Out with the big boys and girls

Tuesday night and I cycled to and from work for the first time in a while. Crow-barring the kids into bed and I am running late. Last week I ran group 4 and just held on, so I think best take it easy in group 3 this week. I arrive late and towards the end of the announcements. Looks like group 3 and group 4 have merged so I go with that group. It's advertised as a 9 minute mile but a warning of hills. Emma is running and I was her pace last week so I should be fine.

Richard sets off at a fast pace. I look around the group, Martin, Johnny Gill, Sabina. It's more of a group 5 merged into group 4. I have to concentrate to hold on. I approach Summer Hill at the front of the pack but gradually slip, then regain some places and manage to sit in the middle to the top. At Chislehurst, Emma peels off and heads back on a different route. I look around the group and I am the weakest runner here.

Because of my cycling heritage I like to sit at the front of the group (The easiest place to ride in a cycling group. There is to much disruption from the riders in front in a large group) Richard and Sabina lead and push the pace. I run with them and start to enjoy. As we run down the side of the A20 I spot a cyclist up in front heading our way and we need to go to single file. I manage to pick up the pace off the front. The pace is fast but I am holding and enjoying.

We then swing round to St. Pauls Wood Hill. It starts of as a long slow drag and gets steeper, steeper towards the summit. I run towards the front and gradually slip down to the middle of the group. Great training.

At the top of the Hill I realise we are nearly back at Petts Wood. I love the run down Orpington Road and I go towards the front and pick up the pace. On Birchwood, I start really going for it. Johnny Gill goes as well. I am probably at 80% top speed. Johnny starts encouraging me on. We both push. I hear someone behind me and I hold him off. The last run up into the rec I run at a full sprint.

Not bad given I was meant to be taking easy.

7.2miles 61 minutes (around 8.5 minute miles)

Late Long Run

As I hurtle(!) towards my marathon attempt next year, I need to get back into the weekly long run. A busy day so I decide to do a late one.

I set off towards Eltham. As I get towards Mottingham I decide to loop back. I come across Chislehurst common and then over Chislehurst Hill (The easy way, towards Bromley)

Considering this was my first long run in a while it was not overly taxing and really quite enjoyable.

When I got back I measured it on gmaps pedometer (haven't managed to keep the Garmin consistently charged for a while) A totally random route that I had made up as I went along - 9.9988miles. Though this then made the time a little bit disappointing, which I calculated as 10.5 minute miles.

The route is here:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4000157

10miles (16.1km) 1"45

Park Run First Anniversary

Decided not to run this, and so had a couple of beers the night before. Woke up at 8:40am and decided, actually I will run it.

As it was the first anniversary they decided to run the course backwards. So they could finish in the same place, the start was moved to the far end of the park. There were people from the local papers and lots of balloons and general festivities.

I start off and straight away the course feels different. Starting at the far end means starting off downhill. In the end I don't think I am going to PB today because of the beers last night, but I don't intend to cruise.

I am tracking a couple of old nemesises. People I have had "ding-dong" battles with. I don't intend putting up a fight today but it shows I am not slouching. Suddenly disaster, the laces on my shiny new Asics Pirahnas have come undone. I stop and lose 10 seconds to tie them up. On the second lap the same thing happens and again. I guess I lose 40 - 60 seconds to shoe lace tieing.

The last quarter of the race, I run along side a girl who is panting heavily. I hate running along side noisy runners (Whether is smashing the feet into their spongey shoes or wheezing) In the end it annoys me so much I pick up the pace and drop her. Ahead I see my 2 nemesises pickup the pace and really sprint. There is no way I would have been at the races tpday even with out shoe laces. As I close in on the finish I still manage a tidy sprint.

Across the line I look at my time, 24:35 which allowing for Beer and Shoe Laces was not too bad.

Time for a few cup cakes with the other runners and a chat recalling the year that has been Bromley Park Run.

5km 24"35

Blackfriars and beyond

I was still remembering my great run on Saturday, barefoot. I'm tired from last nights efforts so want to take it easy. The best way I know to do this is to do a quick 5km in the aqua shoes (as close to barefoot you can get in the city)

I run out through Paternoster square, over Blackfriars bridge. I run outwards for 15 minutes and then back. I am tired from last night, but I love running in the aquas. The pace is so much steadier.

Towards the end the pace picks up, but this is about relaxing and enjoying. I don't run as fast "barefoot" (Though Saturday showed me faster than I thought!) but I just love the feeling, and don't get as tired.

Didn't really get anyway on the otherside of Blackfriars, but then I wasn't really trying to.

5km 30"00

Race the train

It's Tuesday night and Petts Wood Runners night. Except my Wife has the car. Not a problem as I jump on the train from Shortlands to Petts Wood. It's only 10 minutes and I'm one of the first there.

A number of our runners had done the Race the train. A 14 miles slog in Wales where you race against a train. Very few manage to beat it (maybe a 150 elite out of 1500) Chris Day and one of our lady runners had managed to do it.

I go out in group 4 with James Wong. He says the route and the pace. 7 miles at 8.5 - 9 minute miles. I joke when are we going over Chislehurst Hill? He looks at me without joking, and says towards the end.

I am excited. I have my new Asics Pirahnas. They are so light, you need to tie them down to stop them floating away. Minimal padding at flat. Right from the start I love running in them.

It's a smaller group than usual, and all the runners are strong. I hold near the front. As we come up Chislehurst Hill, I dig in. The last time with Group 4 I had dropped of the end. The last time with Group 3 I had run easily off the front. Tonight I hold on, towards the back, but holding on.

On the run back to Petts Wood, I am feeling good, and run to the front to set the pace. I glance at my watch. I need to be at Petts Wood Rail Station for 21:13 else the next train is 21:43. I try to pick up the pace. The rest of the runners peel of back towards the rec and the start point. Ihead straight for the station. Half way up Towncourt crescent, I don't have enough time. Suddenly I'm on the square where the station is. I sprint over the bridge. I glance down at the platform and there is no train. I slap down my Oyster Card and flow down the stairs. My train is still on the departure board. 20 seconds later my train arrives. I beat the train!

12km at group 4 pace (1"10)

Vanilla Run

A straight forward run, Blackfriars, Thameside Path, Leadenhall, London Wall. Around 5.5km, average pace

5.5.km 30"00

(Andrew) William Barefoot

I fancied running the weekly Bromley 5km Park Run. But with a difference. Barefoot.

I turn up at the start and see some friends.
"£80 these shoes. The guy at the shop said that they were so special, stupid people couldn't seem them"

As I start everyone zips off. Today I am not running for a time but to get round. The first half a lap I manage fine. I'm running with some different people, but that's because I must be way slower. Down the back straight, I have to skip gingerly through some twigs dropped from the tree. Also down their there is the "cinder path". Martin from the club calls it the "cinder path" and I always tease him. It is a gravel path. Some of the gravel is on the grass. I manage to tip-toe my way past it.

According to major running shoe manufacturers I should be an injured cripple doing this. I am more than comfortable.

I run past the husband and kids of a fellow PWR. They look at my feet. I say
"Sure I forgot something but, I can't think what.."

As I approach the finish, I sense someone closing in on me. I still don't like being overtaken so I pick up the pace. I cross the line and look at the watch. I am confused. The time if far too good. I check with the timer and it is the case.

Barefoot, I have just run 24"28. This used to be my regular time one year ago. I have just managed to do it barefoot!

At the finish lots of poeple are interested in why I have no shoes on. I explain that running shoes are evil. I don't know if people believe me. Maybe I have given people some food for thought.

5km 24"28 (Barefoot!)

Hare and Hounds Duathalon

I was unbelievably sick yesterday so didn't think I would be running. Somehow I pulled it together.

To save some time I jumd on a Boris bike (London Cycle Hire Scheme) outside the office heading for a station just across from the start point. I get there and the station shown on the map doesn't actually exist! No need to panic and I go to the nearest station just down from fleet street. This one is full. I decide to leave the bike with the timers to play with. I make the start with only a minute to spare.

I start off fast and feel good. The tourist crowds are thronging. I have to work hard to flow through them. Westminster bridge is particularly bad. On the Southbank just before Vauxhall bridge I see a runner looking confused. I ask him if he is doing the Hare and Hounds. I reassure him is going the right way.

Back on the South Bank on the way to Westminster Bridge, Mark catches me. I had seen him coming across Lambeth Bridge as I had run under it. Everytime he runs he always catches me early and zips past. He says that he is dying and his legs are heavy. I say
"You've caught me!"
He then zips off.

For the rest of the race I don't see anyone else. I start to tail off, but am able to give it a good sprint.

Like most running of this event, the wind always seems to be against you like some kind of crazy Wind Escher crossover.

I jump on my Boris Bike and head back to the office. When I get back I jog the short distance to the office. I now understand when Triathletes (or duathletes) say the transition is so hard. My legs feel strange from being on the bike and then running.

Last month I had run 40"00 dead. Despite being at Death's Door yesterday, The time was good.

I don't have he evidence but this course must be longer than the old Hare and Hounds.

39"22 5 Miles (I think it is more....)

PWR vs Orpington Road Runners Mob Match

A simple format. 6.3km route. First runner home scores one point, second runner scores two points and so on. The team with the lowest score wins. The good thing is that is open to all standards.

It is a lovely run through the woods. I soon settle into a pattern. Jerry (usually bellowing out random assertions) runs past. Jerry starts walking for a bit, I run past.

Generally I feel good and run well. Compared to some of the other runners, running in minimal shoes has made me more nimble. A couple of times I put 5 or 6 metres on other runners, just be flowing more elegantly through the terrain.

On the final lap of the rec, I glance behind to check there were no Orpies on my tail. The race was not timed so as long as I didn't get overtaken running faster here didn't make any difference.

But Emma was on my tail. She's usually faster than me and I see her start to accelerate. I don't want to lose my place so I start to speed up. I then start to catch Jerry in front of me. As he nears the line I open into my fastest sprint. Jerry hears me coming, suspects I'm an Orpie and manages a sprint to deny me a one higher place.

I finish 46 out of 120. My time was a freakish 29"59:997. Shame that I hadn't know to target 30mins. If I normalalise the time to a 5km this would be 23"48. Given a lot of the run was in the Woods, not too bad.

In the end the Orpies won. They have more members and some stronger runners. I think its going to be a while before we win this one.

6.3km 29"59:997

round and round

Not too much to say. Down across Southwark Bridge. Along the Southbank across Tower Bridge and back. Some of the stunt-running through the crowds was amaazing. I am big. If I collide with someone they are going to know about it. But I don't. Wearing minimal shoes has made me graceful. Which is good really, because if I collided with some one, it would really hurt. But I don't. I'm in and out. Really don't come on holiday to London to look at Tower Bridge because sooner or later I am am going to misjudge it and flatten a tourist. But until then it is good fun weaving.

5 or 6 km around 30 minutes. 0 tourists killed. 342 Tourists "Nearly Killed"

Park Run Sprint

One of the PWR runners, is the inspirational, David. A great Family Man, bright, fun and honest. He had been running every park run from the start. I had been doing the same but eventually dropped out because my daughter does Ballet and family comes first. Another "other" runner was the same. He started off runing 28ish minute 5ks. But every week he and David had run they had both got faster and faster. Initially, I was beating David, but within a couple of weeks he surpassed me, and recently had really pushed on to 21.5minutes.

Unfortunately David recently injured both his shoulder and his back. Last time I did park run, the "other" runner beat me comfotably.

Today was the other runner's 50th park run. The first from Bromley to do it. I've felt my form has been okay, but I'm still too fat for this running lark. My Assembly league performance on Thursday makes me think the time could be good if I push. So I push. At the stat Richard zips of for a 30-40 second lead, and then keeps at this distance the whole way round. I follow a couple the whole way round. The "other" runner edges ahead of me.

As we near the finish, I decide to give it a push. Everyone starts sprinting. It turns into a Six way sprint. I may be "heavy", but at least with that comes some power. So I sprint, and then I really sprint. We flatten the finish. Park Run is not used to a six way sprint. I win. To be honest, I could have given more. There is some confusion around the finishing and people grab a token ahead of their finish position. Martin is having none of it, and ensures correct order is maintained.

On reflection, I was glad to push the other runner back a couple of positions on his 50th run as it should have been David's honour other than for the demon of injury. And I know that Demon.

I chat with the "other" runner after the race, and he is a nice guy. An interesting run. Not a PB, but I used to regularly run 24"30. This was 23"15. Definite progress.

5k 23"15

East Enders

Yesterday's excursion to the East End, and Victoria Park in Mile End had me thinking canals. All round there I had seen Canals. I seem to remember on Eastender's characters going for walks around the canals.

I felt the urge today to go and look at a canal. These days I only seem to have half an hour for lunchtime runs. I decide to go up to the Lockett's Rockets route-of-pain start point on the canal.

I ran there, slowly in a recovery manner. Looked at the canal without running any of it. Enjoyed it and ran back to the office.

Martin of the running club at work I know had done a massive loop round the Canals, past Victoria Park, through Dockland's and back through the Wapping canals. I'd love to do this. I can't fit it in a lunch time (The run alone took Martin 1"05, it would probably take me 1"30) Maybe one I will save up for work at Christmas when it is slow and I can take a long lunch.

27" 5km perhaps Recovery pace.

Viccy Park Assembly League

I tried fishing at the Tuesday night club run to see if I could round up some interest to run this, but no luck.

I was determined to run this. I went with Martin from work, who is a leading light in SEAC (Stock Exchange Athletics Club) He offered to let me run for them, but I kept PWR on the score sheet by running for them. I got my pick of numbers and so went for the Ted Rogers (3-2-1)

At the start I noticed comedian Lee Hurst was running. I was determined to beat him, so I wasn't the biggest joke there.

The run was as usual, a really high standard but enjoyable. A couple of battles, and it ended up with a race against a guy probably 50+ from Aquila AC. I had him on the sprint.

The route is meant to be 3.5 miles. You never know with the assembly league. If I pro-rata my time it would have been a 22.43km 5km (a pb)

My form is good, I feel strong. The truth is I need to lose some weight. I really think it will make all the difference. Damn you beer.

3.5miles 25"28

Round the loop

A quick lunchtime run round the Blackfriars, South Bank, Charing Cross footbridge, Paternoster Square loop.

I look to do this under thirty minutes. On the return, just before St. Pauls I bump into Paul Savage out on a recovery run. I slow down to his recovery pace (Probably the only time, I would "slow" to match his pace!)

I would have made it under 30minutes if I had continued at my pace, so I was happy.

31"00 around 6km

PWR 5K Championships

Interesting one this. The new PWR Clubhouse is by a Cricket Pitch. Someone realised that it is 400m around and a cunning plan was devised.

Twelve and half laps (5km). I set off ridiculously fast. After the 1st lap I ask my lap counter Laura:
"How many laps so far?"
After a while we settle into a steady rythmn. James Wong, Grant and me in a middle-paced group. On the slight uphill leg, Grant and me edge ahead. On the downhill leg, James zips ahead. Eventually Grant drops, and James edges away.

On the second to last lap Karen and Sally zoom past. On the last lap I start to catch them up. Despite a valiant sprint I fail to pass them. I finish 13th out of 21.

I didn't feel great, but it was great fun.

22"55 5k which would be a PB, but I'm not sure it is actually 5km

Shoredtich highstreet

It was my 10th Wedding Anniversary last night. A couple of glasses of Champagne, slap-up meal, nice bottle of Red and a brandy. Obviously our toddler doesn't know this and wake at 5:15 requiring entertainment.

Still a lunchtime run is alway nice. Don't know where the inspiration comes from, but a run over to Bishopsgate and North is the chosen route. The outward leg I fly. Shoreditch high street is full of interesting shops and cafes. 15 minutes in to the run, I turn back. A couple of minutes further back, and suddenly BANG! I feel like death. No energy. I'm hungry and tired.

Friday night, after a few beers, I had gone one stop too far on the train and had to walk 25 minutes back to my house. It was the hardest thing I had done (Worse than 120mile cycle rides and 20 mile running races) I got home and collapsed in the middle of the kitchen until 6:00am....

I called on that spirit on todays run and made it back to the office. Fitness-wise probably not a great workout. In terms of spirit and mental toughness, I kept going. I'll be calling on that some day, sometime more important in the future.

~6km 30"

Finding the level

Out with my club Petts Wood Tuesday night. Our first meet at the new clubhouse. I couldn't face punishmment with James Wong (Who always runs a minute mile faster than advertised) so I go with group 3 (1 low, 6 high, though there are only 5 groups this week).

From the start the pace is a bit too slow. At the start, Mark (The leader) announces we would be going via Chiselhurst Hill. A number of people groan, but I rather like hills.

The run starts off for the first couple of miles, at too slow a pace. Eventually we reach Chiselhurst Hill. Liz, looks at me and says,
"He will probably like this"
I respond,
"It is on the hills where you address your character and discover your soul"
And I do. I raise the pace towards the hill and then push. One other runner decides to come along for the ride. And I push, and push. I don't know who this fellow runner is, but I like him. He has spirit. I push the pace, and as he settles, I kick again, and kick again. But to give him credit he holds but I think he is nearing his limit and he doesn't return the favour. At the top we have the satisfaction of waiting for the stragglers.

We run across Chislehust Common and back towards Petts Wood. On the downhill back towards Petts Wood, someone decides to pick up the pace. Mark who has lead the run in a fantastically, drops back to the slower runners. I sit at the front (*This is my cycling heritage coming to the fore. When you ride in a cycling group, you always sit at the front. Sit at the back and you are toast!) The pace picks up, but this is easy compared to James Wong.

Over the bridge into Petts Wood, we catch up with one of the other groups. We quickly dispatch them. I am feeling good, but the only thing holding me back is that I don't really know the way back to the new start/end point. A couple of other runners are pushing the pace. I ask if it is up the next road. It looks familiar. The other runners agree. As we turn the corner, I see the sign pointing back to the Rec and the starting point. Seems a good point to open up. I sprint, and I really do fly, and it feels great.

I had watched the European Athletic Championships and had been inspired by the 5k in particular. I focus on running hard but within the framework of good form. I'm on my toes sprinting but keep it going. The other runners drop like lead weights.

I finish way ahead of everyone else. Probably could have stepped up a group. Though I see Richard return, who trounced me in the last park run, coming back looking "hot and sweaty" from James's group.

It's not really polite, but every now and again it is nice to run in a group lower than your standard and push, to build a little confidence. As I said the other day, I've been caning it a bit hard recently, so don't feel that fit. Apart from my weight, I am in reasonable form.

I check with James's group. 8 1/2 minute miles (though they did stop for a bit apparently) I need to stop the caning and get into James's group.

On the bright side, King of the Mountains and the Green Jersey to go with the yellow...

~9k 50 mins

Diamond Geezer

It's my 10th Wedding anniversary on Wednesday. I decide a run down London's diamond district Hatton Garden seems appropriate.

I've been caning it socially recently and I have felt a little jaded from the busy summer season. But soon as I start running, I am enjoying it. I push the pace and get faster, and faster.

I go as far as Greys Inn field, stop for 30 seconds and turn back

On the way back I go down the street before Hatton Garden that looked interesting on my way out. There is a market which soon becomes crowded. I love zipping in and out of people. I hop over a few walls, and a few deft turns to cut through the crowds.

Despite feeling tired earlier in the day this run still sparkled.

26"50 probably about 5km