It's half way through term and the nights are fair drawing in! Thank you to everybody who's still making it along to class, I hope you agree it's a far better thing to dance and feel happy than to sit at home and let the Scottish climate get you down!
Here's a winter warmer - On 12 November is the Glasgow Festival of Arabic Dance, with workshops and a hafla - I recommend them both for a great day's learning and a splendid night's entertainment (which will feature the Helwa Hurdies and me, performing!)
I have something in mind for round about St Andrew's Night too, watch this space!
December 15th will be the Peebles Christmas Hafla, let's hope the snow stays away this year so that those of us from further away will be able to make it!
Monday 24 October 2011
Saturday 8 October 2011
Race for the Prize
I know this is all about my bellydance life but today I feel like showing you some of the ... depth of me! This year feels like a rollercoaster of haflas and races - if it's not one it's the other, and I like it that way!
So far in 2011 I've completed 6 half marathons, a 10K, and, today, a 10-mile hill race. I'm not affiliated to a running club (I fear they would scorn my ipod!) but I run three times a week, and this year decided that racing quite a bit would be, well, fun. On the whole, it has been!
Today I nearly got lost on the way to the Hallhill Healthy Living Centre in Dunbar - which, incidentally, looks to me like a place screaming out for bellydance classes (sorry if you're already teaching there, but I didn't spot any posters or listings!). Found it, relaxed, had a cup of tea, decided not to hang out with all the club runners as it would terrify me - I can run the run but I don't talk the talk.
I had a bad start - my watch wouldn't work, and by the time I started to run instead of jog, there were only 3 people behind me! AND I'd forgotten to tie my shoelaces properly. AND, one mile in, I realised I hadn't brought any energy sachets with me, which I've grown to love this year.
I overtook a few people, retied both my laces, kept an eye open for tasty brambles, and felt more confident. Then, on the first hill, the crowd (such as it was - I think there were only about 80 competitors and most of them were well in front!) slowed down quite a lot and I overtook half a dozen other runners. On the second hill, one runner said "good luck, you're a climber!" - and I thought, oh yes, so I am! I felt very cheered by this. I did keep climbing up the ranks as the race went on - nowhere near the front or anything, but nobody overtook me and I overtook people, so indeed, I do seem to be a climber.
This was a well hilly race. I did it last year so I wasn't daunted by the up hills, even the "across the field, look out for the dung" up-hill! The down was a bit odd, and I felt like my legs were outwith my control by the time I came off Doon Hill - but I kept it up, managing not to land in the mud anywhere (it was cool, dreich and squidgy!)
In the last mile some finishers were on their way to cheer on the stragglers - coming back along the race route - and their supportive words to me almost had me in the mud as I lifted my head to smile, skidded to the side and nearly landed at their feet. Sooo glad I retained my balance, fingers crossed it's a dancer thing.
I finished in 1 hour 20 minutes. It was a time which was at least 5 minutes off a prize (I think the runner up in my catagory was 1h16m), but it was 4 full minutes less than my time last year, so I'm totally over the moon. Yay me. (If you don't run, to give you a guide, the winner got home in 57 minutes. But I hear his shimmies are shit.)
Running Club races excel at post-race catering and I made a pig of myself on white carbs! Two scones, two bits of cake, a yummy chewy roll, cup of soup and a sugary tea. There were showers too, which is rare but totally brilliant. The atmosphere was friendly and happy and I really, properly enjoyed the race. (That doesn't always happen - the Haddington Half Marathon was probably the most miserable two hours of the year for me!)
So, next week there's a hafla so I won't be heading for the Aviemore half marathon (I think I might be glad, judging by the weather) - but at the end of the month we're on a family trip to Jedburgh for the half marathon there. Hubby has already picked out the gastropub he wants to visit!
So far in 2011 I've completed 6 half marathons, a 10K, and, today, a 10-mile hill race. I'm not affiliated to a running club (I fear they would scorn my ipod!) but I run three times a week, and this year decided that racing quite a bit would be, well, fun. On the whole, it has been!
Today I nearly got lost on the way to the Hallhill Healthy Living Centre in Dunbar - which, incidentally, looks to me like a place screaming out for bellydance classes (sorry if you're already teaching there, but I didn't spot any posters or listings!). Found it, relaxed, had a cup of tea, decided not to hang out with all the club runners as it would terrify me - I can run the run but I don't talk the talk.
I had a bad start - my watch wouldn't work, and by the time I started to run instead of jog, there were only 3 people behind me! AND I'd forgotten to tie my shoelaces properly. AND, one mile in, I realised I hadn't brought any energy sachets with me, which I've grown to love this year.
I overtook a few people, retied both my laces, kept an eye open for tasty brambles, and felt more confident. Then, on the first hill, the crowd (such as it was - I think there were only about 80 competitors and most of them were well in front!) slowed down quite a lot and I overtook half a dozen other runners. On the second hill, one runner said "good luck, you're a climber!" - and I thought, oh yes, so I am! I felt very cheered by this. I did keep climbing up the ranks as the race went on - nowhere near the front or anything, but nobody overtook me and I overtook people, so indeed, I do seem to be a climber.
This was a well hilly race. I did it last year so I wasn't daunted by the up hills, even the "across the field, look out for the dung" up-hill! The down was a bit odd, and I felt like my legs were outwith my control by the time I came off Doon Hill - but I kept it up, managing not to land in the mud anywhere (it was cool, dreich and squidgy!)
In the last mile some finishers were on their way to cheer on the stragglers - coming back along the race route - and their supportive words to me almost had me in the mud as I lifted my head to smile, skidded to the side and nearly landed at their feet. Sooo glad I retained my balance, fingers crossed it's a dancer thing.
I finished in 1 hour 20 minutes. It was a time which was at least 5 minutes off a prize (I think the runner up in my catagory was 1h16m), but it was 4 full minutes less than my time last year, so I'm totally over the moon. Yay me. (If you don't run, to give you a guide, the winner got home in 57 minutes. But I hear his shimmies are shit.)
Running Club races excel at post-race catering and I made a pig of myself on white carbs! Two scones, two bits of cake, a yummy chewy roll, cup of soup and a sugary tea. There were showers too, which is rare but totally brilliant. The atmosphere was friendly and happy and I really, properly enjoyed the race. (That doesn't always happen - the Haddington Half Marathon was probably the most miserable two hours of the year for me!)
So, next week there's a hafla so I won't be heading for the Aviemore half marathon (I think I might be glad, judging by the weather) - but at the end of the month we're on a family trip to Jedburgh for the half marathon there. Hubby has already picked out the gastropub he wants to visit!
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