Not very long long run and not very dual duathlon

Friday night dawned, or dusked, or whatever nights do, and it was a lovely gusting gale force wind plus rainy, sub zero, black night. So Matt and I rescheduled our long run for Saturday. I proceeded to have an utterly frustrating Saturday morning as I tried to find a new watch battery for my Timex Ironman (sounds tough, huh? - not so tough with a rundown battery it ain't).

Al had assured me that a jewellers in Ocean Terminal would be able to supply the necessary and I duly trotted off to jeweller number 1, who told me that no, they only did Casio digital watches and I should try jeweller number 2 or 3, also in Ocean Terminal. Both jewellers 2 and 3 told me that the didn't stock lithium batteries and I should try jewellers 4 or 5 on Rose Street. Nae bother, I thought - I'll get a bus to Haymarket, buy my new trainers and walk to Rose Street.

Oh no. I had forgotten that Shandwick Place was closed for tram roadworks, but remembered on the way. But assumed, silly me, that the bus would simply skirt the closed off block and emerge at Haymarket. Lothian Buses had other ideas though, and completely rerouted the 22 down the bloody Western Approach Road, at which point I got off and asked the driver if that was his nearest stop to Haymarket. He answered 'yes' in a 'but it's still miles away you eejit' sort of way and I spent half an hour walking back.

Having finally got to Dalry Road and bought my trainers (in the five minutes it took me to say 'I'll have another pair of these please'), I headed for Rose St, via McDonald's loos. There jeweller number 4 did sucky teethy and recommended jeweller number 5 who is, apparently, 'into watches'. And jeweller number 5 told me to....try a jeweller on Dalry Road. Aargh! I had just come from there and now had no time to return before meeting Matt. Well how about jeweller number 1, he suggested helpfully, at which point I huffed off to the bus stop with my useless watch. There I was made yet more irate by a passing junkie* telling me to cheer up and then calling me a 'Stupid fucking wee blonde' when I failed to comply. What is it with the blonde thing? Would he have called me a stupid brunette if I had dark hair? Maybe brunettes smile on demand and thus avoid these situations.

So in the end I had no watch to time my long run or my duathlon, and will probably not have one for the Edinburgh Half, though I may just buy a cheap new one for that or I'll have no chance of pacing myself. So annoying, because it was a good watch. The Timex website holds no clues as to stockists, either. And even if I can get it done in town it won't be waterproof any more.

I ran off my frustration down the Water of Leith with Matt. We only did about 11 miles (he claims 12) but it felt easy the whole way except the last mile, when my right knee started showing signs of ITBS. I think that's the other knee from last year, so maybe that's progress of a sort...Wasn't too bad anyway. Runfinder.co.uk has been AWOL for days now though, so I fear I will have to find another site to measure my runs on. Any recommendations?

In past years I've fairly often done a training session the day before or after a long run so didn't think the duathlon on Sunday would be a problem. In fact it was a slog, but I think that was more down to the gradients. The worst bit was waiting in the sleet for 25 minutes at the changeover, desperately hoping that each approaching cyclist was Matt so I could get running and warm up! Then the ran began with a hugely steep ascent to pick up a token (a clothes peg) at the summit and come back down. Patches of path were knee deep in a type of mud that was particularly black and sticky - it somehow got inside my shoes and I later had to shave my legs to get rid of it. One guy lost a shoe. Back down, we did the whole of the loop from the short duathlon last time. Which was good in a way because at least I knew how far it was to the end. We also had to pick up another token, which was a fluffy Easter chick - a nice touch I thought. I was fine through the trees and so on - it really is just the hills that get me.

I passed a couple of people (who, unlike me, had just cycled for an hour, remember) but was passed myself by a couple so thought I'd maintained our overall placing. But the results show I picked us up from 63rd to 59th. Possibly I passed others at the changeover without noticing. Or their dead bodies were just lying by the roadside where I couldn't see them. And we weren't the last team! One other team failed to finish, so I count that as an improvement on our part. Plus we all got an Easter egg. As value for money and friendliness (and supply of hot soup and burgers) go, I would definitely recommend this series. No way I'd ever do the bike section as well though.

Gym tonight, after a rest yesterday. Need to get as much done as I can before the running-free alp trip on Thursday. I read an article which preached good running posture and went determined to run with my head up, looking at the ground 20 metres ahead, chest forward, arms pumping straight and not across my chest. All of which lasted about 30 seconds before my normal lazy running style resumed. New trainers ok - slight rubbing on inside right foot, which is my foot's fault. Did:

• 6 mins cross trainer, level 12, above 10 mets. Found a setting which changes the angle to work all the muscles in your legs, not just the quads.
• 45 mins treadmill, 6.7 mph, while watching Sky Sport football line ups (surprisingly mesmerising)
  
• 2 x 12 each of biceps, triceps and back all at 20 kg
• 15 mins treadmill, 6.7 mph

Was knackered but buzzing from a final sprint. Slight knee pain at one point but it faded. Now have to do speed work tomorrow.

*Sorry if this is not PC. He was definitely high though. I think I riled him by moving to a defensive position on the other side of the bus stop after he yelled at another guy two inches from his face.

Race

The weekend got off to a flying start once I'd slogged through the inevitable rain and wind to Fife. There I collapsed into the welcoming embrace of Fi and Ailsa who gave me alcohol and assured me that I would not have to drive to the restaurant where we were celebrating Ailsa's birthday. Hurrah! It was a really nice meal. I do like Japanese. Though unfortunately I really like Thai too and was so torn between the two that I could barely make up my mind.

Having been getting up at 6 all week I couldn't lie in past 9 so got up and let out the guest dogs, who were making pathetic noises. They are lovely bouncy, silky spring spaniel/lab crosses, though Al proved amazingly allergic to them. Cocker spaniels are still best though - much more mellow. Spent the rest of the day doing almost nothing except playing board games, eating delicious roast lamb and cake and feeling vaguely guilty about not having done any washing up or helping with lunch. But mostly just feeling chilled, which was much needed.

Back home, Al fed me prawn curry and salad - surely the worst ever pre-race meal. He must be trying to sabotage me. And himself.

Thus the first race of the season took place yesterday when I joined Matt in a team duathlon. It was a mixed bag. Set off steep uphill and, wiping the sweat from my eyes, managed to dislodge a contact lens. I could feel that it hadn't fallen out, just slipped down in my eye, so I carried on, blinking madly until it popped back in to place after a couple of minutes. In the meantime, I'd pulled away from Al, though not from the rest of the pack. Having spectated at the previous duathlon in this series before Christmas I wasn't expecting much - although very friendly, the participants are mostly Triathlon Scotland regulars and thus scarily fit.

Half way up the hill, we plunged off in to the undergrowth and trees, following a fire break back down, across the track and into a muddy section of pasture. This was about half way. They don't measure the course by length but by the time it takes the leaders to complete: this was supposed to be a 20 minute run and 20 minute cycle, which I think meant the run was about 5km. Emerging from the field though, I slipped in the deep mud and went over on my ankle - exactly the same as when I pulled it before Christmas (though this time I wasn't drunk and simply walking down some steps). Ow! I was extremely annoyed at myself as it slowed me right down for a couple of minutes, while another girl passed me and kindly asked if I was ok.

Once out of the mud, though, and back on relatively firm track, the pain lessened. I risked a glance behind me and Al was only about 20m back, so I pushed on and was able to forget about it until a last section of rough path, where I favoured it rather, trying to land on my other foot on steep downhill bits. A final push up towards the changeover and I overtook the girl who had passed me earlier - she promptly fell in behind and used me as a wind shield! I thought I'd run off the ankle but as soon as I tagged Matt and stopped running it came back. I watched Matt set off on the bike section followed by Al, about 2 minutes behind. Then I wandered round asking the marshals if there was a first aid post (maybe) or any ice (no). So I went and got changed in the car, which was just as well as work had come up with yet another crisis for me to solve so I had to make some phone calls. 'Are you near a computer?' asked our emergency response guy. I didn't feel like explaining that I was covered in mud in a car park in a forest on a hill with a pulled ankle so I just said no.

Anyway, Matt came in having got a bit lost but looking happy. Al was just behind him, chuffed about having overtaken some folk on the steep downhill stretch where most had dismounted. You can read the official results on the really useless Glentress Duathlon Website. In short, Matt and I were the fourth mixed team out of...four. But less than 4 minutes behind the others! We came 52nd overall and Al 56th. My run was placed 74th in 32 mins 29 secs. I really enjoyed the route, the off roading, the hill (kind of) and even the mud. Was just a bit worried about my ankle but I've been taking ibuprofen and it seems much better today - just a bit sore when I point my toes.

Today was my first ever drive to or from work not in the rain! (Or snow). It was much nicer: no spray or reflections off headlights. Took further advantage of the dry to run down London Road to the end of Portobello beach and back, which is 6.4 miles. This took me exactly an hour. I would have liked a bit quicker as I felt I was pushing it more than usual and I was aiming for 10.4 kmph. I managed less than 10.3 kmph. But then, if I hadn't had to wait for a couple of traffic lights, and if I'd measured it more accurately on Run Finder, it was probably close enough.

Both Matt and Ailsa have got in to the Edinburgh marathon, so there will be loads of us taking part! Still at the enthusiastic stage at the moment. By March I'll be fed up with it all. Though the race definitely perked me up, so that tactic seems to be working. Worked out today that the Alloa half marathon is on Easter Sunday so I probably won't be around, which is a bugger. Would have been good to support an event local to work and to have another race in the schedule. But at the end of the day I'd rather see Al in the brief time he has back from the alps and I have off work. Stupid day to have a half marathon, anyway!

More exercise!

Ooh yes, getting back into the swing of it now. No pun intended.

Went to the gym at work before swing dance yesterday. Did:

• 3 x 10 reps 17.5kg on the chest machine (this is the one which I forgot the name of last time)


• 2 x 10 reps 15kg shoulder press (very hard)


• 3 x 12 reps 25kg pull down (easy - must go up next time)


• 10 mins cross trainer level 6 to warm up


• 3 km on the treadmill, incline 2%, in 20 minutes (annoyingly hard considering this used to be a doddle)


• 15 mins upright bike, hill setting, level 7

Whilst running, I tried very hard to think about how I was putting my feet down, concentrating on rolling from the heel to the toe and keeping my toes pointing out. Or rather, it feels like I'm keeping them pointing out, like a duck, but actually that's just making them straight because I usually run with them pointing in, like a pigeon. Quite hard to see them in the mirror because the front of the treadmill was in the way, but I think I did ok. Certainly felt like I was using my lower leg muscles in a way they weren't used to. Hopefully I can keep this up enough to avoid injury this year.

Then went to swing dance where we practised our Christmas show routine without mirrors or instructors to follow! This went surprisingly well, and I actually felt like I was dancing instead of following a series if steps.

There's a body pump class at the gym at work on a Friday lunchtime. No time today but I might go next week: I never do any exercise on a Friday usually so it would be a bonus session. And I know I say this every year but I do want to improve my overall fitness, not just running. I say that and then when it gets to the stage that I have to run an hour each session I give up on everything else. Need more hours in the day.

Going back a bit to Al's duathlon at the weekend, he went with his friend Matt. Al's signed up for the whole series of three, but Matt was only signed up to the first one. He wasn't sure about doing the others but I there's a team option so I said I'd do the running if he did the cycling. It's on 27 January and is about 5km of hilly trail running, so that gives me something to aim for. Matt cycles faster than Al so I will have to make sure I don't let him down in the running stakes.

In other Exciting News, my new surf board has arrived! Oh, it's so beautiful, just how I imagined. So beautiful that I have learned how to upload images directly into a blog just to show you. Should be small waves, light winds tomorrow so I will get to try it out!