Edinburgh marathoners past and present

Mock yee mock yee all you like I have just ran my 2nd quickest half marathon of the year.

OK it wasn't in a proper race and it was measured entirely on my garmin but it was a nice run at an average pace of 6:55 and a time of 1:30:33.  That also included a 4 mile long "h" word from miles 2 to 6 where I wasn't completely on the limit all the way up for a change and the average time was 7:15/mileish.  I have had to stop and walk up that brae many a time (although the wind being at my back probably helped a bit) but got up in a oner!!!!!!!  I know the wind probably helped a bit going up but I also had a few windy miles towards the finish coming back down which would have given a good few seconds back to mother nature.  Throw in a few times I had to slow down or stop to cross the road and dodge round people in town or let cars pass when I was out in the country.  If it had been a marshalled traffic free run I don't think I was far off going under an hour and a half for the 1st time in a loooooooong time.  Happy days!!!!!!!!!

Hi all

Just got back on the thread. Hi CANIGGIA, I heard Aus was a bit expensive also. You probably wouldn't like NZ zoos then. We only have ONE  native animal, the Tuatara, and  a load of native birds. Everything else has been introduced.Even the English !!.

Went for a 10k time trial (on my own) and a race pace 5 miler this morning before my personal masseur came round to give me a thoroughly good rub down, and feel all the much better for it. Always like to get in something fast and brutal ( not the massage) early in my marathon training schedule to activate all those fast twitch fibres. Will hit the track tomorrow for some 200 metre reps , then have an easy day Tuesday.

Aiming towards Gloucester, VLM and probably Amsterdam next year. No Riga Marathon next year for kiwi !!

Thought you were doing the Bromance marathon in Germany. Is your bromance off or is that who you got your massage from lol

Watch out for potholes when you are running the Gloucester marathon especially if its wet I've heard of folk standing in puddles there and them going right up to their middles.

I've got Manchester, Stalk Home jubilee marathon and probably Munich to look forward to next year.  I do fancy Marine Corps more than Munich but may save my pennies and do the Goofy Challenge next January.  I've talked about doing it for ages but seeing as I'm going to run fab next year (nothing like a bit of false optimism off one 13 mile training run!!!!!) it would be the ideal time to try it.

Yeah, absolutely. We are all like that from over there.

The bromantic castles will be a non starter I am afraid for next year. With daughter now at Gloucester me and Julia are living on beans on toast for the next 3 years. So no Riga next year either. Will as I said look at Amsterdam and I am very keen on the Benidorm half next November as  a fast half to get a decent time on board. The Stock, sorry Stalk Home ,marathon looks amazing. Have you done Munich before and what is it like as  city?  Must admit after being to Berlin twice now it will take some beating. Although I also love our capital in NZ. It is a great place with a great atmosphere.

Will look out for the potholes at Gloucester. I ran this a few years back and got sent off on the ultra 50k route by one of the marshalls instead of being redirected down the last mile and a half to the actual marathon finish. There were 2 races going on at once. After having to walk,I mean stagger, home for most of this extra 10k I stumbled in about 4 and a half hours later a broken person. it was bloody horrendous. Thanks Marshalls !!

However I am not running this competitively. I am running it with one of my coaching colleagues (a 1.17 half marathoner) to help him nail his pacing. 16 marathons later I have this sorted and will endeavour to get him arounnd in 2.55-2.56 at 6.43 minute miling or there abouts. In this years London he fell apart and came in at 3.36 or something which he can certainly improve on. I'm doing my good samaritan bit. But London will  be full on.

It seems as if we both have a lot on next year Caniggia. BRING IT ON.

By the way, after watching our Rugby league team against England yesterday I can understand your trouble distinguishing the kiwi ladies from the team.

Catch you in a bit.   

Hi Markk

It was a disaster. That was the longest 6 miles I have ever not run , but walked. It was actually getting a bit scary. I was hypoglaecmic, speech was slurred  had  the sugar craving , the lot. it was like I was pssssed !! I was coming 4th and on for a sub 2.50. I was running at marathon pace, not ultra marathon pace, and it was in the days before I had my garmin.  The funny thing is I said I would not touch that race again with a barge pole, and guess what , I am doing it again !!!!!!!!! Only to help out a mate mind you. However I believe it has sorted out it's problems. It would be interesting to hear what SMIFFFFIE thinks of it being a Gloucester lass. I suppose in a way I can say I have run/walked an ultra. Perhaps by default. Bloody marshall. Maybe if I see her again I can get my revenge somehow, not bitter at all mind you !!

I've never been to Munich before Kiwi.  I've been to Berlin a few times, Dusseldorf, Cologne and Frankfurt but never gone down to Bavaria before.  The big attraction to be honest is the finish to the race which ends up on the track of the Olympic Stadium.  I was 10 when the euro champs were on in West Germany and it was the 1st major championships I really remembered seeing all the big games.  The 1986 games in Mexico were mostly after my bed time!!!!!  What 10 year old didn't dream of playing in the final of the euro champs in Munich and scoring the goals Marco Van Basten and Ruud Gullit did that day.  23 years on I'm still a big kid and I'd still love to play at the Olympic stadium in Munich in front of 80000 fans but its not going to happen partly because I'm sh!t at football but more importantly because they have built the Alliance Arena. In the absence of football the next best thing would be able to have a run round the track to finish a marathon and live a boyhood dream to compete at the Olympic stadium just not at the sport I would have chosen all those years back.

Why do people have to try to make my life so bloody complicated???

Evening bungle sorry to hear your hip is playing up again.  Hope the new shoes sort you out.

I had another half decent run tonight which is very out of character.  It was only 3.3 miles but average pace 6:38/mile and that included stopping twice to cross the road and having to go up and down the slippy steps on the railway station bridge.  Still don't understand how there can be so few trains on that line but the level crossing is always shut when you go down that way.

Hmmmmm yup thems the types we want to shove somewhere dark and leave to talk to the walls....... chin up you've had a couple of belting runs and lots of laughs at my 'older' expense on Facebook recently

 If my running goes wrong again I'll be jumping as only thing that seems to be going right at moment!

2.5 miles run with dog tonight, followed by 23K on Ski Machine, so a good time has been booked with my name at the 'Brass Monkey Half' in January.

Now was that zero or one mr HMRC man

Thanks smiffie

As you say at least my running has temporarily become enjoyable again. Feels great to be able to do it again. Cruise control was a lovely gear to engage for the 1st time in a long time on Saturday.

You did 23k on a ski machine.  and people say I'm odd for going a long way on the dreadmill.  Did you have it set on downhill or cross country?

I gave you a compliment the other night and said you didn't look your age. some folk always think I'm having a pop.

Not that I'm wanting to cheat but I'd try 41 this time 

Think I have a good time with my name on it booked in Munich next October.

Smiffie is it not a bit weird our running slumps almost started on the same day and finished on the same day about 3 years later.  Did you have a voodoo caniggia33 doll to keep you company when you were in your slump????