My running story - APScotland

[APScotland]

Q: what is the picture about?

A:

It's me on our farm in Aberdeenshire, 10 days ago, with Bennachie in the background, our local hill.

Q: Tell us a little bit about you!

A:

I'm Anne, 58 yrs old, originally from South Shields, fell in love with Scotland at an early age and have now lived here longer than anywhere else. PhD in plant sciences, spent 12 years doing plant science research in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. Then 17 years in the oil industry as Business Systems Manager, and for the past 13 years I've been a partner in our organic veg box business (some of the oil industry time overlapped :). Also a musician (keyboards, fiddle) and dance-caller in various ceilidh dance bands. Married, 3 cats, 6 pampered pet hens. Love nature, the outdoors, walking, the gym, writing, cinema, delicious ethical food, gardening ...

Q: How long have you been a runner?

A:

I used to run while studying for my PhD, 35 years ago. Did a few races - 10k and half marathon. Then again about 25 years ago, but less of it. Nothing consistent since then until December 2017.

Q: Did you start running with a C25K programme? Why or why not?

A: I decided to try the cautious steady approach using couch to 5k on Endomondo to minimise the risk of injury. Had a heap of serious health issues - Lyme disease, pulmonary embolism, cancer x 2, Lyme again, over the past 5 years, so spent too much time in hospital, lost all my strength, had terrible lyme arthritis, particularly in my knees. Very happily it seems to be in remission (not sure I dare say 'cured') after taking essential oils last May thru July to combat a nasty cough/cold. Turns out that mix was very similar to the recommended anti-Lyme mixture, which I now take for a few weeks at a time, then a break. It's fantastic to have normal-sized knees again!! There's a bit of pain sometimes but squats/deadlifts/yoga really helping to minimise that. Ran 5k in April 2018, then 10k in May, and really enjoying being able to run again - and so far, no injuries!

Q: But what made you want to start running races?

A: I haven't run a race for 25 years, but I'm contemplating doing my first park run sometime in the next few weeks.

Q: What's it like to run in your area?

A: Hilly! Beautiful scenery. I'm very lucky! I mostly run on the road - very wary of tick bites, for obvious reasons, and infected ticks are tooo common these days. I like being able to enjoy looking at the scenery too, rather than having to watch every step to avoid rocks / rabbit holes / roots. If I drive 12 miles, I can reach Deeside, so one of these days will go down there for a flatter run. It's about 17 miles to the beach too, so will give that a go sometime too.

Q: What is your favourite race event so far? And why?

A: Peterhead half marathon, circa 1985, in 92 minutes. I have no idea now how I could run that far that fast! But it was a lifetime ago

Q: What are your favourite mid-race snack, and post-race meal?

A: I never used to eat during a race. After a run these days, I take some hydrolysed collagen in a cup of tea to help rebuild my knees and other joints, and often have a hard-boiled egg from one of our lovely hens for a quick burst of protein. Then I'll chop up some fresh fruit and eat it in porridge.

Q: Name a favourite running website (plus link, please!):

A: This one! It's such a lovely community, and very motivating

Q: What's next for you, running-wise?

A: Keep running! Would be nice to get faster - I'll keep doing the intervals - and perhaps further. I run a 10k or 7 miles most weeks now. I inadvertently covered 14 or 15 miles a couple of weeks ago in Lisbon when I got lost, but quite a lot of that was walking at the end ... but my feet and knees were fine, presumably because I wasn't running continuously. So it's given me a glimmer of hope that perhaps I might have another half marathon in me yet!

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

This is so wonderful and fascinating - thank you, Anne!! And another post that is calling me up to Scotland

Hope you continue to improve enough to try a half marathon again, but I love to hear about people doing running just for running's sake!!

I hope it's OK if I link this and the Challenge post together?

Here's the July Challenge:

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

[APScotland in reply to roseabi]

Link away! I only spotted your July challenge post today, having been gadding about in Portugal and Yorkshire for most of the month x

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to APScotland]

It's a hard life

[APScotland in reply to roseabi]

Lol! x

[Sqkr Half Marathon]

ARG, chickens and that view—idyllic! I was at the Borders Union Show this weekend and fell in love with so many fancy chickens. One day I'll have an army of them 😊

I'm totally with you on the ticks too. I'm lucky enough not to have been bitten but two of my friends were out in Loch Lomond a couple of years ago, both removed various ticks...and both got Lyme disease. One in particular had a horrible time with lots of complications as a result. I'm so paranoid about them now that I obsessively check my legs when running anywhere even slightly wild.

Sounds like your running has got so strong though, especially after all the health knocks you've had to come back from—I still love that you did a half marathon distance on holiday like it was no thing 😎

[APScotland in reply to Sqkr]

Chickens are wonderful creatures! 3 of our girls will be 8 years old later this month, raised from 1-day olds - cheerful, cheeky, keen to "help" in the garden, very hard workers, and very keen to get into the kitchen to look for crumbs, or - ideally - cat food! The cats are less keen on their territory being invaded, but the chooks have the upper hand (or claw).

Oh dear - not good about your friends' experience with Lyme too! It really does seem to be on the increase. I had never seen a tick until I found the first one embedded in my thigh 5 years ago. A local vet has been sampling ticks brought in on pets, and found 1 in 8 to be infected with lyme bacteria!

Running again has been great fun, hard work, challenging, and I love it! The Lisbon adventure was very unexpected ... I think all the stopping and starting - and that ice cream - made the difference, so my legs / feet didn't complain. I ran 7 miles last week in Yorkshire, and my left foot DID complain, but nothing too horrible. And my knees kept quiet - hurrah!! x

[Hidden]

Fantastic story. You’ve done so much and been through so much. And what a wonderful place to live. All in all an inspiring post x

[APScotland in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Flick! Our bodies are amazingly resilient, given a bit of time, quite a lot of supplements, good nutrition, and quite a lot of luck!! xxx

[Hidden in reply to APScotland]

Yes indeed. I had major surgery for cancer two years ago and felt poleaxed. But now I’m running, though tiredness still side swipes me from time to time xxx

[APScotland in reply to Hidden]

My surgery was 4 years ago - I know what you mean! Although the antibiotics against Lyme are what really knocked me for six - took months to get my poor mitochondria functioning again! x

[Hidden in reply to APScotland]

Lymes disease is a horrific thing.

[APScotland in reply to Hidden]

Yup ... definitely not something I'd recommend, even for my worst enemy!! xx

[misswobble Marathon]

Interesting stuff. My neice was up there a while ago working as a geophysicist in the oil biz

I need to visit Scotland again. Not been for ages I am heading to South Shields shortly though 😃. A lad I sat next to in school was from South Shields but sadly he recently died

It’s a small world int it 🙂

[APScotland in reply to misswobble]

It really IS a small world! I went to NZ 11 years ago, and stayed in a Bnb at a wonderful tree nursery for a couple of nights. One of the 2 owners was also from South Shields! Have a lovely visit x

[pinkaardvark Half Marathon]

Great post and makes me think of my younger years in morayshire(born Elgin, lived there, Lossiemouth, Burghead and did most of my school years in Forres).

Peterhead HM in 85? I remember touring the fishmarket at 4am that year with my school class hehe, I can't htink of peterhead without saying peeterheid like a local in my head

Happy running

[APScotland in reply to pinkaardvark]

Oooh ... a 4am fishmarket? That must have been quite an exciting school outing! I'm not an early bird though, so would have really struggled to get up in time x