Quebec training week 6

The heat continues in Bella Scotia.  If anyone is any doubt that #scotlandisnow they just need to be here.  The beaches are amazing, the wildlife is out and the mood is one of intense optimism.  Just like my training at the moment.

There are comments appearing on FB running pages about the heat and how it is hampering training I have news for you there is always a way.  I hate running in the heat but you do everything possible to make it comfortable and safe.

Run when its cooler this may not always be at the beginning or end of the day there might be a cool patch at some other time.  Stay hydrated.  Carry water with you, 0r cash to buy some.  Run in loops sp you can rehydrate when required.

Embrace the heat!!!

Anyway how did this weeks training go?  Really good as it happens.  More running miles than planned more cross training than planned and more weight lost!

Total miles run was 23.6 miles with 1100 feet of climbing.  My intervals have increased from 400’s to 800’s and the long run is 12.5 miles.

Biking 120 miles with 6000 ft of climb.

1 core class and 3 yoga classes.

Training for the Great Wall of China marathon.

A-Z G=Great wall of China Marathon.

If you have thought about this race you may have searched you tube and watched the videos, googled sites and looked at timings or searched for blogs of previous runners in the event.  All will have told you the same thing its a hard event not to be taken lightly although, by some of the videos some have and crashed and burned!

In my mind the wall presents two basic problems first and foremost the steps and secondly marathon pace.  How do you train for 5000+ steps in a 6k stretch?  In my case I began running more and more often on a local coastal path, The Fife Coastal Path, heading East from my hometown there are several large flight of steps one in particular near the Harbourmasters House in Dysart.  Seventy three, uneven stone steps of different sizes excellent practice.  Reps it is then!!

How do you calculate marathon pace?  I didn’t even try.  I am using  standard marathon trg programme with the following changes: I limited speed work to 100m pick ups every week and with seven weeks to go have started doing a track session every week.  LSD runs are even slower than normal and with extra layers on to get more time on my feet and try to simulate running in the heat. Of course the plans of mice and man as they say.  We will have to wait and see how things go on the day!

A long run on the Fife Coastal Path

A point to point long run is so much better than running in loops and it was with that in mind that i decided to hop on a train on Saturday and go to North Queensferry and run home to Kirkcaldy approx 20 miles.

An early rise, breakfast of toast and jam a beetroot and a cup of tea and I was off for the 07:26 train.  Forecast was for high winds and rain so I packed an extra layer and a pair of waterproof trousers in my camelbak.  Also in my pack I had rice cakes spread with peanut butter my nutrition plan was to stop every 5 miles and have a rice cake and peanut butter sandwich fluid was water only.

Train arrd just before 9 and I set off down the hill heading for the water.  The FCP is in general well signed and you need to make a sharp left turn coming down the hill to get on it.  At NQ you are right underneath the iconic Forth rail bridge an amazing view if you have not been up close to it before.

Gloomy morning



The first  part of the trail is uphill on a bouldery  well defined and used path towards an old quarry and nature reserve.  On the cliff is a modern home totally out of place but designed to make use of the light and view.

It is not long and you are rounding the point and coming into Inverkeithing not a pretty sight at first but as you head into the village some old buildings come into view and it’s obvious that at some point in history Inverkeithing was more than an overspill from Edinburgh and a rail stop. The nutrition plan had failed me on this occasion and with just 2 miles in I popped into a shop and bought a mars bar which I nibbled on like a wee field mouse for about the next 10 miles!  Necessity? Crutch? Placebo?  Leaving Inverkeithing you come to a long flat straight and with the wind at my back this was prob the fastest stretch of the whole day such a shame it was so short!

The commuter village of Dalgety bay then comes into view with St Davids Harbour, Downing Point and Donibristle bay all forming this part of the coast.  At this point I stopped for my first rice cake.  Five miles in and the forecasted wind and rain was begining to make an appearance.  I could see across the bay to Braefoot Point and ships at the marine terminal getting loaded with thier cargo.  I set off again, the path hugging the coastline past “the” beach where all the problems with radioactive waste have surfaced, excuse the pun!  Up a slight rise to St Bridgets Church.



You then head along a wide tarmaced path which takes you towards Braefoot Bay terminal and Aberdour.  You run through some of the village and then back down towards the shore following the signs takes you to a narrow steep staircase not recc with bikes which brings you out at a plateau above Hawkcraig Point  you then descend  and follow the path leading to Silversands.  Leaving Aberdour the rain came on heavier than previously and I sought shelter at 10 miles for another rice cake and the last of the mars bar.  Under the railway  and towards Burntisland past a lovely wee waterfall  and onward into the second “industrial” village  on the route.Heavily industrialised at one time, the dock area is still very much an eyesore  but the path along past the leisure centre and beach is pleasent.  At the end of this there is an option to take a low tide route this cuts out a boring road section luckily the tide was out and I managed to get along the sand from Burntisland to Kighorn beach.  At the beach the small cafe was open and I purchased a cup of tea to have with my third and final rice cake sandwich.  Fifteen miles in and although slightly cold my legs were fine and it was brightening up!

Time for the final push from Kinghorn to Kirkcaldy.  This is a section I have ran on many times and although scenic it does tend to be muddy and is quite undulating, but feeling good and with a spring in my step the milees were eaten up and I was soon  approaching  Kirkcaldy prom and home.  

Distance-20 miles Av pace-9:39 Climb-1557ft Time-3:13