A enforced blogging and commenting absence from me due to a long weekend in Aberdeenshire staying with the Scottish residents of the McArthur clan. very little running either as the kind of "socialising" that goes on does not mix well with running anything but the shortest distance.  I did however do my exiled Parkrun without Garmin and in borrowed running shoes. The only orange worn was underwear and the 5k was a guesstimate as apparently it was 1.5 miles to a t-junction down the hill from the cottage so I ran there and back, it was quite an achievement on little sleep and a whisky head. I didn't want to let RB down though!

I've now caught up on most blogs and want to congratulate everyone who got out there on Saturday and put in the big effort. massive well done to all those who bashed out PB's and crushed gauntlets. You have my respect and deserve much praise, a gauntlet has to be earned and a PB is a rare beast. Bravo!

Im away again early on Thursday , this time with Hamish ( 12 year old son ) we are heading to Austria for his first international climbing competition as part of Team GB. We fly to Munich then drive south via Innsbruck to a place called Imst that is hosting the European Youth Colours climing event, I think results may be posted here on Saturday and Sunday http://www.ifsc-climbing.org . Hamish will be doing a gust blog at some stage for his English project so more news then. 

 

Meanwhile the countdown continues towards the York marathon with less than 19 weeks to go. I've desperately been trying to cling on to the schedule squeezing the runs in around many other commitments but am ashamed to say missed my 12 miler on Sunday. I'm still feeling guilty but have no time to dwell on it as I'm trying to fit this weeks runs into a 4 day window of opportunity as I'm not sure If I will get a chance to run in Austria. Anyway, the runs that I managed last week and this have gone well and the pace is a little quicker than the corresponding runs from last years plan. I started this plan a few of weeks early so I'm balancing the guilt of the missed runs with the knowledge that I have three weeks of extra runs under my belt. 

Alaistair has revised my personal 10k gauntlet down from 44 minutes to 42 minutes . I really don't think I'm capable of holding that kind of pace for 6.2 miles but a gauntlet should not be refused so I have added it to my About section and will give it a big shot at the York 10k in August. I'm up early tomorrow for my speed sesh, 8 x 400m at 6 .00 pace. Lovely start to the day!

Keep digging deep everyone