how did it get to be May so soon!!

so I have tried we are nearly there the running schedule of a middle aged working mum. I have been running almost 10K every saturday and usually 4-5K in the week ones or twice. Does not sound professional but I hope it is enough. Been trying to raise money and got to £200 so hope it helps Spinal Research. will be seriously emailing for spponsorship next week but work is hectic. Girls have standard grades and trying to get them to revise is impossible. They are so confident... not like their mum. Tomorrow is the Royal wedding, husband is hill walking, twins are belly dancing practice for a show on saturday, young adult is resting and mum is running and going to work as she has a grant deadline and collaborator is slow....... cant believe the race is so soon. Good Luck all you woman out there and thank you all the smilling Mugdock reservoir people for their encouragment.

Not long to go now!!

Hi ladies,
I hope that your training is going well for the big day next weekend!
I'm stilling plugging away at my marathon training (4 weeks til that and feeling extremely nervous!!).
I'm loving the sunshine but am finding it quite tough for running in. It was SO warm when I was out on Wednesday night. Hopefully we'll have dry but not too hot running conditions for the race.
I was running through Pollok Park the other day and saw some of the girls from the Glasgow Running Network - they were heading up the 10k hill in the right direction whereas I was taking the downhill option. I really need to try and do that hill again before next week to remind myself how it is...eek!
The Glasgow Running Network are having a pasta party next week at DiMaggios. Starts at the Royal Exchange Square one and finishes up at Theatreland - should be good fun!!
Check out their web site for more details: www.runglasgow.org/GRN
Good luck to Audrey, Tammy and the other GRN girls doing the Belfast marathon on Monday.
P x

Its about time I did a blog :P

Not done a blog on this for a while now so thought it was about time :P

Had a couple of weeks which involved no running :-/ during my uni exams, but since finishing have tried to get back into it and keep doing whatever I can since theres not long to go now!

Got quite excited when my pack came through the door, always makes you realise how soon it is when you receive your number. Was cool to see my shadowed outline on the tshirt aswell :P

I will be featured in the Cumbernauld News next week since I am running for Yorkhill and we want as many people as possible to jump on board and raise money for a good cause.

Hope everyones training is going well, no excuse now with the nice weather (except the fact that we would rather laze in the sun hah)

Jodie

Fiona: This Week

Hope everyones gearing themselves up- only a few weeks to go!

This week I ran a 6 miler on monday. It was quite toasty here in Ggow so afterwards I looked a lot like this: 

Gosh, my boyfriend is a lucky man. Do you like my neon extreme Grangemouth finishers tee shirt?

On Tuesday I did some extreme abs work from the Runners World Olympic Abs page. OUCH. 

On Wednesday I headed for the gym and made my peace with the dreaded cross trainer. I used to use the X-C in 10 minute bursts on a casual gym day. Then when I caught the running bug, X-Cs now felt boring, you just go on and on and on. But on Wed I ended up doing 30 minutes.Actually felt pretty good.

Now, if I could just bring myself to love the treadmill...

Thursday was another speedy 6 miler crammed into a study day:

Friday I took a rest (was dead stiff) and Saturday I ran for the athletics team in the 3K and 400m relay. Was a great laugh- ended up doing the  3K in 14.39 which is a 7.51 mile pace and I don't yet know my 400m time. I was so nervous before because track/athletics runners are a lot more serious and I had never run at a track event. Sarah and I, however, devised a mantra. That mantra was, 'We are distance runners. For us this is a TRAINING RUN.'. It really helped. To be honest I was really glad to be part of Glasgow Uni at that point because we were the ONLY team who cheered on anyone in any team. A lot of teams seemed to lack the camaderie you see in cross country.

There was a massive headwind on the 300m corner of each lap but my race seemed really well paced to me and the spectators told me the form was spot on. Overall GUAC came 2nd and could hold their heads high another day. Also I had fun! And I reckon I'd like to try a little more sprinting- I wore Sarah's track spikes for the 400m and I really liked running in them.

sunshine!!

What a difference the extra hour makes. Its so nice to drive home in the light and its so much easier to go out again. I am really trying to run three times a week and do a 10K on a saturday. Its not what is recommended but it suits my energy levels and spare time!! Yoga classes have stopped for Easter on the Monday but are running Wednesdays, but my work has been hectic going away to give talks on every Wednesday for the last three weeks. Missed yoga loads and have tried to do a little at home but get distractic by chores. My twin girls have been coming to the gym with me though and keeping me right. The reservoir on a saturday is great, so many people runing and smiling supportively. There are the ones that run past quickly the burst of air they create whoshing my hair, then I see a walker and think I just have to pass them without wheezing. Sprint past, smile then try and keep going long enough so they do not catch me up again! My running shoes are getting old, had them a few years now and the tread is looking ropey so with the 15% 1oK voucher got some new shoes!! Not doing well on the sponsorship front so if any one is reading this please sponsor me for Spinal Research!! Off to London to give a talk so no time to run......

Fiona: Staging a Revival!

University has been kicking my butt so utterly the past few weeks- sorry I've been such an absent blogger!

This week I did a few runs and a few sprint sessions and ate super healthily. I'm feeling out of shape and hoping to get back into it next week!

Also, I signed up for the Edinburgh Marathon Festival HALF Marathon on May 22nd so I really need to get in gear!

As a quick bit of inspiration I found and loved this:

Happy training in the sun! :)

Fiona McG