Time trials of a GPS watch

The Loch Ness Marathon takes place on Sunday 1 October. BBC Scotland news website editor Mark Coyle has entered and is keeping a diary throughout his 15-week training programme.

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If training for and running a marathon is a voyage of personal discovery, I've already learned at least two new things - I have one ear larger than the other and my tolerance to alcohol has plummeted. All will be explained.

My GPS watch - let's hope it's third time lucky

It's now the start of week three of my 15-week training schedule for the Loch Ness Marathon on 1 October. So far, so good.

The first week saw me clock up 19 miles and 25 miles in the second, which ended on Sunday 2 July. I know this because being a bit of a gadget freak, I decided back in April to invest in a Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch which incorporates a heart rate monitor.

Unfortunately the first one took to turning itself off arbitrarily (very frustrating in mid-run) and the week before I began my marathon schedule its replacement stopped emitting tones which I find are very handy aural alerts.

There was no quibble from the retailer, who told me he'd sent back a batch of 15 faulty units at one point. So, I'm now on my third one and fingers crossed it behaves itself.

Frozen peas

I'm following a sub 4hr schedule from Runner's World, which has me running five days out of seven with Mondays and Fridays as rest days. In my first article two weeks ago I mentioned that I've been bothered with shin splints in both legs.

I'm really, really hesitant to say this lest I tempt fate but the pain has all but gone. I suspect it's down to a number of factors:

• I'm religiously stretching every day, even on rest days, and before and after runs
• I'm icing both legs daily with a trusty - and probably very foosty - bag of peas which lives in the freezer
• Although the frequency of my running has gone up, I've slowed the pace right down to about 8.30mi and higher, depending on what I'm doing.

I've also been to see a physio, who came up with an explanation for the pain in my left mid-shin which I hadn't heard before. He reckons it's been caused by having a very inflexible tendon which links my big toe to the mid-shin. He gave me a specific stretching exercise which I've also been doing daily.

One other thing I've changed are my running shoes. I'd had my old pair of Asics GT 2100s since 13 November, 2005. A piece of advice I picked up from a fellow Motherwell AC member was to write the date of first use inside new shoes and to change them after about six months.

My new running shoes are more padded and have extra support

This time I've gone for the more expensive Asics Gel Kayanos which have more padding and support.

So, all in all it's been a pain-free two weeks and I can't tell you how much of a joy that's been. I really mustn't speak too soon though!

The longest run I've done in the two weeks is eight miles and I've kept off concrete. All the runs I've done have been on trails and/or grass, mostly in Strathclyde Park and around Chatelherault.

I'd entered the East Kilbride Half-Marathon a week past Sunday and although it was hard, I stuck to my decision not to do it.

Magic moment

I did, however, do the Calderglen 5K trail race last Friday night (and have the midgie bites to prove it) organised by Calderglen Harriers. A tough course but good fun and a time of 20.48 which I'm happy with. I was 31st out of 59 runners.

I must make mention of last Tuesday night, when there wasn't a cloud in the sky, the sun was shining brightly and I remember thinking to myself as I jogged down the side of the loch: "This is why we run." I bet you've had your own moment like that!

Motherwell AC members after the Calderglen 5K trail race

But anyway, about my ears and drink. Well, I'd always sworn that I'd never run with headphones on. I don't like having "clutter" around me when I'm on the hoof and there's the safety aspect of being unable to hear traffic properly.

However, I decided to give it a go and bought a waistbelt to carry my iPod. I've run with it twice now and although it was nice to have the music, the right earplug simply refuses to stay in. So unless they make a set with one plug larger than the other, forget it. Too much hassle for me thanks.

As for drink, I don't know if my reduced capacity to hold alcohol is related to my increase in training but I had a couple of beers after the Calderglen race and let's just say that I was glad when my wife came to scoop me up and take me home at midnight.

As before, feel free to drop me a line with any of your comments and advice. I'm very grateful to everyone who wrote previously. I'm definitely going to get my name on the top I wear on the big day!

Click here to send me an email.

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As a fellow runner (but not running the LNM), I wish you all the best. But the amount of product placement in a BBC published article surprises me. Such endorsement of commercial products wouldn't look out of place in a sponsored article in one of the monthly running magazines.
Graeme Wilson, Dunfermline

GPS watches are fantastic - possibly the most useful thing for running after good trainers! On your injury, it sounds like I have exactly the same thing. My left foot has no arch and I have the mid-shin pain, so I have specific stretches to do, as well as orthotics to build my arch again. Nights out will become cheaper as your training continues, yes! I've signed up for Loch Ness too.
Martin, Edinburgh

Welcome to the mad world of marathons. The Garmin is a lifesaver. All the very best, I hear Loch Ness is amazing.
Kate, Edinburgh

Hi Mark, I was really interested to read about your problems with the Garmin unit. I bought one recently and after researching the hell out of it actually decided NOT to buy the 305 model because of problems with reliability. So I went for the entry level one which is much clunkier but has been totally reliable. Anyhow, best of luck - enjoying reading your blog
Dave, Scotland

Hi Mark, I too am doing the Loch Ness Marathon, hopefully around 4h30 or less. Love your articles. My blinking Microsoft Outlook is my guide; I did something which I thought (at the time) would be really handy - put each day's training into the calendar as an aide memoir. The b****y thing! I come up here after a run to try and forget and all I get is "Bling-ding!"... "DON'T FORGET TO RUN HARD AND FAST TONIGHT - OR ELSE!" I look forward to hearing your progress and I wish you all the very best. PS the Kayanos are great, I have also upgraded from GT 2100s to them care of Asics tech tour!
Bill Aldridge