A runner who can't run...

Hello. I'm almost ashamed to be back here blogging again. It's been so long, and I've promised people I'll blog so often and not done it.  But hey, here I am.

One of the many reasons I've not been keeping up with my blog lately is that I'm not sure I've got much to say of interest.  So much of what I write about is running-related, and I've now been out injured for over 3 months.  So it's all been a bit strange.

In many ways, the pain and discomfort of my back injury is almost secondary to the frustration at not being able to do something you love - or the disorientation that comes from not doing something that's so much a part of your identity.  I'm the type of person who runs for a bus from 300 yards off - not the type who gives up on it when it's 10 yards away! To many people I know, running is what I do.  Just now, I've got a great new job, I've read some phenomenal books over the past few months, been to some great movies and gigs.... and of course there's my wonderful family, but half the people I bump into still ask me about running!

I guess it's a kind of common language for everyone who's ever been involved in running - from people who've been elated by finishing a first slow 5K, through to people who've done everything there is to do from marathons to ultras to 24-hour hill races.  On roads, tracks, trails and mountains and from the inner city, to the wilds of Scotland, to every corner of the world.

Plus running is an important balance in my life. All too often my life consists of too much work, then back to managing small children with (very strong) minds of their own! Running is excellent me-time, an important escape from my mundane existence where I chill out, and get my thoughts in order. Never mind the need to balance out the fact I love to eat lots of good food and so have to keep the running up to manage my health and wellbeing effectively!

The running community is a great one to be part of. It's healthy (obvs), principled, caring, generous, adventurous, charitable, fun-loving and welcoming.  I've not really seen evidence of elitism or exclusivity, which it's occasionally accused of.  Even if you're not running, they're very supportive and I am pleased to still be taking part in facebook chat, marshalling at races, and so on.  Important to try and maintain a link to an area of your life you get so much from, even if you can't do the core part of it.

So anyway, as usual I've rambled on for long enough. On a final note, runners are generally an optimistic bunch.  I'm hugely grateful for all the people who have shared their sympathy and their own injury experiences with me, and their contagious and enthusiastic belief that I will be back to normal sooner or later (albeit with a fair few pounds to lose).  And I'm generally optimistic by default too, so I'm looking forward to building back up to full fitness and getting back in the groove again.  Lots of exciting plans in development for 2011!

I've been struggling with my running a bit these past few months. The year started brilliantly, with PBs at 5K, 10K, 10-mile and half-marathon.
Then started struggling with annoying wee injuries. Was delighted just to be able to finish the Edinburgh marathon with no major issues, never mind the high hopes I'd had for a PB earlier in the season.
But got round, and then over the next few months I did some of the most enjoyable races I've ever done - 7 Hills of Edinburgh, Black Rock 5, Dumyat. But the niggles kept coming and my times at standard races were nowhere near my best. Finally, I did what I should have done months back and I've been resting a bit. Taking it easy, doing more cross training (cycling, fitness classes, hillwalking). And at last I feel like my injuries are going.
Ran 4 miles pain-free this morning and it felt good. Apart from being noticeably less fit for running!

Finally I feel like I can look ahead to achieving something in 2011, the way I felt at the strt of this year. And Shona seems happy enough with a week up near Fort William in April next year. Guess who'll be signing up for the Lochaber marathon in the next few days?!

Time waits for no man

"What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare."
William Henry Davies (1871-1940), 'Leisure' 


or, as Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast - you don't stop and look around once in a while, it might just pass you by..."

Work-life balance is a bugger isn't it.  The only time I ever seem to get it right is when i"m on holiday.  Our holiday in Orkney this summer was just perfect.  Suddenly I found time to get what I wanted to out of each day - family time, leisure time, and so on.  Unbelievable how much more relaxed you are as a result.

But it can fade pretty quickly as time passes and you get back in to work schedule.  All the various things that steal your time; domestic chores, work pressures, exercise and training, reading, writing, leisure time, family time, keeping up with friends, build up and you put pressure on yourself to try and do everything you can perfectly.  For some reason I've always been acutely aware of how I have a finite period of time on this earth (I don't believe in an afterlife, I find that a ridiculous notion) and it's vital to make the best use of that time possible.  That stretches from being the best person I can be and doing right by others, through to constantly ticking off the things I want to do.  It's this drive that's meant I've done several postgrad courses, read a stupid number of books, and run 6 marathons and various other challenges.  But it also means that having done these things, I'm still acutely aware of how much more I want to do and all the things I've yet to achieve.  Places to visit, books to read, races to run - the list is endless.

What I try to remind myself to avoid this constant state of dissatisfaction and impatience is 1. that you can only do so much, and I should be gentle with myself in how I go about delivering stuff. 2. Sometimes you miss important stuff because you're running so hard to stand still!

You need to build in time to do things in a way that means you appreciate them, and consider people around you too.  In the opening chapter of 'The Art of Travel', Alain de Botton talks about how travel is a state of mind.  When you're on holiday you look at the world in a particular way.  You decide to walk a different route to the one you took the day before so you discover more about a place.  Or you decide last minute to ditch one plan in favour of another.  You keep in mind the things you want to get out of your holiday and try and fit each thing in - you keep your view of things to tick off in the time you have, and you keep in mind the importance of enjoying yourself and relaxing while you do it too.

So, whilst you're busy and the pace of 21st century life is constantly buzzing around and pressuring you to fill every minute with 60 seconds-worth of distance run, keep an eye on the long term things that are important, but remember to stop and look around once in a while too.  Walk a different route to work.  Pop in to wander round that graveyard you've been past so many times and always been curious about.

It'll make you happier and more relaxed, you'll be surprised by what you learn, and it'll probably help you get to where you want to go just as quick.  But more than anything else, what's the point in ticking off every little thing if you don't take the time to appreciate any one of them?    

Aspirations in 2010

G'day

No long prose update today, just a list of aims for 2010. Deliberately not resolutions because things get in the way and you have to be flexible. But instead these are (hopefully) achievable aspirations that I'll do my best to tick off:

1. Run at least 5 new races, including at least one hill race

2. Higher than 50% attendance at Wednesday night training (at Portobello RC)

3. Sub 3.30 marathon on 23rd May!

4. Read at least 2 books per month

5. At least 3 lots of exercise each week (run/cycle/gym/fitness class/whatever)

6. Do whatever is necessary to make my time at work more enjoyable and rewarding(!)

7. Invest more time in learning (in and out of work)

8. Spend at least 2 hours every week writing

9. Make more effort to have a social life and get out with my friends - have at least one night out each month

10. Cook at least one new recipe every month

11. Have at least one fun outing with family each month

12. Clear out the gutters around the conservatory

13. Clear out inside the conservatory so we can use it more effectively and it's not just the room where we pile our junk...

14. Help the Mrs get more opportunity to get out and do the fitness classes, or whatever, she wants to

15. See my children before bedtime at least 4 nights out of every 7...

16. Don't work past 6.30pm except under exceptional circumstances

17. Visit a gallery at least once every 2 months (including visiting Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery for first time)

18. Go to a play/show/movie or gig at least once every 6 weeks

19. Average at least 7 hours sleep a night (which means bed by midnight at latest, probably...)

20. Visit New Lanark and the Falls of Clyde

21. Weekend away to Belfast

22. Weekend camping trip to Berwick-upon-Tweed (and visit Paxton House)

23. A weekend in the Highlands

24. Several visits to London

25. Sort out stupid and unnecessary credit card debts

26. Bag a munro

27. Go kayaking and/or do an adventure race

28. Do the Saturday cryptic crossword more often

29. Visit a UK city I've not been to before

30. Visit the Venture Scotland bothy at Glen Etive

31. Take Mrs MacD to a London show and away for an overnight trip

32. More team lunches at work

33. Cycle to work more often

34. Play a game of squash, badminton or tennis

35. Take part in an event at Stromness shopping week

36. Get a hot stones massage

37. Visit one of the Edinburgh kirkyards (Canongate or Greyfriars)

38. Visit an Orkney island I've not been to before

39. Read more poetry (especially Norman MacCaig)

40. Blog more...

Happy to expand this list, so any other sensible suggestions and requests welcome! And any assistance in achieving these welcome too(company for munro-bagging, reminding me to sod off from work, etc. all much appreciated). Cheers

Look back with pride (mostly...)

I guess it's traditional at this time of year to look back at the year gone by. Certainly traditional to look ahead on 1st January and make a few resolutions...

So anyway, here's a few things I'm proud of over the past year:

Running

1. The 2 marathons I ran, London in April and the Lincolnshire Spires & Steeples Challenge in October. Doing a marathon is a special thing. These two couldn't have been more different, one of them a huge mass-participation city event and the other a low-key cross-country affair. But both very special in their own way, and also the 2 quickest marathons I've ever done.

Despite feeling like I've let myself go a bit towards the end of the year, I've run PBs at almost every distance this year, 10K, 10-mile, half-marathon and marathon. And enjoyed some superb wee races I didn't know before, like the Balerno Rigg race, the Eildon 2-Hills and the Peebles Beltane 10K. Plus... and perhaps most importantly, run a whole year as a member of a fantastic running club, Portobello RC, where I've made friends, enjoyed training, learned stuff and enjoyed running with fellow enthusiasts.

Charity/community

Through running and other fundraising I've personally raised several thousand pounds for charity, mostly for Venture Scotland.

I also ran in a relay team at the Edinburgh marathon with colleagues at work, and organised a 10K run for staff, family and friends. Between these two events we raised about £6000, which will be match-funded by the company - meaning about £12,000 for our charity partners, Marie Curie Cancer care and NSPCC Childline. And when we ran the Lincoln Spires and Steeples challenge, we raised several thousand pounds for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.

Through my day job, I've also looked after student and teacher placements which have hopefully been useful to the people who've come along!

And finally, and this is probably the one I'm most proud of here, as a member of the Board of Venture Scotland, we have successfully steered our charity through the economic shambles that was 2009. One of the saddest results of the recent recession has been the number of small charities that have gone under. Most charities rely on donations from charitable trusts. Charitable trusts, like any other organisation, rely on their investments. So the catastrophic falls in 2008 mean they can't support what they used to. We lost the funding from our single largest donor early in 2009, and it was pretty scary for a while. But we knuckled down, took some difficult, and some not so difficult decisions, and have finished 2009 in a stronger position than ever before. We have improved our funding, have a fantastic strategy and plan for the next few years, and we've not had to turn down any young people from our services along the way!

Work

I don't want to say too much about work. Not least because there's people from my work who might be reading this! It's been a tough year. Have worked far longer hours than I should have. Delivered quite a few things that I can be proud of, but there's quite a lot that hasn't been done that I'd prefer to have done. Hoping for better in 2010.

I remain very proud of my team and the people I work with, who've done great things under extremely challenging circumstances.

Reading/music/etc. etc.

Pleased to have kept up a good balance in terms of still managing to get out to gigs and shows. Not done enough reading and writing in 2009.

Here's a few of my highlights from the past year.

Favourite new albums:

1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz, 2. The xx - the xx, 3. The Rakes - Klang, 4. King Creosote - Flick the Vs, 5. Ian Brown - My Way

Best gigs:

1. Amadou and Mariam, 2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, 3. Pixies, 4. Lau, 5. Kris Drever

Favourite books I read:

1. Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban, 2. The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Walker, 3. The Year of the Hare - Arto Paasilinna, 4. The Runner's Literary Companion (various writers, edited by Garth Battista), 5. God's Own Country by Ross Raisin.

Favourite shows:

1. The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church - Daniel Kitson, 2. The Slutcracker - Tim Key, 3. the comedian I went to with my brother and Jeevan that I can't remember the name of, 4. Eddie Izzard at Glasgow SECC, 5. Derren Brown at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Not enough plays this year....

Family and friends!

Ye cannae review your family and friends..!! Well, not critically anyway.

As it happens though, I am quite gob-smackingly proud of mine.

My friends almost all do amazing things whether it's their work, their family, their voluntary efforts, their hobbies, or indeed, all of the above. Many of them are at a time in their life when things are not easy - young families, a totally crap economic climate meaning some have lost their jobs or aren't getting on like they'd like to, or are having to work stupid hours. But the way they are, and the way they respond to these things - is fantastic. As Rudyard Kipling said, "If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same..." They all do, and they're all great fun too. Guess that's why they're my friends!!

In terms of my family, I'll start with the ones I grew up with. Very proud of the women, my Mum and my sister. They share a lot of the same character traits, they are supportive, caring, value the important things in life and are willing to work hard and go the extra mile to do the right things and to help out their families. My Dad has had a tough year. I can't pretend it's all been plain sailing, but I'm proud of the fact that he's done his best to keep some balance and not let it all go given some of the struggles he's had in the past. He's managing to keep a level outlook and is mostly keeping his sense of humour. I hope things start to look up for him in 2010.

My brother had an absolute shocker in 2008. So I'm extremely proud of the progress he's made and the way he's handled himself in 2009. Life isn't a bed of roses yet, but it's much closer to where it should be. He's still one of the most amusing and intelligent people I know and I think the journey will be ever more onwards and upwards for him in 2010.

Next, my immediate family...

My daughter started school, is doing well. She has a real love of life and an independent spirit and determination to learn and do things that make me proud all the time. My son has completed his potty training! And he's got a great sense of humour, is incredibly loving and entertaining and a joy to be with when he's not smashing the place up. (And quite often then he still manages to make you smile even when he's being a total monster)

My wife is just amazing. She has an incredible job as a paediatric nurse, and practice educator, is a fantastic mother to her children, and, frankly, keeps the MacDonald household functioning given how useless her husband is domestically. She puts in so much effort to do extra stuff for our family; making sure the kids get opportunities to do exciting things and get out and about, going to swimming lessons, gym nippers, soft play, or whatever. Plus all the household stuff I would never remember to stay on top of, like the laundry... (Before you all think I'm completely unhelpful at home, there's some stuff I am good at! I do most of the cooking, occasional DIY, etc...). She also puts in an effort to improve herself too, reading and trying to stay fit, and she's great to her friends in a way I very much admire.

Most importantly, she is the person who I trust to tell me when I'm being a twat, and to remind me when I'm neglecting the things that are important, which I've done too much of in the past year. And we have the same values and the same outlook on life. One day we will move to a Scottish island and live the kind of life we want to, but it won't be for some time yet.

In the mean time, I need to do my best to make 2010 count! Next post will be shorter and will cover a few aims for the year.

Races in 2010

OK, I know we've got plenty of time before 2010 comes round, and I've still got a marathon to get out the way next weekend (and at least one more race after that in 2009 so I've done enough races to be eligible for my club 'grand prix')... But I can't help trying to plan ahead and decide which races to do next year.

Most of them will inevitably be within an hour or two of Edinburgh, featuring a mixture of favourite races I've run before, ones I've always wanted to do or have been recommended by others, and ones that are just easy and obvious. Plus I'll try to fit in a couple that are a bit further afield so I can coincide with visiting friends and family. Anywhere, heres what I've got to so far:

1 January - Portobello Promathon - my local race, have never managed to do it because of my wife's work, but looks like I might be able to this year

7 February - Watford half-marathon - would have been my local race when I was growing up. So know the area and have wanted to do for a while.

28 February - KB5 - Never managed this race before either. KB stands for Kings Buildings, a campus of Edinburgh University where I used to have a lot of my lectures some years ago...

7 March (tbc) - Lasswade 10 - A favourite local race, one I've done 3 times before. It's hilly and tough but beautiful country lanes and a fantastic post-race feed...

end March - Either the Deerstalker or the Alloa Half - I think these might both end up being on same weekend... I've did the Alloa half last year, and enjoyed it. Deerstalker is down in the Borders, takes place partly in the dark, includes scrambling over bales of hay, and people dress up in tweed. I think I'm edging towards the Deerstalker...!

early April - Dunbar 10K or Kingston breakfast run (16 m) - Dunbar is another beautiful local race which I've only done once before. Kingston would be if I wanted to coordinate with a trip to London to visit friends...

18 April - Edinburgh half-marathon - local and easy. Past experience says it's the worst organised race anywhere. Usually a total shambles. But feel obliged to do it every year anyway in the hope that one year they'll finally get it right!

late May - Balerno Rigg race - usually a Monday night, uphill for 3 miles then downhill for 3 miles. Very nice race I did for first time last year

late May - Black Rock 5 - over in Fife on a Friday evening, you run along sand to a tidal island near Kinghorn. Free pint for all race finishers!

20 June - Seven Hills of Edinburgh - total killer, but everyone raves about this race. I've yet to do it. As you'd guess from the title, you go up each of the seven hills of Edinburgh, including castle hill, calton hill, corstorphine, blackford, arthur's seat, etc. Just short of 20 miles, with hills. Nice!

23 June? - Red Moss Revolution - midweek trail race in Pentland hills near Edinburgh. Total midge-fest but another local favourite...

end July - whatever local race they have on in Stromness shopping week - I'll be in Stromness, Orkney, on holiday anyway and there's usually a town race on that I'll want to do

Random summer hill races - most of the Borders towns have a local town or hill race as part of their annual festival week. They're always cheap, fun, community races.

early August - Haddington half - keep meaning to do this one

late September - Linlithgow 10K - another local(ish) race that I've never managed to do. Will try harder next year!

24 October - Jedburgh half-marathon - down in the Borders, another one that people seem to like that I've never managed to make it to. Gonna try and rectify that next year!

There's bound to be a couple of others, from cross-country schedules that haven't yet been publicised, or from whichever races the club decides on for its championship schedule.

And there will probably be a marathon in there at some point in the year too... more on that in my next post!

On my way

Just a very quick post before heading off on my holly-pops.

Have had an absolutely mental past 2 weeks at work but things have been going brilliantly, I am enjoying the challenge and my team are fabulous...  Work has not left nearly enough time for other stuff though and I am very much looking forward to getting away and spending some time with my beautiful family out on Barra and Harris. 

With immaculate timing Peter from Portobello Running Club has today posted a report from the Harris half marathon last weekend.  It includes various pictures of amazing scenery - skip over the writing if you're not interested in running race reports....  

And if the weather is half as good while we're there I will be one hell of a happy man...

Here's a link: http://www.portobellorunners.co.uk/harris09.htm

And when I get back we will be into August in Edinburgh... which is always amazing.  The week I'm back I'll be out Tuesday night catching up with an old work colleague, Wednesday night with friends at Andrew Maxwell (comedian) on first night of fringe, Thursday lunch catching up with Director of Venture Scotland on next wave of proposed Marketing and Comms activity, doing a 10K over the Forth Road bridge and back on the Sunday, and then a bunch more shows, plays and so on the following week.

So generally it is all tip-top tickety-boo!  As my old pal Stevie used to say, "I am spanking YOW"... (I think it was a good thing)