23 Minutes

I meant to run back from work yesterday. My boss dragged me to the pub. This morning I was still quite beery but decided to do park run.

I arrive and there is a pacer doing 23:00. My pb is 22:59. I am currently exploring the concepts around the fact you run faster in a group. So if I run with the pacer and was in shape I could do a PB (If I didn't reek of booze from the night before)

At the start I zoom off. In front I spot Duncan(Barefoot guru) and he has some new running shoes. I say "running shoes", think minimal footwear. I am interested, but he's too fast for me, and I can't catch him up. I'll have to wait for the post race coffee.

I'm feeling good and flow. 3/4 of the way round I'm starting to struggle. But here's the thing: the 23 pacer still hasn't taken me. The beer-fug starts to hit home and I feel like quiting. But still no pacer. I am ahead of 23:00 pace. The pacer had promised me he runs an even pace.

Suddenly on the second to last turn, he passes me.
"Not you!" I exclaim.
But he encourages me. So I go. On the final straight he says "50 seconds" to get under 23 minutes. It seems miles to the finish. But I remember the Reading Half Marathon. The finish is always close than you think. So I keep going.

The pacer starts encouraging me so I push. Full race-sprint-mode. I cross the finish and whack the stop button. 22:55 and a bit. I'm ecstatic and thrust my arms in the air.

I bore everyone senseless with the details of the run at the post race coffee. All day I wait for the post race email. It never arrives. Eventually I send an email to the Park Run team.

22:56 5km (PB)

Heading North

Fancied a run today at lunch time. It is Autumn after all. Decide to head North from work (near Guildhall). This means up towards Angel Islington. I start off fast, slow down, and speed up again.

I'm reading a book on Social Psychology at the moment (one of my Wife's old text books) In there is explains why you run faster in a group. I can't help thinking I would be running faster if I was running with someone else. Maybe to improve I need to increase the number of times I run with others. The alternative may be to science-up with the Garmin.

Still getting a childish kick out of running fast through crowded places. Running shoes take away your agileness. Minimal footwear makes you want to leap around like a loon.

~30 mins ~5km

Recovery Run in the Aquas

Tired after last night and can feel it in the legs. A bit of self-medication of a lunch time run in the Aquas.

Across Blackfriars Bridge and down the South Bank as far as Waterloo Bridge. Back the way I came. Weather lovely, T-Shirt and gloves. Really crowded so I need to weave in and out of people. Outrageously on occasions.

Can't remember if I've mentioned how much I love autumn?

5km 30:00

I love Autumn

I love Autumn. The slight coolness, the smell of the leaves. Everyone else turns up dressed for a Siberian Winter at the running club. I'm in a t-shirt. The car says 10.5 degrees C. It's going to get a lot colder people!

Richard is taking group one, so tonight James W leads group 4. 8.5 - 9 minute miles doing around 6 miles.

We run off heading for the A21. I talk for a while with Jerry. He has entered some crazy 145 mile race in under 45 hours (not stopping for more than 40 minutes apparently) The idea of ultra-running fascinates me, but I just don't have time for it in my life. I'm wondering where I am going to find the time to Marathon Train.

As we run along the A21 we pass the bus garage. My one year old would be going crazy now. He loves a good bus, and to see the place where the buses live! Wow!

The hill up to Locksbottom is tough, and Jerry pushes the pace. It's a relief to reach the top.

As we get to the couple of km to go point Jerry pushes off the front. With 1km to go I decide to catch him. I finish with a sprint over the finish feeling great.

It was a beautiful autumn night. It may have even be better if it was a little colder. Everyone else looks hot and sweaty and uncomfortable in their running kit. I feel hot and I'm just in a t-shirt.

10.68km 59:00 5:30/KM pace

Round the loop with Larry

A lunch time run with Larry. I decide to take on my favourite run. I toy with taking the coat but in the end I decide against and go with a t-shirt. I have my splendid running gloves on though which I love to death (I actually have two pairs after losing one last year, and then finding it again when the snow melted!)

Larry is surprised I can get changed in 10 minutes from the other building, but I'm not as I have this cracked now. I can see Larry is looking a little crocked from touch? Rugby. So it's meant to be a recovery run.

Down to Paternoster Square, along the Thameside Path, back through Leadenhall and down London Wall. Once again there are lots of people out and about but in our way. We dance and skip round them.

I like running with Larry, is I run faster than I would run by myself. It's a beautiful sunnny Autumn day and all is good.

5km ish around 31 minutes (lots of people and traffic lights about)

Windy Park Run in "Running Shoes"

I'm still in a beer induced state of happiness when I can hear the rain thundering outside, early morning. I've checked the weather and it should stop by park run but it will be wet.

I'm reluctant to wear my Asics Pirahnas as, to be honest, I love them so much I don't want to get them muddy. In the end I go for my light weight "running shoes". When I bought these, the guy in the shop was reluctant to sell them to me in case I injured myself. Now days they feel horrible and clunky.

Before the race, I check out the course and it's not too muddy. The race starts, and I sense it's not going to be a stellar time. On the straight by the "cinder path" (as Martin romantically calls the gravel road) I can feel the wind and it's very strong.

On the second lap, the chap in front of me cuts the corner.
"Cheat!"
I shout out.

I keep going to the end and look at my time. Just over 24:00. A minute slower than last week. The question is, was the wind, the shoes, the muddy course, the hard week or the previous night's beer? Knowing that I had run 23:02 the previous week, I'm not so concerned. Really didn't enjoy the shoes though

5km 24"02

Protest

"I'm non-judgemental, not apathetic"
This great thought come to me on the run today. I was doing my favourite loop via Patanoster Square and the Thameside Path. On the Thameside path I could hear shouting. I decided to finish the path and then rather than looping back via Leadenhall to go back along lower Thames Street.

As I get to a large building of a well know Japanese bank, there are anti-vivisection protestors outside, protesting that the bank funds a life science company.

I don't necessarily agree with their sentiments, but I really admire there commitment to go out and do something about it.
"Well Done", I acknoweledge the protester, and she seems to appreciate the positive feedback. I however refuse the leaflet.

Started off too fast and felt some of the week's earlier runs catching up with me. So the short cut back to investigate the noise helped.

~4km 25minutes

Embankment Recovery Run

A gentle recovery run with Larry down Victoria Embankment on a cold day, but not so cold that a T-Shirt couldn't be worn.

Bumped into Paul Savage again going back the other way.

~5km 30min

Autumn Evening PWR Run

I love autumn. It's chilly tonight but I can still get away with a t-shirt. Though all the other Petts Wood runners are dressed up like they are off to the Arctic. Richard even has a hat.

Tonight a simple format. Jog down to the Poverest Roundabout. Then 20 minutes off towards the big hill towards Chelsfield and the A21. Then turn round and head back. So in theory the whole club should reach the start again at the same time.

A minute in John G absolutely flies past me. Doesn't really look like he is trying.

After 10 minutes I have broken off into a group of one. Ahead I can see the fast people, but no one behind me. Suddenly I see the fast group heading back to me. I stop to berate them.
"It's only 15 minutes?"
Then I realise my mistake. It's Orpington Road Runners out on their evening run. I sheepishly continue on.

After 19 minutes the fast group turns. I turn as well. It's been a hard slog uphill to this point and it's time to pick up the pace.

In theory we should all reach the finish at the same time. But somne of the slower runners are soon gobbled up, a long, long way before the finish. It's good to run as a club though.

The last hill is a steep incline back to the roundabout. I (figuratively) roll up my sleeves and get on with it. Most of the run I have been in a group of one. I hear someone catching me on the climb and then go for it. I decide to battle and pick up the pace. I hear them sigh. I keep them off for a couple more minutes and then relent. As he runs past I explain, how I had to put up a battle

Soon I am back at the roundabout and we stop to talk as everyone else finishes. On the downhill just after the turn I really had been running well. I do like Autumn.

37.5 minutes 7.5km

Lunch time with Larry and Paul

Larry has recently joined my team at work. We've been planning to go running together for months but things have always conspired against us. Today we are resolute.

I suggest the Wapping Canals down to Tobacco Dock. This is usually my bad mood run, but today I just fancy a change. As we come past Standard Chartered, we spot Paul Savage. He asks where we are going, and decides to join us.

The pace is fast, rudely interrupted by the strangely heavy pedestrian traffic. We make tobacco dock after 20 minutes. We turn to head back. But now I feel the pace start to slow and I start to labour. Down London Wall Paul peels off. Larry keeps pushing the pace all the way to the finish. Once again we have to dance and skip through the Suits out seeking sandwiches.

At the finish I look at the watch. We had run the return leg a minute and half faster. It completely did not feel like that. Larry and me ponder it for a while and in the end accept it for what it is.

38"30 7ish km

Torture Chamber?

Since I moved to Shortlands I have had my eye on the local park. Most people would know it as Shortlands Park, though technically it is called "Bromley Park"

There is a 700 meter circuit which looks perfect for running intervals. At the far end is a steep hill leading up to Bromley North.

Satellite Here

Street View Here

It's Sunday night so I decide to go and explore. I do a 700 meter lap. One side is a bit creepy and dark (Though the rest is pleasantly lit with street lights)

At the far end is one of the shortest steepest hills I know. I already had it ear marked for sledging in the winter.

You can run up one side, at the top is a war memorial lit up brightly at night. There is then a steep path back down. All off road and within the park on paths. Imagine a D on it side. The straight bit is a long the bottom. The curve bit of the D is at the top of the hill.

I spend half an hour running up and down the hills, weaving various patterns round the 'D'. I'm not finding it too hard but it must be doing me good.

In the end I turn back and head for home. The hill work had irritated my right calf. Not too bad, but must be unusual movement.

It wasn't as hard as I was expecting, and in some ways I rather enjoyed it. I imagine on a Summer Evening it would be splendid with lovely views out over South London. On a cold autumns night, the darkness has menance. There were some chav-ettes hanging around with witty 118 comments for me but I imagine there could be worse yobs at other times.

Hill repeats, 40 mins ~ 6k

Autumn Park Run

I've been sick and very stressed and busy at work. You can see how much I have been running. I missed the hare and hounds yesterday as I was working from home.

My daughters ballet classes fall at a kinder time now days so I can Park Run most weeks.

It feels great to be running again. Most people are wrapped up against the cold but I am just in my running vest. I have my knee length socks though.

First lap is enjoyable. I have a ding-dong battle with a Bromley Veteran's Runner.

Second lap is still good, the hill up to the far car park is a struggle but I hold with it. Now the vet edges away. On the final straight, a female fellow PWRer zooms past. I speed up but she has me beaten. I push all the way to the line.

At the finish I wonder how the time will be. I have not run much the last couple of weeks. But I did feel fast. Though recently perceived effort has given no clue to the time.

In the end I was 2 seconds outside my PB on a wet and slightly boggy course. Maybe an accidental taper had helped. I believe your weight lags your healthy eating. Your weight now reflects how you were eating a month (or more) ago. Maybe next month my time will not be so clever.

At some points I really did feel I was running well.

5km 23:01

Lunch time

I've been soooo busy at work. And I've been sick. Are the two related? Possibly. Haven't had time to go running much at all recently.

Today during a brief respite a manage to slipout at lunchtime. I still feel sick, particularly in the gut. To enjoy the run I go in the aquas.

I take it slow and halfway round I'm struggling put I persist.

An old favourite route, down to Blackfriars, along the Thames Path to the Tower, back through Leadenhall, London Wall and back to Guildhall.

Good to be out

35:00 ish 5 or 6k

Parkrun minus barcode

A parkrun where I give it a really good go. On the way there I realise that I have forgoten my barcode; a real Park Run sin.

At the finish I confess my sin and to make amends agree to volunteer next time.

I think the time would have been faster if it wasn't so boggy.

23:20 5km