All the way to the French coast

I'm on holiday in France at the moment with my foody, francophile friends. The spectacular little village I am staying in is a little way from the coast. A quick bit of google mapping tells me it is just over 5k to the seaside. If there's an option to run to the seaside, well...I know I'll need to burn off a few calories.

I run through the relaxed french coastal resort. As I arrive at the
seaside, I stop to take in the lighthouse a few miles of the coast and a few lungs of fresh, sea air. It is before the holiday season starts in France and so is deserted and calm.

It would appear that gentle, take it easy, on holiday runs seem to be run at 5"10 / km these days. A couple of stops to confirm the route on
the Iphone skew the time(i.e let me recover) and the watch is stopped. Allowing for this the 10km was dispatched in 53 minutes. This is equal to my official 10k PB (I have run 49 minutes but that was a split time on a half marathon)

I ran it in my old spongey shoes (we are still good friends, having been through so much) but it seemed noisy and inefficient compared to the Nike Frees.

I was tired before starting the run after a hard day at the zoo with the kids. I had worn my new aqua shoes (my wife will not be seen with me in the Vibrams) and they are pretty close to barefoot and it had worked my legs.

The mood, the food and friends are relaxed on holiday. Yet the pace I am running is last years race pace. It almost makes me want loose that extra 5kg of weight I am carrying but maybe after the holiday.

10.4km @ 57"00

Wiping the stain

The first weekly 5k Bromley Park Run was measured short by quite a bit. This means the website lists my PB as 23"07. I know this is not a fair time and it bothers me. I have never even managed to break 24"00 despite 14 attempts.

But with my recent performances I think it could be the week. At last weeks Reading Half A couple of the 5k splits were around 24"00.

I prepare exactly the same as I did for the Reading.

I start off well. It is 1k before Martin from the club overtakes me(he has gone near to 20"00 for the run previously)

David does Park Run every week. I regularly used to finish ahead of him, then we were equal and now he regularly beats me. He finally wiped out his short course time a month ago. He is now currently regularly beating 23"00.

I know all the time I am ahead of him I am on track. Each runner I hear coming up behind me I worry is David.

3k in and the muddy, boggy course starts to take its toll and I dig deep. I am not flicking off the surface like on my recent road runs.

At 4k David cruises past.
"negative splits?" I grunt at him. He always runs negative splits. He edges ahead but then remains 20 seconds in front of me.

In the finishing straight I open in to a sprint. I am still on David's tail but not close enough to challenge. As I cross the line I look at my watch and whack the stop button. I think the minutes say 22". I take a second look at the watch. 22"59. It feels terrific.

After the race I tell everyone who will listen the story. I know David understands the joy. The stain is wiped clean.

5k 22"59 (PB)

Canal knowledge

My plan is to run Locketts Rockets on a Thursday for regular interval training. But I'm still in easy mode, rewarding myself for Sunday (well done Andy, still proud of you)

So it's canals, but down past Tower Bridge and towards Wapping and on my own. I still seem to be in form. At a number of points I am running fast and still want more. The faster I run the more I enjoy.

It would be a shame to waste this feeling, so a new 5k best on Saturday at park run is the plan. There is a nasty stain that needs to be removed. But more on that another day.

7.35km avg 5"km but some points faster and lots of traffic lights

Crowd Surfing

The long run season is now over for me. Time to focus on the 5k and 10ks. With some soreness still from Sunday I go for a recovery run.

With no tapering for any upcoming runs I run at the pace I want. My confidence is still sky high from Sunday and so run some of the sections very, very fast. At 1 O'clock the crowds are thronging. Feeling on top form, I am nimble enough to surf through them.

Just The current favourite Thameside route. The GPS let me down in terms of distance / speed.

5.5k @ 5.30"km

Pay Day

The Reading 1/2 was my race for 2010. A winter spent running up mountains in NZ, cold wet damp dark nights, freezing cold runs to work in the snow, lunchtime speed sessions, Hare and Hounds, all for today.

My previous PB for a half marathon was 1:59:34. Last week during the 20 miler, I had covered 13.1 miles 1:53:00. The target was maybe 1:50:00 with the hint of better.

I have never run a sub 50 minute 10k (best is around 52 minutes) The first 10k is dispatched in 49 minutes.

Mile after mile is dispatched under the magic 8 minutes. Surely at some point I must blow? The Nike Frees have focussed my mind on form, so I concentrate on my form, the effort comes naturally.

At 10 miles, a slight wobble in confidence. Surely I can't go sub 1hr45 (A target devised on route as things are going so well). I feel panic developing.
"What would Niall do in this situation?"
Easy, he would probably laugh and then kick. So I laugh and kick. I am back on track with a Niall-like steeliness.

As I enter Reading football stadium I know I have done something great. This is my greatest ever running performance. I sprint the last 200m flat-out. In my mind the crowd noise increases, stunned by my sprint effort.

A totally perfect race in terms of nutrition, clothing, footwear, preparation and pace.

After the finish I have enough time to get the medal and bumf and stroll back to the stadium to sit around the stands for a bit and then clap home my friends.

Sometimes you do get what you deserve,

13.1 miles 1"43:38 (PB)

Not a bad pace with the world on my shoulders....

I'm stressed. Work and Home and stuff. I shouldn't be running today at lunch time as I have the Reading 1/2 on Sunday and after last night's mountain biking. But I'm stressed. I must run. Maybe if I was a Psychiatrist I'd suspect addiction.

Yesterday's route, but in reverse and without the gorgeous Spring day. Also less zooming,though a couple of sprints of Gazelle elegance, because crowds were in my way and I'm angry.

5.4K @ 6"00 / km

Glacial pace please

Still recovering from the weekend but need to be ready for Reading on Sunday. A recovery run as recommended by Mr Savage is on the cards. The route is the familiar Blackfriars-thameside path-Tower of London-London Wall route

With an echo of soreness and some mountain biking planned for the night, it needs to be run:
1: As slow as a teenager tidying their bedroom
2: To quote Blackadder, as slow as an asthmatic ant, with some heavy shopping.

By and large, progress is slow and graceful. I spot a gap in the traffic at the Zebra crossing and zoom! 200m on I am still zooming. I remember the aim and slow down.

Plenty of people are enjoying the spring sunshine. As I dart in between them, I forget to slow down for another 200m

I get overtaken by a runner on the Thames Path by Cannon Street. I let them have their victory without a fight.

It was good to be running again, even more so on the first proper day of spring.

5.2km @6"15 / km

I am the Stig

Today was the Spitfire 20 miler at Dunsfold aerodrome where they film top gear. It is two 10 mile laps round the track and surrounding area with some runners only doing 10 miles. With next week's Reading Half Marathon, there was no way I would be racing. No way at all, not ever. Hypothetically I calculated a very good racing time for me would be 3 hours (This would be in line with my dream of a 4 hour marathon)

10 Miles in, without trying I am well under 1hr30 (around 1hr"26). I start to wonder.

At the 10 mile mark, those running only 10 miles split off and finish. I am just starting to get going. I turn to the runner next to me and joke
"Anyone up for another lap?"
I am enjoying this. The 10 milers look pleased at finishing, and yet I'm going to do it again. Cool.

13.2 miles in and I look at the watch 1"53. My previous best half marathon time is 1"59.55. The race is on.

Suddenly I spot my cycling club taking part in a race, but going the other direction.
"Come on Bigfoot"
The riders look bemused. I keep on running.

As we enter the flat windy Aerodrome with 3 miles to go, someone says
"This is horrible"
I disagree. I am loving every minute of it.
"I'm rather enjoying it. What the alternative? DIY? Arguing with the family"
I smile and zoom off.

1/2 a mile out I say to the Marshall
"How many laps to go?"
She laughs, I don't think everyone is as jovial a this point.

At the finish, I sense someone a long way behind slowly increase their pace. I am feeling cocky, knowing I am on for a more than satisfactory time. I open up. Full tilt. The few people at the finish stop and stare. They can't believe this crazy man opening up into a full sprint after 20 miles.

If it was the marathon, I would need to finish the last 6.2 miles in 1 hour 4 minutes. 10.3 minute miles. Even as I hit the wall, surely I could do this? The 4hr marathon had seemed an attainable long term goal. Now it feels close and familiar. I don't know why I entered this race, maybe it is pointing the way.

20 miles 2hr55"42 (not properly racing, honestly)

Fear of injury!

20 miler on Sunday, the big one: the Reading Half Marathon a week later.

Today wanted to get the legs moving but without risking injury. Ran down to the river at Blackfriars, along the riverside and back via Tower of London, Fenchurch Street, Liverpool Street. A few times I really let rip, other times I coasted.

Lots of stops with traffic lights and the chocolate shop (Mothers Day on 20 miler day oops!)

~6KM @ 4:50"/km - 6:30"km depending on how I felt

Cold and painful

Ran slowly in to work today in the freezing wind. Ran 9 minutes on, with one minute walking. Endured the cold, but it was worth it to feel great once I was in the warm.

18.2km @ 6.5 minujavascript:void(0)te/km

Cold

The sun today said spring, the temperature said otherwise. As a family we abandoned all outdoor activity. I went for a late evening run. Nothing too fast with the aim of running to work tomorrow and the 20 miles next Sunday looming. Home- to-Hayes-to-end of Spring park and back. It was cold, and as it was already dark, no sun to mitigate.

9.1km @ 5"45

Hair of the dog

The paradox of running is that after a couple of hard runs I do a "recovery run" to get over them. Nothing grand, just a gentle 5k South over London Bridge, North over Tower Bridge, along the Thameside path to level with Southwark bridge and back to the office.

A couple of times I find myself zipping away. I mentally scold myself and slow down. Strange days when I'm trying to stop myself running fast. Another paradox, trying not to try.

5k @ 6" / km

Rockett man

Back to the canal for intervals with the Rocketts Lockets today. 2 minutes full speed, with 1 minute rest. 4 out and 4 back. I slip further back each rep but remain in visual contact for all of the reps, soaking up the motivation you get from running with others. Pride (or shame) I believe it is called.

Along the canal tow path, under the low bridges I notice the stone worn away by what looks like generations of heads brushing past. Sometimes change is slow, consistent, inperceptible.

On the run back to the city, I slip off the back of the group. Slowly, inperceptibley at first, but consistently and the gap opens. I keep visual contact all the way back to the starting point. My measure of success and whether to keep this up is remaing part of the group. At the moment I am holding on.

9.4km intervals 2 min on, with 1 min recovery.

Riverside exploring

On Monday I was early for a meeting down by Tower Bridge. I stood on the Thames Path, taking-in the glorious sun-rays and observing the coming and going on the river.

Today, still inspired, I explored the Thames path between Blackfriars and the Tower. It was chilly. A few glimpses of the beautiful London greyness fleetingly lifted my spirit.

At the crane where they load the rubbish barges the automatic gate slammed shut in front of me. After 5 minutes I give up and run up round Lower Thames street.

The magic from Monday's moment in the sun was not recreated in any way. Spring's time will come.

After last night and cycling to work the pace should have been slow. It didn't feel like I was trying but the pace was more than satisfactory.

6.66km @ 5"30 / km

Pain, Suffering and Misery, but holding on at the back

Back to Petts Wood Runners tonight. Good to see the familiar faces of David and Liz. I knew Richard (My usual run leader) would not be running. James Wong stepped forward to lead the run. With glee he said the route would take in Summer Hill in Chislehurst. Everyone looks nervous.

I notice Liz and David slip off into the slower group but I decide to persist. The first 5km I hold the front. As we move towards Summer Hill I start to slip. Up the hill I slip further back. Half way up the hill I see David and Liz's group running down the hill and give them a cheery salute. Eventually I reach the top, second last. From here on I am struggling but I hold on. Around 9k I am still holding on to the back but am slipping. I wonder if I can keep going. I could quit and use the SatNav to find my way home but that would be embarrassing.

I suddenly see a sign saying "Petts Wood". I say out loud to myself,
"Well that's a good sign"
I laugh at my "humour". I still hurts badly. I feel as if someone has put a belt round my chest and are tightening it.

As we enter the suburbia of Petts Wood proper I start to reel in the back markers. The stronger runners at the front disappear off into the distance. In the last half mile I drop a couple of stragglers. It looks like the front runners had increased the pace, the stragglers had tried to keep up and blown up. My steady pace had saved me.

On getting back, I see a distance of 11.48km and a time of a few seconds over the hour. I do some mental calculations and reckon I have just run a 10km PB (but over Summer Hill)

Nights where you hold on at all cost are where you build character in your running and for life in general.

11.5km @ 5"15/km