Scottish Runners

57.5 - I might have done the parkrun for "fun" but we don't get down until late afternoon Sat. Any suggestions for an 8- 10 mile run around Inverness Sunday morning not getting in the way of the marathoners/10k ers? We're staying near Bught Park.

Where's BM indeed?

Mrs Mac - looking forward to seeing you

Pretty dreich here today.

Thanks UTC.

4 mile run this evening. Quite windy, but not too bad.

Evening folks

Did you manage to cycle to work UTC? I saw some people really struggling today.

I might chuck in an entry for Templeton 10 Alison. Its a great race.

That sounds crazy TP! Who'd have thought a 100 miler would have entries crashing the server?!! Guess I'll avoid that one then Thinking of this as next years biggie

Ran a wee 5 miler tonight which was actually fun getting buffeted around. Hope this weather packs it in for LN

Lol Mrs Mac - you are officially nuts - track racing ultras !!! Yeah, I really dont understand why that many people would want to run 100miles !

Joking aside though, really, I don't....I think a lot of it has to do with tweeting / FB and building up the hype on the internet, its like its become the 'next big challenge' when a marathon isnt enough to impress people anymore. I saw a lot of that in the Lake District this summer ....its like, lets get an entry for this hyped up race everyone is talking about, brag about it all year on the internet to impress our mates / work colleagues, not do any training, then pull out at the last minute, or just drag our asses round on no training using our GPS to navigate .

Bloody annoying anyhow.

I'm totally supportive of what Centurion Running have done - they have set up this fantastic set of races where you dont need to have a support crew in order to run. I could never afford some of the big 100milers in the US for instance, so this has been a great opportunity. I just think they need to think a little more about their marketing strategy . I think to start with they thought they would get very little interest, but now via good reports and loads of internet advertising it has gone out of control, when actually they would have built a great rep just off the back of word of mouth in the ultra community without needing to publish their every move on twitter.  

MrsMac yep managed to and from work no problem.. It wasnt bad at all here! You are mad - track Ultra????

drops in briefly after long absence ... Tigerspaw - totally agree with your opinion there on the Centurion races, and agree it's such a shame.  James does a fab job and like you, I'll never manage to do one of the US ones so this is a great opportunity to experience the whole 'supported but unsupported' thing.  Hope you manage to get in though. I chatted to several  of the 'lets brag/do no training' brigade who did actually start race, but strangely not finish.

Have not read back as have been away for faaaaaar to long!

Suffice to say todays run was very short and very exhilarating. I was the only person on the coastal path and I had a huge grin on my face as I was loving it. As I said to hubby on the phone tonight - it was typical mountain marathon (especially the OMM) weather conditions and he'd have loved it!!!

Track ultra -

Thought I might put in for the West Highland Way race next year ..., I also have seven points burning a hole ... UTMB???

MrsMac - either flipped or taking us for ride

I'll never do an ultra but I can see the attractions of running a long way through nice countryside but 6 days on a track ... ??? even 24h on a track ...???

Thanks Cragchick - I'm thinking I might go down to the South Downs anyway next year whatever happens, for a holiday and some walking / cycling. If I get in the race too, that will be a bonus . Good luck with WHW, probably better chance getting in that than the UTMB lottery, although always worth a go. Strangely I have found an unusual liking for flat races recently , something I never thought I would hear myself say!

Ha ha, not fussed if I don't get into UTMB, just thinking that it's possibly likely I'll not have the required 7 points again (has changed from 5) so may as well give it a bash, plenty of other stuff out there to keep me occupied. Which is also why I feel strangely bemused by people who seem to get fixated on getting into a particular race.

Is beautiful countryside down there in a rolling, southern counties kind of way, plenty of walking and biking opportunities. Clarendon Way is good too (Salisbury to Winchester) Did a marathon on there a few years back.

Elspeth - great recovery from the stress fracture

Like cragchick I had a wild run tonight on the Moray coast. Especially interesting on the beach in a mini sandstorm, would not have been runable without the wind being at my back.

It does seem like 100 milers should work like the WHW race where you have to submit some evidence of your suitability for the challenge.

Afternoon all

Much nicer day today down here, no rain and very little wind, had a good run, not too much storm damage here so looks like we missed the worst of it.

57.5 - I agree.

It is interesting how many races are now having to pitch their websites differently and really lay it on with the emphasis of actually this is really really hard and you will need to navigate etc. Lakeland 100 website is now worded quite differently to how it was last year after they had 60% dnf rate this year  (although hard to tell how much of that was because folks were sick of 24hrs++ of wet feet and their skin falling off, rather than just underprepared fitness wise ). I don't think they ask for proof of what races you have done though.....they certainly didnt on the 50.

Centurion have changed from nothing to 'you must have done at least marathon distance' to 'you must have done 30m or more within cut-off'. Problem is people dont read anything / the small print these days, so by the time they have tried to enter then got to the part were it says 'list experience', they have already crashed the server .

Internet entry makes it too easy, (and too easy to get swept up in the hype), because it gives this 'instant fix' that the public seem to crave, thats the problem IMO.

Cragchick - yeah, so many races out there. I like to have a 'focus' race, a biggie to train for, but I'm also all for keeping my options open. And if one year nothing comes up, thats fine too. Shock horror I may even concentrate on shorter distances one year ....LOL nah only kidding .

I agree - for these very tough events, people should have to provide some evidence of being prepared  - not fair for those who have no chance of finishing to take places, keeping more 'genuine' participants out.

Mrs Mac - if you do enter the Templeton 10, let me know your number, or what you'll be wearing, so we can meet.

Nice day here today. Nice run, about 4.5 miles, easy pace, but quite hilly.

I will do Alison

Agree with everything you say TP, FB etc has a lot to answer for! Still can't believe people managed to crash a 100 mile race website WHW has a bit of the 'social media hype' too but the entry remains strict.

cragchick & 57.5, those kind of runs are great eh? Extreme weather, no-one around, anyone who is giving you strange looks! LOVE

Track Ultras aren't that bad, just a very different mindset. I've done four 12 hour track races and three 24 hour track races ( also did another three 24 hour races but the loops were longer, 1 - 4 miles) I like them because it all about number crunching, ticked off the miles at Glenmore by comparing it to WHW landmarks. I was thinking about the 24 or 48 hour option for that race, I'm not daft enough for the 6-day race

Mrs Mac - that's Sichel territory isn't it!

Had a nice little run with our friend from Germany who is visiting on Monday, first time I've been brave enough to try to keep up with one of the others for ages. House bound trying to do paperwork last couple of nights, itching to get out tomorrow.

Doesn't seem to be anything doing on the Glen Ogle waiting list so prob the Culloden run for me next.

Mrs Mac - I can kinda see the appeal in some respects, ticking off the laps, getting into a rhythm, it must make it a lot more straightforward for food stops too, I just think personally I would find it very hard.

Good running Alison and Elspeth.

Elspeth - if GO doesnt work out how about Jedburgh? Hilly....muddy....flooded river ....(probably).....what more could you want?

Orkney work coming tommorrow morning so the boat must have been okay today.

Elspeth - I'm going to remove myself from the Glen Ogle list, I'm quite far down but it might help you a little!!!  From their fb page I think they are keen to let as many run as possible ... another victim of FB advertising??  Did want to do it but not really done enough training and really do need to be at home that weekend ... am training to teach pilates at the moment and it's taking up a LOT of domestic time.

Mrs Mac - I too get the 'ticking off the numbers' thing, part of the appeal of ultras to me is the head games as that is often the overiding decider on whether you finish or not - what your head can tell your body to do/ignore!!!

Have been surprised how many ultra runners either don't like or are not able to navigate, but then I love that extra challenge probably a reflection of my hillwalking/mountaineering background and why I love mountain marathons ... in fact I'd love a crack at the Spine Race ... 2014 maybe?

No exilerating running here today, but a swift 5 miles round Culbin, lots of debris but hardly any wind which made a change.  Off in persuit of something a bit longer tomorrow and probably involving bogs and mud. Have a new rucsac to trial - well it better work as I doubt I'll be able to send it back!!

I do now prefer the off-roady type Ultras but if there's another track race in Britain and its a friend organising it - it'd be rude not to wouldn't it?

Elspeth, I have it on good authority that they are still trying to put on the S2S Ultra again. If I hear anything I'll let you know.

What kind of rucsac did you get cragchick? I've been thinking about a new one.

MrsMac - I saw 3 people, 2 dogs and a hedgehog in 8 miles. That's why I like the arrival of the winter for proper lonely runs!

I think my main motivation for running an ultra is to see how far it looks on a map. So the A to B route is where it's at.

Morning

Had a nice few days up in Stornoway. My niece is almost fully recovered.

4 easy miles done

Morning Tri

Lots to catch up on I see.

Brekkie calling