Quite the weekend

So I’ve had rather an exciting few days since I signed off the LIVE blogpost on Sunday morning.  I ran the Alloa Half Marathon, during which I took nine phonecalls, broke two PBs, accrued three vicious blisters and lost my breakfast (twice). If you haven’t read the wonderful and bizarre tapestry of information that came out of the LIVE event then I urge you to go and read it now. 

Also, go back to this blogpost and read the comments, as one LIVE update was mistakenly posted there (it’s a cracker, too).

The start line, unaware of the horror to come.

The finish line, ecstatic that it's over!

I don’t think I need to add much more on my Alloa experience. I had a very, very difficult race – my shoulder was aching from a golfing injury, I was wearing too many layers and I set off at a -literally- blistering pace which for some reason, I hung on to. My digestion was all wrong and ended in disaster.  I started the race wearing gloves that I had to ditch after 3 miles.  The first two miles were dispensed in 6:43 and 6:44, which is just absurd. The pace only slowed a little until I hit the hill of ultimate death 11 miles into the race. I don’t know what came over me.

But I PB’d for the 10k in 43:34, taking a hefty 2:07 off my previous mark, then went on to smash my half marathon PB by 2:19, recording an official time of 1:34:44. I would have finished at least a minute quicker if it hadn’t been for the stomach upset. I have to be clear though: this was the hardest I’ve ever run, the most effort I’ve ever put in to a race. This half marathon ruined me - I am blistered, sore and broken. Walking is still quite uncomfortable. Those two PBs came at a hefty price, which I’m not sure I will be willing to pay again. Though running a fast time has its advantages: within two hours of the gun firing I had finished the race, showered, changed and made it back to the car to head off into the distance. The last runner still had almost an hour left to go as Linds (head cheerleader, crew-chief, chauffeur) and I left town, heading for St Andrews for the afternoon.

The LIVE concept was fun and I’m proud of the finished product  - even though I played a relatively small part in it!  I’d like to apologise to those who tried to call but couldn’t get through, and even more so to those who did get through and were rewarded only with wheezing, grumpiness and general malaise.  Everyone who posted an update is awesome, you all win an official I run because... t-shirt (or, you would, if they existed).  To those who had suggested that taking calls on the run would slow me down, I say – you should have been right, but I’m glad you weren’t. I might do another LIVE event, but no promises...

Then, my weekend got better. On Sunday afternoon, on a windy, beautiful beach in the East Neuk of Fife that we both know all too well, I asked my girlfriend and long-suffering crew chief to marry me.  I am still beaming at the fact that she said yes. I would like to write a hundred thousand things about that moment and the four and a half years before it, but this isn’t the time or the place. Suffice to say, I have something in my life more important than running.

Happy everything

Dave

2011 to date - miles: 275.65, parkruns: 3, races: 2, miles biked: 12.85