Only a few days to go

My legs had definitely turned to lead after our boxing day run but I decided I could still make it out to the Westie's Christmas Handicap. Due to a complete lack of organisation I had to run there from Milngavie train station. It took about 50min to get to Carbeth and I couldn't decide whether it was just the ice that was making me slow or if I really was just running that slowly! I still managed to catch up with some cyclists though, just proving that it's still really hard going on a bike at the moment and didn't look to be much fun.

This post could probably be called 'why I hate handicap races' but I'll try not to rant about it too much. I know a lot of faster runners probably think they're really inclusive for us slower people but frankly, I've never found anything to be less motivational.

I turn up, telling everyone how slow I am ('no, I'm REALLY slow, like, really rubbish and I know she's double my age but I promise I'm slow and need at least a 2 minute head start on her'). Not exactly the best way to build your running confidence and feel good about yourself.

Then everyone disregards it anyway and I get a rubbish handicap and spend the next 20min getting overtaken by people. I don't really like pure running races at the best of times, especially short ones, but I do like running so can usually just settle into my own run and enjoy it. However, that's not something you can do when people are constantly chasing you down while in pursuit of their own pb. I always feel guilty that they're then wasting valuable oxygen giving me well-meaning words of encouragement. I don't want to 'dig in' or 'stick with it', though thanks for caring, I'm actually quite happy just running and here to be sociable. I know it's a bit strange because some races I really do want to go fast and beat a time or everyone else but just not these ones, they don't inspire me and I think that's allowed.

So no more handicap races for me, I'll just keep enjoying my running.

28 days down for the Marcothon, only 3 to go.

I thought I was going to have to give up on the challenge yesterday, to go on a much more exciting ice-climbing adventure instead with Neil. Yet somehow I managed to squeeze in both (albeit an incredibly short run) and did my first ice climbing route on Beinn Udlaidh. Despite the screamingly awful hot aches mid-way through the first pitch, I loved the climbing and hope I get the chance to do more over the winter. Neil tells me American's call them the screaming barfies. Made me laugh a lot.