Petite Feet Runaway

  The thunder run is a bit of a party. Last year I got an entry a few weeks before and it was a good excuse to see my sister and in-laws. A few months ago we all penciled it in again as a good excuse to catch up. I waited until after the Great Glen double until getting a confirmed entry as I wanted to see whether my legs would recover enough for the full 24 hours or whether I should convince someone else to do the 12 hour with me. Ten days prior to the race, my older sister had just come out of hospital and was not going to be well enough to crew. Should I bother trying to get an entry? Yes no, yes no. Aye. With a week to go, I got an entry confirmation. Then wham, four days before the race, even worse news about my sister. After some frantic early morning packing and some emergency flights to Brighton booked, my giant Nathan pack was left in Edinburgh full of running gear with a huge 'MAYBE' sign plastered on it. I did not know what the right decision was. I did ...

Insanity is a relative term. Ultra runners often get called insane because people confuse it with dedication, hard work and sacrifice. Sometimes ideas are insane to us at one point in our lives and then become less insane later. Deciding to run the Great Glen Way twice was a bit like that; insane at first because there was nothing to prove I could do it. There was no special training, just excitement for an idea. In the lead up it became normal as it was just something I was going to be doing. I'll confess that after about 100 miles it started to feel a bit crazy again. It would be both the longest I had run for and the furthest I had run. I kept it pretty quiet; no point getting any congratulations until it was completed. The Great Glen Way has some stunning views so surely it would be a pleasure seeing them twice right?! Every wee adventure should be preceded by an event which tests your patience, mood and relationship. This is to build resilience and serve as a good story to t...

Late 2014 Scott and our friend Ally have been running in the Pentlands. I have been at work. Now they are at the pub. I get a call from Scott saying that they are having another pint and is currently being talked into running a marathon in Cowness next June with Ally and Norm. Cowness? I've seen quite a bit of Scotland but haven't heard of it. Turns out it's Kaunas; a city in Lithuania. Cheap hotels, cheap beer and sunshine. I text asking if I can come. They don't really want a girl crashing their lad's weekend but I make a persuasive argument (mostly about my awesomeness) and am accepted. Since returning, I look at people smugly when they ask where Kaunas is. Err, Lithuania. No, not the capital. That's Vilnius. Yes, I went there too. Yeah, I've always been really into geography.   June 2015   Scotland's representatives at the Kaunas marathon are announced; - Ally Always Abroad Macleod - Norman Never Fit But Al...

Race: The Highland Fling Distance: 53 miles Date: Saturday 25 April Reason: Keeping Scott company Times previously run:  First ran in 2011, then again in 2012. Marshalled in 2013. Scott's first attempt. The weather forecast based on previous experiences running the fling told me that it would be a hot one. The actual weather forecast told me that it was going to be well cold and raining. Finally, the actual weather meant that there was a wee drizzle at the start and then almost the perfect temperature for the rest. So that is the important weather chat done. Hope you are all creating a lovely bunch of images already.     Scott's bib read MR ANTONIA We start at 6am, near the rear of a 700+ field of runners all hoping to finish the race in 15 hours. The cut-off allows plenty of time for walking and it should be light almost all the way. Well it better be because we have not packed head torches. For miles we are just a chain of runn...