Introducing Ian

Ian here:
Finally got round to completing my first blog entry. Apart from Brian I am the serious athlete in our merry band of four. The marathon is not about finishing it is about finishing in a good time. My history of running spans a decade or more. I first jointed Dunbar Running Club to get fit for the three peaks race. This is a sailing and running race on the West Coast fo Scotland. After completing, well not quite as we dropped out of the second race, two of these events I began to enjoy running and haven't looked backed since. Since then I have completed in more taces that I can remember. Cross county in the winter and road races in the summer. I have run at all distances from 5K to completing two marathons. I hae also completed a few triathlons, a couple of long ditances duathlons, Coriaich Challenge twice and the Highland Cross once. I also enjoy mountain bking and have had some age gorup success in the Glenress duathlons and have compelted the grueeling Bealch Na Bah 90 mile road cycle tour twice and enver again. I have also completed in the stupid Deerstalker race for the last three years and hope not to that again. ever.
But running is my thing. My marathon hisory is pretty short compared to others. Running 26.3 miles wasn't really on my agenda for a long time. I have rn a 34 minute 10k anda 76 minute half marathon although my good friend Stuart would challenge that the distance at the Edinburgh 1/2 in 208 wasn't accurate, but gealously is very ugly. I ran my first marathon in 2007 in London. it was a very hot day but otherwise perfect conditions. For anyone who has done this race they will know how fantastic the atmosphere is in and around ther oute. For those who haven't done London then do. I managed to finish in 2.56.31 and was very pleased. I struggled over the last couple of miles and found stairs up and down very difficult for a few days afterward but really enjoyed the whole experiece. In 2008 I ran my second marathon this time in Edinburgh. A few weeks earlier I had run the Dinburgh to North berwick 22 mile road raceaand finsihed really quickly almost but note quite ctching the lead runner so I knew I was in good shape. I finished Edinburgh in 2.44.57 which gae me an Elite entry to London. I have suffered ofer the last few years with problems with my feet and took a do or die attitute toward my third marathon training. Unfortunately I never made London in 2009 and missed my chance to line against the worlds elite runners. It would have been nice to sit next o Haile and compare training notes (like I'm in his league NOT)>
Anyway 2009 was pretty disastrous as far as training went. I ran avery poor Northumberland Coastal run and gave up for a couple of months afterwards concentrating on keeping fit by cycling. After this short break and some magic by a Podiatrist my feet and Achilles problems sorted themselves out and I started training again. The plan was to build up over 3 months to 40 miles a week at christams then 12 weeks of 40 miles up tot he end of March, move up to 50 mile weeks for April and the first part of My and finish with theEdinburgh 1/2 at the end f the month. This would then get me prepared for full marathon training over the net 16 weeks.
The plan has gone pretty well. The build up phase went well, 40 miles a week was a breeze and I managed to run a 60 minute 10 mile race at lasswade. I then started the 50 mile weeks. Finding the time has been difficult and a two week (the second week was forced on us deo the nice volcanic erption) holiday to France interupted my routine. I also picked up a left clasf muscle injury somehoe tso have not run since Monday and will continue to rest until at least next week now. We also missed the cu off for the Edinburgh 1/2 but I am working on that.
All in all I think I am in pretty good shape and things have gone to plan so far. I will plot out the sixeen week training programme in some detail based on the programmes I followed for the other marathons.
I will try to keep the blog up to date with my progress. But the most important thing is to run a sub 3 hour marathon nothing else matters, partner, blog even the dog, nothing is more important that this.