My first Highland Fling (2011 Ultra)
I had run / cycled / walked quite a bit of the West Highland Way in the past and on the Saturday before the Fling I wanted to get one final long run in. As some of you will know I had to miss the GEDM race a few weeks before due to sickness and it had knocked my confidence quite a bit, especially as the training had suffered. So I decided I needed a decent long run and a week before the race seemed a good time to try out some of the course. It would hopefully (read on)
The Highland Fling 2011 – night before
Big race tomorrow. The Montane Highland Fling. Not got a lot to say about it following the GEDM sickness fiasco. Yes, I’m nervous something happens again before the start line.
Anyway, I’ll post up race results / report sometime next week. My sister most likely will be tweeting some race updates. Feel free to follow her here or my own account here.
So, it’s early to bed for me. I’ll leave you with some pics of the area from last week’s training run (excuse the poor quality – rubbish camera, and I don’t like to stop for long).
Night.
I’ll put my new shoes on
Wooohooo, look what arrived tonight – some new road shoes! (Saucony Progrid Kinvara).
I’m a big fan of the Nike Lunaracer but I’ve been getting less than 12 weeks out of them. I normally use them for my morning 10K’s and the longer 50K+’s at the weekend. Never run in Saucony before but after a series of let-downs by a large online sports retailer they offered me a good deal on these. Full review to follow….(is it too late to go for a run now?)
Anyone Saucony fans out there?
Running, racing, sickness and sadness
I understand now. I must be a bit of a drama queen. That’s obviously the reason I haven’t written anything for a while. Last post I did was the night before my big race – the one I had put a huge amount of effort into preparing for (The GEDM). Other than a knee injury the week before the preparation had been meticulous and my training relentless. Long runs, nutrition, weights, hydration, clothing, checkpoint times, target pace….the list goes on. I was so ready for it.
Headed off to bed night before the race at 10pm, breakfast plan all sorted, clothes prepared, support bag and instructions all organised – family had been briefed (and were excited about the race). Then at about 2am I was dragged out of my running dreams into a bit of a nightmare by the pain that was building in my stomach. read on
The night before the race – GEDM ultra
Not much to say really. 56 mile race tomorrow. Haven’t run all week due to injury. Will run and finish tomorrow though. Slightly apprehensive about it due to the knee but keen to get going.
I have a good team behind me (my family) so it’s another mini-adventure
My sister @lilacswizzle will be doing some twitter updates, other than that I’ll see you in Edinburgh 😉
Pyllon - ultra runner 