Tomorrow could be the greatest day of our lives!

They say ignorance is bliss so I have deliberately tried to avoid finding out too much about the route for the 10k (just like I refuse to watch the trailer for Sex and the City 2), which is now less than 24 hours away...But like the best laid plans, I came a cropper this morning when I went along to take photos at parkrun.

As we left Pollok Park after the run, we came upon the markings and tape all set up for tomorrow. Just when I thought my mouth couldn't get any drier, my (formerly) good friend Carlos decided to impart the interesting (to him) information that the 10k route followed some of the parkrun route, except with a twist. It goes in the reverse direction (I should have known he had something evil in mind when he came dressed in his cape, top hat, and twirly moustache today).

This means that the hill that usually signals a welcome respite from battling with my legs to keep going during parkrun is going to take more persuasion to work tomorrow than a Tory-Lib Dem alliance. And like the voters who were denied entry to their polling stations, my legs just won't be given a choice tomorrow as there will still be several miles to go to the finishing line at that point.

My training has taken a nose dive in the last 6 weeks but I managed to at least recoup a little in the last fortnight. Parkrun, which is half the distance of tomorrow's race, has been a struggle the past 2 weeks I've run it, so it doesn't bode well. However, I was boosted by the fact that my wee sister signed up on Monday night - well I signed her up, and yes she does know...now. It always makes a great difference to your confidence when you have a familiar face to run with, and behind, and then catch up with an hour later at the finishing line...

But on the whole, I'm actually really looking forward to it! Which couldn't be further from this time last year when I completely lost my nerve after I had a similar lapse in training close to the time of the race, and then ended up not doing it. This year, I was determined not to lose out on what everyone tells me is a fantastic day to remember, and an achievement for every single woman who takes part. And hey, I can always walk some/most/all of it.

So for my supportive wee sis, here's a video which will stir some good memories...:-)

PB or not PB

I've been in a right cream puff today.

I'd gone along to the 5k parkrun at Pollok Park again this morning, (following last Saturday which was the first I'd run it since December), fully pumped up, psyched, stoked, or whatever else is the latest americanism all the kids are using these days. Anyway, to cut to the chase, I was aiming to beat my time of last week (34:52), or even better, to beat my parkrun Personal Best of 34:27.

It was another beautiful morning, and even though the pavements were still glistening wet the sun was well and truly out. By the time I'd met my friend at the entrance to the park I was even, drum roll, pleasantly warm. Warm enough to run without my jacket, another first this year.

Having Nessa there was a great boost to my spirits, and being able to keep pace with her for the first km or so would get me off to a good start (one thing I thought let me down last week was starting too slow and never really breaking out of that pace). Conditions were perfect, and it was time to get down to business.

Although Nessa and I parted ways before the first km was reached, it was okay as I found a friendly spot in a pack of half a dozen or so women near the back of the race who were all about the same pace as me. There was the usual overtaking/being overtaken as various of us would stop to walk, then start up running again when we'd caught our breath. I was just grateful to be amongst company than to be running on my own with 30 seconds between me and the next person in front.

I must admit to tiring a few times during the run but overall I was pleased with my efforts as my legs felt stronger going up the inclines and steep hills than last week and I was convinced that my pace while not cheetah-like was at least one species up from a sloth.

But alas, my hopes for a good race time were dashed upon seeing that my nikeplus showed 35 mins as I crossed the finish line. Unable to reconcile such a disappointing time with how good I had felt during the run, I fantasised that perhaps I had gained extra time somehow, and that the parkrun timer would record my run as a personal record breaking -34 mins.

But unless the regenerated Doctor Who, tiring of his new assistant already, had swung the TARDIS by Pollok today to pick me up and help him fight the evil forces of the galaxy, I couldn't think of any other circumstance whereby the space-time continuum would show the parkrun timer to be 2 minutes out from my nikeplus. (Though even as I write this I suspect that the Daleks were somehow behind my poor performance today, all part of their despicable plan to destroy the human race one parkrunner at a time...)

Meanwhile back in the real world, I know I'm never going to come first at parkrun, or any race I enter where there is more than one participant, so if I can't beat anyone else I would at least like to beat myself! Talk about scunnered. But somehow even though I still can't run faster than I did last August, I just can't entertain the idea of giving up on running. Cos each time I tie up my trainers and head out for another run, I cling to the hope that this will be the day I achieve a personal best. And I suppose to keep on trying and not give up is the best I can do.

Who am I trying to kid, coming over all philosophical...I still want to see that darn 'PB' alongside my name at next week's parkrun! And if I don't, i'll scweam and scweam and scweam and scweam!

Dear Green Places

Sometimes I kick myself (but not too hard, I bruise easy...) at how lucky I am to live in Glasgow. With its diverse population and communities, world-renowned educational and cultural institutions, not to mention one thousand and one ways to spend your time or your hard-earned buck. But recently I've also been reminded how dear our green places are, especially now that I use them to run in, through, and around.

Being a southsider I have loads of parks to choose from, practically on my doorstep. Pollok Park is a fave Saturday morning locale since I started going along to parkrun regularly last year, and I ran it yesterday, for the first time since December. Even though my training lately has reduced to going out twice a week, I do feel fitter than the last time I ran the 5k there and so was a bit disappointed not to better my personal best on Saturday morning....however, the beauty of parkrun is that there's always next week. And I did manage to run up the hill from hell both times without stopping, a personal achievement, and no mean feat if you have been and know what I'm talking about!

Last Sunday I took a wee notion to run in an entirely different direction to normal, and ended up in Linn Park. Even though it was the middle of the afternoon I was a bit wary running into a park alone that I had only been to once in my life, but the plus side of running in an unknown environment was not realising just how tough it was about to get...A river runs through the park and on one side is a lovely flat trail nestling alongside the lazy river while on the other is a winding narrow path consisting of a rollercoaster ride of steep steps up and down, obviously dreamt up by some psychopathic park designer with a grudge against runners, walkers, or anything else on two feet.

With typical (for me) beginner's luck, I ended up on the Himalayan side. As much as I would love to tell you I took on the hills with gusto, bounding up and down them in two single leaps each time, my feeble attempt ended up being closer to crawling on all fours than actual running. Once I reached the flat ground again my legs were useless lumps of lead and I conceded defeat to a pair of very dapper old ladies out for an afternoon stroll who managed to overtake me at all of their 2.5 mph pace.

Ignorance certainly is bliss to me, so since the course for the Women's 10k has been officially announced, I've been too nervous to look at it very closely. However, a friend was telling me that the route takes in not one but two parks, Bellahouston (which for my shame I have never ever been in) and Pollok. Again, I think to myself, how lucky I am to live in a city with so many lush green spaces to run through, home to different species of Glaswegian wildlife, and lots of animals and plants too I hear. ;-)

When I'm on the home strait of the 10k through Bellahouston and maybe struggling a bit, one thing that will keep me going is a long-held wee dream of mine: which is to one day go for a run through one of the most famous city parks in the world, and somewhere very close to my heart, Central Park in New York.

And I'm not talking about doing the New York Marathon. No, I just mean like when you see shots of people jogging in films or tv shows which are set in New York (remember all those key moments from Sex and The City which happened in Central Park? eg Charlotte meeting her future pet dog "Elizabeth Taylor", or the time when Miranda moved into the 7 minute mile running group after another disastrous 'romantic' encounter, the details of which I won't go into here, SATC fans will know what I mean!), well I want to do that someday.

I've been to New York several times before and spent memorable hours in Central Park, but only got the courage to take up running in the last year or so. And I don't think I'll be able to truly say I have had the complete Manhattan-ite experience until I've jogged through the city's iconic park on a sunny spring day...

Return flight to New York, £499. Running through Central Park, priceless :-)

How about you? What's your favourite real-life, or fantasy, park run?

Inspiration, perspiration, and inebriation!

What a difference a few days can make.....

Earlier this week I was feeling a bit down and sorry for myself after giving up too easily in a session on the treadmill. Come Sunday evening, and looking back over the week, I am chuffed to say it's ended on a high note :-).

Re-motivation came in the form of inspiration from various people. A work colleague tried his best to show his support and encouragement by telling me a very scary story about collapsing at mile 12 of a half marathon. It was really nice of him to share his own lowest moment, but I can honestly say now that I won't be signing up for a half marathon in a hurry! He has though, for the Edinburgh Half, and I'll be eagerly following the progress of his own personal challenge.

The same day I got a text from my best friend who moved to a new life down under a few months ago. We had started our Women's 10k training together last year and though I didn't manage it, I am proud to say K did, and when I got my confidence back in the summer we kept running together, going along to parkrun (more of this in a moment) and joining the Glasgow Running Network. Losing her to the attractions of Australia was a bit of a blow but we are constantly in touch and one of our favourite subjects is comparing our running progress.

With an average temperature of 29 degrees at the moment though, K has had to revert to the treadmill (so have I, but not cos it's too hot outside...Oh if only, in Scotland!) and without planning to, or with anyone by her side to cheer her on and encourage her, she texted to say she had just done 21k, ie a half marathon, at the gym, much to her own disbelief! This was no mean feat, having started running just last year, and only ever done a maximum of 10k. Well, I am still completely in awe 4 days later at her achievement and as proud of her as a best friend could be. Only shame is that I can't give her a huge well done hug in person (probably just as well as I think I would hug her to death!).

Inspiration no.3 came yesterday when I returned for the first time this year to Glasgow's most welcoming and friendliest (in my wee opinion) running community, parkrun. Parkrun is a free, timed 5k organised by volunteers which takes place every week without fail (even on christmas day!) in Pollok Park on Saturdays at 9.30am. It's been going for just over a year, and I first went along in June last year after K had given it a try first. I've managed to get my personal best down from dropping out after the first lap (about 3k) on my first attempt to completing the 5k course in 34:27, and hoping to get faster this year.

But running the actual race is just part of parkrun. Equal satisfaction (and you might say even greater if you count watching people come in at the finish line with a huge smile on their face as satisfying :-)) is helping that week's race take place by volunteering. I've done it a couple of times now, and though nerve-wracking (big sweaty fellas lumbering over me as my frozen fingers make sure I type their finishing place correctly into the laptop, eek!) it's been made more than worth it by the friendships which are now forming with the other volunteers. It was a lovely moment proudly typing in A's finishing time on Saturday, who I had met my first time volunteering, and who is returning from his own setback due to injury.

The only reason that Glasgow parkrun happened was down to a lovely guy called Richard Leyton who had seen it work in England, and now living in Glasgow wanted to start it up here. So he is my final inspirational model this week, cos if he hadn't gotten up off his ass, instead of leaving it up to someone else, and decided to start parkrun with some fellow enthusiasts, then I wouldn't have gotten my ass up out of bed on many a Saturday morning...come to think of it though, shouldn't I blaming him rather than thanking him, for all those missed long lies? ;-)

And a big shoutout to all who came along on Saturday for the highest attendance so far, a whopping 267! To think it was averaging 50-60 this time last year - who says the residents of the West of Scotland are the unhealthiest in the UK! Check out the parkrun website http://www.parkrun.org.uk/glasgow/Home.aspx or facebook page http://www.facebook.com/glasgowparkrun?ref=nf if you fancy joining us next Saturday (pre-registration via the website and printing off a barcode from your welcome email is required if you want your official time recorded).

I've no doubt that thinking about all these inspirational people kept me going when I managed to run for 8k at the gym today, the most I've done on the treadmill so far! And that's despite the bottle of wine I had last night, but don't tell anyone....;-)