Category: Blog Posts Page 33 of 37

Just back from fab holiday,  but more of that later I hope!!   Had hoped to keep my blog up-to-date while away – good practice for next year but as you can see I’ve not posted anything since June – oops.   In my defence (or maybe I’m just making excuses) – poor wifi at times and when I was with my friends,  wine and blethering took precedence over blogging.   I have typed quite a bit but just not published it yet – decided to do the last few weeks on mass – which wasn’t a good move – always on the catch up – a bit like trying to do all my homework on the bus to school.   Anyway home now and will hopefully post soon about the last few weeks but here is today’s update.

So lots of walking while I was a way and quite a few short but tough bike rides but only one run and that was just under 6 miles and just over 3 weeks ago – prior to going away lots of 3 mile runs and on the the 24th of June I did 12 and a wee bit miles.   So what???   What’s the point???   Well the point is that on Sunday the 25th of September I am doing the Berlin Marathon and I need to up the miles,  kind of pronto but without knackering myself in the process – I also need to keep track of my passport and make sure I actually make it to Berlin this year!

So the plan is this – aim for 13 miles today and over the next 5 weeks increase my long runs by 2 miles each week – in theory get to 23 miles and the rest will be plain sailing!!   When has a marathon ever been plain sailing??

Well I did just over 12 miles today – should have done a wee bit more but this took me to my front door and I needed a loo stop so that was enough for today – so based on the plan above hopefully training will take me to 22 miles!!

26th June  – down at Glentress – more famed for mountain biking but I had 2 separate trail runs – 8 miles followed by another 4 and was lucky enough to see 2 red squirrels.

2nd July – in Glenshee – nice wee 7 mile walk taking in Mealna Letter (or Duchray Hill) – very boggy initially but lots of wild flowers,  bog cotton and butterflies – along the shore of Loch Beanie a fellow walker pointed out an Osprey hovering above,  despite watching for some time we never saw the Osprey diving for brown trout that the Loch is meant to be teaming with – the return leg of the walk took us along part of The Cateran Trail (trail of the cattle thieves).

3rd July – still in Glenshee  – cycled up the trail from Auchallater to Loch Callater – leaving the bikes at the well appointed bothy (even has a toilet) – had an easy there and back walk up Carn an t-Sagairt Mor – we got lucky with the weather but bitterly cold wind at the top and glad I had my winter woolies with me – before descending we explored the wreckage of the RAF Canberra plane that sadly crashed in 1956 killing both of it’s crew.

?Date – very bizarre dream which went something like this – “bike required inner tube replaced – decided to replace both tubes at the same time and go for the newest and most expensive – the new style inners were divided into about 6 segments, each with a separate valve – the idea being that if only one segment punctured you could continue cycling – they were very complicated to fit and in the dream I ruined at least one.”   I woke up before putting the new inners to the test – don’t think they will ever be for sale.

Week beginning Monday 4th July I was working in Larbert for 3 days,  which meant,  in theory,  a good 7 mile bike ride to and from work on each of those days – except Wednesday which went something like this –

• cycle to work successfully
• finish work to find that back tyre is flat
• decide to run home as I don’t have pump or repair kit with me
• get 1/2 way home and remember that house keys are with my bike
• run back to bike and decided to push it home
• get me and bike home – pump, etc not where I expected them to be – yes you probably guessed it – pump and stuff was with me all the time – oops.
• a week later when telling my sorry story of blondeness to my sister and nephew,  Ben rolled his eyes and gave that knowing look (both of which he does very well) and said Auntie Lucy “why didn’t you just push the bike home in the first place!” – maybe Auntie Lucy should have checked for pump and toolkit in first place!

Easy but good 65 mile Round the Forth bike ride on Sunday – taking in the Kincardine Bridge,  Culross,  the Forth Road Bridge,  Hopetoun House,  Linlithgow,  the Kelpies and the last leg back home.

Rubbish run this morning in terms of speed – I think I left my get up and go in the pub last night – however great weather for it and took lots of pictures on route – I didn’t go much faster than these snails.

A wee walk to the pond this evening,  which is a hive of activity.   The cygnets are all present and correct;  the ducks have discovered a hole under the fence and are exploring the path rather than the pond;  Mummy (or Daddy) coot is getting a bit feisty with the baby coots,  which I think is there way of trying to make the babies more independent; I could only see one of the adult moor hens tonight – hopefully the babies are safe and well hiding in the rushes;  and finally the cows in the field next door have found a football to play with.

Finally some shopping – couldn’t resist this very girly cycle top – and a complete bargain at £8,  including postage.

The News – Stirling is having it’s first marathon next year.   Hadn’t planned on doing any marathons next year apart from Maine,  partly in an attempt to save some money,  partly to save my legs.   But how can I not do a marathon that’s right on my doorstep???   So that’s me signed up but better concentrate on Berlin first though.

Good 13 mile run yesterday,  ending with a wee detour to see the newly hatched cygnets – absolutely gorgeous – definitely not ugly ducklings.

And the tunes – link sent to me by my bestest buddy Linda – think this song and video has to be the theme tune to my big bike ride – cheers Linda.   Bob Sinclar – Love Generation

No running or cycling unless you include the wee bike ride to train station on Friday morning and a few brief attempts at trying to keep up with my nephew when he was running – however plenty of energy still used up last Friday and Saturday.

Friday we were at Landmark at Carrbridge – great fun on the roller coaster;  lots of screaming on the water slides and yes I think I swore a few times;  Ben was Tarzan on the high rope walk,  while I was a very wobbly Jane (and swore a few more times);  and we also saw a few red squirrels – a great day out.  http://www.landmarkpark.co.uk/

Saturday saw us at the Zip Trek Park at Alvie Estate – I’d seen an advert to this just before Christmas last year and thought Ben would fancy going – he did – but along with his Mum (my sister) they decided that Auntie Lucy should a have shot too!!   Now heights don’t bother me – however parting company with the ground does and I was just a wee bit nervous.   With harness,  helmets and heavy duty gloves on and after a wee 20 minute walk to the start we were shown the ropes (pardon the pun) by Jungle John.   14 Zip Wires later,  and despite my nerves each time I stepped off a platform,  we made it back to base and it was ace fun – as we progressed, each wire got longer, steeper and faster – and got better and better.   Will definitely be doing it again in hopefully the not too distant future – as you can gather I loved my Christmas present – what am I getting next year?   http://www.zippark.co.uk/

So what’s the news??   I’ve had confirmation now that I can have extended leave from work next year – so no excuses now – me and Berty the Bike are definitely going to America.   And while I’ve been googling information and looking at more maps while listening to tunes of one my favourite singers I came across this video which I thought was pretty appropriate.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWKTFuAFcOY