Monday 21 July - No running, stuffed with the cold.

Tuesday 22 July - Flying back from Florida, no running.

Wednesday 23 July - Stuffed with the cold, jet-lagged and back at work. No running.

Thursday 24 July - Coughed and spluttered my way round a 53 min run at Locherwood with Dave and Stevie. Head felt strange with the jet-lag. Destroyed by Dave 'I'm not fit' Mewse. Stevie got lost! 6 miles.

Friday 25 July - 43min Run from work at lunchtime up to Overtoun House and on to moor at back. Absolutely knackered. 5 miles.

Saturday 26 July - Persuaded to go for a run at Locherwood / Muirshiel by Dave which included 2 trips to the top of Craig Minnan and 2 trips to the top of Windy Hill. Still suffering and spent the run hanging on to Dave. 89 mins. 10 miles.

Sunday 27 July - Does everyone else get days when their body doesn't want to know about running? Went for a stagger round Houston House Woods from the house. Must still be suffering from the cold, jet-lag and old age. 42mins 5 miles.

Total for week 26 miles

Monday - Fartlek on the cycle track. 3mins, 5mins, 7mins, 7mins, 5mins, 3mins all with 2 mins recovery. Felt okay and tried to run a bit easier. 10 miles.

Tuesday - Run on paths and country at Overtoun from work at lunchtime. 50mins, about 6 miles.

Wednesday - 1hr 30mins run on paths at lunchtime from work. 10 miles. (So much for an easy week before the West District XC Champs)

Thursday - Track session. Did 5 x 300m plus warm-up and cool-down. 4 miles.

Friday - Easy 30mins on the path alongside the River Leven at Dumbarton. 4 miles.

Saturday - West District XC Champs. Good run at last! 35mins 22secs. 6 miles plus warm-up and cool-down. Total 9 miles.

Sunday - Recovery run over Marshall Moor course. 6 miles.

Total - 49 miles

Monday - Club Christmas Handicap. Ran 24.00 for 4.2miles. Slower than last time I ran the course 2 years ago. I suppose it was a bit slippy underfoot and I had run the Vets Handicap Race the day before. Total - 7 miles including warm-up and cool-down.

Tuesday - 45 minutes steady run on (hilly) paths and tracks at Overtoun from work at lunchtime. 6 miles.

Wednesday - 65 minutes on (hilly) paths and tracks to west of Vale of Leven. Had a bit of a sore throat. 9 miles.

Thursday - Track session at Linwood track. The session was 20 x 400m with 45 secs recovery. I only managed 5 of them and then had to drop out. Felt grim and hate dropping out of a session. Dave did point out to me yesterday that trying to run them all at 76 secs was too fast so I think I should have eased back a bit and run them in 78 - 80 secs each and I would have done more if not all of them. A lesson learnt? Ran 10 laps of the stadium on the grass after. Total including warm-up and cool-down 6 miles.

Friday - Went out for a steady 40 minute (6 miles) run with head torch on paths round Houston at 7am as it was the work Christmas night out. A night out with a difference - it was organised by one of my colleagues, Gillian who's the West Dunbartonshire Countryside Ranger, and involved a walk over the 'Stoneymullen' from Balloch to Cardross. It was very cold and misty but perfect walking for the 4 of us who did the walk. We finished in the dark at 5pm and landed in the hotel in Cardross for a superb meal with the rest of our colleagues who'd wimped out of the walk. Brilliant!

Saturday - 40 minutes run at Locherwood with Dave. Didn't feel too great - I'm definitely fighting an infection. 5 miles.

Sunday - Marshall Moor Race. Started on my own 5 minutes behind 6 of the others who all went off together. Chased them all down except Dave who ran very well. Not sure if I pushed myself hard enough over the first part of the course through Glentyan Woods, but it's always difficult to do this on your own when the others are all racing one another. Anyway did a fairly good time and was fastest in 46mins 16 secs which is as good as I've ever run the course. I'll never beat my pb as the course is longer now due to a plantation which has now grown up and blocks the direct route near the summit. A wonderful race on a superb day! Total 7 miles including warm-up. (Didn't do a cool down as it was cool enough!).

Total for the week - 46 miles.

Monday - Fartlek session on cycletrack at 10.00am (yes 10am on Christmas Eve!!!) with Snoddy, Hayley and John McMillan (see below) 3 x (6mins 40secs (3mins recovery) + 3mins 20 secs (90secs recovery)) + 2 x 2mins (1 min recovery) + 1 x 1min. Total 35 mins fast running ('cos someones started her build-up for the London Marathon). Absolutely knackered at the end, but I suppose I did the Marshall Moor Race the day before. 11 miles

Tuesday - 40mins on mill lade between Crosslee and Bridge or Weir (hoped to have an easy run but bumped into Dave Mewse so had to increase the pace to keep up). 5 miles

Wednesday - Boxing Day Relay. Did 9mins 6secs for 1.6 miles. Ran okay, nothing special. Total including warm-up and cool-down 5 miles.

Thursday - Steady cross country run on paths and grass round Houston. Felt grim - just as well the track's closed today so I can't be given my weekly humiliation. 40 mins 5 1/2 miles.

Friday - Steady (hilly) run from work on paths and tracks. 65 mins Got a sore throat. Groan. 9 miles.

Saturday - Steady run on paths and tracks round Houston. Green bogeys in throat. Double groan. 35 mins 5 miles.

Sunday - Steady run on mill lade again. Throat not too bad but struggled badly. 40 mins 5 1/2 miles. Also having trouble with old back injury. Don't want to hurt it as it usually means no running for 8 weeks. Not caused by running but bad posture (ie at this time of year lounging in front of the TV watching rubbish). Tomorrow's 11 mile Hogmany Handicap's going to be fun!!

Total - 46 miles.

Question posed by Monday's running experience - do Snoddy, Hayley and John ask me to run with them for any of the following reasons? Answers on a post card to me -

a. I am so far behind them it makes them feel good to know there's someone who's so bad at running?

b. They give me a small start on each rep. Is this so they can practice overtaking people during a race?

c. They feel sorry for me and reckon I need the training?

d. They just want a laugh?

Monday 31 December. Was going to run in the club Hogmany Handicap but my back didn't feel very good during my warm up so I decided at the last minute not to run. I reckoned that 10.5 miles on the road might damage it. Hate not racing but sometimes common sense does prevail. Probably covered 2 miles during the warm-up.

Tuesday 1 January. Went for a run at my parent's house which is beside Garscube Estate (where the Glasgow Uni and Nigel Barge road races are held). Headed out to do an easy run fully prepared to cut back if my back got sore. However it was fine after a few slight twinges in the first mile so I ended up doing 65 mins off-road run round Cairnhill Woods, Dawsholm and Garscube. Probably covered 8 miles.

Wednesday 2 January. Fartlek session on roads round Houston. 10 x 2 mins (1 min jog recovery) 15 mins warm up and 15 mins cool down. Back fine after a couple of twinges just after I started. 9 miles.

Thursday 3 January. Long hilly cross country run at Overtoun from work at lunchtime in blizzard. 65 mins. 8 miles.

Friday 4 January. Steady multi-terrain run from work at lunch time. 45 mins 6 miles.

Saturday 5 January. Nigel Barge 10k Road Race Good run on tough course in foul weather. Started steadily and pulled through. Did 35mins 44 secs and got 1st M50 prize!. 1 1/2 mile warm up and 2 1/2 mile cool down. 10 miles.

Sunday 6th January. Orienteering race in Pollok Park. 33mins plus 15 mins warm up. Probably covered 6 miles.

Total for week 49 miles

Monday 14 January - Easy 40 minute cross country run from work at lunchtime. Left thigh really sore. 5 miles

Tuesday 15 January - same as Monday but thigh a bit better. 5 miles

Wednesday 16 January - 62 minute cross country run from work at lunchtime. Went past Overtoun House and above Lang Craigs. Thigh a bit better but still sore. 7 miles.

Thursday 17 January - Rest, thigh really sore.

Friday 18 January - Rest, thigh sore.

Saturday 19 January - Rest but thigh getting a lot better. (Please note that it's not in my nature to have a rest, so things must have been pretty bad!)

Sunday 20 January - Went to club cross country champs. Ran round course as a warm-up and decided to go for it as thigh not too bad. Went fairly fast on first lap then eased off on 2nd and 3rd laps as no-one close to me. Leg not too bad. Lap of course as cool down. 9 miles. Thigh still a bit stiff now but not in pain. Looks like my gamble paid off (famous last words!). Finished 2nd, but where were all the other club members? There's no way a 50 year old should be coming 2nd (and I won the race last year) in the club cross country champs. Let's have a better turn-out next year. Come on and support your club. You will all be going out for a run anyway, so why not do a few laps of Milliken Estate and support the club?

Total for week - 26 miles.

Can someone else please put their weekly training on the web site - I'm getting fed up reading about my own training!

Monday 21 January - Farlek session at the club on the cycle track. Left thigh sore so I ran as best as I could, but managed to do reasonably. Tam Anderson running very well! 9 miles.

Tuesday 22 January - Steady 45min cross country run from work up to Overtoun. Tired. 6 miles.

Wednesday 23 January - Long run at lunchtime from work along River Leven on varying surfaces. 12 miles (Got absolutely soaked and covered in mud. Get a lot of strange looks when I stagger back into the office building in that state!)

Thursday 24 January - Weekly humiliation at the track session at Linwood. Thigh still a bit stiff but was running quite well. Giving the youngsters a lot of practice in overtaking someone (they give me a start on each of the reps and go flying past me). Managed 4 x (1,200m (2mins) + 400m (1min)). Times not too fast but it was very windy. Coach John said the track was 3 seconds a lap slower because of the wind (I was doing the 1,200m reps in 4min 12secs and the 400m reps in 80secs), so I was running well if you take the 3 secs per lap off. Total 7 miles.

Friday 25 January - Easy 45min run at Balloch Castle Country Park. Absolutely knackered and thigh sore after track session. 5 miles?

Saturday 26 January - Urban orienteering race in Edinburgh in the Old Town round the Royal Mile etc. Superb race running in and out of the alley ways that cover the area, dodging the traffic and hordes of tourists while trying to navigate. Legs heavy and thigh a bit stiff (probably still had the track session in my legs) but did okay. Made a couple of map reading errors. 7 miles including warm-up.

Sunday 27 January - Back to Edinburgh for the South of Scotland Orienteering League race at Holyrood Park. Course only 7km as the crow flies but ran much further, also 1,500 ft of climb in the course and it was really windy. Didn't feel too lively but got stuck in and did quite well. Thigh getting better slowly but surely. Say 7 miles.

Total for week 53 miles

Monday 28 January - Fartlek session with the club 10 miles. Thigh still a bit sore but okay.

Tuesday 29 January - Easy 40 min cross country run from work. 5 miles.

Wednesday 30 January - Steady 1hr 45min hilly run on tracks and paths at lunch time. Probably covered about 12 miles.

Thursday 31 January - Track session at Linwood in torrential rain and very strong winds. 12 x 400m. Really struggled, and not just because of the wind and rain. 5 miles

Friday 1 February - Steady 50min run from work at lunchtime on roads and paths. Knackered! 6 miles.

Saturday 2 February - Training with orienteering club in Pollok Park. 50 mins in woods, probably ran about 6 miles.

Sunday 3 February - Renfrewshire 5 miles Road Race Champs. Very windy. Felt very tired and sluggish, but ran okay 2nd half of the race. 8 miles total including warm up and cool down.

Total for week - 52 miles. Need an easy recovery next week before the National Vets Cross Country Champs.

Monday 11 February - Fartlek session on the cycle track with the club. Still very tired from the Vets Cross Country Champs on Saturday so stayed in the middle of the pack. Some of these guys can shift! 10 miles.

Tuesday 12 February - 75 mins on paths and tracks. Felt okay. 10 miles.

Wednesday 13 February - 40 mins hilly run from work at lunchtime on paths and tracks. 5 miles?

Thursday 14 February - Track session at Linwood track. Did 8 x 1,000m. Really pleased with my times. Ran them in 3mins 23secs each. It helped having someone to run with as Kerry was running at more or less the same speed as me so we took it in turn to lead (thanks Kerry!). Total 8 miles.

Friday 15 February - Easy run along mill lade between Crosslee and Bridge of Weir. 5 miles.

Saturday 16 February - Steady 45min run at Locherwood. Hardly recognised some of it due to the felling as I haven't been up there for a while. 5 miles.

Sunday 17 February - Round the Houses 10k at Grangemouth. Ran 35mins 54secs. The course is as flat as it gets and has very few turns in it, and okay today was very cold and it is usually a bit windy but I never seem to run fast times. Today was a pb for me on this course and I won the 1st M50 prize so I shouldn't complain, but on other courses such as Clydebank and Dumbarton I can run a minute faster. 9 miles including warm up and cool down.

Total for week 52 miles.

Must have an easy week as it's the National XC on Saturday.

Monday 18 February - Fartlek on cycle track with club. Only did first 2 reps as tired from yesterday's 10k and National XC coming up. 45mins, say 6 miles.

Tuesday 19 February - Easy 30 mins cross country run from work at lunchtime. 4 miles.

Wednesday 20 February - Steady run from work along paths and tracks. 40 mins, 5 miles.

Thursday 21 February - Track at Linwood, Did usual warm up and cool down plus 4 x 300m. 4 miles.

Friday 22 February - Easy 35mins run from work along cycle track in Dumbarton. 5 miles. (Someone in a large metallic light blue Peugeot beeped the horn at me and waved just as I was leaving my work in Dumbarton for a my run at 12.30. Not sure who, but apologies to whoever it was for not waving back but I couldn't see who it was, nor that they were waving, cos the sun was reflecting off the windscreen).

Saturday 23 February - National XC Champs. I had a terrible run! Not sure why - my build up was exactly the same as the week before the Vets XC Champs, but I felt awful during the race. I knew during the warm-up that I didn't feel very good, but as soon as the race started things got worse - my back and shoulders were really sore, my chest was tight and my legs felt like I had lead weights in my shoes. I thought about dropping out but managed to keep going. Not good, but I guess that's what running's about. You've got to pick yourself up after a bad race and get on with it. I was very very thirsty after the race and drank a huge amount of water, (decaffeinated) tea and juice. Maybe I was de-hydrated? I had a bit of a sore throat during the week before the race, maybe it was that? Was I too nervous before the race (yes I still get a bit nervous before races after all these years)? Was it the 'Round the Houses' 10k on the Sunday before - I did the Renfrewshire Road Race Champs 6 days before the National Vets XC and was fine? Is 11 races this year too many for an old git like me? Anyway, the wife took me to Pizza Hut in the evening to try and cheer me up, where I threw chicken wings, a Medium pizza and a large piece of cheese cake down my neck. Brilliant! 10 miles including warm up and cool down.

Sunday 24 February - Had to collect younger daughter from an orienteering training weekend at Aberfoyle, so went up there early and went for a long steady run along undulating forests roads in the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park to the south west of the town. Legs a bit heavy but took it steady. I remember I ran from Aberfoyle along these roads through the forest, then up to the top of Ben Lomond, then down to the hotel at Rowardennan. I seem to remember Sandy Ross, Dave Mewse and Andy Costigan ran with me? I think there may a 'Donald's Still For for Nothing at 51' run coming up this summer. You've been warned! 75 mins 10 miles.

Total for week - 44 miles

Now the winter road / cross country season's over, I'm going to concentrate on orienteering through March and April (and will probably do an occasional road race to keep the legs turning over).

Monday 25 February - Fartlek session on the cycle track with athletic club. 10 x 3mins with 1 min jog recovery. Ran the first 4 steady then pushed it. Felt okay. 10 miles including warm-up and cool-down.

Tuesday 26 February - Steady multi-terrain run from work at lunchtime. 45 mins 6 miles?

Wednesday 27 February - Managed along to the club for a steady road run. First Wednesday evening club run for a couple of years. Ran okay, nothing special. 10 1/2 miles?

Thursday 28 February - Couldn't manage up to the track as I had an evening meeting with the local branch of the NFUS in Dumbarton. Was hoping to do a hill session but the sore throat and green bogeys in the throat were back again. Ran from Milton to the summit of Brown Hill and back on tracks. 50 minutes 6 miles? (plus 1,000ft of climb)

Friday 29 February - At last after 3 weeks I managed to try out new Goretex jacket in foul weather. Went for a run from work at lunch time up past Overtoun House and onto the moor below Lang Craigs. 48 minutes 5 1/2 miles.

Saturday 1 March - Steady run along the mill lade to Bridge of Weir. Felt a bit grim. 5 miles.

Sunday 2 March - Scottish Orienteering League Race No 1 at Drumlanrig Castle, Thornhill. Ran quite well - steady with virtually no map reading mistakes. Managed to win my course and age group! 6 miles.

Been a roller coaster few weeks with real highs (Nigel Barge, Vets Cross Country and today) and real lows (National Cross Country), but that's running!

Total for week - 49 miles

ps solved the mystery of the driver who beeped at me last week in Dumbarton - an orienteer from Tinto Orienteering Club.

Monday 17 March - Did part of the fartlek session on the cycletrack as I was saving myself for the big orienteering race at the weekend. Felt okay. 8 miles.

Tuesday 18 March - Steady run round paths in Duntocher / Clydebank at lunchtime. Sore throat back again. 30mins, 4 miles.

Wednesday 19 March - Easy 3 mile run on grass near Duntocher. Felt grim.

Thursday 20 March - Easy run along mill lade from Crosslee to Bridge of Weir. Felt better. 35mins, 5 miles.

Friday 21 March - Jan Kjellstrom International Orienteering Sprint Race, University of Surrey, Guildford. Ran well but made a (stupid) small mistake on one control. Finished 6th M50, but could have been 2nd. 4 miles including warm-up and cool down.

Saturday 22 March - Jan Kjellstrom International Orienteering Individual Race Day 1, Leith Hill, Guildford. Ran really well but lost 3 mins on control No 2. Finished 4th M50. Weather really cold and windy. 8 miles including warm-up (no cool down as it was snowing when I finished)

Sunday 23 March - Individual Race Day 2, Ashdown Forest, Royal Tunbridge Wells. A good run and finished 2nd only 29 secs behind the winner of Day 2. Was 4th overall M50 in the 2 day individual race, only 20 seconds behind 3rd place. So near but so far. Weather really foul. Ran the first half of the course in a blizzard. 7 miles including warm up.

Total for week - 39 miles.

Monday 24 March - Relay Race, Elridge Old Park, Royal Tunbridge Wells. Ran first leg for our senior men's team. Lined up with the top teams from the UK and a few good overseas teams. Ran well and finished half way down but lack the speed for this. I guess I was about 20 years older than anyone else running leg 1 and probably the rest of the field! Managed to finish before the blizzard started. 6 miles including warm-up.

I need to be more disciplined and aggressive at orienteering races (and more confident?) as I am so nearly at the top but not quite. I think I have the running sorted (with thanks to all at the club who help by running with me and encouraging me) but I need to stop making these map reading mistakes. 

Monday 24 March - Relay Race, Elridge Old Park, Royal Tunbridge Wells. Ran first leg for our senior men's team. Lined up with the top teams from the UK and a few good overseas teams. Ran well and finished half way down but lack the speed for this. I guess I was about 20 years older than anyone else running leg 1 and probably the rest of the field! Managed to finish before the blizzard started. 6 miles including warm-up.

Tuesday 25 March - Off work so went for an easy recovery run round paths in Houston House Woods. 5 miles 40 mins.

Wednesday 26 March - Had to check some work being carried out on a path in the hills above Overtoun House so ran up at lunch time. Felt okay. 7 miles. 60mins.

Thursday 27 March - Tried to do the track session at Linwood but sore throat back again. Managed 12 x 400m when lack of breath, sore throat, old age and lack of talent forced a stop. 6 miles including warm up and cool down.

Friday 28 March - Steady run from work at lunch time along sea-front from Dumbarton towards Cardross. Throat sore. 50 mins 7 miles.

Saturday 29 March - Had to work today (groan). Went for a steady run round Houston House Woods afterwards. Struggled. Throat really sore. 50mins. 6 miles.

Sunday 30 March - Infection now in chest so went for easy run along mill lade from Crosslee to Bridge of Weir. 40mins 5 miles. Must see a doctor and try and get this shifted (and stop the wife nagging at me!) Not looking too good for the 6 Stage Relays on Saturday.

Total for week - 42 miles 

Monday 7 April - Managed the club fartlek session. Ran steady throughout, nothing too special. Suffering from sore throat. 9 miles.

Tuesday 8 April - Steady cross country run from work at lunchtime up the hill past Overtoun House. Pretty tired. 5 miles 40 mins.

Wednesday 9 April - Had to check some footpaths in the Kilpatricks for work so decided to run round. Not sure how far but I was out for 1 hour 45 mins. Started at the north end of the Erskine Bridge and ran up the track to Loch Humphrey then west towards Dumbarton, then back east north of Loch Humphrey then to Greenside Reservoir then back to the west to the track back down the hill. At a guess 12 miles plus a lot of climb.

Thursday 10 April - Couldn't face the track session so went out with the girls group on the roads. Got left behind by Dave Mewse and Stevie Hards. 12 x 1min on with 1 min recovery. 7 miles.

Friday 11 April - Steady run along the mill lade to Bridge of Weir and back via Houstonhead Dam. 5 miles 38 mins.

Saturday 12 April - 51min run at the Knapps near Kilmacolm. Wonderful run round lots of hills and over a variety of terrain. 7 miles.

Sunday 13 April - David Cummings 7 miles road race. Ran okay but struggled on the hills, especially the hill just before the cross roads! 42mins 30secs. Fairly average time - I did run 39mins 36secs for this race in 1984! 9 miles including warm-up.

Total for week 54 miles.

A bit more than I wanted given that I am trying to get over my throat infection. An easy week coming up for next week as I have the British Orienteering Championships next weekend at Culbin Forest near Forres. The individual race on the Saturday and relay on the Sunday where I'm running 1st leg for our M40 team.

Another reminder about the best race in the Scottish Fixtures - The Black Rock 5 will be taking place on Friday 2nd May at Kinghorn. See www.blackrock5.org 

Monday 12 May - Fartlek on the cycletrack with the club. 10 x 3mins with 90secs recovery. Really tired after the 2 races at the weekend and struggled a bit, especially in the first few reps. No way I could keep up with Tam. 10 miles.

Tuesday 13 May - Steady run from work at lunchtime up to Lang Crags. 40mins 5 miles

Wednesday 14 May - Ran from the office in Dumbarton to the top of Doughnot Hill via Black Linn Reservoir and back. 70mins, 8 miles (and over 1,000ft climb!) Felt quite good and lovely weather.

Thursday 15 May - Track session at Linwood. Ran over from the house in 12mins and back via Linwood Moss 24mins. 12 x 400m with 45 secs recovery. Ran them in 78secs each which was okay but didn't feel to great. Put to shame by Kerry who ran them all 2 seconds faster than me and she did 16 reps. Total 8 miles.

Friday 16 May - Ran from work up to Overtoun House then up towards the Crags, round the back of the Black Wood and back to the office via Maryland Farm. Partly for work as they were looking for someone to check on some claimed illegal tipping at Maryland Farm and wanted some photos of the site. Strange how a light-weight camera in your hand seems to slow you down. Lucky if it was 5 miles but rough going in places and a lot of climb through 2 steep ravines (especially hard work after a track session).

Saturday 17 May - Long run at Locherwood up to Craig Minnan then on to the hills, heather and bogs beyond. 80mins, 9 miles. Lovely run only partly spoiled by being attacked by 3 dogs not far from the car park. When the owner eventually caught them all, I pointed out that she obviously didn't have control over her dogs, and as it was the lambing season, and the ground-nesting bird season, and there were other people about, her dogs should really be on leads. Her response was that she didn't need to have control over her dogs as it was the countryside! Doh!

Sunday 18 May - Went to Ladies 10k to watch the wife and eldest daughter running. Spotted a few ladies from the club running so shouted at them as well. Michael and Donald Kennedy were also there as well - not sure why? Went for a run along the mill lade to Bridge of Weir, round Houstonhead Dam and back then a lap round Craigends. 60mins, 8 miles. A bit tired.

Total for week - 53 miles

Easy week next week as it's the Scottish Orienteering Championships at Kinloch Rannoch this weekend - the Individual race on Saturday and the Relay on Sunday.

Does anyone still read this drivel?

Monday 19 May - Did part of the club fartlek as I had the Scottish Orienteering Championships coming up at the weekend. Felt okay. 15mins warm up then 2 x 5mins with 2mins recovery, then 25mins steady run back to the school. Total 52mins 7 miles

Tuesday 20 May - Ran up to Overtoun from work at lunchtime. A bit of a sore throat so took it easy. 30mins, 4miles.

Wednesday 21 May - Couldn't get out at lunchtime as I had to go to a meeting. Steady off-road run round Houston after work 45mins, 6miles.

Thursday 22 May - Easy run up to Overtoun from work at lunchtime. Struggled a bit! 30mins 4 miles.

Friday 23 May - Easy run along the mill lade to Bridge of Weir and back. Okay 36mins, 5 miles.

Saturday 24 May - Scottish Orienteering Championships, Tullochroisk, Kinloch Rannoch. Didn't run very well - legs heavy and sluggish and made a few small map reading errors, but managed to finished 2nd on the M50 course only 1 min down on leader as everyone else seemed to be struggling as well! Really pleased. 20mins warm up, 56mins race and 10mins cool down Total 86mins, 7 miles

Sunday 25 May - Scottish Relay Orienteering Championships, Tullochroisk, Kinloch Rannoch. Ran 3rd leg for our vets team. Set off in the lead with a 1 1/2 min gap to 3 chasing teams. managed to hold them all off so we won. A good weekend. 15mins warm up, 22mins race and 10mins cool down, 5 miles

Total for week 38 miles

Feel really tired so need a few easy days before the Clydebank 10k on Thursday. Also left thigh a bit sore (hurt this for the first time ever in January) and right calf which cramped in the middle of Sunday night (also for the first time ever). Old age I think? 

Monday 26 May - Steady 40 min run round Houston on paths and grass. 5 1/2 miles.

Tuesday 27 May - Steady 50min run from work at lunchtime. Starting to feel ill - another cold on its way. Groan. 6 miles.

Wednesday 28 May - Went out for a very easy 30min jog from the house. Felt grim. 3 1/2 miles

Thursday 29 May - Was supposed to be running in the Clydebank 10k Road Race today but too ill to contemplate running. Shame as I've run under 35 mins for this race in the last 2 years.

Friday 30 May - Not well today. No running.

Saturday 31 May - Had to work at the Drymen Show today from 8.30am to 6.30pm. Great show but I felt really grim. Hard work being on your feet all day in the heat talking to the public. No running again.

Sunday 1 June - Still ill. No running. Spent the day in front of the TV watching rubbish - not like me so I must be ill!

Total for week 15 miles

Time to see the doctor as I think I need to get better before I try and start training again. This is my third bad cold this year so I'm obviously fighting an infection. I don't think I'll be running at the Dumbarton 10k on Thursday - again a good fast course where I ran under 35mins last year. 

Monday 9 June - Intervals on the cycletrack with club - 5min (2min), 5min (2min), 2min (1min), 4min (2min), 4min (2min), 2min (1min), 3min (2min), 3min (2min), 2min. Felt very sluggish and unfit after my enforced lay-off, but think I ran okay. 9 miles 70 mins

Tuesday 10 June - Multi-terrain run from work at lunchtime up to Overtoun. Legs shot after Monday run! 40mins 5 miles

Wednesday 11 June - Ran to Doughnot Hill via Black Linn Reservoir from work at lunchtime. Legs still complaining but ran quite well. Great to be able to get to run in places like this during my lunch break. 7miles, 1,000 feet of climb. 63mins.

Thursday 12 June - Ran to Linwood track and back 13 mins each way. Track session 6 x 1,000m. Ran okay, did them in 3min 30secs each which was okay but a bit slower than usual, lack of speedwork over the past few weeks plus it was windy. 7miles

Friday 13 June - Easy run from work at lunchtime up to Overtoun. Legs knackered after track session. 33mins 4 miles

Saturday 14 June - Steady off-road run to Houston House Woods and back via a new route as my usual route is now too overgrown. Even after living in and running round Houston for the past 25 years I can still find new routes. 45mins 6 miles

Sunday 15 June - I decided today that my life sucks at the moment! My father and step mother invited the family round for a meal on Friday evening. During the meal they announced that they and one of my brothers who still lives there had gone down with this summer vomiting bug that's doing the rounds and had all been very ill with it. Sure enough at 4am on Sunday morning my younger daughter was sick and proceeded to be sick for the rest of the day. I was running in an orienteering race at Devilla Forest beside Kincardine. My guts were a bit sore but I thought that would be it and I'd be able to run okay. However as the race went on I felt worse and worse. When I finished I felt really grim and was well down the field. By the time I got home at 4pm I had to go straight to bed and spent the next 2 1/2 days in bed being horribly ill. My daughter has spent 3 days in bed, one of my other brothers and his wee boy who were also at the meal have also been ill. I think it will be a few days before I'm running again.  I'm part of John Kynaston's support team for the West Highland Way Race on Saturday. I managed to speak to him and Stevie Hards, John's other support runner, yesterday evening and have decided that I will be able to drive the support vehicle round but Stevie will have to do all the support running this year unless I improve dramatically.This is the 4th time I've been ill this year, so things can only get better. 56mins plus 20mins warm up. 7 miles

Total: 45 miles 

Monday 16 July - Ill in bed

Tuesday 17 July - Ill in bed

Wednesday 18 July - Out of bed. Lounged about the house watching rubbish on TV.

Thursday 19 July - Back to work, still a bit shaky.

Friday 20 July - No running, still recovering.

Saturday 21 July - Felt okay. Ran with John K over Devil's Staircase into Kinlochleven in WHW Race, a couple of miles at Lundavra, and then a couple at Fort William. All steady except for last mile into Fort William which was a bit faster! Total 10miles approx.

Sunday 22 July - 30mins run with Stevie in Glen Nevis. 4 1/2 miles. A bit tired.

Total  14.5 miles