Back on track....

It was yet another fab day and all the encouragement I needed to grab the running shoes and head out.

I picked a route that took me up to Dunfermline, onto the cycle track, down to Blairhall and back home. It was a stunner. The views back over to Grangemouth were immense. Hopefully you can see the steam rising in the distance.

I found the run easier than expected. I've taken my running fairly easy since the Loch Ness Marathon. They say it takes a day per mile run to recover from a big event and therefore I should have rested for 26 days. I didn't and I wonder if that had an impact on my other training because I've been quite tired of late.

When I was on the bike path I passed a guy with a retriever wandering along. About 15 minutes later I saw the same guy strolling back towards Comrie. I wondered which path was the shortcut and decided to stop to find out. So I did. He looked at me obviously not understanding the question. Turned out to be an identically dresses bloke with the same type of dog. Hugely embarrassing. I suppose at least I learned that no shortcut on to the cycle path at Comrie!

I watched the first programme in a series on the Extreme Sports channel about the Cape Epic. It showed stage 1 of this year's race. Food for thought. Big hills with loads of climbing seemed to be the theme. I'm going to record the entire series and have a Cape Epic fest one evening with the Bigman. So excited about the race!

A race against father time....

It was a day to remember.



The sun was splitting the New Jersey's sky and the weather was set for the day according to our fantastic door man. The taxi (aka robbing hood!) man dropped us off at Central Park and we registered in plenty of time.

The place was jumping - in NY it's the week before the ING Marathon and the place is all set for the big race. The Americans do things well. Land of the brave was belted out out by a tenor with an amazing voice and the American's stood silent.

The race was slightly larger than I anticipated - about 6,000 - 7,000 registered - I'll find out later how many finished. In the penn at the start my nerves were building, a Coors hydration strategy of Saturday night began to feel like a very bad idea especially as everyone around seemed to be skinny and very athletic. It was at this moment I met Geoff. He was from New Jersey and messed up his morning alarm arrangements, woken up late and thrown a coffee down before heading out to the race.

Geoff had taken up running the year before and now having just turned 40 was loving it and racing regularly. His date with destiny is this time next year when he is a guaranteed starter for the 2010 ING New York Marathon. He was planning 'anything under 35 minutes' I was planning finishing......

We set off together, blethering about our running exploits and dodging the large crowds round about. My theory was to hang as close to Geoff as possible until the jet lag got the better of me. He turned round at three miles and checked on my well being - I responded that I was fine and sweating Coors!! About 4 miles gone and he started to pull away.

I began to tire and plodded my way home. I finished in a respectable 35.55 for the 5 miles which was 520th overall and 60th in my age category - I was chuffed. Geoff finished 10 places ahead of me but described his race as a dog. He also advised that now he was 40 he had moved up a running class and his results had improved.

I meet some great folk running and Geoff was another example of a great guy and I wish him every success in next year's race.

We had a brief excitment later in the day bumping into a movie set with The Rock and Samuel Jackson doing their filming bit - I got told off for taking a picture.....



More cheesecake awaits......

A monster marathon

Ever since I started running I had a desire to race in the town I grew up in. This weekend provided my date with destiny. The Loch Ness Marathon.

Duracell has done LN before (I think) and yesterday was my chance to take on the 26.2 mile monster. We drove to Inverness from the hotel in Nairn. The car bounced as we chatted nervously about our race plans. There was four of us in the car KKD, the dark knight, barfy crampo and myself. We all had our own hopes and ambitions and were excited at the prospect of what lay ahead.


Traffic was mad so we parked up sort of the start and walked to the buses. No room on the buses - we queued along with a few other hardy but cold souls. Eventually we were told to get on and stand on a bus. As you can imagine, standing on a bus for an hour and a bit is not great prep for the race. To conserve the legs we sat on the floor, on the steps and in the luggage racks. The chaos continued on embarkation. The buses weren't moving and hoardes of runners were milling around getting colder by the second.

Soon we were off. The start was downhill. I was being paced by a good friend called Straycelt - a Scottish wanderer living in Wales. The course was at best undulating and at worst blooming hilly.

We started at 9 minute per mile pace and carried on at that. The sun was shining, Loch Ness was sparkling and running was a joy. We reached the half way point bang on target 1:57 ish. Straycelt knew within a second how far ahead or behind schedule we were at any given point - he was a fantastic pacer. During the second half we started passing other runners who had told us that they were also targeting a sub 4 time - they had blown up by starting too fast and were struggling with energy levels dropping.

We picked up the pace to 8:30 per mile. The strategy was going well. My foot which had been causing such problems had been fixed by Peter the Podiatrist in Dunfermline on the Friday before the race - a genuine miracle worker! There was no pain from my foot.

At 19 miles I flagged briefly - took on my final gel and got moving again. I was going fine - the crowds were building as we reached a sun soaked Inverness. I was on target.

Then like the dementor's in Harry Potter the life was sucked out of me. My legs felt like lead and I was shuffling along finding it hard to lift my feet. My pacer encouraged me every step of the way. I was moving as fast as the slow motion scene from Chariots of Fire! I could hear the music as I shuffled past the Bught Park. The last mile was still slow but as we finally turned the last corner we cranked up the pace and sprinted at a cantor to the finish. 3.56.35 - I'd broken the 4 hour barrier and finished 885 out of the 3000 entrants. Dead chuffed!

The race was done. Straycelt had finished his 27th marathon and told me it was the hilliest he had done - a PB on a monster course. I got quite emotional on the phone to Waverider - funny how the combination of exhaustion and energy depletion brings out your emotions.

Yesterday was fab - I really enjoyed the whole experience. Barfy Crampo finished in 3:50 - a fantastic 1st marathon effort. KKD, the dark knight and U-Kaz rolled in together in an excellent time having really enjoyed the run.

Dinner after was great fun as we shared our race stories. All up heading to home ground and achieving a PB was brilliant but to share the weekend with great people made it all the more special.

Life is good!

The strange case of the Brussels sprout .....

I was out on my long run today - Loch Ness marathon is getting ever closer so I felt the need to get out there and run.

I had an early start. Up and about by 6.45am on a weekend is unusual if not unheard of but when you are away for the weekend probably inexcusable. We arrived in Brussels yesterday. A fantastic city and more than we had expected. Dinner last night was fabulous having uneathered a mystical, dark and romantic restaurant in the centre of town.

I'm not sure if it was the house wine that woke me early - advertised as a sauvignon but turned up disguised as a chardonnay. Anyway it was half six and I was awake. The mission for the next 10 minutes of pasting on anti chafe cream, remembering water and ipod etc etc was not to wake moonwalker. Mission failed on that front sadly but she pretended to sleep anyway!

Fully loaded with a bunch of good songs I set off. We're staying in the Sheraton. Nice if a wee bit tired hotel very centrally located in town. I set off passing the street cleaners, the remant party goers and the odd tourist (probably American and jet lagged) wandering the streets. I set off down to the canel area constantly checking the approximate position of the hotel. It's next top a very tall building that you can see from time to time as you wander the city so I always felt confident that I'd find my way back.

I reached the canel and turned the wrong way - within 800m I was stuffed by industrial fencing blocking my route. I turned and headed back the opposite way. The run along the canel was fasinating as I watched the early morning barges going about there daily business. They all seemed to have cars on the back. Not cheap cars but Audi's and BMW's - there must be money in owning a barge. The old city is surrounded by a ring road so I figures as long as I stayed inside it I wouldn't ever be more than a few miles from the hotel.

I turned when the canel met the ring road and headed back towards town. It was then I my mind drifted to brussel sprouts. Why are they called brussel sprouts. I have no idea and spent a few miles wondering how the name had been created. I still don't know but am sure the internet will dig up the answer.

My dreams of brussel sprouts were interupted by gangsters. I'm not sure what was going on but 3 gansta type people (dressed in black suits, black shirts and loads of gold) were haranging 2 guys. Maybe one of them had borrowed money to buy said sprouts and was due top pay it back, or maybe too much time smoking/snorting sprouts I don't know but I was glad I was running. I Picked up the tempo, caught a glance of the hotel and headed back at full speed.

1 hour elapsed and I'd made it back to the hotel. Good news. So I started off again on the same route. Brussels is flat. Very flat and I suppose to that end I could have used my second last long run to include a few more hills. Now you would have thought that I would be able to follow the same route and arrive back at the hotel easily. I'd managed it once. Sadly not to be.

Lost in Brussels. I was running around, in the wrong direction before I looked behind me to glimpse the high rise building next to our hotel. I turned and with a soring in my step headed back once more. Now the dilema. I had about 5km left to make up the distance.

Up to the 30th floor and onto the running machine (a gansta free zone) and polished off my 27/28km run. Chuffed. We've subsequently walked a further 15km so I reckon I've done a marathon today.

We're going to Bruge tomorrow and then I'm off to Namur for a conference. I was speaking to my father about Namur when he surpised me by saying he'd been there before. I hadn't know that. When was that I enquired. 1945 he replied. He'd landed on gold beach in Normandy and made his way up through northern France into Belgium.

I wonder what memories our conversation dragged up......

Weekend Catch Up.....

What a weekend - quite amazing.

Thought I'd catch up with the activity of the weekend. The boys had been over and we had taken part in the annual competition for the golf mug - more hotly competed for than the Ryder Cup.....needless to say I didn't win.

One of the golfers over from Ireland was the Gasman, an anaesthetist by profession, joined us on the bike ride. The Fit One kindly provided the felt from his growing stock of bikes and also a pair of shoes. He's a good man that Fit One. So we set off top the Bigman's to be met by the wee yin and duracell. The bike ride was wet. Very wet. Oh and cold. Shorts were very inappropriate!

We climbed Knockhill sharing the stories of the week. The Fit One and Gasman leading the climb with the rest of us blethering through the rain. It felt like a November morning, again! The rain briefly abated at Yetts O Muckart, not for long but long enough to reach the fab Loch Leven's Larder. As the bigman said the carb loading went down a storm with the fruit scones (and square sausage) going down a storm!

The ride home was great and we all were glad to get back and into the shower to warm up. The Gasman enjoyed the ride - it was a good 75km round trip which was a bit longer than his normal bike run but he coped easily and we all enjoyed his company. The Gasman is one of life's gentlemen. A great friend and he is welcome to join the Crusaders any time.

Sunday was a run day. I planned to do 18 miles but had to stop after 12 because of chaffing. It was really painful. I've made some really stupid mistakes going running recently like forgetting water but to forget to vaseline my bits was a stupid in the extreme and I learnt a painful lesson! The shower after was an experience I'll not forget!

So the week ahead is lining up - run/bike tomorrow, bike Wednesday and then run again Thursday. Lots of work to do this week so going to have to make the time in the midst of it all.

Feeling good. 4 weeks to Loch Ness marathon......

9 mile burn.....

Running is like nothing much else. As you run the endorphins kick in and the natural high is amazing. You feel released of all tension and your mind is able to drift and think in a way that allows you develop creative ideas and thoughts that really build solutions to the challenges in life. I love it.

However, sometimes running feels like a really bad idea and you drag your feet to the door feeling like doing anything else but run. Today, it was the weather. The afternoon had been brighter than the morning but the clouds were heavy in the west, almost as heavy as my legs!

In any event I decided to risk it and as the Nike logo says 'just do it'.

The run around the west Fife villages under a dangerous sky took me away from the issues of the day and as always left me feeling better about the world.

Another run tomorrow with a bike fixing session to follow. Need to get ready for a ride out on Saturday and my good bike has a puncture while my winter bike has no brakes.....

Oh and Santiago has pre-registered for Ironman UK next year. Great news. A training partner for the long tedious runs!

Wet work out .....

The weather as the bigman has alluded was pants. Grey skies and lots of rain. I let the bigman down as my plan was to join him on his epic plan - then a meeting got in the way. Then the meeting was cancelled. Then the rain became incessent. Then I worked all day. Summer in Scotland is something special....

I was just about to open a large bag of crisps this evening when my phone lit up with a text.

Santiago had just bought a new pair of runners and was heading out to his local club in Burntisland. It was half six and the text said it was a 7pm start. Instant decision - step away from the crisps and jump into the running kit. I was out and in the car trying to ignore the rain beating off the window.

It didn't let up and my decision to run was tinged with regret but a commitment is a commitment (unless work gets in the way). The group was about 20 strong which was impressive given the incessant rain. We warmed up with a jog around to the local park and then did 3 sets of intervals and sprints. All good stuff and exactly in accordance with my planned programme.

The company was good, the rain eventually began to settle down to constant drizzle - a good Scottish late summer evening!!

Santiago is good company and on the last sprint I suggest a wee race. We turned at the cone as instructed and raced the 40 metres to the cone accross the park. It wasn't like watching Ussain Bolt maybe his granny as we spinted up to the finish line. Santiago got off to a good start, I positioned myself on his right shoulder ready to attack and break the line. I shouted to let him know I was catching him, I should have kept quiet, he lifted the pace and was gone. I had no chance - he's the man....

I enjoyed the company out running and they seem a great bunch.

I'm hoping the weather will improve. It's time to check the lights out for the bike - the nights are fair drawing in!!

8 Mile.....

8 mile seems to be a common distance at the moment when out running. The Fife weather delayed me. I like to run in the morning. It sets you up for the day and makes you feel that you can take on the world. But this morning it was raining.....again.

It hasn't felt like much of a summer. We were all wearing jackets on Sunday and today the rain was on and off all morning. I suppose we should be grateful as the rain makes Scotland a green and beautiful place. Moonwalker was suggesting the other day that maybe we should get used to mild wet summers - she may have been reading too many environmental papers!

The run tonight wasn't as easy as Saturday. My legs felt heavy to start with and took a while to loosen off. I wanted to stop and just head home but the programme said 1 hour 10 minutes so that was what I had to do. I bought a DAB radio to listen to football while out on longer runs - it works fine closer to dunfermline but is less useful when nearer Oakley. I'm quite pleased with it in any event.

So I finished in 1:08 - happy to have completed the workout and to be home.

I really hope that the weather picks up (if only to cut the grass) so I can get out on the bike for a decent run. The Carnock Epic is 12 days away and I'm pretty certain the boys and girls taking part are training hard and getting ready for the challenge.....

It's going to be a cracker!

Wings in my feet....

The boys were out on the bikes - the bigman will post later I suspect!

I set off for a 8 mile run in the late afternoon sun. It had been a full on day at work. Very satisfying but busy so getting out for a run was a real stress buster.

I'm not sure why but for the last few weeks I've been struggling. Every run have been a challenge, motivation has been low and I've been feeling really tired. Today was different. Very different. I felt alive. My shoes felt light, my feet had wings and I felt great.

The plan was to run for just over an hour. It was a warm evening and with some great music in the ipod I set off up to Dunfermline. I have to confess to a hint of jelousy at the guys heading out on the bikes but I was focussed on putting in an excellent session.

The bigman sent me some stuff on excelling last night. Inspirational!

So whilst thinking about the life the universe and everything it came to me how fortunate I've been. Running has provided a new lease of life. I'm fitter than I was 10 years ago which is cool but the running led to biking and biking opened up new friendships.

When I lived in Edinburgh I was a member of a tri club which was good but I never really bonded with the group - I always felt too fat and untri like. We moved over to Fife and I met the Bigman - we were introduced because a mutual friend recognised our shared love of biking. Since then I've got to know the Bigman, Fit One, Santiago, the Doc, Marathon Man, Duracell, Junior and a good few others - relationships and good friends are what makes life special and I'm very grateful I moved to Fife 2 years ago. A good move!

Anyway I finished with a sprint up the last couple of hills inspired by the Bigman's record breaking climb up the Aberdour Ascent! It was cracking run - just under 8 miles in just over an hour with room in the tank.

Happy days.....

7 mile stitch....

I'm following a marathon training regime set out by the marvellous Sam Murphy. I rate her running books more than most others. Her starting out training programmes are good and I've completed 2 marathons using her marathon plans.

Running is a complete release to me - it was a stunning morning - beautiful blue sky and Fife at its best. The plan said run for an hour at a steady pace. So that's what I did. Well almost an hour, 55 minutes and just over 7 miles done.

Running gives me the chance to think and relax. I enjoy the solitude of the road and the opportunity to listen to good music. The time passes easily and I feel exhilarated as the endorphins kick in. As they say old age doesn't come alone and my hips are evidence of this. I always felt my body had the mileage of a 25 year old on the clock. What I mean is that although I'm in my prime at 45 now I've only really been running for a few years and therefore my joints have only done the running of a younger person. Now I think I'm beginning to feel the miles and the reality of training hard may have to be given some thought....

Decided to do Ironman UK next year and I suspect that will be my last.....

Who knows....

I didn't get a stitch today but couldn't think of a better header!

Mountain biking tomorrow. Can't wait.

Chainrings and indoor spins.....

I woke up feeling tired. A bad sign usually but when the alarm goes off at 6:30 and you didn't venture to bed until 12:30 tiredness is inevitable.

I've not got as much work as I'd like, usual summer quiet time, so my thoughts turn to other things. The new shimano chainset arrived yesterday and I'm joining the ranks of the compacts. The regular chainset boys and girls will be sniggering but after following the bigman up most of the hills recently I thought I'd give it a bash. It's all about the bike I've come to realise and not about fitness and strength......arf arf.....

So I took my bike to local repair centre along with my recently ebayed chainset - it will take a week he announced. I was disappointed, I was keen to get out on it quickly but I smiled and said there was no rush....

Mid afternoon it was back - ready to roll. I picked it and set off home. Then the huge dilemma....

New chainset, open road beckoning or cut the grass. What to do? The weather looked dodgy not only for today but for the next few days so believe it or not I cut the grass. I counted dragging the mower through soggy grass as cross training which added to my 40 minute run of this morning made me feel I'd had a reasonable day.

Moonwalker arrived home and announced her physio was coming over. No excuses. That was me off to my spin bike for an hour. It was a cracking set following the instructions of the Sufferfest. I peeled myself off the bike a hot sweaty mass! Not an attractive sight! My diet is going well and if I can keep working at it I'm sure I'll be in good shape for Loch Ness.

So hopefully I'll get to try the bike tomorrow. I'm sure I'll be awesome!!!!

A walk with the Moonmutt.....

It was balmy when I ventured outside at 6:45 this morning - maybe it was me rather than the weather that was balmy setting off for a run so early. It was a good day for running - warm, no wind and the sun glinting through the clouds. Today was a tempo run - a steady pace for 25 minutes - not too challenging but enough to raise the heart rate. As I got back to the house Moonwalker was heading out the door with the Moonmutt so I decided to join them on the morning wander.

We did our usual circuit chatting about the day ahead and moonwalkers upcoming Cairngorm Challenge - we're heading up for a training weekend in a week or so and I'm looking forward to getting out on the mountain bike again.

When I got home I decided to jump on the spin bike and did an hour's training the company of the Sufferfest podcast. It's a great training set that get everything moving and gives you a hard workout. Spinning is really all about you. You have control of the resistance - the less you add the easier the workout and vice versa. I cranked the resistance up for the 2 big climbs and spookily given the Bigman's post of today coasted down the virtual Col Du Galibier (on the podcast) as I recovered.

If you want a good spin workout search for the sufferest on the podcast section of itunes - they give a good workout with great music - I must add a link to the website to the page....

Tomorrow I'll run and spin again - need to look at my programme to see what needs to be done. The weight is coming off and I remain just under 14 st - the plan is working.

8 mile....

Today was a run day. Loch Ness is 11 weeks away and I thought some training might be beneficial. So I plodded out up the road through comrie and Blairhall, down to the cycle path and then up to Crossford and back home. 8 Miles in total.

I was pleased as I think that the biking has helped my aerobic capacity and running today was fairly easy - not fast - I was knocking out 5.14 minutes per km. My target is a sub 4 hour marathon and if I can keep up that speed I'll be well within the 4 hour target. Santiago is running as well and we hope to do a few of the longer runs together.

Running like biking is better in company!

Bigman back bigger and better....

The bigman texted me to head out for a spin on his return from holiday. Many posts are expected and I anticipate days of being regailed of alpine climbs!

We met at the Saline junction and set off - nowhere in mind just wherever we fancied. We climbed up to Saline after a brief rain break sheltering under a tree. The first climb up to Saline gave me a taste of the trip ahead - the bigman blasted past me and climbed the hill in a big gear effortlessly. As I cruised up in his wake I realised just how much fitness he has gained while on holiday. I'm sure the hill training has really helped.

We turned right and headed towards the romantically named Vicars Bridge and then up to Dollar. We decided to bike to Bridge of Allen - it was a stiff westerly and we were heading right into it. Despite the wind we were flying - we kept the speed up at about 32kph into the wind. It was hard going but working together we kept up the speed and wheeled in to Bridge of Allen for coffee.

The bike back was revealing again. We had the wind behind and decided on the bike path. The bigman asked what speed we were doing - 32kph - he claimed 'I can't keep this average speed up'. It took me a while to work out what he actually meant - he couldn't keep it up but not because it was too fast but because we were going too slow!! He was strong today - chewed me up and spat me out trailing along behind. I need to get working on my fitness and the bigman has inspired me to renewed effort.

The bigman carried on up the bike path leaving me the Col De Carnock to negotiate - as I started I heard a clicking noise from my back wheel. I needed to get home so kicked up and made it home pretty sure that the effort of trying to stay with the pace of the bigman had caused me to break a spoke!

It was good to get out today. The Epic Caper is still over 6 months away but I'm now focussed on diet and training. Moonwalker and I worked through the diet plan for the week. I'm good at plans especially a plan written by someone else - I can stick to a plan. So day 1 - just over 2,000 calories taken in today and good calories at that. I'm on a mission.

I've an 8 mile run planned for first thing as I get my Loch Ness Marathon training kicked in. I'm in pretty good shape from a run perspective.....

Until tomorrow!

Biking in Brittany.....

My old bike.....

A few weeks ago a good friend offered me the opportunity to use his cottage in France for a week. We jumped at the opportunity and have just returned from a fantastic week in Plogoff near Point Du Raz on the west coast of Brittany.

My research on the area lead to me to believe I was heading to flat area with little challenge. It was pretty flat but had a couple of excellent wee climbs just round the corner from the house. Riding in France is a joy. You are treated with respect, it's warm(ish) and cars give you so much space it's a joy.

I was excited about my first ride. The weather was warm but it was windy - off the west so every time I left the cottage I knew that I'd be heading back into the breeze. Completed 25km of undulating road constantly reminding myself to be on the right hand side of the road.



The days fell into an easy pattern. Get up, take my son (Waverider) to surf school. I am so proud of him. The weather was pretty mixed and getting up for 5 days to pull on a damp and cold wetsuit and jump into the Atlantic was more than I could manage. After a week of hard work he is a fully fledged surfer and has learned the technique and has the skill to confidently jump up on the board. He doesn't always stay on but is up on is feet doing something that I could never manage. Very proud dad!

Most days after picking up Waverider we'd set off to one of the villages in the area, sample the joys of the French bakers cakes (ate far too many!), wander the streets, enjoy lunch (are you picking up a theme!) and then head back to the cottage. Some mornings while Waverider was riding the waves I would run the coastal path - a glorious experience running up and down to the bays that line the west side of Brittany. The late afternoons became my ride time. I didn't want to spent too much time away but managed a couple of 40 to 50km runs which I enjoyed. I also did a little hill training on the roads near the cottage. Not the Alps but a good test.

France is the land of the bike and the number of older guys I saw on bikes was incredible. I think it must be in the blood. The bikes I saw were not all new but well maintained and obviously loved. I cycled past the same cafe most days and as I powered past would get a wee cheer from the people sitting out on the tables beside the road.

The holiday passed quickly, the weather got worse as the week went on but I feel refreshed. At least I managed 5 rides, 3 runs and despite a fair number of cakes, buns and the odd glass of merlot return home fitter and looking forward to getting back on the bike on the roads I love......

The training continues and the Epic gets closer.

Oh and the diet start today! Again......

In a naked spin......

My car spends more time in the garage than on the road. When I bought my own slice of Germanic engineering I assumed it would be reliable, cost effective and good to drive. It's good to drive, unreliable and expensive but yet I love it.....odd really.

Since the car was indisposed, I had to run to get my mechanical steed after it had been poked, tested and given a clean bill of health. The run was hot and sticky and I arrived at the garage up to temperature.

Once I made it home it was time to bike through the Alps, spin down the Cols and put in a serious tempo ride through a couple of market French towns. Sadly I hadn't been whisked over to France but was stuck in my home gym on my spin bike watching a podcast. I love it. It was pretty hot and soon the clothes were discarded around the room - I made a rare sight when moonwalker walked in and caught me spinning in my state of undress! The naked spinner was born (well almost naked - one must protect the parts that could rub or chafe!)

So not a bad session overall with a 2 mile run and a full hour on the spin bike.

Another day closer to the Epic Caper and another day of training done. Life is good!

A perfect storm.....

The boys went biking without me. Moonwalker wasn't feeling great last night so I felt duty called.

Dr Zhivago I'm not but I do make an excellent cup of tea and can mop the most fevered of brows. I crept downstairs early and let her kip. When she appeared a bit later she was feeling better after a good sleep but the boys were long gone and probably nearing Linlithgow.....

So I cross trained. Shopping. Not ideal but walking the lengths of Debs endless racks of similarly looking clothes nodding haplessly, partly in fear, of the odd trick garment thrown in - 'how can you possibly like that!'

There is a fab coffee place in Stirling - a wee organic shop that sells amazing toasties and roast veg sandwiches - so lunch was a big success.

I decided to head out for a run after a long time on t'internet considering compact chain sets. Still not sure whether to fit one to the road bike so I went online and investigated the options. Needless to say I'm still wrestling in the dark!

So finally at 4.30 I went out for a run. I felt inspired by moonwalkers recent training and it spurred me on to go further than I'd planned. The run took me into Dunfermline and then back out the bike track. It was going to plan until I got about 2 miles from home. I passed under a bridge and the path heads due west for a couple of miles. The skies looked threatening - a gathering storm. So it was time to race Macleod v the gathering clouds. It looked like it was going to tip it down, my pace increased.

I wondered if I held my ipod in it's rubber case up in the air if it would save me from a lightning strike from above. I had visions of ending up more toasted than one of my mums roast dinners!

As I passed through the fields the rain started - to be honest it didn't come to much and my perfect storm was a damp squib. Every (ma) cloud has a silver lining......

In the land of the midnight sun.....

Work has taken me oop north - so far north I'm just about as far as you can go in mainland UK.

I drove up this morning passing many of the sights we passed on our last epic trip form Lands End to John O Groats non stop. The last outing was in September and rightfully has a blog of it's own. Six of us took on the challenge to cycle non stop from Lands End to JoG. The team included wingman, the fit one, duracell, Junior down from Aberdeenshire, another friend from Dunfermline and of course the bigman.

We were split into 2's and rode 4 hours on at a time. It was a cracking trip completed in 62 hours. The odd thing was today's drive brought back a load of great memories. I remembered the exact spot the bigman got the first and only puncture of the trip and the memorable climb up Berrydale Braes, the last really big one of the journey. It was a fab time (except for the sleep deprivation and mixed food!).

On arrival it was straight into a meeting which lasted 6 hours - I felt remarkably fresh and decided to go out for a wee run. A mini heatwave has hit Thurso and at 7pm when I went out running the temperature was still over 20 deg. I plodded out of town and headed up the hill. I felt good running, as I've mentioned it probably is my first love and the miles passed easily.

The run in itself was unremarkable other than the stunning beauty and joy that you get running in isolation on roads where no cars seem to exist. It was fab.

Tomorrow's another full day but if I get a chance I might run again - I brought plenty of kit!

So I lie in on my bed watching the sun slip down out of the window - I've always wanted to come this far north at this time of the year. It's been worth it!

PS It's dark at Wimbledon!

Long road to recovery....

I'm having a day off the bike today and having a spare hour decided to run.

I've not been running much because of my achilles as mentioned before. In reality, running was my first love and I started running before I got into biking. It was December 2004 and I started out from a very poor base. I was 17 stone, very unfit, my business had gone bust in the October and life was in turmoil. I didn't know what to do. I don't know why but I decided to get myself fit.

I went home and dug out an old pair of trainers, top and jogging bottoms but I was embarrassed about trying to run so I waited until dark and went out to the local park. I walked/run for 15 minutes and was knackered. I went home determined to improve. Being a bit mad when I went home and before I showered, I entered the Edinburgh marathon in June 2005. Danielle and I had got married earlier in that year and she has been a source of constant support and encouragement. That Christmas she bought me a marathon book by Sam Murphy.

So that was it, I was off. I followed the programme to the letter and duly completed the marathon in a modest 4.32. Once the journey started and the weight started coming off I completely fell in love with running.

I've had 8 weeks off running because of the achilles and I've missed it. So 5 miles today in 40 minutes brought back the old joy. I still love running!

Waist of space......

Well an exciting day - Newcastle relegated, England win against West Indies and I buy a pair of 32" waist jeans.

In reality, I don't really care about the other events but to be wearing a pair of 32" jeans is a major achievement. They may be loose fitting and may equate to other brands 34" but i don't care - as of today I'm a 32". Now I know also that some guys wear a 32" jeans that are really a 38" or 40", you know the type buttoned just above the top of the legs, gut hanging over the top of the folded over waist line. Well, mine are not like that - even the girl in the shop suggested I was a 32" - I liked her and though she was great at her job!

The last time I was a 32" labour was in power, sadly Blair or Brown wasn't the PM and you have to go back to the leadership of Callaghan for me to be in a pair of 32's. However, I've been out for dinner with my inlaws and the 32" may not fit any longer! So for one day and one day only I might have been a 32". The chocolate banoffie pie was worth the sacrifice!

No biking for me today but another cross training run bagged. I've just remembered a great story of a run a few years ago when on a summers day similar to today I was plodding up through the next village to ours called Oakley. On my right I spotted a group of youngsters sitting on the roof of a derelict building. As I approached, they shouted 'hello', I waved back encouraged by the support. Next thing I heard was another of the lads shouting 'run fat' now I was expecting the next words to be 'boy run' and it would have been if the wag sitting beside him hadn't added 'old' to make the heckle 'run fat...old....boy run' - even I laughed. The neds are switched on in these parts!

I retire to bed shortly a (fat) happy man.....wearing my 32" jeans.

After all, it might be a dream......