Hi

I think I should first introduce myself,  I am a 33 year old neonatal nurse who lives in Stepps.  I first thought of running the West Highland Way Race in 2009.  I worked with a doctor who was doing blood tests on runners that year and I explained my goal. In my head I thought she would say "Thats a great goal to work towards."  Instead her reaction was " YOU are thinking of running the West Highland Way! Hahahahahahahaha, hahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahaha."

I was 29 years old at that time, let me take you back 14 years.  I was a fit teenager and unfortunately found tobacco, alcohol and women.  I'll let you decide which one was more dangerous.  My teenage years panned out as one long party right until my mid twenties.  Which I resolutely enjoyed (May I add!).  When I came out the other side I was 17.5 stone chain smoker with a insatiable appetite for kebabs and dominos pizza.

It was while working on a ward a young man called me a fat easter eggs with glasses, It makes me chuckle now.  But at the time I was a had a first class ticket to Coronary Heart Disease and decided to take steps.  And by that by that I mean steps.  Any more than steps and I was nearly puking.  So I started walkingg, then running and incorporating run/walk breaks. and now can quite easily run for an hour straight.

Let me explain, I am an inexperienced, disorganized runner who doesn't have a routine until now!  I entered the Kilpatrick fell race in 2010, 3 stone lighter than the 3 years ago.  However I had stopped smoking 4 days before and never ever done a fell race in my life.  Needless to say I was last but I didnt give a shit.  Anyway that was me I never entered a race again but kept up my exercise.

I put the idea of doing WHW race out of my head for bout 6 months but kept coming back and back and back.  I'm not a superstitous person but when something won't leave you. you need to try. I volunteered for WHW to act as help in some way, either marshall or whatever in 2013.

I explained I am very disorganized unless I have something to work towards, so I took the plunge and entered the Strathspey Ultra in August.  Now I know I have to train, bring it on.  My training will be more structured with my aim being WHW 2015, and entering as many races as I can in 2014 in the SUMS races.

I have heard people who start to blog their exercise and thats what I intend to do.

Hopefully see everyone in the near future at races etc.  All the best

Craig