I'm running 100 miles for charity... please sponsor me...!

[Guest Gladstone]

At the request of Adam Easy Wishes, here's a copy and paste of an e-mail I just sent out...

As some of you may know, I have taken on a 100 mile challenge this year to raise funds for the New Deer All Weather Facility http://www.newdeerallweatherfacility.co.uk/.

This is a great opportunity for kids in and around the area to benefit from a fantastic new facility that will allow them to play sports outside all year round, which will be brilliant for kids in and around the village. I grew up in New Deer and I'm really jealous that this didn't exist 20+ years ago!!!

I will be running (or more likely "shuffling"/"crawling" in some cases...) the following races:

Deeside Way Ultra D33 - http://deesidewayultra.webnode.com/ - on 17 March 2011

(a 33 mile run - from Duthie Park to Banchory and back again along the old railway line)

Petrofac Challenge - http://www.runbalmoral.com/ - on 29 April 2011

(a 15 mile multi-terrain run at Balmoral)

Edinburgh Marathon - www.edinburghmarathon.com - on 27 May 2011

Loch Ness Marathon - www.lochnessmarathon.com - on 30 September 2011

It would be hugely appreciated if anyone can spare a little money to sponsor me and raise funds for the All Weather Facility!!

If you're local to the New Deer area you can find sponsor forms in the following local places:

Costcutters, Chemist, Food for Thought, Chip Shop, Brucklay and the Legion.

If you're not local to New Deer but you would still like to sponsor me, please just hit "reply" and let me know and we will be able to work something out! (I'm afraid there are no justgiving pages etc. because the cost for this small charity to set this up and the ongoing costs were too prohibitive. You can send cheques payable to “New Deer All Weather Facility” or donations can be made direct to the New Deer FC bank account if you prefer (please just ask for the details and I will pass them on)).

Many thanks,

Calum

[MattJimF]

you might want to look at this for getting donations by alternate means - http://www.justgiving.com/justtextgiving/charity-non-members

[Diesel]

you might want to look at this for getting donations by alternate means - http://www.justgiving.com/justtextgiving/charity-non-members

Good suggestion, I've used Just Giving for charity runs and charity gigs.

Send it to all you family and friends - hit 'em where they live!

Send it to me too and good luck with the runs.

[Guest Gladstone]

Aw dudes - thanks - that looks amazing!

I did look through justgiving and other similar pages but didn't find this at all!

[MattJimF]

It's a Vodafone thing, remember them advertising it everywhere when they released it.

[Guest Gladstone]

It's a Vodafone thing, remember them advertising it everywhere when they released it.

I'm clearly blind and deaf - never heard of it before!

[Guest Gladstone]

So, 33 miles done. Nightmare - I really should have trained more but I didn't have enough time... 14 miles was the most I managed to get in before the run. Legs were absolutely knackered after about 13 miles yesterday, so no idea how I got through the next 20 miles. Well chuffed that I did though! My legs are wrecked today...

[Chris]

So, 33 miles done. Nightmare - I really should have trained more but I didn't have enough time... 14 miles was the most I managed to get in before the run. Legs were absolutely knackered after about 13 miles yesterday, so no idea how I got through the next 20 miles. Well chuffed that I did though! My legs are wrecked today...

Well done on finishing!

What was your training schedule like?

[Guest Gladstone]

Well done on finishing!

What was your training schedule like?

My training schedule was shit. I just didn't have the time I hoped I'd have. I was planning to keep it really basic - like this:

Tuesdsay - 3 miles (lunchtime)

Thursday - 5 miles (lunchtime)

Weekend - 8 miles

Tuesday - 3

Thursday - 5

Weekend - 16

Tuesday - 3

Thursday 5

Weekend - 8

Tuesday - 3

Thursday - 5

Weekend - 16

Tuesday - 3

Thursday - 5

Weekend - 24

Tuesday - 3

etc etc

The reason for multiples of 8 is I have a good 8 mile circuit round about my house, but I've since decided that that's a shit idea - running the same thing on repeat will be pretty crap.

Anyway, I started off with the above at the end of October, but busy weekends got in the way to begin with and then busy-ness at work got in the way of the lunchtime runs and then it was December and the weather was putting me off etc.

All of a sudden it was January and I really needed to buck up. I concentrated probably more on being healthy because I didn't need time for that in the same way as I did for running. I stopped drinking on 1st Jan and have been eating far healthier and have lost a stone in weight to bring me down to a pretty healthy 11 stone. That was the first major thing. But I've been struggling for time to get out running - so much so that I can probably list all of my runs here off the top of my head!!

I went out for an 8 mile run at the start of January, but got knackered after 4 miles and had to phone my wife to come and pick me up!!

I managed an 11 mile run the following week.

I did another 8 miles the following week, and a 5 mile run that weekend.

I was then getting into mid-February and thinking I needed to force the issue, so set out with the idea of doing about 24/25 miles along the railway line to Fraserburgh and back from my house. I got to Fraserburgh and was completely knackered so needed a lift home. That was about 12 miles.

There was another 8 miles in there somewhere and another 5 miles I think.

I then went to Frankfurt for a stag weekend, stayed off the booze but didn't quite manage to get out for a run whilst I was there.

I came back with a cunt of a cold which really scuppered my training, so had no running for a week. I went out for a shorter run that weekend just to get me going again, then managed 14 miles the following weekend (2 weeks before the race).

I had my 30th birthday party the week before and still stayed off the booze, with the intention of attempting that 24/25 miles again, but just couldn't be arsed at all on the Sunday. I got a treadmill for my birthday on the Tuesday (a little bit late!!!) and did about 20 minutes on the Wednesday morning.

That was it. As I say - nothing like enough and my legs were pretty much gone after 13 miles. I knew I hadn't done enough training, but I did understimate how hard it would be. I thought with that training and the adrenaline etc. I could probably get to at least the halfway point without needing to walk up hills etc. and then have something left and get at least past 20 miles before really struggling, but I was very wrong!!

Next one is "only" 15 miles but it's at Balmoral so some hills training will be required. I fully intend (I always say that...) to use the 33 mile run as a massive training exercise and kick on from there and train properly for the next 3 runs. I feel really good now - have done since yesterday! Felt shit on Sunday, but it's obviously been good for me!

[Chris]

My training schedule was shit. I just didn't have the time I hoped I'd have. I was planning to keep it really basic - like this:

Tuesdsay - 3 miles (lunchtime)

Thursday - 5 miles (lunchtime)

Weekend - 8 miles

Tuesday - 3

Thursday - 5

Weekend - 16

Tuesday - 3

Thursday 5

Weekend - 8

Tuesday - 3

Thursday - 5

Weekend - 16

Tuesday - 3

Thursday - 5

Weekend - 24

Tuesday - 3

etc etc

The reason for multiples of 8 is I have a good 8 mile circuit round about my house, but I've since decided that that's a shit idea - running the same thing on repeat will be pretty crap.

Anyway, I started off with the above at the end of October, but busy weekends got in the way to begin with and then busy-ness at work got in the way of the lunchtime runs and then it was December and the weather was putting me off etc.

All of a sudden it was January and I really needed to buck up. I concentrated probably more on being healthy because I didn't need time for that in the same way as I did for running. I stopped drinking on 1st Jan and have been eating far healthier and have lost a stone in weight to bring me down to a pretty healthy 11 stone. That was the first major thing. But I've been struggling for time to get out running - so much so that I can probably list all of my runs here off the top of my head!!

I went out for an 8 mile run at the start of January, but got knackered after 4 miles and had to phone my wife to come and pick me up!!

I managed an 11 mile run the following week.

I did another 8 miles the following week, and a 5 mile run that weekend.

I was then getting into mid-February and thinking I needed to force the issue, so set out with the idea of doing about 24/25 miles along the railway line to Fraserburgh and back from my house. I got to Fraserburgh and was completely knackered so needed a lift home. That was about 12 miles.

There was another 8 miles in there somewhere and another 5 miles I think.

I then went to Frankfurt for a stag weekend, stayed off the booze but didn't quite manage to get out for a run whilst I was there.

I came back with a cunt of a cold which really scuppered my training, so had no running for a week. I went out for a shorter run that weekend just to get me going again, then managed 14 miles the following weekend (2 weeks before the race).

I had my 30th birthday party the week before and still stayed off the booze, with the intention of attempting that 24/25 miles again, but just couldn't be arsed at all on the Sunday. I got a treadmill for my birthday on the Tuesday (a little bit late!!!) and did about 20 minutes on the Wednesday morning.

That was it. As I say - nothing like enough and my legs were pretty much gone after 13 miles. I knew I hadn't done enough training, but I did understimate how hard it would be. I thought with that training and the adrenaline etc. I could probably get to at least the halfway point without needing to walk up hills etc. and then have something left and get at least past 20 miles before really struggling, but I was very wrong!!

Next one is "only" 15 miles but it's at Balmoral so some hills training will be required. I fully intend (I always say that...) to use the 33 mile run as a massive training exercise and kick on from there and train properly for the next 3 runs. I feel really good now - have done since yesterday! Felt shit on Sunday, but it's obviously been good for me!

Wow! Sounds like stubborness got you to the end rather than anything else.

As someone who does a lot of running on hills and is building up mileage for my own attempts at long distance I would suggest you make a serious effort to do at least one long run a week. You can skimp on speed work, intervals, weekday runs etc but you have to get your legs used to the mileage or you're at huge risk of injury. I'd also suggest you try and log most of those runs outside before the Petrofac challenge.

Use the runners world website for tips etc http://www.runnersworld.co.uk. It might also be worth reading up on distance running (Relentless Forward Progress is a good training book).

You mentioned being worried about walking on the hills. At those kind of distances you should be walking the steep bits. It saves your legs and doesn't harm your time.

What kind of pace do you try and run in your long runs?

[Guest Gladstone]

Wow! Sounds like stubborness got you to the end rather than anything else.

As someone who does a lot of running on hills and is building up mileage for my own attempts at long distance I would suggest you make a serious effort to do at least one long run a week. You can skimp on speed work, intervals, weekday runs etc but you have to get your legs used to the mileage or you're at huge risk of injury. I'd also suggest you try and log most of those runs outside before the Petrofac challenge.

Use the runners world website for tips etc http://www.runnersworld.co.uk. It might also be worth reading up on distance running (Relentless Forward Progress is a good training book).

You mentioned being worried about walking on the hills. At those kind of distances you should be walking the steep bits. It saves your legs and doesn't harm your time.

What kind of pace do you try and run in your long runs?

Absolutely stubborness and the fact I had been sponsored generously by loads of people!!! I knew I had to finish so just kept going. I wanted to give up probably about 10 times.

Yeah - I mean to go out and do one long run every weekend, but I just seem to have stuff on all the time and it's been difficult. However, I am going to make a real effort to up my training. I have no excuse now because I can get through 33 miles, so I should be able to get through anything up to 15 miles without too much problem and try to build it up so I'm comfortable running 20+ miles. That's the aim anyway. And, I'm not much of a treadmill fan anyway - I much prefer running outside, but when it's total darkness outside or the weather is really really shit, at least I've got the option of just nipping out to the shed and getting a few miles in.

Cheers - I'll check out the website etc.

As for hills/steep bits. There were hardly any steep bits - a few upwards gradients, but they weren't steep. I just couldn't manage them because my legs were so fucked!!

As for speed, I'm really not sure. I haven't been going into that level of detail. Running 8 miles, I can get relatively close to an hour sometimes, but have never been under an hour. I probably run at about 6-7mph depending on how far I'm going I think. I used to manage a 10k in less than 50 minutes a few years ago, but I haven't been at that level of fitness for a while. I think I started out on Saturday going about 5-6mph (purposely trying to go slow because I naturally want to go faster...) and slowed down dramatically once I got to 13/14 miles. I did the first half in under 3 hours. So 16.5 miles in just under 3 hours. then 16.5 miles in 4 hours 17. A little bit faster than 5mph on the way out, but then about 4mph on average on the way back (a little bit slower even).

[Chris]

Absolutely stubborness and the fact I had been sponsored generously by loads of people!!! I knew I had to finish so just kept going. I wanted to give up probably about 10 times.

Yeah - I mean to go out and do one long run every weekend, but I just seem to have stuff on all the time and it's been difficult. However, I am going to make a real effort to up my training. I have no excuse now because I can get through 33 miles, so I should be able to get through anything up to 15 miles without too much problem and try to build it up so I'm comfortable running 20+ miles. That's the aim anyway. And, I'm not much of a treadmill fan anyway - I much prefer running outside, but when it's total darkness outside or the weather is really really shit, at least I've got the option of just nipping out to the shed and getting a few miles in.

Cheers - I'll check out the website etc.

As for hills/steep bits. There were hardly any steep bits - a few upwards gradients, but they weren't steep. I just couldn't manage them because my legs were so fucked!!

As for speed, I'm really not sure. I haven't been going into that level of detail. Running 8 miles, I can get relatively close to an hour sometimes, but have never been under an hour. I probably run at about 6-7mph depending on how far I'm going I think. I used to manage a 10k in less than 50 minutes a few years ago, but I haven't been at that level of fitness for a while. I think I started out on Saturday going about 5-6mph (purposely trying to go slow because I naturally want to go faster...) and slowed down dramatically once I got to 13/14 miles. I did the first half in under 3 hours. So 16.5 miles in just under 3 hours. then 16.5 miles in 4 hours 17. A little bit faster than 5mph on the way out, but then about 4mph on average on the way back (a little bit slower even).

Have you got a smartphone? Get something like runkeeper for it. You can set it to bark out your pace every now and then so you know how fast you're running. Weekly long slow runs should be exactly that, slow. 10 minutes per mile or even more. It feels ridiculously slow at times and it's so easy to speed up at the start but you don't want to wear out. Ultra races like the D33 are normally run at a similar or slower pace (D33 is pretty flat for an ultra though so that helps). So if you know, by glancing at a GPS watch or by listening to your phone shout times at you, how fast you're going at all times then that's a massive help with maintaining the correct pace and not burning yourself out.

Try running off road. Find some forest trails or a decent wee hill near you to run up. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ has loads of walking routes which can double as trail runs or you can just buy an OS map and look for trails marked on it. I find it a lot more interesting and fun and that really helps make me want to get the trainers on and go running.

You've comitted to a lot of running this year and the best way to get through it is to find some way to keep it enjoyable.

[Guest Gladstone]

Have you got a smartphone? Get something like runkeeper for it. You can set it to bark out your pace every now and then so you know how fast you're running. Weekly long slow runs should be exactly that, slow. 10 minutes per mile or even more. It feels ridiculously slow at times and it's so easy to speed up at the start but you don't want to wear out. Ultra races like the D33 are normally run at a similar or slower pace (D33 is pretty flat for an ultra though so that helps). So if you know, by glancing at a GPS watch or by listening to your phone shout times at you, how fast you're going at all times then that's a massive help with maintaining the correct pace and not burning yourself out.

Try running off road. Find some forest trails or a decent wee hill near you to run up. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ has loads of walking routes which can double as trail runs or you can just buy an OS map and look for trails marked on it. I find it a lot more interesting and fun and that really helps make me want to get the trainers on and go running.

Yeah - I've got an app on my Blackberry, but the battery runs out all the time when I use it!!

I'm going to buy a GPS watch I think.

And, I live close to Strichen, so I'm planning to run down there, through the woods etc and up Mormond Hill in my training for the Petrofac Challenge. When I did the Balmoral 10k a couple of years ago I nearly cried on that hill. What a bastard of a thing. It didn't help that I'd done zero training. And I mean zero training. I blagged the Garioch 10k the month before and then did the Balmoral 10k in April, and then did one 8 mile run between that and the Edinburgh half marathon in May. Are you noticing a pattern...? I need to train more for these things...!!!

[Chris]

Are you noticing a pattern...? I need to train more for these things...!!!

Yeah! That's why I thought I'd chime in with the suggestions (and I looked up your time for the D33...).

GPS watches are brilliant. If you get a garmin one then Runkeeper will take the data straight off it onto their website.

[Guest Gladstone]

Just went mental and ordered one (a Garmin Forerunner 210). I got lucky (as you'll have seen in the ace-ic thread) and won a car a couple of weeks ago. I sold it last night, so got a spare bit of unexpected cash! First purchase - GPS watch...

And - you're suggestions are all noted and appreciated!

I've never really been into running in a big way to be honest. Always preferred to play sports (football mainly) but doing something like running is a good way for me to keep myself fit and I can do it on my own schedule rather than rigid kick off times etc. That was the theory anyway. I've always been relatively good at getting back into running again, but never ever do enough training for particular runs. I was aiming to stop that with the D33 and the other runs this year because I thought there was no way I could possibly blag my way through 33 miles. Dangerously though, I somehow managed to do that (well about 20 miles of it), which isn't a good precedent for me to set myself. I will always remember how much it hurt though, so hopefully that will spur me on to train better!! I now have a treadmill for shit weather training and will soon have a GPS watch for good outdoor training. So, less and less excuses...

Have you ran marathons and the like yourself or do you do it just for training/keep fit purposes?

[Chris]

Have you ran marathons and the like yourself or do you do it just for training/keep fit purposes?

Not yet but I'm starting to build up to it. So far I've only ran 10k races. I'm a member of Deeside Runners who do a lot of hill races so I'm doing the Clachnaben race in April and a few others over the summer. I've also entered the Stoney half marathon and will be doing Crathes as well.

If all that goes well then I'll probably enter the D33 or a trail marathon next year.

Mostly though I just do it for fitness and because the training is much more flexible than what I was doing before. Leaves more time for other hobbies. Plus it fits in well with those too. I can swap a long run for a days hillwalking or a round of golf and it all helps. Races are just ways of keeping me motivated (I like having goals to aim for) and measuring progress really.

[Guest Gladstone]

Building up to it sounds like a good idea. I should have done that...

[Guest Gladstone]

So - second leg of my 100 mile challenge is done.

Petrofac Challenge up at Balmoral yesterday - 15 miles. Completed it in 2 hours 21 minutes, which I was mightily chuffed with because it's probably about 11 miles of uphill (a few of those hills absolute cunts, particularly the really muddy bastard at about the 14 mile mark!!!). I ran the whole thing, start to finish - the only problem was a bout of cramp within the last mile (both legs!).

I trained marginally better for this one than anything else I've done but probably still not enough!

Edinburgh Marathon up next - 4 weeks' time.

[Chris]

So - second leg of my 100 mile challenge is done.

Petrofac Challenge up at Balmoral yesterday - 15 miles. Completed it in 2 hours 21 minutes, which I was mightily chuffed with because it's probably about 11 miles of uphill (a few of those hills absolute cunts, particularly the really muddy bastard at about the 14 mile mark!!!). I ran the whole thing, start to finish - the only problem was a bout of cramp within the last mile (both legs!).

I trained marginally better for this one than anything else I've done but probably still not enough!

Edinburgh Marathon up next - 4 weeks' time.

Saw your time on the results (I wasn't running but some friends were). Well done! Great time over that course.

Was told about the hill at the end today and I saw it on my mate's runkeeper map yesterday. Looked like an evil one to throw in at that stage of the race. The Clachnaben race a few weeks ago did the same thing and I was on the verge of swearing at the marshalls by the time I got to the top of it.

[Guest Gladstone]

Saw your time on the results (I wasn't running but some friends were). Well done! Great time over that course.

Was told about the hill at the end today and I saw it on my mate's runkeeper map yesterday. Looked like an evil one to throw in at that stage of the race. The Clachnaben race a few weeks ago did the same thing and I was on the verge of swearing at the marshalls by the time I got to the top of it.

Thanks man!

It was very evil because everyone thought they were on the downhill until the finish... I ran past loads of folk who were reduced to walking on that hill. Felt good...

[Guest Gladstone]

Edinburgh Marathon completed yesterday in what felt like a million degrees heat. Fucking roasting. Managed it in 4 hours 48 which I'm fairly happy with. I was kind of hoping for 4 hours 30 or less but to be honest, I'm still blagging these runs with minimal training. The most I ran in training was 17.5 miles and that was weeks ago. The last few weeks I've just been doing 12-13 mile runs. I reckon I'd be a decent half marathon runner now because I've done that distance loads of times.

The marathon wasn't anywhere near as much of a struggle as the D33 though. Got to about 18 miles or so fairly comfortably and "hit the wall" for the next few miles. After about 23 miles I was on the home straight and got a (kind of) new lease of life. Saw a few casualties along the way getting medical attention - hope they're all okay. I think the heat got to some of the runners.

[Gladstone]

So, yeah - this is a bit late, but completed the 100 mile challenge...

 

Loch Ness Marathon 2012 completed in 4 hours 24.  I did nothing that could really be classed as "training" - in hindsight, doing it in that time was quite impressive given the lack of training I put in!

 

Since then I've actually started to run a lot more often and put in some proper training for a couple of 10k races earlier this year and a half marathon.  Garioch 10k in March in 42:52, Fraserburgh 10k in June in 42:01, Campbeltown Half Marathon in May in 97:33 - massive improvements on previous PBs!

 

I also managed to run in the National Lottery Anniversary 5 mile race down in that there London town - lap of the Olympic Stadium!!  My offiicial time was 34 minutes something - can't remember without looking it up.  I was about 2 minutes behind Paula Radcliffe and I beat Victoria Pendleton and Sporty Spice!!  Shove your girl power up your arse.

 

Edited October 31, 2013 by Gladstone

[Chris]

So, yeah - this is a bit late, but completed the 100 mile challenge...

 

Loch Ness Marathon 2012 completed in 4 hours 24.  I did nothing that could really be classed as "training" - in hindsight, doing it in that time was quite impressive given the lack of training I put in!

 

Since then I've actually started to run a lot more often and put in some proper training for a couple of 10k races earlier this year and a half marathon.  Garioch 10k in March in 42:52, Fraserburgh 10k in June in 42:01, Campbeltown Half Marathon in May in 97:33 - massive improvements on previous PBs!

 

I also managed to run in the National Lottery Anniversary 5 mile race down in that there London town - lap of the Olympic Stadium!!  My offiicial time was 34 minutes something - can't remember without looking it up.  I was about 2 minutes behind Paula Radcliffe and I beat Victoria Pendleton and Sporty Spice!!  Shove your girl power up your arse.

 

 

Pet hate, people who do no training and smash my times

 

Seriously though, well done on the challenge and the times! 

[Gladstone]

Pet hate, people who do no training and smash my times

 

Seriously though, well done on the challenge and the times! 

I did loads of training for those times though!  I mean, I actually trained - followed a training programme and worked really hard - a massive change for me. I used to just rock up and see what happened.  But, with a background of keeping fit through various other things, just no actual focused running training.

 

Unless you mean the marathon time?  I didn't train much for that admittedly.

 

Have you ran a marathon now?  You were building up to it last time you mentioned it.

[Chris]

Have you ran a marathon now?  You were building up to it last time you mentioned it.

 

No I haven't done a marathon, didn't even manage any half marathons this year due to the injury.  My plan next year is to get my half marathon time under 2 hours and try and do 3 or 4 of them.  Ideally I'm targeting our achievement level club standard time of 1:40.  Also going to enter more hill races.

 

I'm just jealous of your times really, don't worry about it.  I've busted my ass running 3 or 4 times a week for a couple of years now, joined a running club, do everything you're supposed to do and I still haven't run under 50 mins for a 10k.  Getting faster all the time (50:34 at Forres) though so I'll get there eventually.