Finding My Inner Runner

Yesterday was my second Edinburgh 10k, my first being in 2019 (last year's event got cancelled for some reason...). My stravas of both are attached for comparison. Same route, pretty much the same conditions (it chucked it down prior to the start, but was dry and bright albeit decidedly chilly, with a gentle breeze throughout) and the 2km climb from 4.5-6.5km was still horrible. When I did the 2019 event, I'd only been running for 8 months and has only run 10k about a dozen times before. The official chip time of1:03:52 that I set on the day was a personal best at the time. Skip forward to yesterday, and another 250+ runs of 10k or more in the intervening 2 years and I posted an official chip time 54:17, which is currently my second fastest 10k time (the fastest being 53:43 which I ran during my HM at the end of September). Taking my official times, I knocked 9½ minutes off my 2019 time with yesterday's run; despite moving up an age band category in that period. On the who...

Last year's Edinburgh Kilomathon (13.1km run) was cancelled, strangely enough, and this year's one is due to be a virtual one on 11 April, which I was scheduled to take part in. Today my big blue envelope dropped through the letterbox telling me that I get my first dose of the Covid vaccine on 9 April. Great news on the vax front, on the run side of things, possibly not so much. Granted, I can actually do it any time in the next 12 months if necessary but I decided that I would get a "contingency one" under my belt today, just so I have it to fall back on if necessary. Hopefully, by the time next year's one rolls around, we'll be able to do more than just virtual events.   

While I started running for my physical health, an extra bonus has been the improvement to my general mood. As someone who has struggled with mental health issues for over 30 years, this has, perhaps, been the greatest benefit of taking up this simple, but (for me at least) highly effective activity.  With that in mind, I am running the 2020 Kilomathon Scotland 13.1k for SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) in order to raise as much money as possible and I would be so grateful if you could take the time to sponsor me to help a cause that is particularly important to me. If you would care to support me, you can do so via my JustGiving page . All support will be gratefully received and appreciated.

I don't do Movember . I tried it once and even if the itch hadn't driven me nuts, 1970s male adult entertainer is really not a good look on me. So, instead, I decided to run 10k  through the streets of Edinburgh   for Cancer Research UK as an alternative; figuring the most I'd have to suffer for was about 90 minutes rather than a whole month. Woke up to torrential rain, but thankfully it had cleared up by the time I took my place in the tarting pen. The first 3k were mostly downhill as we made our way from the Royal Mile, just below Edinburgh Castle, down the Mound, through Princes Street Garden, along Market Street and then out until the far end of Holyrood Park. The next 2k through the park are fairly flat, but then things change. From there, it's almost  a constant climb for 2 k up through the Cow Gate, through the Grassmarket (which offered a brief respite, then uphill to Lothian Road. After that, the final 3k down Lothian Road, along the Western Approach ...

You may recall that back in June I took part in the Edinburgh Race for Life for Cancer Research UK. This involved me running a 5k circuit up, around, and down Arthur’s Seat. In doing so, I raised £250. Not content to rest on my laurels (and/or blisters), I now have another challenge where, once again, I will be running in support of Cancer Research UK , but this time the distance is 10k through the streets of Edinburgh , starting at Edinburgh Castle and finishing at Murrayfield Stadium on Sunday 3 November. If you would like to support me, you can do so at my Just Giving page . All donations are hugely appreciated.

So, I did it. One 5.37k lap of Arthur's Seat in 38:29. The 5k bit was 36:17. The conditions were idea, the participants (all 2,500+) we're amazing and the support at the finish from the well wishers and early finishers was brilliant. It was never going to be my fastest time given an ascent of 89m for the first half of the run, but I'm still chuffed to have done it and for the money raised so far. The climb up Queen's Drive to the top road was definitely a shock to the system. I knew it would be tough, but I hadn't appreciated just how tough it would be. Once on the top road, it was fantastic to see the city stretch out before me and the second half of the run was a much easier downhill all the way to the finish line. This was the goal I'd set myself after completing Couch to 5k and I'm so happy to have managed something that I couldn't even have contemplated doing at the start of this year.  If I'm feeling brave, I might try the 10k version...

It turns out that men are now allowed to enter Cancer Research's Race For Life so, partially to celebrate my new-found running abilities, but mostly in a moment of madness, I've signed up to do 5k around Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh's Hollyrood Park on Sunday 23 June. All donations greatly appreciated and if you'd care to share this link , that would be amazing.