SA Virtual Challenge and Balloch Park

Another Scottish Athletics virtual race, 5 miles instead of the usual 8km, used the clubs 5 mile handicap route in reverse. Took a few seconds off my mile splits compared to the last virtual run but Strava added 16 seconds to my total. Followed this with an easy run in the opposite direction adding in a loop round Balloch Park

SA Virtual Challenge and Ben Bowie

Two runs today, first up a Scottish Athletics Virtual Challenge, as much climb as you can do in 30 mins, managed just over 300m except the Strava software only registered 279, which is a few metres more than the one I did in June. The SAL verification process corrected my June effort but not this one despite being advised of the error. Back home and changed tops and added a windproof jacket for an out and back run to Ben Bowie. We ran this route on Thursday night but turned back when the snow got knee deep and we couldn't find the path up to the twin summit. Not as much snow today, a few patches compacted into ice along the 3LW and John Muir Trail. Plenty of walkers out today and a couple of other runners and cyclists.

SA Virtual Challenge

This weeks SA Virtual Race, another 8km, finished in just over 37 1/2 mins, happy to run about 1 1/2 mins quicker than three weeks ago, probably ran fresher, used the same club 5 mile race route except in reverse, followed the race with an easy 5 mile recovery running the route backwards, next week the Virtual Hill Challenge, how much vert can you do in 30 mins.

SA Virtual Challenge

Ran another of the Scottish Athletics Virtual Challenges this morning, this one was 8km, used the club 5 mile race route and finished inside 39 minutes, a couple or so minutes slower than the club race last September, gives me a target to work towards as there's a few more of these planned over the next couple of months along with another "max ascent in 30 mins".

SA Virtual Challenge

Another Scottish Athletics Virtual Race, options for 3k, 5k or 10k, I stuck with the 3k, same route as my last two attempts, this time I managed to break 13 mins by 1 second, currently sitting 110th place out of 140, and 3 out of 5 in my age category, good fun, next one is an 8k in January.

SA Virtual Challenge

Another Scottish Athletics virtual race, 3km road run, used the same route as last time except shortened it from 3.18 to 3.07km, target was sub 13 mins, finished 1 second over 13 mins as it took about 10 seconds to access the Strava app on my phone!

SA Virtual Challenge

3rd try at a Scottish Athletics virtual race, option for 3k, 10k or 1/2 marathon distance, I went for the 3k using our Thursday night Club run Fartlek session as a warm up. Finished in about 13 1/2 minutes but about 200m over distance, there is about 1500 entries so it will be interesting to see my finishing position.

SA Virtual Challenge

 2nd Lockdown race, a virtual 5k, chose a beach run from Covesea to Lossiemouth and back, did a run to check the distance earlier in the week, had to start before 10 to beat the tide and choose to start or finish running into the wind, decided to go with the wind for the first half, started slightly too fast as usual, turned at Lossie and wind slowed me a bit, happy to finish just over 23 1/2 mins.

SA Virtual Challenge

First race since February, a virtual race where you run and upload your stats to the Scottish Athletics Website. You had to do your run between Fri 19th and Monday 22nd, the aim was to do as much ascent as possible within 30 minutes, you had to start and finish at the same place, either a loop or up and down reps, I did 3 and a bit reps and managed just over 1000' of ascent, should have been more as I stopped a minute too soon. Top guys doing about 2000'. Good fun and so far I'm sitting 88th out of 250 with full results out Tuesday PM hopefully stay in the top 100!