Falling for Autumn

Haha, I'm only joking - my first run since the end of September and I didn't fall over! However, autumn is a very special time of the year. Come October, I can feel the Earth slip on its axis and there is a perceptible shift in the light-dark balance. Next weekend sees the end of … Continue reading Falling for Autumn →

Vicarious Sofia Sunday

I think the word vicarious has ecclesiastical origins, so it is fitting for a Sunday post. By good fortune I have found myself here in Sofia on the day of their marathon. I went to have a look at the runners as they ran round the Palace of Culture. There was quite a long uphill … Continue reading Vicarious Sofia Sunday →

Dr Derek’s Running Equations

It often surprises me how my mind seems to end up in strange places when I am running. I suppose if it is an often occurring event, the element of surprise should have diminished over time. However, such an inconvenient fact would have deprived me of a good opening line. And the capacity to be … Continue reading Dr Derek’s Running Equations →

Back on Track

At the moment I feel like a runner between gigs, not sure of what lies ahead in terms of running opportunities or challenges. As the glow from completing the Edinburgh marathon 3 weeks ago begins to ebb away, I think it is important not to slip into idleness or into a pattern of unstructured/directionless training. … Continue reading Back on Track →

Beyond Musselburgh

Musselburgh, on the East Lothian coast, has long been famous for its golf links and racecourse. It was also the finishing line for the 2018 Edinburgh marathon. I am not a golfer or a jockey, but I see myself as a marathon runner. Perhaps it would be more accurate to describe myself as a marathon … Continue reading Beyond Musselburgh →

Running to Musselburgh and Beyond

It is Saturday night. A week ago was the eve of the 2018 Edinburgh Marathon. I made a quick photo blog of the event earlier in the week, but due to low levels of inspirational juice I did not attempt what would be the last post under the category of McRunning Man. The juice levels … Continue reading Running to Musselburgh and Beyond →

Running Late…

Many apologies for being late with this post, but I have been a bit busy this weekend, what with driving the 300 plus miles to Edinburgh, taking part in a bit of a running race, and then driving home the following day. My brain is a bit low on inspirational juice at present, so I … Continue reading Running Late… →

Running Up Around the Bend

Welcome to the penultimate post about my Edinburgh marathon adventure. This time next week it will all be over. There is one more post to come, hopefully giving a vivid account of the big event. After that, what on earth will I have to write about? Will my life be devoid of purpose and meaning? … Continue reading Running Up Around the Bend →

Running into the Wall

I missed a trick with last week's post when I literally ran into a wall - well, at least kind of stumbled against it. This week I had an encounter with the metaphorical wall that elite endurance athletes like myself try to avoid. Yesterday was my last long run before the big event. I approached … Continue reading Running into the Wall →

Running in a Straight Line

My posting schedule is about as reliable as a poorly run train service. Keen observers will have noticed there was no Sunday service. This was not due to planned engineering works. Other commitments meant that I had to take a swerve (not exactly a straight line, then - more later) and again risk incurring the … Continue reading Running in a Straight Line →