Time: 11.45am
Route: Glennifer Braes
Distance: 8miles
Time Run: 1hr 13mins 02secs (av 9.08mins per mile)
My final run on the Braes for this year’s training. I probably won’t run on this route for a long time. In fact the next time will be as I start my preparation for the whw 09 but that’s another story! The weather was great. A day like today next Saturday will be just fine. I ran steady and spent most of the run thinking about next Saturday. This time next week I’ll be trying to relax as much as possible.
So I only have two planned runs between now and the whw 08 race. I am definitely into the final phase of the tapering and getting ready for the race. To be honest I feel more relaxed about this last week than I did last year. A year ago I was concerned about whether I’d be able to finish the race due to my shin injury. This year I don’t have any of the same concerns so that’s good. I know that I’ll be feeling sluggish but I also know that once the race starts I’ll be fine and all my training will kick in! Well that’s the plan anyway!
Also I have a clearer idea of what I’m letting myself in for. I’m not in the same league as those who have run 7 (whw runner) or more but I remember well the feeling of how I was during the second half of the race. This year I will have a different attitude towards the first two thirds of the race. I want to run the first 72 miles as sensibly as possible and take it from there.
On the whw race web site it shows that 133 people are due to start. When the list was closed in August last year there were 150 entered. Of those 150 original entries 41 have dropped out. So 24 have been given places from the reserve list. Hopefully all 133 will make it to the start line and going on previous years if 100 finish it will be a good year. On average about a third have to drop out.
Stevie, one of my support runners, is running the Skye Half Marathon tomorrow. Stevie has run this over 20 times and loves it. I hope he has a great run and I look forward to hearing how he gets on.
There are two high profile long distance charity walks in Scotland this weekend. On Saturday & Sunday it is the 54 mile Calendonian Challenge from Fort William to just past Beinglas Farm on the whw route. There have been times when this walk and the whw race have been on the same day but thankfully now the organisers of both events make sure they don’t clash.
The other event is the Moon Walk in Edinburgh on Saturday night in aid of Breast Cancer. The walkers all walk in decorated bras and raise loads of money which is great. A friend Joyce is walking this one so I hope she enjoys it.
I hope everyone taking part in either event has a great time and completes their goal.
Emma has arrived safely in Bolivia and is settling in well. I’m sure she’s going to have a great time!
Jo had a good time in London yesterday meeting Prince Charles. He asked her about her physio course.
Laura returns from her holiday tomorrow so it will be great to find out how she got on in Florida.
