Edinburgh Marathon... Done! (Time = 4:13:31)

Well it's done! Without doubt the toughest physical challenge I've ever done in my life!
Karen and I met up with Chris and Karl from work at the start line (note the nervous smiles on the picture on the left) and then kicked off at just after 10.00am and relaxed into a fairly comfortable pace, averaging about 9.5 min miles.
A really nice course off Princess St in Edinburgh, around the beautiful Holyrood Park, around a football stadium dropping down towards the coast towards Musselborough. Past the race course (and finish line) and continued along the coast with Bass rock in sight in the distance. A fairly comfortable run until about 17miles when we were hit by a heavy downpour and strong winds whilst running along the coast. Double backed at about 18miles around a country estate and a house where a guy was playing 'Charriots of fire' on his trumpet :-). The legs started to seize up at around 20 miles and tried to walk a little at a drinks station around 21 miles but the legs were too stiff to walk so it was easier to keep running!?
The last mile was brilliant (picture above right)... Even managed a smile!
We finished in a very respectable 4 hours 13 minutes and 31 seconds. 4924th out of a field of around 28,000 runners. So all in all a good result!
Even better is the fundraising total! Karen has raised just over £1,000. I've raised another circa £500... Every penny of which will make a huge difference to the vulnerable children supported by the Isaiah Trust.
Thank's so much for all the support!
Gonna have a well earned week off now before resuming training for my Triathlons later this year!
D :-)

Keeping the legs loose!

Had a short quick bike ride this evening to keep the legs loose but avoid the impact from a run. 4.5 miles from Sandbach to Middlewich in 16 minutes averaging 17.4 mph.

The Marathon fundraising total for the Isaiah Trust today stands at £296! Thanks to all who have donated so far!

Triathlon swim train 'tapering' :-)

Went along to the pool training session this evening with the intention of a light swim. A number of the other club memers have the Cheshire Triathlon this Sunday so there was a general 'taper' theme going on! Swam around 800 metres and then had a soak in the Jacuzzi... Nice!

A gentle mile

Went out for a 15minute stretch and a bit of a jog of just over a mile this evening to loosen up the legs from yesterday's Great Manchester Run... Just the job :-)

Great Manchester 10km Run ~ A New Personal Best (Time = 46:36)!

A damp, chilly day but good running weather for my fifth time running the Great Manchester Run (which is were the running all sprang from).

Achieved my best ever time for the 10km... A totally unexpected 46 minutes and 36 seconds which is nearly two minutes better than my previous best and came 3,011th out of a field of 38,000 runners.

A week 'tapering' now in the run up to the Edinburgh Marathon with confidence boosted that I'm as ready as I'll ever be! :-)

1 mile open water swim

Another swim at Boundary water park in Holmes Chappel this evening with Uswim, an event that seems to get ever busier! 45 mins for the mile including a good few minutes chatting after the first 400m.

6 mile run

Ran from Middlewich back home again via Moston this evening. Started as a jog and increased the pace as it felt better to complete the 6 miles in 50 mins and 15 secs. Wondering how to play this weekend’s Great Manchester Run... Sensible jog to preserver the energy for next week's Edinburgh Marathon or whether to go for an under 50mins time in the 10k!? Probably a bit of both!

7 mile jog

Had hoped to do a long run this evening but time escaped us so setled for a 7 mile jog from home towards Middlewich and back along the country lanes through Moston.

Train and Bike to Pwllheli!

Joining the family over in Pwllheli today... Cycled from home to Crewe train station for the first leg of the journey (5.2 miles in 22mins) with the heavens opening within a mile from home... Soaked!

Managed to dry off my shirt under the hot air hand dryer in the loo on the train and an hour or so relatively comfortable journey to Bangor in North Wales before starting the second leg of the journey...

Cycled 31 miles from Bangor to Pwllheli (via Caernarfon) in 2 hours 13 minutes averaging 14.7mph. The hill near Trefor as you cross from one side of the Llyn Peninsular to the other was a killer (6mph) but the last hill down into Pwllheli exhilerating (36 mph!).

A great ride but a very damp day all in all!

First open water swim of the year!

The USWIM open water swimming sessions have started again (I did these last year training for my Great Salford Swim) so got myself down to Boundary Water Park in Holmes Chappel for an evening dip.

There were 148 swimmers already in the water when I registered! Who'd believe it?

Swam a mile in 40 minutes which is ok for the start of the season :-)

Triathlon Swim Training Session

A slow start to the swim session this evening, tired from all the running at the weekend! But, it got easier as the session when on (ok bearable!). 1,600mtrs in total.

Shake down run

A gentle jog around Pwllheli marina this morning to work the latic acid and stiffness out of the legs (accompanied by my youngest daughter as pace maker on her bike :-).

4.95 miles in 47mins and 5 secs.