Hello - hope everyone is well - is it as windy everywhere as it is up here today? It?s very breezy.
Hi to ibbydibby ? welcome to the thread. I go up a size and ½ in my trainers and try not to tumble dry my running socks ? it always makes them shrink hugely.
Well done also to sungirltan - great PB!
Driving - did I read somewhere you are getting a Garmin? 
Shoes for me are Brooks too.
Anyway, did my Race for Life this morning ? had a great time. I was still feeling tired after last weekend and decided to keep with 2 of my friends doing the race (there were 4 of us doing it but 1 is Mrs Speedy McSpeedy) . One had a baby 6 months ago and one started running in January and they asked me to pace them to try and get round in 30 mins. Was happy to run with them and it was good fun running and not worrying about my own time.
The run was in the grounds of Stirling University which is in a lovely setting ? views of the Wallace (For Freedom!/Braveheart ) Monument and Ochill Hills. When we arrived it was pouring down, then sun then rain again. Then the sun came out for the race. As always with these things there was a very enthusiastic aerobics instructor leading the warm up - I?ve learnt from experience to do my own thing otherwise I end up knackered after the warm up.
There were some fabulous costumes ? loads of pink wigs and fairy wings. It?s always so touching reading the back of everyone?s T Shirts at a Race for Life, both those ?in memory of ....? and those ? in celebration of ....? One of the things that I was impressed with was the start was well structured in terms of runners and walkers.
So I tootled round with my friends ? we paced pretty steadily at 10 minute miles - a couple of wee hills, round a loch, a bit of a stoney path then round the university athletics track (very bouncey) to the finish. Picked up pace with my friend who was convinced she wouldn?t do it but we crossed the line in under 30 minutes ? if fact all 4 of us did. Time on the Garmin was 29.01 ? time on the clock was 27 BUT apparently they forgot to switch on the clock until 2 minutes had gone. D?oh. Garmin also said distance was 4.5 k so not quite 5k, but close enough for us.
I was really proud of us all. Then off for a lovely lunch and a proper catch up. I actually really enjoyed the race ? no pressure and great company.
R4L was probably my first organised running event 12 years ago ? round Authur?s seat in Edinburgh and I always enjoy it. I think it has done great things for encouraging women to run, aside from the charity aspects.
The girls are now talking about a 10k. (I think we?ll give Loch Ness a miss this year backwardpossum we reckon it would be a logistic nightmare for us all) but there is the Great Edinburgh 10k at the start of October and another Cancer Research 10k close by in the middle of October) that we will probably attempt. It will be a good sharpener for the Great South at the end of October for me as well.
So a lovely day and I now feel ready to get back into the rhythm of a training programme.