21st February 2009

The day of the National XC Race - and also my birthday!

I didn't run myself but was keen to go along as a spectator and try out my birthday present, a new Canon Ixus 970, a compact camera that has a video option! So in JK fashion I filmed throughout the race, thinking that holding the camera vertical would be a good idea as it gets the runners better into the picture. Not knowing that it seems rather difficult to later rotate the picture and it is also easy to loose all sound when editing it ... Obviously I still have to learn a lot until these videos are presentable!

We met a lot of WHW family members including new addition Harvey. In fact I spotted Harvey first before I recognized Caroline! She was wrapped up in a few layers including full waterproofs.
Thomas wasn't sure until 2 days before the race if he should actually run or if it would interfere with his general training etc. But he felt good and got ready for the race. And he had a brilliant run. He finished in 98th position. And he was first for the club (though that did not help the overall position of Glenpark, i.e. last!)

Anyway, off we went home after the race for some last minute preparations for my birthday party. Jude, his running partner from Inverclyde AC also came and told us that he had lost his shoe in one of the mudholes on the course - maybe some of you spotted him digging it out?! Thomas has been running with Jude twice a week (Tue+Thur) for the past 3-4months. They meet up for "steady 8-10M runs" and this certainly seems to be great for Tom's training. Jude is also quite an experienced coach so he has become a bit like a personal coach for Thomas.

I was out running myself today and thought I better tried these "steady runs" myself. And I had a great 14K steady run along the waterfront, my legs were feeling good and I really enjoyed it. Halfway I met Thomas & Jude and they came flying past me, so much for their "steady pace". As they were discussing their run later in the kitchen over a piece of left over carrot cake, I heard them talking about 8min/M pace being "jogging pace as if you were running on the spot"! Well, so much for my recent fastest pace at the 5M race! But that just shows how different we all are. I know not to run with Thomas nowadays as he keeps getting too cold when he runs with me due to my slow pace! So he says anyway. :-)

I passed Lunderston Bay in Gourock on my run and I could not believe my eyes when I saw people out there with a picnic! And not only was another group out for a picnic but they also got their BBQ ready! What weather forecast had they seen!?

Next weekend will see me running from Tyndrum to KHH, trying to get there before I am caught by the large group of runners doing Drovers to KHH. I am looking forward to it, maybe we should have a BBQ afterwards?