The Long Road to 2012

I had no idea if I would beat last year’s total of 65 races this year but I suppose running three races on New Year’s Day gave me a good start.  Of course it’s not just about quantity, quality counts too and I remain amazed to discover that, despite holding back, as I had another two races to follow, my first race of 2011 was, according to run Britain, was to prove to be my best performance of the year.  The race was given an SSS of 2.81 and I completed the 5k run in 20:45.   After a decent run in the brazing conditions at Portobello, which saw me complete the 4 miles in a PB of 27:10, I managed my second PB of the year, taken 5:26 to run down the Royal Mile at 1pm on 01/01/11.

The next day saw me at Beith, where I ran my best wava of the year, my second best of all time, at 74.15%. and my 3^rd PB of 2011 as I raced the 4.8 miles in 32:17.   The ice and snow at Lenzie on 3^rd January made for difficult running conditions but I still managed my 4^th PB of the year, completing the 2.5mile course in a time of 18:06.

In what appears to be a happy hunting ground for me, I returned to Edinburgh on the 29 January for my second best performance of the year.  My time was actually one second quicker than that of New Year’s Day, sprinting across the line in 20:44.

The 30th of January and I was off to a bitterly cold Strathclyde Park, for the LSK Masters Road Relay Championship.  I was well chuffed to take 71 seconds off of my course PB, to complete the 3.7 miles in a time of 24:39, my 5^th PB of the year. 

In February, I clocked up my 6^th PB of 2011, finishing the, undulating, Kirkintilloch Olympians' 12.5 Km Road Race in 69:17

In May, I was the 1^st MV50 at the MND Scotland 4 Mile race in Strathclyde Park, where I set my 7^th PB, with a time of 26:51.  PB 8 was set on the one-off M74 14k race, which I ran in 1:04:30.

I earned my 9th PB of 2011 in Pollok Park, where I completed the Bellahouston Harrier’s 2mile Time Trial in 13:07.   .

Although I didn’t set a new PB at 10k, I was happy with my performances during May and June, completing the first one, at Troon, in 43:25; Helensburgh in 43:00; the Land of Burns in 42:59; Dumbarton in 43:44; the Vale of Leven in 43:46; Kirkintilloch in 43:57 and the Brian Goodwin in 43:44. 

With a distance of 6.58miles being a new one for me, I was guaranteed my 10^th PB of 2011 on the 18^th August, at the Crazy Craigie, held on Fenwick, which I completed in 29:07.

In October, I ventured to Bangkok, where I clocked up PB 11, whilst running the Amari Watergate Hotel 14th Charity Midnight 12k race in the heat of the night.

I Win Again!

Whilst that was to be the end of my PBs for the year, I actually went on to win my category in another couple of, albeit less competitive, races: the Glasgow Mo 5k, in November; and the Jog Scotland Xmas Cracker in December.

68 Races and the Marcothon

I completed the Marcothon for the first time, at the first attempt, and, despite doing a Saturday morning photographic course and having a bicycle accident, I managed to increase my race total, from 65 in 2010, to 68 in 2011, finishing the year with a spate of races, which saw me competing on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day (two races) and Hogmanay.  Not too shabby for someone of 54 years of age.

All in all, a great year racing but one which I have absolutely no intention of repeating, as my attention now turns to competing in my first ever London Marathon* Of course, I’ll do a number of other races as well.  It would be silly to put all my eggs in the one basket. 

My thanks to all the running buddies I’ve met throughout the year and all the volunteers who ensure that there is always a race to run.

Stats:

4 category wins

11 new PBs

68 Races

Run: 1404 miles.

Cycled 1061 miles

Swimming 7.8 miles.

Blog hits: 21,744.

* If you would care to sponsor me for the VLM, I’ll be raising funds for MND Scotland, any donations would be much appreciated.