Disclaimer: I maybe give away too much information here. I’m sorry. But it’s my week 🙂

SO I’m a V45. Aye I know, I don’t look it. You’re too kind. Oh a V55 you say? Aye cheers. Anyway where am I going with this? Well I’m not too old to learn. Maybe I have a bit of sense coming into me. Maybe it was a funny turn, but I did something rare and sensible. In my last blog I had talked about the sickness bug that I had had. Well the last time I had that was when I ended up in hospital after urinating a lot of blood having been too dehydrated. Long story but previous kidney stones, calcium build up when dehydrated , plumbing problems, blood, cancer tests, all clear. Towards the end of last week, indeed after the 800 on Wednesday the plumbing problems were coming back. I was getting a little worse each day but thought it would clear and was still running, though was really slogging. Turned up to Glasgow Green on Sunday for the Shettleston 10k and had a wee jog, not feeling great. Had a wee natter with photographer Daren, 

Photo by Daren Borzynski 

a catch up with Brian from Kilbarchan, hellos to a few others like Shaz from Cambuslang then had a third visit to the toilets. The plumbing still not working right and the darkness of  blood again appearing. 15 minutes from the start and I walked to the car, had some water and drove home. I wasn’t for being daft. For once I was sensible. I went home and drunk a lot of water. I monitored everything over that day. No exercise. There was no more blood and in a few hours everything was pretty much back to normal. A couple of days off any exercise, plenty of hydration then went to the Club Handicap Time Trial on the Tuesday night for the sake of a run. The days off had done me good. I felt raring to go. Legs less heavy than they had been since London. My course PB for the 4 mile course was 24.26 but despite a windy first 2k I decided to go out the pace I would need to go sub 38 at 10k, which is my season aim, and see how long I could hold on for. So needed to keep about 3.48 per k pace. Did exactly that was the first couple of k into the wind and felt good so despite a gap of 40 seconds in front of me and 20 seconds behind me to the next runners I gave the solo time trial a purpose. I held it pretty steady and was surprised to start passing people with 2 k to go. Always a relief to know you won’t be last. And I kept going, passing more people. Last long straight and still on target, going to get a PB here. Ran as hard as I could, no real sprint at the end but upped pace over the last 1/2k, finishing just 2 seconds behind Babybelneil who I found out afterwards had actually won it. I had no idea, but to be fair it wouldn’t have mattered, I wouldn’t have caught him anyway as had gave it all, nothing left. Looked at the watch. Not only a PB but a first sub 24 in 23.52. Really chuffed with myself. After not starting a race you get the self doubts, it’s natural. But here for once I had done the right thing, listened to the body, rested, and went out and ran a stormer.

Post TT photo with the Gazelle who had a cracker in third, and Mr Kennedy, who had long shorts on that slowed him down 🙂 thanks Andrew Scott for the pic. 

Had I ran Shettleston instead of having that one glass of water this would be a different tale I’m telling. And not a good one. So this week, not many jokes, indeed a wee lesson that I learned that may help one or two of you. Listen to your body sometimes. I’m glad I did, even if I should have earlier.

The tune, by the Bees. It’s apt. It’s also a cracker.