so difficult tying people down for a photo shoot, well the Head of Tommys Research Facility in Edinburgh is a busy woman.

5 days to go to the start of our next challenge, are we ready – we hope so!

Fast Forward two months - another challenge

It’s been a long time since our last blog and No we haven’t burned out after the Speed of Light!  After the speed of light we took ourselves off to sunny Spain for much needed R & R.  The running kit was not packed, the plan was to get over those little niggles that surfaced during our stint on Arthur’s Seat.  Regrettably it didn’t turn out that way well at least not for John. The troublesome ankle found more and more ways to play-up!

The highlight of September was the reunion of the runleaders, I say a reunion but in reality we had only been three weeks in the real world before we all had the urge to the return to hills.  The convenient excuse was a reccie for the Pentland Skyline challenge set for October. An impressive number of runleaders turned up for this the inaugural event for the group.  It was obvious to John early on that the ankle was not right, gone was the usual Hell for Leather pace on the descents to be replaced by the dead slow plotting of one foot in front of the other!  Moira, on the other hand, was tackling the hills like a seasoned hill runner!

Thanks to Peter Buchanan for Photo

October saw the JammyMoJo’s return for the final outing of the Cairngorm Charmer, a brilliant event that will be sadly missed from the event calendar.  It’s a two person relay with each runner completing a four mile run down the mountain, a four mile cycle round the woods at Loch Morlich and a four mile run back up the mountain.  Well to cut a long story short Moira and John will be forever “the best mixed vintage couple”, and we are proud of the accolade – I think!  

Thanks to JammyBilly for photo

The arrival of November saw us focus on our next challenge – Tommy’s December Challenge!  OK we are high-jacking the ever popular Marcothon for our challenge to raise money for Tommy’s. The rules are simply you must run every day in DECEMBER (any other month doesn't count). You must complete a minimum of three miles or 25 minutes – whichever comes first. The challenge starts on December 1 and finishes on December 31. And yes, that includes Christmas Day.

So that's where we are at, two weeks until our next challenge and Moira is running well and John is resting his troublesome ankle ahead of what is going to be a very challenging month in more ways than one.