Almost to West Wickham

I feel tired, but a quick hour is in the plan. I decide to do 1/2 an hour towards West Wickham and back.

I start off slow and sluggish. It seems hard. Most of the time I seem to be running past Park Langley Golf Club. A part from a few old boys at the bar is deserted.

I don't quite make the roundabout by West Wickham station. The run back should be harder as it has been downhill most of the way. But it isn't. I start to pickup speed. By the time I turn down Shortlands Road I am flying. The last 500 metres I am fast and graceful.

I think it's taking me a while to warm up these days, which is good. I am now tuning for long distance performance. I can see the marthon coming. It's exciting.

Route here: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4209201

6.6km 38'06

Christmas Club

Despite last nights long run, I still wanted to be out with the club. I think I'll take group 3 rather than group 4. I toyed with group 2 but I put on my semi-flat shoes and after a little bit of sports drink I am feeling perkier.

I turn up and everyone is wearing fluro-yellow jackets so that they can be seen. Apart from visible knees, I have black long socks, black shorts, black gloves, black coat and a black hat. I think some people dis-approve. Oops.

Due to Christmas there are limited numbers. In the end after too-ing fro-ing where Richard tries to push me into group 4, only two groups are formed. A sort of 1-2 and a 3-4. I go with the 3 and 4s.

We start of and in front is a large pile of ice. I decide it may be fun to hurdle it. Which I do with grace and then realise it makes me look a bit of a cock. Oops.

A good sociable group. The funny thing with running is that running an hour requires willpower. Even if you are running slower than your usual pace it is still harder than standing still. Sometimes running slower does not make it any mentally easier. Sometimes I like to run where I am grabbing on to the back of the group, struggling to hold on. Today it is comfortable. Still it is a lovely evening with a little mist and drizzle.

The generally chatty conversation dies away on the run up Bromley Common to Locksbottom for the hill. It picks up again back down towards Petts Wood.

At one point I am forced to run on the grass verge. The snow has made it muddy. My foot slips. These days I feel more in touch with my feet. I listen to them, realise something has gone wrong and I am easily able to correct. I am sure that in the days of running in big clunky running shoes I would not have done this and gone over.

As we cross the final road I open up into a full sprint. And I really do push it. It feels great. I can't decide if the footsteps I can hear behind me are a pursuer or my footsteps echoing. I open up even more. Eventually I slow down for the finish. That felt good.

At the group stands around chatting for a while. Someone teases that not everyone sprints for the finish. Laura replies
"That's one of the most common causes of injury sprinting at the end..."
Oops

1:03'09 6.6 miles / 10.6km

The Bright Lights Of Croydon

As predicted I did not run Christmas Eve. Christmas Day my wife said I expect you will be doing park-run(guess she had seen an email on the computer) When it came to it, I couldn't drag myself away from the kids and I think my wife appreciated the moral support as she cooked the mammoth meal.

Boxing day, I kept my eating and boozing under control with the expectation of getting out on a run. When I got home, my will power had evaporated, so I hit the food and booze.

This mean today I had to get out. And it better be the full 2 hour long run. We had spent the day at the Winter Fayre in Hyde Park. Terrific fun but lots of loafing around small children.

One of the hard things when doing the long run is deciding where to go, especially at night. When we drive up the hill just past Kelsey Park at night you can see the Office Blocks of Croydon. I always joke with my wife about the bright lights of Croydon calling. Tonight I answer the call.

The first 5km are tough. Fortunately the ice is not causing to much of a problem and in the odd place where it remains it is not slippy. I get to the slightly dodgy area the other side of Tesco's. A group of youths in cars look up to no good, but I sail by.

A couple are lighting a cigarette as I run by. He says in a sarcastic tone:
"Watch out for the ice, don't slip"
I am tempted to reply
"Watch out for the fags, don't get cancer"
But I resist. Probably for the best, I'm not wearing my stab proof vest.

It seems uphill most of the way. I console myself with the knowledge that it will be easier on the way back. I reach Croydon town centre right on the hour point in time to turn back.

At first I'm flying. As I reach Tesco's at Elmers End I start to flag. It has seemed uphill most of the way back as well. Down past Kelsey Park I notice that it doesn't look as "downhill" running down, as it it does uphill when running up it.

I make it back, and looking at the watch it was 1:58'34. I had stopped for a wee on the way back (perhaps a minute) but a pretty even run both ways.

It was hard in places, but I enjoyed it. Maybe my head was turned by the bright lights of Croydon.

Route on GMAP pedometer http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4205620

18.5km 1:58'34

On the Christmas Wind Down

I shouldn't be running today as according to my training schedule it is a rest day. I have also a couple of days of hard snow running. I know I may not get out Christmas Eve or Christmas Day so best to get the run in the bank.

I decide to take it easy and wear the aqua shoes. I set off fast. I know what will happen, I'll run like crazy for a km or so and then slow to a crawl. But I don't. I run down across London Bridge and then down towards Tower Bridge. Two fast looking runners join the path outside the London Assembly. Sorry, not today boys and I quickly dispatch the first one. The second one takes a little longer, but I gradually reel him in and then fly past, flap, flapping in my aqua shoes. By the other side of Tower Bridge he is long gone.

I keep running fast and my form feels good. This is fun. I fly down London Wall, zig-zagging through the crowds. It is cold though!

I get back to the office and feel great.

Around 4.5km 23:30

Bad mood run

I'm in a bad mood. I consider the canals (my usual outlet for a bad mood) but I worry it will make we worse.

I opt for one of my favourites runs, down to Blackfriars, along the Thameside Path, up past the Tower, Leadenhall and down London Wall.

The barriers on the Thameside Path are closed by the refuse site which is just bloody typical. I have to run back up to the road, round and back down to the path.

I hope to see some Christmas cheer at Leadenhall. And to be fair, it is a little Christmassy.

I only really get going on the final run down London Wall.

I had a sore ankle possible from two days of running on snow but I decided to run anyway. Afterwards I feel fine.

5km 30:00

Orpington Snow Runners

It is the draw for 3 places in the London Marathon at my running club tonight. But they have cancelled the runs because of the ice. After last nights truly wonderful run I want to be back out there in the snow.

I get word of a snowy, offroad night run with ORR. I'll do this and then go to the draw.

At the start there is the usual chaos and confusion but I tag on to the back of Jerry and off we go. I put on my powerful bike light to light the way. There are some runners without lights and I don't think they appreciate someone with a big powerful light. Which is fair enough but it is too dangerous to run without light with all the trip hazards. I use the light pointing downwards to light my steps.

The 11 of us work our way through the beautiful snowy countryside. It is impossible to notice the cold. Every now and again I know where we are. I recognise High Elms. The leader obviously knows these routes well even with a covering of snow.

The snow is still fresh and so is not slippery. Eventually we come upon the village of Downe. It is lit up for Christmas. We stop for photos.

On the way back we come to a huge field covered in snow.
"round the field or through it?"
The answer is unanimous.
The snow through the middle of the field is a virgin, even white blanket. Any fantasies about making the first footprints in new snow are massively indulged here. The edges of the field fades away into the frozen fog. It is an experience like nothing else I have ever felt.

On the far side of the field there are some snowy trails to run down. My concentration is intense. This is a kind of running I love. I am so focussed on moving and flowing I no longer feel effort.

I love running with Petts Wood but I love the countryside and I love running in the dark. I get the feeling that ORR do this kind of running throughout the year. I may be doing more runs with them if that is the case. In the summer PWR go through the woods but ORR have the advantage of a better start location right next to High Elms.

As we arrive back at the lamppost I look at the time. I only have 5 minutes to make the marathon draw over in Petts Wood. I shout a thanks to the group and zoom off to the car.

I make it to Petts Wood just in time for the presentations and draw. Jerry shows up a little later. We tell a few people about the run, but words don't capture the experience.

I didn't get the marathon place which isn't the end of the world as I have the Brighton to do (which is the week before). The London place would have just complicated things. I want to do London one day, but it will not be this year.

On a post on the forum my best description of the run is
"I have never felt so alive"
And that is probably true.

10.1km 1:05:00

Snow Long Run

I missed the long run yesterday and so tonight I need to make it up tonight. There's snow on the ground and there is more forecast during the run.

I was going to take the camera. As I leave it feels like rain so I leave it behind. This feels more and more like snow and it starts to settle. Rapidly so.

I get to Pickhurst Park and switch on my bright bike light. I run down through the woods. By now the snow is so heavy that I can only make out one set of other footprints.

I run through Old Hayes and up to Baston. It's then offroad all the way up to the top of Keston Ponds. It is quiet and beautiful. It does not feel cold at all.

I stop at the ponds. They are frozen and covered in snow. You could easily accidentally venture on to them if you did not know they were there. Everything is bright because of the snow. In reality I only need the torch to see my footing.

At the top of Keston and by Wilberforce I stop to take a picture. It has been a slog uphill all the way here. The way back is Downhill.

Straight away I am flying and feel noticeably faster. Halfway back in the woods. I see someone standing in the woods. I panic, before realising it is a tree and a shadow cast by the light. I am now moving quickly, buoyed by the adrenaline. Suddenly I smell burning. It is to cold for anything to be burning. I am freaked out and maintain the pace. Eventually I reach the road and calm down.

The snow changes and becomes little pellets. I run back up through Pickhurst Park. My foot prints are already gone from earlier. At the bottom of Broadoaks Way the snow becomes big chunky flakes blowing in the wind.

I pickup the pace on the final section home. It's been a fantastic run. The snow has limited the pace. Only 10 miles in two hours The important thing is that I have done the two hours on my feet.

2:00 16.2km gorgeous snow.

Pre-snow park run

After yesterday's efforts I decide to just jog park run. It is going to snow heavily today and if I work up and it was snowy I would have to run there. But it hadn't. The snow would come later.

As it was the last race before Christmas there was a fancy dress contest. Super heroes, Santas, Christmas Trees. Some really good efforts. I put on a santa hat over my usual beanie. Hardly a stirling effort, but it is a token.

I've never managed to do it before, but today I actually run a steady even pace. I resist the temptation to race. The ground is frozen solid and it is safer to run on the grass than the slippery tarmac.

I cross the finish and go for a coffe and a mince pie. The snow is starting to pick up.

5km 24:30

Hare and Hounds Winner

According to my marathon schedule I needed to run Wednesday or Thursday. Today is Friday and I ran neither. It's the Hare and Hounds 5 mile time trial at work. Time to redeem myself. I want to do a sub 38 minute run for the 5 mile route. A quick bit of math tells me this is 4:45 / km. (23:30 5k I believe)

I turn up at the start and it is freezing cold (-3C?) and snowing heavily. Martin(The timer) is not there. Dafyd, the hare decides to start. Deidre a first timer shows up. She's due to start 50 seconds ahead of me. Eventually Martin and arrives and the race is properly started.

I set off and the snow gets heavier. Despite it being the centre of London, the snow settles. I am trying to run 4:45 min/km to set a new PB. The Garmin is all over the place like a drunken sailor. On the outwardbound journey just short of Vauxhall Bridge I catch Deidre. But she clearly has spirit. She holds me all the way to the mini-hill over Lambeth bridge where she gradually slides away. I also dispatch Dafyd at this point.

I keep pushing with the Garmin oscillating around the 4:45 mark. On the final push towards the South side of Blackfriars Bridge the Snow becomes very heavy. The Garmin is still at or around 4:45min/km. Looks like I will do it.

On the final sprint, the Snow has reached a level where it is slippy. I still sprint, but am careful. As I cross the line knowing that I have won the handicap. I look at the distance and it is 5.18km. I had run 4:44, and the time was 38:30. My previous best was 38:15. Not a PB, but jolly good.

I clap the other runners home. I then jog back to the office with Deidre.

Later in the day, the email comes out. There were 6 runners in the event, but I had won. Not just the handicap, the overall race. Usually the winner does around 33 minutes. It's near Christmas, and cold so lots of people had dropped out. But that's not the point. I had won (maybe by default). But I had won!. I was the fastest runner!

Later an end of year mail came out for the running club. The top 3 Hare and Hounders this year. In 2nd and 3rd place with 5 runs, Charlie and Mark. The winner myself with 8 runs and one Race Director. I may not be fast, but I am persistent!

5.18 miles 38:30 Snowy, Cold. WINNER!

Canals in a good mood

I feel great after yesterday's long run. I decide to go along the canals at Wapping. This is a treat I usually save for black moods but I fancy it today.

I start off fast and keep a decent pace. Down at the canals everyone else seems to be running faster than me, but I'm not too bothered.

I am in work early today but will be there late as it is our Christmas party. So I'm able to tack on an extra 15 minutes to the run without feeling too guilty. I usually make it to Tobbaco Dock, but today I make it a little further.

There is a magic point I reach on London Wall where I start to pick up the pace. It could be that I know I'm nearly back or maybe it is slightly down hill. And I manage to really pick up the pace. Weaving in and out of people, it feels really good.

According to my Marathon Training scheduke it should be club night (basically an hour of faster running) I did 48 minutes, not as fast if I was running in a group.

I feel great afterwards.

48 minutes, around 8km

Marathon Long Run

There was a million and one reasons not to do my long run today. But, I go. I run out to Petts Wood and back. Because of the cold, there aren't too many other people around. With it being Sunday night most places are shut.

All the time I am worried about my pace. It feels hard. I'm only running for 2 hours but I can't even hold my intended marathon pace of around 5:51/km for any time at all. I am doing around 6:15/km. This nags me the whole way round. Towards the end I really start to struggle. The four hour marathon seems a long way off.

Next day I read the following:
http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/marathonlongrun.htm
Which explains that your long run *should* be slower. It talks about running it whilst not full of carbs (which I did, more by accident than design) Seems like it was a text book run!

There's even a running calculator which predicts you race times based on other races.
http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm

Playing around with this, a sub 4-hour marathon looks well within grasp. As long as I put the training in.

Outside my unfounded worries, it was a nice run.

18.5km 1"59:00

Saturday Night

I'm taking this marathon seriously and even though I don't want to I go out running Saturday night, I do. My intended schedule is a bit out of the window but I reckon an hours running is required.

I decide to do a Hayes loop. Run down to Hayes, up to the common, down to Hayes School and then back down the high street and up Pickhurst Lane.

After 1km I'm struggling. I hope that I will drop the sluggishness and pick-up after a few km. But I don't. On the return running back up Pickhurst Lane I stop and walk at least three times. I keep going but I'm not flowing.

I had only had dinner an hour and half before (a nice, but heavy risotto) and I think it was dragging. About 1km before home I feel a bit better, but not great. I decide to pick up to a fast pace. Not because I want to, just to prove I can do it. I zoom for a couple of hundred metres and then return to reluctant teenager mode.

I didn't run well, not sure I hated it but didn't love it. It was still worth doing.

8.5km 57:32 (That is terrible! but better than not going out)

Snow Globe

My little girl wants a Snow Globe from Father Christmas. I try to help the bearded fella by seeing if I could find one. I think a London one would be nice. I know a souvenir stall down on the Victoria Embankment that may have one.

I am wearing my old "running" shoes. We are old friends having been on many adventures together, but they do feel big spongy and clunky.

I stop for a minute at the stall but all the Snow Globes are too tacky. I turn and head back. It is a similar run to yesterday but I managed to cover a little more distance.

My marathon training plan calls for longer runs. I'm going to either have to ditch my lunch time runs for evening runs or try and stretch them to 45 or 50 minutes.

30 mins, 5 and a bit km

15 minutes out, 15 minutes back

I haven't been running at work at lunchtime for various reasons including, sickness, holiday, business. So today I make the effort.

A simple 15 minutes out down the Victoria Embankment and then back. I see some of the student protesters marching to Westminster. As it turns out it is almost exactly 15 minutes each way. I run in the aquas and it really is quite enjoyable.

Today is one of the days where everyone else seems to be running faster than me. I've had some time off and I am building towards the marathon in April.

30 minutes, around 5 and a bit km

Birthday Snow Run

It's my birthday and I have the middle of the day to myself (No kids or work) I decide to treat myself with a run. It's still snowy and icy on the pavement so I think offroad will be better.

I decide to do the Nash Circular walk. I find the route on the internet and see that it is 4.2 miles. Perhaps not long enough. I consider 2 laps.

I drive to the Keston Car Park wearing my new warm winter coat kindly bought by my parents for my birthday. As this is further out in the country it is still very snowy, and very beautiful. I stop a couple of times to take photos. In the end I stop as it is interrupting my flow and my hands are cold.

A short way in I come across some walkers
"Beautiful isn't it?" I say.
They are suprised to see someone running through the snow.

I complete a lap easily and go back to the car for a quick swig of sports drink. I turn round and head back. At one point I stop on the road, and before I know it I slip over. Fortunately I have the sense to fall on my shoulder to avoid hurting myself.

In the middle of Well Wood I get lost. I realise that I am running back the way I came. I see the walkers from earlier who are staggered that I am still running. But I am completely lost. I can't work out how I have looped back on myself. I run back and identify a possible point of error. I decide to gamble and follow that route. It puts me back on track.

The climb back up towards Wilberforce is tough and I start to feel tired. I make it though.

After the run I feel great. I have been sick and feeling down. Now I feel back and running. I'm ready to start the marathon training.

~8.4 Miles just short of 2hours. Snow. Beautiful

Snow Park Run

I'm feeling ill (Cough), I had a couple of beers last night and the last few days we have had 20cm of Snow. Perfect, for a park run.

We have had the good fortune to recently buy a 4x4. So the drive to Norman Park and in the car park is easy. The ground is too covered in snow to find a parking place the car is dumped anywhere.

There are at least 60 other crazy people here. You can feel the sense of excitement and adventure.

I start off at an absolutely crazy pace and after 1km start to suffer. Some places are snow, some are mud and some are grey ice. I think I am suffering more with my illness and beer breath than the snow.

A couple of times I nearly quit, but quitting gets you know where so I dig deep and keep going. Gradually more and more people get past me.

As I cross the finish I look at the time. 27:15. Only 15 seconds slower than my slowest ever (which was also impacted by illness and beery-ness but in perfect conditions)

Runs like this are good as they mix up the training and build character.

5km 27:15 Snowy!