Snow Night Run

I woke this morning to snow. Not so bad that I can't go to work. In the City there is no snow on the ground just wet. After work, when I get the train back to Shortlands it is a snowy wasteland. Cars abandoned in an eery quiet.

Perfect night for a run.

The club run was cancelled so it would have to be a lone run. I have a plan. An old favourite: Water fountain to water fountain on Hayes Common. I pack the bike light which worked so well on Jerry's night run. I set off on the run to Hayes. The traffic is struggling with the ice and snow. I maintain a steady pace with no slipping.

A couple of youths decide to lob snow balls at me. I stop and belittle them.

I reach the common. I stop for a swig of sports drink and to turn the light on. A woman walks by and is suprised that someone is out running in this.
"That's amazing"

Light on, I run across the field at the front of the common. There are tracks but it is still harder to run through this then the compacted snow on the pavements. As I get further into the woods, the snow gets deeper. A number of paths are partially blocked by trees bent over with snow. It makes it hard to find the route. As I near the Road through the common, the snow becomes very deep. It is a hard slog and I think about turning back, but I'm not a quitter and push on.

Across the second road I see a car struggling. I don't have time to stop and so I zip off. The run up to the second water fountain is across a big snow field. As per tradition I touch the fountain and turn back downhill.

As I near Hayes, the snow thins out and there are more tracks making it easier. Suddenly a tree next me sags under the weight, cracks and deposits a sheet of snow. The noise of my footsteps had caused an avalanche!

The run back is steady. As I near home, I see the ice is freezing and the snow is noticibly heavier.

I like the snow. This was a run that will stay in the memory a long time. A work out for the mental toughness as well as the fitness.

1:23 - Distance unknown probably around 10km but irrelevent given the conditions

Dough

Fitness is like dough. Keep stretching it and it will break. You need to stretch, stretch and then let it rest. My calf has been giving me concerns. This week I have laid of the running and went to see the doc.

Some time last year I got a an insect bite on my calf and it swelled up to double the size. I got given some antibiotics and sent home from work (It's the most scared I have ever seen a doctor). However I still have a scar. My concern was that this was still the problem with the calf. The doc gave it the all clear. The pain doesn't bother me, pain is pain. What I don't want to do is really damage something.

Talking with my friend Bec who has now started her marathon training I realised I needed to start my Marathon training. I have a rough and ready plan. Each Sunday will be a long run. After a week off running I decide to take it easy. I decide an hour will be about right.

There was a run I used to do from my old house up through Hayes past the common and back that takes around half an hour. I decide to to this. The run to the old house takes around 15 minutes.

I was going to take the iPod but I can't find my headphones. I run audibly naked. A good decision. Because I haven't been running I feel fresh.

I enjoy the whole run. It is freezing cold, and there are few people braving the weather. At one point there is a dusting of snow. I am aware of and feel the calf but it does not bother me. As I enter the final couple of hundred metres I look at the watch. The time will be around 30seconds short of the hour!

During the run I reflected on the Marathon that is looming. Cold freezing, long training runs. Hill training, intervals. Runs home from work. Pain and suffering on the day. And the truth is, I couldn't be more excited.

9.83km 59:30 Cold, enjoyable!

Night Run

I regularly go out on a Thursday night mountain biking (since at least the start of 2007) and absolutely love it. We strap big lights on to our bikes and hurtle around the trails. On the PWR running site there had been discussion of night running. In turned out that Jerry was organising a night run. This I had to do.

I've been looking forward to this run for weeks. I know there will be a couple of pints in the pub afterwards so I decide to get the bus there. The 10 minute car journey takes me 1:10 and two changes.

I arrive at the Fox pub in Keston and meet some friendly, fellow runners. No Jerry yet but everyone is buzzing. Eventually Jerry shows and after a few preiminaries we are off. Instantly I am loving it. I have an led head torch on but it soon becomes apparent that this is insufficient. I have the triple led light from my bike. I switch the light on and the woods light up.

It's a pain to hold but at least you can see. I suspect it is ruining the fun of some who would revel in struggling with a small light.

I know the route up to the Old Jail Pub will be a big slog uphill. We run up through Keston, a route I know well from the bike. As we get near the Wilberforce Oak, Jerry gets a call on his phone. We've lost Duncan! Jerry goes to retrieve him. I get the other guys to hide in the bushes and plan to jump them as they run back to catch us up. Alas our reflective clothing gives the game away.

A sensible policy of numbering off and a back marker is put in place. The good thing about the route is that Jerry has leveraged his ultra experience and a number of times we are literally running through the middle of a field (scarring a few horses!)

Having to concentrate on the dark means that I soon forget about the running. A sense of flow develops. The calf and ankle hurts but I crack on with it. I think maybe some r+r next week.

Eventually we reach the Jail. We all walk in to the pub. The locals look bemused. We explain the escapade.
"So how far have you run to get here?"
"5 miles"
"And how far are you running back?"
"5 miles"
They look at us like we are painted green and speaking Flemish.
Some people go for a half pint, some stick to the Lemonade. I have a pint. It is Saturday night after all.

The run back a detour is taken via Cudham. There is a hill in Cudham which is famous in cycling circles as it hits 25% as there is a sign to this effect.

Bouyed by my pint, and the fact that I like hills I embrace the hill. Some of the group start to struggle. It's a beast of hill, but I enjoy it.

On the return route the pace slows and it starts to become a little frustrating. I also note that we are getting closer and closer to pub closing time. Part of the fun of something like this is the post-run pint.

Eventually we forgoe the last bit of the run and take the direct road route. Realising that we don't want to all hit the bar in the pub at the same time, I bravely push on at the front. At then end I finish with a sprint.

We finish with a beer. Jerry kindly gives me a lift home and it takes 10 minutes. The bus home would not have been much fun.

A fantastic night out. Lesson learned across the board. I really, really hope these night runs keep going. It's not something you can do by yourself.

10 miles time hard to guage.

Club clumping

The calf muscle is a bit all over the place. But I like club night. My usual group are faster than I fancy and they are going to poke some intervals in.

Maybe I'll drop a group. Mark and group 3 sounds good. My leg doesn't feel right most of the run. I skulk at the back for a while. There is pain in my leg. One thing I do notice is that most of the run is downhill.

Oh, and I really need to pee. I consider dropping off. I know that usually I could drop off, wee for a minute and then catch up. But my leg feels bad and I am cruising. Suddenly we turn up St Paul's Wood Hill. Someone tries to run off the front. I like hills. I can't control myself and I ease through the gears and sit at the front. I'm thinking that a wee at the top while waiting for the slower runners could be an idea. St Pauls Wood Hill, is like a reverse ski slope. It gets steeper. My leg doesn't feel right and so I ease. At the top is a good group moment for a wee, but there are too many women around (doesn't feel right)

On the route to the finish I'd usually be going off the front, but the leg troubles me. I drift towards the back. I don't really know where the leg soreness has come from. But some rest is in order. Next day my ankle ligaments hurt. I wonder if I have been compensating for the calve and irritated the ankle ligaments.

In the end I managed to hold on till I get home and then really pee'd! Something I need to think about for my sub 4 hr marathon...

10km 58ish minutes

Park Run PB?

Wake up, after a few a late night drinks. I've a long days driving down to Bournemouth to buy a car, but there's always time for park run.

The usual swigs of Coffee and PSP and no breakfast for the pre-run prep. Today unusually I take some music (Some house classics from my younger days which are good to run to). Steve the pace maker is running 22 minutes, so not much chance of seeing him. I have the Garmin and feel like giving it a go. Last week I had tried to run 4:40. This week 4:38 is the target.

I start off and suddenly the calf starts hurting. I'm not going to quit now, but given my last post here I feel silly. A mug even. Still, I keep going

Pacewise the first lap is not too bad. The 22 minute pacer is even kept in sight but the second lap I have to dig deep. One point a grunt with effort, and the guy in front looks scared. I hold on and even pull something together for the finish.

I look at the Garmin, and it's 22:50. Last week I had done 22:40 but the course was 80 metres short which I calculate I would run in around 20-25 seconds. So it was an improvement on last week.

The course was very muddy. The cinder path after the last couple of weeks (the back straight on the far side of the park) should be renamed the Windy Path, because of the strength of the wind. The discussion afterwards over a coffee was that the course would run a minute quicker in the Summer.

But my calf muscle bloody hurts.

22:50 5k (PB really though Park Run Website doesn't say so)

Back on the feet

I was right. My calve muscle did hurt. So this week I have not run at all. By today there's less pain. I always think I have been too cautious around injury so today I am going to run.

I think the aquas are a good call as running (nearly) barefoot has a massaging affect on the legs. Down to Blackfriars and along he Thameside Path. A couple of times I pick up the pace. Then I remember, that most of the week I have had pain in the muscle and best take it easy.

The hard thing with injury is knowing when you are better. Too soon and the injury reoccurs. But, until you recover there is a little pain. In the very act of injurying you focus on the muscle. And then you feel every little bit of pain. When I was 18 I got a pain in my Knee. I gave up serious excercise for a couple of years. I put on a lot of weight (Which I believe I still am recovering from now) In reality I still have that pain in my knee. But now I accept it. That's what my knee feels like. Its not warning pain, it's just my knee.

The run feels great. I still wonder if my calve is hurting or is this what it usually feels like? After the run I feel great and no leg pain. Later in the day it feels awkward, but not "pain".

Injury concern aside, a lovely run down the River Thames. A couple of times I catch my form in the glint of a shiny window and it looks good. Lot's of traffic light stops.

30:00 around 5km

Mob match cross country

It's Sunday and a three way mob match between Petts Wood, Orpington Road Runners and Eltham Joggers. It's a hilly Cross Country Course through High Elms involving a couple of hilly laps. I ran a PB at Park Run yesterday and enjoyed few drinks last night. Best take it easy.

I have a Christening to go to later so I can't hang about. Across a field and into the Woods coming to stop as we all squeeze through a tight gate. The atmosphere is friendly. In the Woods it is high-autumn and absolutely beautiful. I recognise some of the route from the Orpington 10k.

Most of the route I follow James W around. The route reminds me of last years Interbank's Cross Country Championship around which I absolutely loved. I can't do it this year because of my little girls 5th birthday. I like the hills, you roll up your sleaves, shorten your stride and just get on with them. Running down the hills, isn't so much fun.

Towards the finish I am in such a good mood I joke with the marshalls.
"Can I do another lap?"
"Am I winning?"

The only concern is the pain in my calf. The hills can make Calf problems worse in my experience. But I am able to see it to the end. Some time off next week is on the cards.

Towards the finish I glance behind. No bandits at 6 O'clock, so no sprint finish required. But suddenly I spot a bandit on Karen's tail. She will have to dogfight all the way to the finish. To help her out, I sprint to inspire her. In the end she holds true and finshes ahead of her adversary.

Usually Orpington destroy us as they have some elite runners. Petts Wood are strong in the middle order(Lots of good runners, but hardly any elite runners). As such if we had a couple of strong runners we would have beaten them. We have never beaten them, but we'll get there. I know this, I support AFC Wimbledon.

Afterwards I tell everyone how beautiful and enjoyable it was. Not everyone agrees. Richard admits to preferring a nice steady road run but appreciates the training benefits. I like cross country (funny I hated it at School) and when the calf doesn't hurt, I quite like hills. I loved today

6.32km 32:18 54th/88

Short again

Park run on a Saturday. I'm not minded to push hard as I'm in a lull between proper goals. My main goal is the April Marathon. So at the moment I'm toying. But since I've made the effort to run I may as well apply a little thought.

My lesson from last weeks PB, achieved by running ahead and then along with the pacer is that I am going out too fast on Park Runs. The pacer swore blind that he runs an even pace. I was ahead of him (by quite a way) for 4/5 of the run.

Today the Garmin is my pacer. I intend to run the whole thing at 4"40/km. This should bring me in around 23"00. I find my pace is more even. The funny thing is the bit I struggle to hold the pace is the cinder path(see earlier posts) and on the downhill. It definitely is windier.

The whole race feels easier at a steady pace. I'm not digging deep, though I do put together a strong finish. As I cross the line I look at the watch 22"40. This was faster than I was expecting.

After the race I am puffing myself up. Then suddenly a figure on the Garmin catches my eye. Distance 4.91km. Last week was dead on 5.00km. The course had looked no different to me but must have been shorter.

How long would it have taken me to run the 0.09km? I guess between 20 and 30 seconds. That would have put me the same time as last week.

If the Park Run distance is going to be so variable how accurate a measurement of performance is it? I'll leave this as something to ponder.

I think the next thing to do is to try running to a set heart rate.

Still a good days work. Would have been better if I had not looked at that distance...

4.91km 22"40 PB?

Back of the pack

Tuesday night club run. It's warmer than last week and yet people are still dressed for Siberia.

Off with group 4 and James W. His favoured loop over Summer Hill. I like hills and so am fine with this. He promises it will be 9 minute miles, but I know different and am quite happy with the inevitable faster pace.

A couple of KM in and I'm running at the front of the pack (my bad cycling habits are hard to drop) I decide to run at the back for a bit. But as I slow down, everyone following me slows down. I cause a big split in the group and have to speed up.

As Summer Hill approaches everyone slows in anticipation. I speed up. I like hills. I dig in and assault the hill. A couple of people run with me. It feels like everyone else has dropped. A quick glance over the shoulder shows they have not dropped too far. I also have an extra motivation for getting ahead for a bit. I need a wee! At the top of the hill I dash off to the bushes. The group soon reforms and are off. I dart out the bushes and tag on the rear. From here on this is where I stay. Some people at the front really push the pace. The group goes in to 3. 4 or 5 off the front. Me and another chap, and James and friend at the back.

On the final run in to the rec-ground James whizzes past me. The front runners disappear into the distance. I could be pushing harder but I don't know if I could hold their pace today.

Another beautiful, beautiful autumn evening. A slight pain in the right calf to keep an eye on

11km ~1:01"00

Pre-Dinner Run around Park Langley

A quick run before dinner. Round the big houses of Park Langley. I knew that I would never run after dinner so I agreed with my wife I would do a quick 25 minutes. And that is what I did.

Picked the pace up on the final bit, but in all 25 minutes easy run.

Little less than 5km, 25 minutes