Scottish Runners

Ping Pong Boy - remember to add a couple of hills into your training for Loch Ness.

Depending on where you are, the Mid Argyll half the first weekend in May is very flat and scenic. I'll post details if you are interested.

Have a look on the Scottish Athletics web site - http://www.scottishathletics.org.uk then click on the fixtures link on the left hand side of the page.

Alternatively go to http://www.runningresults.freeserve.co.uk and again click on the links page at the top. This will bring up a page listing a lot of Scottish clubs websites. Quite a lot of the clubs advertise their own races on their sites.

Hope this is usefull
Barry from Rosyth
(Pitreavie AAC)

Cheers Nessie. How hilly is the Inverness Marathon? One of my regular 6 mile routes sees me climbing a very slow and gradual 2 mile hill though I am completely out of puff by the time I reach the top.

I'm in Aberdeen by the way but generally don't mind travelling around if a race appeals to me. I've just had a look at the link from Barry and then Forres Harriers website I may have a pop at the RAF Kinloss to Lossie Half M in a months time. Happy running. PPB.

i am going to be running the BARCELONA marathon in may training will start in earnest next week once i have got rid of this cold . is there anyone else out going for this race

I'm so glad I saved this as a Word document. When I first heard about last year's Loch Ness Marathon, I went out and drove the course (sad, I know) and posted this on the "old" forum.


""Thankfully, the course starts on the Inverness side of the nasty hill I remembered near Whitebridge, so it's not quite as bad as it may have been, but it will still not be a PB course!

The first 4 miles are downhill, which is just as well, as there are two really nasty hills at 4.5miles and 5.5miles. Both are followed by pretty steep downhills which will give a bit of recovery, but might be hard on the knees. 7,8 and 9 are flat to downhill, and then it's pretty flat right through to 17. The only hard bit about 10-17 is the small undulations of maybe 20 feet up/20 feet down (the kind that make kids carsick), which you probably wouldn't notice on a 4 mile training run, but will feel like mountains after the earlier hills.

The killer in the course is the 3 mile uphill drag at miles 18,19 and 20. 21 is downhill, then there's a short sharp rise at 21.5, followed by some larger undulations. From about 23.5 onwards it is gently downhill to flat right the way to the finish.

The scenery is to die for (preferably not literally), and will take your mind off a lot of the pain. You are close enough to the loch for over 10 miles to do some Nessie spotting, and there are a couple of landmarks to look out for - Boleskine House at 7 miles, which was the home of Alister Crowley and is said to be the most haunted house in the country, and Urquhart Castle on the other bank of the loch at about 14 miles, which is the one on all the postcards with the fake Nessie printed on it. You also run past (well,below actually) Inverness Castle in the last mile.

I'm seriously considering it, despite having said after London 2000 that I couldn't imagine running 26.2 without the aid of the cheering crowds........""

Having run it, this pretty much holds true, although I was about half a mile out on my calculations.

Hello, I notice that another Scottish event has been just been added to the listings, and so I thought it's time I joined the "I'm from North of the Border too" discussion. Anyway, it's the East Kilbride half. I've never done it before, but I'm tempted. Any thoughts on this race?

kc

Ran it last year, didn't really like the two laps and it wasn't very picturesque, but it was quite an easy course, mabye a few hills. There are much nicer scottish 1/2M's - Aberfeldy, Loch Leven to name a couple. I'm running the Las Vegas marathon next month - any other Scots going?

Hi Stevieboy

You were asking about the nightmare series of races i posted earlier on in this thread. Heres your chance to find out more about them.
The next one is on wednesday 22nd January. Meet at the Cycle Tavern, Auchtermuchty, Fife at 7pm to register. The race starts at 7.30pm. The entry free varies between £2 and free, i think it might be free this year. The course is a trail race through woodland about 5 miles. Remember to bring a torch or a headtorch!!!!

see you there.....................

Cheers Hill runner

I will seriously give it some thought... i am only an average plodder.. i don't suppose it will be mainly club runners and the like?!? I have this aversion to finishing last!!!!!

Hi there, just a note to say that there is a series of "cross-country" races being held at Haddo House on 2nd Feb. The ladies race is at 12.30pm and is 4600 metres, and is more or less flat with good running surfaces most of the course. The mens race is 10k and follows the ladies course but extends to include a bit of a hill as you run up past the deer statues, and could be muddy. I think its at 1.30pm. You enter on the day up to 30 mins before the race starts. I'm not sure of the entrance fee but will find out next week.

Where is Haddo House

Does anyone know anything about the Two Bridges run? Where and when?

Sorry running tim, Haddo House is near Aberdeen, it is about 10 miles north of Aberdeen near Ellon. It is an old country house with a massive estate. Part of this estate is run by Aberdeenshire council and has a number of fine walks around a fairly large lake.

About Haddo House, for "Could be muddy" read "Will be muddy." I was at a meeting there during the Summer and even then it was really muddy just wandering along one of the trails. It'll be a nice run though so may see some of you there.

Hi again folks. had a really sluggish week last week. Motivation very low. Amazing how you can be so enthusiastic one week then boom the next. Paris Marathon only 11wks away now so had to force myself out yesterday. Did a 14 miler and felt good for it though could not even motivate myself to go to gym this eve.
Hope you are all feeling more energetic than me at the moment. Must have something to do with trying to quit smoking.

I'm impressed you can do a 14 miler while still smoking. I actually took up running to stop smoking, also went travelling and got away from my smoking friends, seems to have worked so far, 16 months without a fag.
Last week was a bit wet and windy, (may also explain you loss of motivation?) i much preferred it when it was cold and dry. I noticed that the days are just beginning to get longer now, another month and we've cracked it for another year. Here's looking forward to the summer season.

I still can't quit this smoking addiction, been running for 20 years now and can go weeks on end without a ciggie but as soon as I have a can or pint of beer in my hand I need a ciggie in the other hand.
Has'nt greatly affected my PBs though(as they were'nt much good anyway).

Hi again everyone. Where have u all gone? Must be out there training and too busy to be posting messages. I really need some words of motivation. training has been pityfull the past two weeks and only 10wks to go till marathon - HELP.

Morning Robert. Happy Monday to you! Sorry to hear you have been struggling for motivation - there's nothing worse but don't give up - get on those running shoes and get out there, even for just 20 minutes - it's still long enough to get the "high". When i've been struggling I tend to flick through old running magazines and books and read all their hints and tips for staying motivated. Also, if you keep a training log, reading back through that can sometimes be inspirational. I've just finished reading "The Looniness of the Long Distance Runner" and it was extremely funny and I could relate to many of his training and racing experiences - definitely worth a read.

Speaking of motivational books, can anyone recommend any others...

I found "Survival of the Fittest" by Mike Stroud to be high on the motivation front. It's even got my overweight mate running, it's not 100% about running but you'll learn a lot and you'll be searching for trainers after ever read!