The Wrekin

Well, it may not be a Munro - but today me and my Dad made it up the highest hill in Shropshire - the Wrekin. Standing at 407m above the Shropshire Plain, it's an old volcanic rock. It doesn't look like much from the bottom, but does become quite steep as you continue to climb. Great views at the top, seeing as far as Wales! A great Boxing Day walk and judging by the number of people we met on the way down, it would seem to be a popular pre-lunch walk in the area.

Snowy Edinburgh Parkrun

I woke up on Saturday morning to a snow covered Edinburgh. My parents were up visiting for the weekend and so my Dad kindly drove me to the parkrun, as I don't think I'd have been braving the 8 miles on my bike otherwise. It was beautiful down at Cramond that morning. This would be my first running of the parkrun in snowy conditions. The field was somewhat depleted with only 87 runners turning up. The ground was a bit trickier to run on that usual, but otherwise conditions were good. I headed off at the usual pace and felt much stronger in the latter half of the race than a few weeks previous. I had a girl about 10m ahead of me in my sights. But turns out she started off a bit too quickly and I went past her at about half way. Tried to pick off a couple more people in the last couple of kilometres and felt strong. The time was a bit slower than usual, 20:09, but given the conditions, fairly pleased with that. My next parkrun is to be in the sunny south over the holidays, hoping to try Eastleigh parkrun near Southampton on New Years Eve.

Haddington - Duns - Haddington

Yesterday, me and Susan put the bikes in the car and drove over to Haddington for a day of cycling. We'd been planning this cycle for a while, but today the conditions were perfect. Clear skies, fantastic views, not too windy and pretty mild for November. After finding a spot to leave the car in Haddington we got the bikes ready and headed on our way, south out of the town. The route had been described as hilly - and it wasn't wrong. Within a few miles we were heading up some fairly steep climbs, a bit of a shock to the legs. However, they soon got used to it, and we managed to marvel at the great views as the route took us out into the beautiful countryside of the Lammermuir hills. We were heading for the first village of Garvald, and then onto Longformacus. We almost had a slight navigational error at Whiteadder Resevoir, but noticed just in time and turned back on to the correct route. Longformacus had been described in the route instructions as "the only sign of life on the long road to Duns". I think this was a slight exagerration, as there was "no sign of life". We stopped at the village bus stop and fired up the stove to make a cup of coffee. No buses, nor people went by during this time! I think a couple of cars perhaps went by later on. The peace and tranquility of this cycle was brilliant. Most of the time we had the road to ourselves and could either just listen to the breeze, grouse and turning of the tyres, and in the case of the hills, our heavy breathing. We made it to Duns in time for lunch, and found ourselves the local pub, the Black Bull, where we had a drink and refuelled. This was 29 miles, so we had the same to do now in reverse. The ride back was 'slightly' easier as I think we did more climbing on the way out. We also enjoyed a beautiful sunset in the last stretch. However, the last 20 minutes we were in the dark, but this added its own bit of adventure. We reached the car after 58 miles. My legs were making it known that they'd been working hard today, but I loved ever minute of it. More cycles to come I hope!

Edinburgh Parkrun 12/11/11

It's been far too long since I last wrote an update in my blog. Hopefully that will change, as I have lots of exciting things coming up over the next few months.
But I'll start with my Edinburgh parkrun last Saturday. My running had taken a bit of a dip over the summer due to one thing and another, but I'm finally getting my running mojo back and getting some better training in. I thought I would test my level of fitness with a trip down to Cramond for the 5km time trial. It was a beautiful sunny morning, so I jumped onto the bike and cycled the 8 miles to the start. You can't beat Cramond promenade on a crisp sunny morning.
I started off at a fairly fast pace - went through the first km in 3:40. I wanted to start off fast and just see how long I could keep it going. I had a couple other girls around me which was good to keep me going. I could feel my lack of speed endurance in the last couple of km's. I usually start overtaking people at this point, but not today!
There was a sprint between me and girl from Portobello right to the line, complete with dip finish! Not sure who got it, but my delay in walking through the funnel to get my token meant I was given 3rd lady anyhow. Not that it mattered, as I was pleased to go sub 20, in 19:49. Something to build on in the next few weeks. I'd like to get closer to the low 19's before too long.
Susan and I have entered the Marrekech half marathon on January 29th (Susan the full marathon), so the training has begun.

Slovenia - Julian Alps Traverse

On 11th September I flew out to Slovenia (a country I'd wanted to visit for several years) for a week of hiking. A 5 day traverse of the Julian Alps including a summit hike to the top of Triglav, Slovenia's highest mountain.

Due to a delayed flight it was 2am by the time we all arrived at the Hotel Krim at Lake Bled. The following morning I woke up bright and early however, excited about meeting my fellow hikers (I'd met most on the plane, but a few were left to arrive). Everyone seemed really friendly, there were 16 of us in total. I was slightly outnumbered, with only one other female, Inge from Denmark in the group. The two guides were local Slovenians Miha and David.

Day 1
On our first day we just did a day walk in the Karavanke mountain range. This was approx. 6 miles and was a warm up to stretch the legs and get ready for what was ahead. There was a thunder storm in the valley during the morning, but fortunately it reached us just as we were in the mountain hut having lunch. Luckily that was to be the only rain we had that week! We spent that night in a local mountain hut where we had our first opportunity to sample the local food. Then it was time to pack our rucksacks for the next 5 days. Along with the helmet and harness we needed for the Triglav, we had to pack as lightly as possible for the 5 days in the mountains. Easier said than done, but we all managed it. It felt very heavy when I tried it on, but I figured I'd get used to it as the week progressed.

Day 2
We left the Ljubelj Valley and drove over to the Lake Bohinj and into the Triglav National Park where we would start our trek. We climbed up through the tree line (nicely sheltered from the heat). We picked up the trail of the Seven Lakes, which took us to the beautiful Black Lake. Our base for the night was Dom na Komni, a large hut giving spectacular views of Bohinj Lake from the bedrooms.

Day 3
I woke to my alarm at 5:30am and an orange glow coming from the window. I jumped out of bed to see a beautiful sunrise over the lake, which was covered in a mist of cloud - what a view! After a hearty breakfast of cereal, bread and jam we headed off for the second day of our traverse. We headed through the Triglav Seven Lakes valley, passing numerous spectacular lakes along the route, the highlight being Kidney Lake where we paused for lunch. We carried on climbing up, we were now above the tree line and the scenery was almost lunar like. This was a hard section of the walk, with a relentless climb up to the plateau. At the top though we were rewarded with a view of Triglav - it was totally clear today. We arrived at our most basic of mountain huts that evening, but also one of the most cosy! There was drama that evening, as one of the guys on our trip had pure exhaustion and couldn't complete the walk. The guides had to rescue him and they came in through the dark several hours later carrying him. He was taken off the mountain via helicopter the next day!

Julian Alps - Slovenia from Jo Kirby on Vimeo.

Day 4
Today was suppossed to be our summit attempt to the highest point in Slovenia, but ironically it was totally cloudy today. We walked a couple of hours to a higher mountain hut and sat there for several hours waiting for the weather to clear. Unfortunately it didn't, so the decision was made to cross over to the highest mountain hut in Slovenia, spend the night there, and attempt the climb tomorrow if the weather had improved.

Day 5
We woke up this morning, to the clearest day of the trip! A big storm overnight had cleared the air, making it one of the best days for the summit attempt. I headed out outside and ran around like a small child on Xmas day taking photos of the sunrise and spectacular views. This, I thought, was going to be a day to remember! And it was... the climb to the top was a bit of a scramble / via ferrata at times, but never particularly scary. I felt like a tiny dot on the Earth as I was above all the other mountains in the area, above the clouds and even above the helicopter flying around dropping off supplies to the huts. We all reached the top and could see as far as Austria, the Italian Dolomites, and all the mountains we had traversed to arrive at the top! What an amazing day. It took us 1.5 hours to get back down. We had 15 minutes to grab our stuff and then we had an 8 hour hike ahead of us that day. It was a tough day, but one of the best ever!

Day 6
A small day walk of around 3 hours today with small packs. It was a pleasant change, and we were able to look out to the range we'd walked on the day previous. Then it was back to the mini-bus to head back to Bled. What an amazing trip - Slovenia is a beautiful country and I can't wait to explore more of that part of the world.

Creag Mhor and Beinn Heasgarnich

It had been 4 months since I was last in the Scottish hills, so when I saw the chance to get two new Munros with Richard and fellow EYW's this weekend I jumped at the chance. We left Edinburgh at 8am in the pouring rain, but by the time we arrived at the start point, just past Killin, the rain had stopped and the skies were clearing.

We had a fairly long walk in (about 4-5 miles) along a track and then we cut off to the right and straight up the ascent of Munro number one, Creag Mhor, standing at 1049m. It was a tough ascent, and I could feel my legs working hard. One most of the climbing was done, there was a flat section followed by a last push to the top. The views all the way up were fantastic, we could see for miles around. And when the sun came out it was perfect. We reached the summit after 3hr20min of hiking, and had a well deserved lunch while enjoying the views.

It was then a fairly big descent, back down to around 650m off the back of the mountain and then a steep climb to our second Munro of the day. Again the climb was quite relentless, but then we hit a flat section with a gradual climb of around 100m in altitude before reaching the top of Beinn Heasgarnich. All around we could see rain on the tops of the other hills, but our hill seemed to have a ray of sunshine on its summit. We reached the top (1078m) just before the cloud cover came in. It was quite cold at the top, so we didn't stay too long. We dropped off the side in search of the path we came in on. The descent was long, but not as severe as some previous hills I've done. As we reached the path, the sun was shining and was the warmest it had been all day. The walk back out along the track felt longer than it had on the way in (it always does) and my legs were feeling it by the end.

We covered just over 16 miles in total, and had a fantastic day in the hills. We then had time for a drink in the pub in Killin before the drive home. A great day!

Mountain biking at Mabie and Ae

Last weekend I crossed two things off my wish list. 1) To try out sleeping in a wooden pod, and 2) To mountain bike some more of Scotland's 7 Stanes mountain bike trails.

A group of us headed down to Mabie near Dumfries on Friday night to our wooden pod where we would be staying the weekend. There were 4 of us staying in there, with Nick and Susan choosing to pitch a tent outside. The pod was cozy to say the least, but it was nice not to have to put up a tent, and made for a comfy place to sit in the evenings. We were right by the Mabie Forest trails and also the Mabie House Hotel, which had weddings on each night we were there.

It rained heavily throughout the night, and was still raining on Saturday morning, ensuring that the trails at Mabie would be nice and muddy. Once Gillian had fixed herself up with a hire bike we headed off on the 10km blue route. A good warm up to get us all used to being on the bikes. After a quick scone and tea at the cafe, with then headed out on the red Pheonix route, 24km this time, and much more tricky descents. Great fun! We were covered in mud by the end of it. A warm shower followed by dinner in the Mabie house hotel (the biggest plate of Gammon and pineapple I've ever seen!) was well appreciated.

The next day, the sun was shining and after packing up the car, we headed north slightly to Ae. This is another 7 stanes venue also with various routes. The red route - the Ae Line was 26km, so we just headed straight for that. Susan did parts of the blue route and met us at various points. I loved this trail as it was so varied and the scenery was fantastic. It started in the woods, but had some exposed bits too, the best bit being 'The Edge' which featured a single track with a drop on the side down to the river, and great views. The finale, Omega man had some exciting dowhill sections, which were exciting, though hard work at the end of a weekend of biking.

Really enjoyed the weekend of biking and looking forward to trying out the remaining mountain bike trails!

The Ae Line from Jo Kirby on Vimeo.

Caerketton Hill Race

Last Wednesday was Dean's birthday, and he decided he's like to do the Caerketton Hill Race in the Pentlands, followed by a few drinks in The Steading. I thought I'd step out of my comfort zone and join Dean and the others for this hill race. It may only be a 1.5 mile race, but it starts at Hillend ski slope and heads straight up to the summit of Caerketton and back down again with 800ft of ascent. I headed off at a steady jog, but soon broke into a fast hike up the hill. I was about two-thirds back in the field and was pleased to reach the summit. The conditions were pretty rough at the top, strong wind, rain and not much of a view. Was it really August? There was a nice flat section whee I managed to pick off a few people. Then it arrived: the descent! Most will know of my tendency to sprain / break ankles and so I was making a steady descent down. I was overtaken by many a runner sliding down on their backsides at great speeds! With my fellow CAACers all safely back down, I finally crossed the line in 22:49 in 73rd place (out of 77!). Both ankles intact and not last - success! Now time for the pub!

Tour of Fife 2011

I thought I'd give the infamous Tour of Fife another go this year, having completed it in 2009. Five races in five days...a sure way to get you fit! There were a couple of new races this year along with the old favourites, and a record number of CAACers taking part.

Race 1: The Black Hill Race, Falkland
The first race of the series started on the Falkland estate - a 5 mile hill race round the tracks and up and down the hills. It had been a few days since I'd been running, and my legs felt fresh. I ran with Gillian for a little while, but soon realised she was running at a pace I wouldn't be able to hold. I tried my best to hold my position as high as possible among the women. I was fine going up the hills, though my downhill often lets me down, and a couple went past me. Was a really sunny evening, a bit muggy, but great conditions. Not often I run in sunglasses in Scotland.
Time: 36:47

Race 2: Hill of Tarvit, Ceres
This race was described as an undulating trail race. It was 3 laps of the estate of Hill of Tarvit, a really nice stately home and grounds. The great thing about racing is seeing places you probably wouldn't have thought to have gone to otherwise. It had rained lots during the day, so it was much cooler and better for running. The first lap felt tough, as there was indeed a couple of hills. However, this was followed by some flat and a great run through the forest which was great fun! Laps 2 and 3 felt much better, and i really enjoyed the course.
Time: 34:59

Race 3: The Up Hell Time Trial
This is a regular feature in the Tour. You get paired with another runner and start at the bottom of the Lomond hill. Then you head off uphill approx 1.5 miles straight up as fast as you can! It's the most painful of all the races. Your legs are burning, your lungs are screaming. And just when you think it can't get any steeper...it does. Fortunately there is a CAAC fan club complete with cow bells and polka dot jerseys to get you up the last bit. This hurt a lot more this year than I remember...perhaps because i ran it almost a minute quicker, or perhaps because I was dressed up as a cow, complete with socks and mask! Either way, I was glad to have reached the top, and enjoyed cheering on the remaining CAACers up the hill!
Time: 13:39

Race 4: Chariots of Fire Beach Race, St Andrews
Another regular of the Tour, this race starts on West Sands in St Andrews. You run out along the beach for around 2 miles plus, then turn round and come back. Depending on the tides, depends on how hard / soft / slippy the sand is. Fortunately the sand stayed hard for quite some time, although as we neared the turning point it started to become quite deep and then very slippy! For an added twist this year, the race organisers decided to put a post in the sea which we had to run round. For short people like me, this went up to about my knees, but for everyone, it ensured your trainers were wet through and heavy for the remainder of the race. Despite feeling quite tired in the build up to the race, I felt strong during it, and felt good coming back towards St Andrews, and managed to pick off a couple of people at the end. Unfortunately, some of the girls I needed to beat were ahead of me though. Really enjoyed the run though, and the thought of camping and a BBQ later that evening...
Time: 29:58

Race 5: The Chicken Run, Strathmiglo
The final race of the Tour. This one started in a field in Strathmiglo and was an out and back, which featured, yet again, another hill. Though of course, you are rewarded with a downhill on the return. I again really enjoyed this course and I tried my best to keep as close to the other girls around me as possible. 5 days of racing and camping were starting to take its toll, but I felt I finished strongly. I really enjoyed the Tour - it's a unique event!
Time: 36:27

Overall position: 52nd
Female position: 7th
Overall time: 2hr31:50

(Photos courtesty of roadrunpics)

Run & Become 20th Anniversary 2 miler

This was the usual Meadows 2 miler, but with added fun last Wednesday, as it was the 20th Anniversary of Run and Become. There were loads of people running and lots of prizes in the 20 theme. Great turn out by CAAC - we managed 20 runners, bagging ourselves a team prize for reaching the target number. Perfect running conditions - warm and no wind. Relatively pleased with my time (exact same time as previous) given my lack of short fast stuff recently. Still a way to go to get my sub 12 minutes though! Lower down in the positions given the extra runners. Really fun evening though, and great atmosphere. This time next week will be the start of the Tour of Fife!

Time: 12:23
Position: 7th

The Famous Grouse Crieff 10k

On Sunday, Corrie and I headed up to Crieff for the Famous Grouse 10k. Neither of us had done the race before or even been to Crieff so we were keen to see what it was like. After missing the junction on the motorway to Stirling, we made our way cross country to Linlithgow and eventually found our way back onto the M9. We arrived with 20 minutes to spare, just enough time to get our numbers, listen to the race briefing and make our way to the start. The website had described the race as multi-terrain with 350m of ascent. And it wasn’t wrong. After heading out of the playing fields we headed onto a trail and began the uphill slog. It was in some ways similar to the Balmoral 10k, with a piper at the top to signal our arrival! Though not as steep as Balmoral, the uphill seemed to go on just as long, if not longer, making the first few kilometres pretty tough. I was in a good position. I knew Edel from Lothian Runners was way ahead and I’d never catch her. I’d been past a girl going up the start of the hill, and I couldn’t see any other girls ahead, so by my reckoning I must have been in second. The race continued through some beautiful scenery, and the weather was good, so I was trying to admire some of the surrounding landscapes while paying attention to what was underfoot. With about 1.5km to go I made the mistake of looking round to check who was behind. I spotted a girl hot on my heels. She caught me up not long after and I just couldn’t keep with her pace. She opened up a gap of around 20m. As we made our way back into the playing fields for the finish I picked up the pace to try and catch her. For a moment I thought I might be in with a chance. But she too picked up the pace – I came in 3rd by around 10 seconds. My finishing time was 44:11. My slowest 10k time for a while, and evidence of what a tough course this is. However, I very much enjoyed it and thought this was a unique 10k which I’d definitely do again. The finishing ‘goody bag’ comprised a miniature bottle of whisky and a whisky glass. And I got £30 and a picture with The Famous Grouse himself for my 3rd place efforts. Corrie enjoyed her run too and even more so her picture with the Famous Grouse. Fellow CAACer Nigel also had a storming run coming in the top 10!

Help for Heroes Challenge – Avebury to Stonehenge

On June 26^th, my Dad and I took part in the Help for Heroes Avebury to Stonehenge Challenge – 26 miles of walking through the Wiltshire countryside and Salisbury Plains to raise money for the charity. We headed over the night before and checked into our Travelodge. I managed to get a good night’s sleep, and was excited about the day ahead when the alarm went off at 5:20am! We headed to Larkhill and parked the car. There were loads of other walkers there waiting for the bus to take us to the start. On arrival, we donned our t-shirts, picked up our packed lunch, and headed off. It was 7:30am, it was warm but misty. We’d been warned it could end up being the hottest day of the year so far, so we had sun cream at the ready!

The first few miles took us through some beautiful, undulating Wiltshire countryside. Very different to the Scottish scenery I’ve become used to, but equally as stunning. We passed numerous poppy fields. We headed past the chalk horse and along the Kennett and Avon canal. The first water station was at 7 miles, and was well stocked with jelly babies, cereal bars and water. We carried on through varying terrain. The half way point was conveniently at lunch time, so we got some shade in a barn sitting on a haystack and refuelled. There was also a pub, so we popped in for a quick drink before carrying on up the hill. We were feeling the heat at this point and there was not much shade.

At around mile 15 we entered Salisbury Plains – army training ground. Not ordinarily open to the general public, it had been opened especially for us to cross. There was no shelter here at all, and the chalk road made for some hot and relentless conditions. We arrived at the next water station at mile 17. We noticed a few people tending to blisters and others starting to look weary. The support from the Help for Heroes staff along the way was great and we were all very well looked after.

It was to be another 4 miles to the next (and final) water station. Again, the path offered no shelter. By the time we arrived my Dad was feeling pretty tired and had developed some nasty blisters. We dressed them with compede but they were pretty bad. My Dad decided he would stop at this point. I felt so bad; perhaps we should have just left the blisters, rather than try and treat them. He told me to go on without him, but I didn’t like leaving him. He assured me he’d be ok, and so I set off for the last 5 miles alone. I felt sad to be continuing without him, and was battling in my head whether I’d done the right thing. I set off at a fast pace – I just wanted to be at the finish now! Two minutes later, my phone rings. It’s my Dad…. “Wait up…I’m behind you…I’m carrying on!” I turned around to see my Dad hobbling across Salisbury Plain…I welled up with pride! Within a few moments we were reunited and continued the last 5 miles to the end. It was tough, energy levels were on zero, but we made it. We crossed the finish line just over 10 hours later, with Stonehenge looming over us in the distance. We’d done it!! We were handed our medals and certificates. What a great challenge and fundraising event! We’ll definitely be back for another one next year!

Mile 26 - the end is in sight! from Jo Kirby on Vimeo.

Edinburgh Seven Hills

Yesterday was the Edinburgh Seven Hills Race. The idea of this race is to get to the top of all seven hills in Edinburgh in the correct order in the fastest time possible. There is no set route and there are no marshals. The only rule is you must run / walk between them, no bikes, buses, taxis allowed! The race starts at the top of Calton Hill…the order is then as follows: Castle Hill, Corstorphine, Craiglockart, Braid, Blackford, Arthur’s Seat and then back to the top of Calton Hill. I’d done this event a couple of years ago, but had taken part in ‘The Challenge’ which starts off half an hour before and is for those who don’t want to race it. This year, I went in for ‘The Race’, along with a few other CAACers. I was a bit unsure on how I would do fitness wise. I’d done a few reccies with the club, but I hadn’t done as many longer runs of late as I probably should. We set of at 10:15 and the mass of runners headed down Calton Hill and invaded North Bridge and the Royal Mile to head up to the Castle. It makes me smile when all the tourists stand in complete shock as a bunch of 200 odd runners stampede up the road. For once, runners are in the majority, and buses and cars have to stop in their tracks as we run up the road!

Getting to the top of the Royal Mile to the Castle is fairly easy – fresh legs, buzz of the start of the race etc… Then it’s off down through Princes Street Gardens. I noticed a few people heading off in the other direction, which perhaps might have been a better idea. I duly followed the mass heading down the middle of the gardens, sliding about in the mud, getting wet feet and getting stung by nettles. By the time I’d got to the path at the bottom I was a feeling a bit sore to say the least, but it was a good stretch now along the road to Corstorphine Hill, so I got into a rhythm. Neil and Susan were on their bikes and they picked me up in the West End. It was nice to have some support along this section.

I think I was in third at this point and, but heading up Corstorphine I was overtaken by a girl from Edinburgh AC and then back down Kaimes Road, a girl from Porty (the eventual 3^rd place woman) came flying past. I picked up the pace to try and claw them both back. I managed to catch up with Edi AC on Craiglockart, but perhaps pushed it a bit too hard, as by the time I got to the top (pulled up by cheers from Dean, Gillian and Chris O’Brien) I definitely had jelly legs! Another girl overtook me on the way to Braids and I was in need of some energy. Definitely learnt a lesson in this race – always carry energy gels! The short cut through the Hermitage to Blackford was very muddy and slippery. I didn’t actually see any other runners go this way, but I think it worked out quite well as I gained a bit of time on my fellow female competitors (although had very muddy hands as a consequence!). I was pleased to get to the top of Blackford, but then the realisation hits you of what is left when you look across to Arthur’s Seat towering in the distance. My energy levels were pretty low at this point as I trundled my way to Holyrood Park. As I approached Arthur’s Seat I went off to the right, but later regretted this, as I think this was a longer route up to the top. I was relieved to have a guy at the top punch the clip into my number as contemplated the descent. I don’t really remember which way I came down, I just looked for the safest route. As I got to the bottom my left calf cramped up. I’ve never had cramp during a race before and it wasn’t pleasant. I had to stop and stretch, it just got worse! I tried to keep moving – this didn’t help either. As I hopped down the path I spotted Neil, Susan and Dean. Unfortunately they saw me at a rather low point, I was in considerable pain. I stopped, took an energy gel and pushed on for the last bit. Fortunately I managed to shake off the cramp for the last bit and I followed the other runners up the last section to Calton Hill. I looked at my watch as I crossed the line. 2:17:22. I’d beaten my time by almost 20 minutes – very happy. I was 7^th woman overall which I was also pleased with. Perhaps next year with a bit more training I could push myself further up the field.

A traditional post race drink in the Guildford Arms with my fellow CAACers – a tough day, but always a lot of fun!

CAAC 5

Photo courtesy of Scott W, who was whizzing round the course on his new bike

It is that time of year again when Corstorphine host the CAAC 5 - 5 miles of undulating country lanes. Having marshalled the last couple of years, I thought I'd don the black and white vest and join a whole host of other CAACers for this years race. We were lucky to have a dry night having experienced some heavy showers earlier on in the day.

With an 'on your mark, set go' from Martin the field was off. I somehow got a swept along with the field and thought perhaps I'd gone off too fast with a 6:00 min first mile. My second was in 6:25...hmm, 12:25 for 2 miles (my PB round the Meadows for this distance is only 12:18!) Would I be suffering later on I wondered? Turns out, yes I would!! I tried to keep with Gillian and Derek as best I could. Gillian started to pull away and I could feel Derek starting to creep forward too. I seemed to gain on runners on the uphill sections, but failed at running fast downhill. With a mile and half to go there was one last hill, and it's safe to say my legs had turned to jelly. I tried as hard as I could to keep the pace going and was glad of the downhill section in the final stages. Thanks to a few cheers from the marshals and Susan on her bike, I made it round in a PB of 32mins. Pleased with the run, and the CAAC team spirit was great. Some great performances from the men! Not enough to scoop the team men and women's prizes away from HBT this year though...

Stornoway Half Marathon

The weather forecast was predicting heavy rain and wind all weekend. With the prospect of a ferry crossing, 2 nights in a tent, and a half marathon, we were undecided whether or not to go. I'm glad we did, as an awesome weekend was had!!

We drove up to Ullapool on the Friday and met with the others to head over on the ferry. High winds were forecast, but we were pleasantly surprised by how calm it felt. After tucking into our pre-race dinner and Caribbean tea cake, it wasn't long at all until we docked at Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. We registered for the race and bought out post race ceilidh tickets and then it was off to the Laxdale campsite to set up our tents. We were lucky to get them up in time before the rain started.

The next morning we had our pre-race breakfast and headed down to the start of the race. Just 5 minutes before the start the rain came pouring down and was so heavy and cold that it took your breath away!! I felt sorry for Neil, who at this point, was starting to question my / his sanity. I reminded him of the post race buffet and curry we'd be having later on to try and make him feel better?! Not sure how much it worked! The on and off rain and sunshine was to be the theme of the day. We set off at 10am and the first mile was downhill so was good to get the legs turning. I actually felt quite good and went through the first mile in 6:50, much quicker than I normally do for a half marathon. Dean and Gillian headed off into the distance (I didn't even see Keith). I really enjoyed the course, it was a mixture of running through the town, and along the coast and through the grounds of Lews Castle. Some parts were trail and slightly undulating, so it was tough in places, but I really enjoyed it. I knew I must be fairly high up the field but not sure where. I had a lady from Helensburgh not far behind me, so once I'd heard from a marshal I was 3rd woman, I was determined to keep pushing the pace and maintain my position. I had a tough time through mile 9 and 10, but an energy gel perked me up a little and I just crossed off the miles to the finish. I came in at 1:33:49, a PB, really pleased. Keith had some in first male, Dean 11th, and Gillian 2nd lady! A good result for all. We jogged back to cheer on Neil. He'd unfortunately had problems with his ITB band which was causing him a lot of pain. He completed the race though and was smiling as he crossed the line! A very much deserved medal!!

With the race completed, it was time for the post race buffet and cake extravaganza, prizegiving (possibly the best prizes ever, Lewis Chessmen, and a black pudding spot prize!), pool and jacuzzi, curry, pub and ceilidh!! As always the island hospitality it second to none, with the race organisers taking us on a mini-bus tour of the island on the Sunday before the ferry home. It was pouring with rain, but that didn't stop them showing us their island with pride.

A great weekend, and I look forward to going back there again, maybe one day when the sun is shining :-).

Meadows 1 mile

A quick one on Wednesday - a lap of the Meadows as fast as possible! There was hardly any wind compared to last week, and conditions were good. Blasted off a bit too fast perhaps (glancing down at my Garmin it read average pace 5:22/mile). It caught up with me about half way round, but managed to hang on for 3rd place (thanks to frantic shouts from Grant and BC!! "There's a girl right behind you...here she comes!!! Run!!")

Time: 5:45 (PB)
Position: 3rd

Another 2 miler

Quite a few of the usual CAAC boys turned up for the second 2 miler at the Meadows. It was blowing a gale on Wednesday evening. The direction of the wind made the second lap and finishing straight hard work. My legs were a bit tight from last night's track session. I felt ok, but my time was reflected by the conditions. A fair bit of work to do if I'm going to get under 12 minutes this year.

Position: 3rd woman
Time: 12:50

Self Transcendence Meadows 2 miler

Wednesday night was race number one of the 2011 Self Transcendence Edinburgh race series and it kicked off with a 2 miler. There was a good CAAC turn out, including Pilky, BC and Dave from Moray’s squad, along with the Pegsters and Mike A. I was the only CAAC lady on this occasion. I was wondering how the legs would feel after the week of hill walking. I’d just done an easy 4 mile jog last night rather than track to ease them back in gently. Was a slight shock to the system being back in such a fast race, and my right ankle was feeling a bit peculiar on the second lap, but I was pleased with how the run went, only 5 seconds off my fastest time last year. A good base to improve on over the summer. My aim is still to get a sub 12 minute before 2011 is out!

Position: 4^th woman

Time: 12:23

Gairich (919m)

Sunday was the last full day in our cottage and we decided to finish off the week with a final Munro, this time heading to Gairich, a solitary Munro between Glen Kingie and Loch Quoich. I think this may have been the hottest day of the holidays so far. This looked like an ‘easy’ hike in the book, only 780m of ascent and 10 miles of walking. All relative after the long walks we’d been doing in the week!

The walk started by crossing a rather impressive dam, and then over some boggy ground. I think most of the time this section would be a nightmare to get across, but given the time of year and dry weather we’d been having, it was relatively straightforward. There was a path all the way to the top, and the ascent was gradual to begin with, with a last steep push to the top. It took us just under 3 hours to get to the summit and we met lots of walkers on their way down as we neared the top. We had our lunch on the summit enjoying yet more stunning views. The descent was much quicker and easier than other walks this week. We were back to the car by 6pm, which worked out perfectly for stopping at the Cluanie Inn for our dinner. The Cluanie burger with chips for Neil and the Venison burger with chips for me! Dinner never tasted so good!!!

By the end our week, Neil has reached 96 Munros, so hoping to reach the century later this month!

The South Glen Shiel Ridge (the day of 7 Munros)

After a couple of days rest and recuperation (whisky tasting on Skye, a gentle coastal walk in Applecross and seafood dinner in Plockton), the big day had arrived! Neil and I had discussed wanting to do this walk for some time, so we were excited about the day that lay ahead. We’d managed to coincide it with the day of the Royal Wedding (not on purpose), but both of us were pretty happy to just catch the highlights that evening. We watched the build up on BBC as we tucked into our breakfast, and then packed the car (complete with bikes) ready to head off.

We parked the car just up the road from the battle of Glen Shiel, donned our walking gear and jumped on the bikes. We had a 6 mile cycle (mostly uphill) up the road to reach the Cluanie Inn, the start of our walk. My legs were feeling fairly fresh as I started cycling up the road. I very much enjoyed cycling along; occasionally looking up to my right to see the spectacular sight of the Glen Shiel Ridge, and realising that very soon we’d be hiking back across it. I spotted a sign ahead, Cluanie Inn 400m ahead – we’d almost made it, the bike ride felt much easier than I’d been expecting. After a quick photo and locking up the bikes, we headed off on the walk.

The first 4 miles is a gradual ascent along a very good stalkers path. The ascent then rises more steeply and the first Munro is reached with relative ease. It was great to reach the top. Another couple of people were at the top, it appeared they had come from another direction and were probably only doing a small section of the ridge that day. They were the last people we saw on the ridge all day! Maybe we were the only ones missing the wedding after all?! The views were slightly hazier than previous days, but either way, we couldn’t complain, we could still see as far as the eye could see! Quite a daunting prospect when we could see the ridge which lay ahead of us. The hike to the next one was fairly straightforward and took us no time at all, however getting between two and three was quite tough, with a bit of a hill in between which added to the challenge. The sun continued to shine throughout, though it was pretty windy at times, almost sweeping you off your feet on occasions! It was great to get to number six and see where we’d come from. We had a quick check of the map to see which our last hill was. At this point we were pleased to see it was the closer of the two we could see before us. We had a last push to the top of Munro number seven for the day! And felt a great sense of achievement on getting to it! The sun was starting to go down, and once again the light off the surrounding landscape was spectacular. After revelling in the joy of having completed the South Glen Shiel Ridge, our thoughts turned towards the next part, getting down! The start of the descent felt pretty good – my legs must have become stronger after the Saddle a few days before I thought. But then about half way down the fatigue started to work its way in! A few mini-eggs later and I had a return of energy, but there comes a point when no amount of mini-eggs will restore the energy levels! Again, we could spot the red dot of our car on the road. The last little bit was through some boggy woodland which made for some hard walking, but we made it. Back on solid tarmac, we headed back to car. It was 8:45pm. We drove back to the Cluanie Inn to pick up our bikes and then headed back to the cottage. It was time for some pasta and to catch the Royal Wedding highlights on TV. Another fantastic day!

The Saddle (1010m) and Sgurr na Sgine (946m)

After a great weekend in Braemar with CAAC for the Balmoral 10k, Neil and I drove across to the West, where we had a cottage booked in a small place called Conchra – just off the main road a few miles past Eilan Donan Castle. It was a great base for our week and perfectly placed for our planned adventures. The first of which was a Munro double, the Saddle and Sgurr na Sgine – 2 adjacent hills, with the first, the Saddle incorporating the Forcan Ridge, a great scramble. We couldn’t have wished for a more perfect day weather and view wise. The first part of the walk involved following a stalkers path up to the ridge before the scramble began. I really enjoyed the challenge of the scramble, and felt quite safe throughout, as there were some good hand holds and rocks to support yourself on. There were routes around to avoid the scramble if wanted, but as pointed out in the Munro book ‘this would defeat the object of the ascent’. I was pleased to see the cairn come into view on the last section – a hard climb, but one of my favourites to date. We enjoyed our lunch on the summit before continuing onto hill number two for the day.

There was a fair drop between the two hills and a challenging rocky descent off the Saddle. We arrived at the top of Sgurr na Sgine when the light off the hills was beginning to look quite spectacular. We could see across to Syke, Knoydart, the South Glen Shiel Ridge to mention a few. After spending a bit of time on the summit, (this was number 60 for me) we started the walk down. The route followed a ridge for a way, then back up a bit before the real descent began. I could see our car; it was a tiny red dot, some 900m below us! I’m never a fan of the descent, although my Leki walking poles which I got last birthday are proving to be invaluable, especially with keeping my ankles intact! Neil recently got some walking poles too and is feeling the benefits. I enjoyed watching the sun setting over the surrounding mountains on the way down; the ever changing colours were beautiful. We spotted a couple of wild campers who had pitched their tents along the way. I envied them, as I looked down on what we still had to do to get back to the car! We arrived back to the car with weary legs, but I have to say, one of my favourite ever hill walks. I’ll remember this one for some time.

Lochnagar 5

On last year's Balmoral trip we attempted to do the Lochnagar 5, but the weather was against us, and we only managed one of the 5 Munros on this loop. This year, the weather was with us and we decided to give it another go. We went the opposite way round this year, meaning we had a longer walk in to the first hill, but a much more gradual ascent. With this being an 18 mile hike, it was nice to get some of the easier miles in early on, rather than face a long walk out at the end. The sun was shining, with great views, and loads of fun walking round as a big group. We reached summit number one with ease, and then continued round, ticking each one off as we went and admiring the stunning scenery at each one. With a food / easter egg stop on each summit too! A few of the CAACers who'd gone off ahead made a slight error and headed in the wrong direction at one point. Tom, Keith and Dave therefore had to break into a bit of hillrunning to bag that Munro and rejoin the group, while a few of the others decided they would miss that one out. It looked like Tom could have run around the whole loop! The grand finale was Lochnagar - where we could look back at where we'd come from.

Really enjoyed this hillwalk and a good start to the week of hillwalking Neil and I had planned for the week ahead...

Balmoral 10k 2011

This was the third year I headed up to Balmoral with fellow CAACers to do the Balmoral 10k. and this time Neil came along too. It would be the start of a week's long holiday in Scotland. After loading up the car with all our gear in the morning, we headed off to Braemar. The CAACers stayed in the bunkhouse, but Neil and I stayed in a B&B just up the road which turned out to be a little gem of a place, which we'll certainly be returning too!

The race seemed busier than previous years, I think it's become more and more popular. The gun went and we all piled across the start line. The first few kilometres are merely a formality, as you wait in anticipation for the start of 'the hill'. Before I knew it, it was upon us, and I started the long climb to the top, listening out for the piper at the top. This was definitely the best I'd ever felt on the hill, though I was still pleased to get to the top knowing the hard work was done and the rest was mostly downhill. I had a bit of a battle with a girl from Aberdeen, unfortunately what I made up on the uphills, she always cruised passed me on the downhills, so she just got me at the end. Pleased with my position of 7th woman, and time of 42:33, my quickest on this course to date. Neil had not done as much training as he would have liked for this race, but nonetheless had a really good run, coming in at 45:59. There were great CAAC performances all round, Grant won first vet and Dean dipped under 40 minutes. Some of the CAACers ran back to Braemar, while the rest of us took the car or cycled, before getting ready for our night in the Fife Arms. Another great 10k in Balmoral.

National Road Relays, Livingston

(Kerry leading off the women's team - photo courtesy of roadrunpics)

With the XC season over with well and truly now, last weekend was the turn of the National Road Relay Champs, taking place in Livingston. For some reason, this event didn't seem to have the prestige of the National XC, with far fewer teams from across Scotland taking part. Not sure why Livingston is chosen as a venue for these champs, but nonetheless, this was my first outing and I was looking forward to it. The women's team consisted of Kerry off first on a 'short' leg (3.2 miles), then Susan second on the 'long' (5.8 miles), then me on another short, and Gillian anchoring us on the final long leg. Both Kerry and Susan had great runs, putting us in a good position. I set off at a good pace, as did everyone, with it being slightly downhill and in front of all the supporters. Then you turn the corner, hit the hill and the wind! Took my about half a mile to really get going in my running, but once I did I felt good and there were female runners in front of me at even spaces which I could work on drawing in and picking off. I overtook about 5 women which I was pleased with. Handed over to Gillian who took over another 9, so overall we finished in 8th, so a great result for the women!
Another great team event, it was great fun cheering on the several men's teams. The A team coming in 4th, and the highlight being the Mike A having a sprint finish on the last leg for the Vets. Our day out in Livingston was finished off with a trip to Cotswold Outdoors and Wagamamas for dinner -what more could you want from a sunny Sunday day out! ;-)

First Parkrun of 2011

Headed out to Cramond for my first run of the parkrun for 2011 and since it's been adjusted to the 'correct' distance. Apparently, it was 80m short before! After a quick jog from the car to the start and a bit of a stretch the starter called us off! I'd managed to get myself fairly near the start as it's quite easy to get boxed in there. Felt good and was in sight of Chris Peggie, so thought I'd try and keep the gap as small as I could between us. He pulled away, but it was good to have him in my sights. Last couple of km's I felt fairly strong and wasn't as blusterly down there as usual.
Came in at 19:25, 2nd female. Comparable to my previous times on the shorter course, and very pleased considering the lack of speedwork have been doing of late. Some nights on the track should help sharpen things up. 22 dead for Neil, so a good first outing from him also. Let the road race season begin!!

Mountain biking at Glentress

A bit of fun at Glentress on a Saturday afternoon....

Jo on Electric Blue from Jo Kirby on Vimeo.

Neil going over the bridge @ Glentress from Jo Kirby on Vimeo.

Scottish XC Champs 2011, Callender Park, Falkirk

I ran this course for the first time last year and absolutely loved it, so I was pleased to hear it was at the same venue for 2011. Conditions, however were quite different, with last year's hard ground and frost being replaced with squidgy paths and mud. We had a team of 8 women this year (the highest ever apparently!) We set off alongside a couple hundred other women sporting our white CAAC vests (though they didn't stay white for long). I felt good going up the first hill, but everything after that felt like hard work. Some great support from the men all the way round which really helped. I finished in 69th position in a time of 35min03. This was half a minute slower than last year and I was down on my position. I was slightly disappointed as felt I'd been running well so far this year. Great runs by all the CAAC ladies, some of whom were making their race debut and we finished with a team position of 10th overall.
It was then off for a warm down and a jog around the course to cheer on the CAAC men! Love this race for the club atmosphere, you can't beat it!
(Above picture courtesy of roadrunpics)

Learning to Ski, Les Orres

Beginning of February I spent 2 weeks in France, visiting family and the south staying with Neil who's working out here at the moment. After travelling across France from La Roche Sur Yon down to Gap (via car, plane and train). Neil was at the platform to greet me and we got into our Renault Megane to continue to journey to Hotel Le Lac in Embrum. We were all set for a weekend of skiing! Having only sampled Southampton ski slope and an icy Cairn gorm so far in my downhill skiing repetoire, I was very excited to be getting a true Alpine experience. We had a lesson booked for the following morning. Complete with all the ski gear we headed up for our first lesson with Bruno. I'd only done snow plough before, or 'chaisse neige', but Neil had already got pretty good at the parallel turns in his previous trips up there. We had the great lesson and I felt my balance was improving (although had had a few tumbles along the way). It was then time for lunch, at which point I noticed the boots I had on were waaaaay to tight, and I'd actually lost feeling in both my feet, and my calves were cramping up!! I could barely stand up, let alone walk....or ski!! So it was back down to the ski hire shop for the next size up and that was much better. The afternoon was spent trying a few different runs (some easier than other) and was a lot of fun, and by the end of the day I was starting to get the concept of parallel turns. After a good day of skiing, it was back to the hotel for a bit of 6 Nations rugby. I donned my French shirt (sorry Neil ;-)) and watched the France vs Scotland game, before heading to the hotel restaurant for the perfect apres ski meal - La Raclette. All the cheese you could ask for, along with potatoes and cured meats.

Day 2 on the slopes I felt much more like I knew what I was doing. Firstly, I wore less layers! Turns out the French Alps get more sun that the Scottish Highlands?? haha! We had another lesson at midday, so had an hour or so to have a bit of a practice. first This time we had Rico. He was great, and by the end of the lesson I was managing the parallel turns so much better. After a lunch of panini and orangina, and a bit of souvenir shopping, we headed back onto the slopes ready to try our new found skills! Neil even made it onto a red run by the end of the day (with only one fall!) and I finally managed to get down La Fontaine with no falls and both skiis on my feet! I was loving it, and was sad when 5pm came and the chair lifts closed down.

Trying to get my parallel turns! from Jo Kirby on Vimeo.

Neil heading down La Fontaine from Jo Kirby on Vimeo.

We rounded the day off with a lovely coffee and then got in the car ready for the journey back to Aix en Provence. An amazing weekend, and I can't wait to get skiing again! We'll definitely need to hit the slopes of Scotland before the snow disappears!

Trent Park 5km Handicap

This weekend I headed down to London for my goddaughter’s 1^st birthday. Her mum being an avid runner (and Jorjia surely due to follow in her mum’s footsteps very soon), we decided to give the Trent Park 5km handicap race a go before the afternoon’s party celebrations! This race is organised by Trent Park running club on the last Saturday of every month, and was the first time I’d given it a go. Katherine had last tried it only a few months after having given birth to Jorjia but her times have been getting faster ever since! Having not done this race before I told them a recent 5km time and was instructed I’d be setting off 15 minutes after the first runner. Katherine was going off after 14 minutes so would have a minute over me. The course was mostly off road through the park, with lots of up hills and down hills. A really nice course, though the cold weather made it hard to warm up in the early kilometres. The final 1.5km was along the tarmac, before doubling back to the finish. I could see Katherine as we crossed each other on the route back, she was running well and there was no danger of me catching her up! Katherine finished in a great time of 20:28, her quickest since Jorjia’s arrival. I came in only 10 seconds faster – she’s hot on my heels once again! I really enjoyed this run. Then it was time for a quick cappuccino in the café and off to make sandwiches and set up ready for the party. With 18 babies arriving I was wondering whether the 5km was going to be the easy part of the day…..???

East District XC Champs, Livingston

I woke up on Saturday morning to the sound of rain and wind battering my bedroom window. Hmm, a usual XC weather day then. The race wasn't till early afternoon, so had the morning to relax and prepare for the impending mudfest!! The CAAC female contingent headed to Livingston in Corrie's mini. We actually managed to find the place by luck!

After a bit of a warm up, we got into vest and shorts and lined up at the start of the Senior Women's race. The first section was very muddy and against a strong head wind, and there were some icy bits to contend with too. However, once into the woods, it was more like trail running and I felt I got a good rhythmn going. The ups and downs felt good and I was managing to pick off a few on the uphills, and trying my best to maintain it on the downhill sections. There was some great support from the CAAC men all the way round the course which really helped in the tough conditions.

I felt strong over the second lap (though wouldn't have wanted to have done a third!). I managed to get one last HBT runner in the final metres to finish in 30th position. Gillian and Corrie both had great runs too, but unfortunately missing a 4th runner we couldn't figure in the team positions. Hopefully we can get a full squad out for the Nationals next month.

Some Snowy Running

Running through the Hermitage from Jo Kirby on Vimeo.

Running up a snowy Blackford Hill from Jo Kirby on Vimeo.

Reflection on 2010 – Looking ahead to 2011

This time last year I wrote a similar blog entry with my aims and objectives for 2010. Looking back over them, I’m pleased to say that many can be ticked off – and although a few I’m still working towards, I feel I’m making progress and can happily carry them over to the coming year.

With regards to my running objectives, I was really pleased to reach two big mile stones, sub 19min 5km and a sub 40min 10k. I was affected by injury earlier on in the year (plantar fasciitis) which I thought might put an end to my season before it had properly begun, but with some chiro treatment, a 2 week break from running, and some exercises I was able to shift it. I’d hoped to get closer to my half marathon benchmark of 1hr30, but had to settle for 1hr34 at the Wolverhampton half (taking 4 mins off my previous best of 1hr 38). However, I felt great at the end of this race, which makes me think that I have more to get out of this distance. This year’s target will therefore be sub 1hr30 for the half. My 5km and 10km PB’s were hard work, so I’d now like to run these kinds of times more consistently.

Other aims I’d had were to learn to ski and XC ski – both of these I did (the downhill lesson being on New Year’s eve!). I’d also hoped to get better at rock climbing. I managed a lesson at the Edinburgh University climbing wall during the summer where I definitely increased my confidence on the wall. However, time (and temperatures at Ratho!) didn’t allow me to do much otherwise. Something to keep for the future.

I’d also made a plan to reach 75 Munros by the end of 2010. However, by the end of the year I was on a mere 53, so a fair bit off on that one. There are just aren't enough weekends in the year! Having bagged one Munro already this year though, I’m going to carry this aim over to 2011. So hopefully when I sit down to write this entry next New Year, I’ll be on 75 or more! With Neil hoping to get to the century this year, if I stick with him I should be on target! We had a great weekend in the Lake District for Rosie’s 30^th and did Scarfel Pike, so I’d love to get down to the Lakes and do more hills there. It’s not really much further away than going up north to the Highlands.

Highlights of 2010 for me were XC skiing in Norway – a fantastic country and scenery. I think ski touring might be the next thing to try. The Barra Half Marathon – what an amazing place and great atmosphere for a race. I’m inspired to do more Outer Hebrides races! The Rat Race – possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but also one of the most fun and rewarding. I’m hoping my fellow CAAC Attack team members will be up for a similar race this year.

So, with all this in mind, my aims for 2011 are:

• Run sub 12 min 2 miles
  

• Run sub 19min 5km and sub 40min 10km more consistently

• Sub 1hr30min half marathon

• PB at 10 miles (perhaps Lasswade) – I haven’t run a 10 mile race in a long while and would be interested to see what I could get

• Run the Edinburgh 7 Hills race (only done challenge so far and missed race last year due to injury) and improve on my previous time

• Reach 75 Munros

• Hike some Lake District Hills
  

• Run at least one (possibly two) of the Outer Hebrides half marathons. Stornoway Half marathon is number one on the list, with Benbecula and Skye other possibilities.
  

Wish list (runs/things I’d like to do if get the chance, but not all this year!!): Northumberland Coastal run, Lakeland Trail run, Coniston 14, Nottingham half marathon (this one for nostalgia rather than scenery), Kilomathon, The Inn Pinn (plus other 2 Munros on Skye I’m missing)