In Search of Ghosts

Jerry has setup another night run. This one was billed as "In Search of Ghosts". With the baby I have been telling him for months I will not be able to make it. But I get my parents to help with the baby and I get out.

We meet in a pub car park in Knockholt. An number of familiar and friendly faces. On the stroke of 8 we are off. Straight away a brief stop to learn about the history of Knockholt and then off again.

Even though it is a night run it is still light and a beautiful evening. We stop on a hill overlooking Shoreham and it is unbelievable beautiful looking down on the Kent countryside.

On a last minute whim, I had decided to wear the Aqua Shoes. I had harboured second thoughts on the way there but it was too late to do anything about it. In the end I am fine. A few places where the road was rocky, I have to tread gingerly but the enjoyment of running in something that does not restrict my movement out weighs this.

As darkness falls, I get out my torch and switch it on. But the battery is flat. I had charged it, but I think the mistake was to leave the charger plugged in but switched off. I suspect this had flattened the battery. Clive kindly lends me his spare torch.

On the return to Shoreham, we stop in one of the pubs. The usual bemused locals when 12 runners come bundling into the pub. I have a couple of Lemonades. Getting going again after stopping tough, especially knowing we are going to be climbing for a while. But I dig in and keep going.

Most of the stories from Jerry are not ghost related but more about local history, which is fine, because as Jerry pointed out, most stories seemed to be tied to pubs. Probably made-up to add "character") The light evening and jovial group doesn't lend itself to a spooky atmosphere.

At the end, the rest of the gang manage to blag their way into the pub for a lock-in.
I head back home to help with the baby. As I walk up the drive, I hear the baby screaming.

13.5 miles (21.72km) 2.5 hours (approx with stops)

Still good

Another stolen half and hour evening 5km. This time I run past Kelsey Park for 2.5km. There's some hills on this route but they don't trouble me as it is all still good.

I get back and the baby is screaming...

5km 27:00

When it's good..

Sometimes when you run, it is hard and a slog. Other days it just comes naturally. And today it was good. With the baby I am pretty busy at the moment, but I manage to find a half hour window for a quick 5km.

I decide to run towards Hayes for 2.5km and then back. This happens to take me as far as "The Pickhurst". Mostly uphill there, and then downhill back but I feel good enough not to worry about the terrain.

I get back and the baby is screaming...

5km 27 mins.

Bromley High Street of a night

The baby is fine. It's looking after the other two kids that is killing me! I feel exhausted but I feel I should be running tonight. In the end I talk myself out of it. I run a few errands at the supermarket and my two year old has then un-put himself to bed. I get him back to bed and off to sleep. I then decide to un-talk myself out of not running.

I fancy another quick 5km but can't face the rolling ride to Beckenham. Instead I struggle up the hill to Bromley North. I do a loop round the "North Village" as they seem to be calling it these days in attempt to make it a "cool destination" venue. FFS This is Bromley North...I notice a new Wetherspoon's has opened.

I never really get going. And that's been a problem for a while. I need 45 minutes to get going and easing into a run. I run down the high street and come to a stop. Down the bottom of the high street there is a hilarious rip-off of a Tesco Extra store. There is also now a fantastic rip-off of a Sainsbury's Local. I vow to come back and take some photos.

As I run down Queen Anne Avenue I worry the run will fall short with only 4km on the Garmin. I avoid take the short-cut via St. Mary's church. As I near my house the 5km dutifully beeped on the Garmin.

It was hard tonight, the pace pretty poor. Still I was tired, and I'm proud of myself for getting out. Better get some rest before the kids tomorrow...

5.2km 31:31

Post Baby Run

As you can see a bit of a break in the run schedule. To be fair, I have an excuse, the birth of my third child. I remember when my first child was born, I probably didn't do anything for 6 months but this time I am determined to try and maintain some fitness, even if Tuesday night club run is out of the question for the foreseeable future.

I can't be away for long in case I am needed. I decide to run down through Beckenham high street, a course I have previously measured as 5km. The other thing I remember about this course is it's lumpiness.

And I feel the hills. Still, it's good to be running. Usual drunkenness and the like in Beckenham high street, and most people too out of it or absorbed in themselves to be troubled with annoying a runner. I reach the Odeon and turn back.

Eventually I hit the top of the final hill and roll back down to my house. After a while a feel fantastic from the run. The time was not important, getting the miles in to maintain the fitness was the important thing

5km 30:00

Post Race Park Run

Could still feel two consecutive days of racing in my legs but still fancied park run today. I decided to run in my £7 from Decathalon shoes. My wife likens them to Japanese tourist shoes. The crucial thing is that they are as flat as can be.

I start off and chug, everyone flies past me as usual, and I reel in a large number of them before the end. Unusually I have my IPod on, but today is a bit-after-the-Lord-Mayor's show and I'm not trying to post a time.

Towards the end I see a young girl make a dash for the finish, but I hate losing places so I sprint as well and finish comfortably ahead of her.

At the end the time was disappointing. Partly tiredness, partly a swirling wind and partly a late-night-large whiskey.

With the baby due on Monday, the running may have to take a back seat for a while.

5km 23:37

Hot Hare and Hounds

After last nights run, and to be honest quite a few beers, it would be an achievement if I did the works 5mile time trial. But I like to support the event.

I turn up and chat with this month's time Dafyd. Then suddenly I am off. The crowds down the embankment are dense. There is a strong head wind on the outbound leg. As I reach MI5 I start to struggle. Down millbank I really start to struggle. It is hot and humid, I can feel yesterday in my legs and I am hung over.

I keep battling. Down past the ITV studios I am in a right mess. I really need a drink (of water). I switch to survival mode. I drag myself over Blackfriars bridge and there is no danger of any sprint.

I jab the watch and look at the time expecting the worst. But here's the funny thing, 40:31 which was only 40 seconds than last month when I had pushed. How could I run half decent today when last night was so-so?

I have a theory. My lovely race Asics Pirahnas are looking worn. Now that I have even barefoot leather shoes for work, I think they are pulling my feet out of shape slowing me down and hurting my ankle. This is probably what hit me last night. Today in the Nike frees I could run.

I think I will lay off them for a while and see how it goes.

I wasn't even handicapped last today, despite blowing up in a most spectacular way.

8.14km 40:31

Great City Run Disappointment

Last year, this run was ruined by getting caught at the back and the crowds. The elites were sub 21mins and my predicted time was around 23 minutes. This meant no entry into the elite section. But I got there early and queued at the front of the rest of the gang. This meant I was near the front at the start.

And to be honest, I can't complain about the crowds. All my work mates were in the local pub "The Red Herring" cheering me on at 2km and they gave me a good shout as I came by.

I can't really say what went wrong. I ran an even pace, I put together a sprint. But the tale of the tape was 22:17. My park run PB is 21:50. Today was on tarmac. There was an audience, it was flat. But 22:17 it was. I had hoped, 21:30, dared 21:10 but no 22:17 it was. I ran 22:04 barefoot (on a shorter course) at park run the other weekend

It was hot, but in reality everything was perfect. I caught sight of my gut in the reflection of the window. It has to be the weight.

None of my colleagues ran the race. They all congratulate me. I feel hollow.

5km 22:17km

Park run recovery

Maybe I shouldn't be doing Park Run as I have a sore ankle and bits. But I also like the social aspect of Park Run.

I set off at an even pace, and then as always I can't resist not racing. After the race midweek and running home yesterday I feel a little jaded but I seem to be making decent time.

Down the back straight the wind blows us all about. In the final straight, I decide to recover a couple of places and sprint past a couple of people.

I look at the watch and it is 23:08. At first I am disappointed given the effort I have put, but then given the fact I ran home yesterday I realise it is not too bad.

Sometimes as my times start to reach some imaginary limit, I wonder where I am going to find extra time to go faster. Today I managed to run a minute slower than last week with the same perceived effort. So there must be areas to be tuned.

In the end the sore ankle and foot were not too bad.

5km 23:08

Unplanned Run Home

I felt tired this morning, and went off to work to physically recover. Yet by lunch time I was feeling much better. I then realised my PE kit at work which I use for lunchtime runs needed a clean. I had my backpack with me, so why not run home? I am trying to toughen up (or "man-up" in modern parlance) to stop me wimping out of training sessions because I am a little "tired". I almost ran home from the Corporate Challenge which would have been a great adventure, but the lure of another couple of beers was too strong at the moment was lost.

I collect my PE kit at lunchtime from the Gym and at the end of the day I am ready to go. Of the three pairs of shoes I have at work I decide on the aqua shoes.

A couple of miles in and I feel tired, but I keep going. My right foot is inexplicably sore, but I run through it.

As I make it through the woods in Beckenham Place I will myself up through railway fields. Eventually I make it back home, it I feel great. I toughed it out a couple of times. Because my lunch time running kit gets regularly used but not washed so often, I *really* stink!.

16.5km 1:43:59

Corporate Challenge 2011

I'm on the way back to fitness, but there's work to be done. Tonight is the 5.6km Corporate Challenge.

I fully prepare. My work mates dawdle on the way there, so I run ahead to get prepared. Larry joins me at the start. I'm in the elite start (possibly due to a misquoted estimated time based on 5km rather than 5.6km) and it feels exciting to be with all the super-fast runners.

We start off and Larry zooms off. But I keep my pace. Some idiot pushes me out the way. I call him a w*nker, and it's lucky he was moving so quickly else I would have either punched him or tripped him up. I can be like that.

I probably run 25 5km races a year, and maybe 5km at least 4 times a week (on a good week!) I know what it is the correct pace. 4km to go, as I run past Buddha, I see Larry in front. I gradually reel him in. On the last 0.6km grass section I see him start to run through glue, but I never quite catch him.

In the finishing straight I put together a really good sprint. I think I hear the announcer say 26 minutes. I try to factor in how long it took me to cross the start line, but then I see the clock and it it is approaching 25 minutes. This is good. last year I did 26:20, and this year I was targeting 26:00. It's too late to catch Larry but I push harder and execute a great sprint.

I jab my watch as I cross the line. 25:10. Not bad, . I see Larry in front of me and jog to congratulate him. I grab the T-Shirt and head for the beer and BBQ, well ahead of the rest of our colleagues. I have had my burger and first beer, before anyone else I know appears.

I use my pace-calculator to normalise the time to a 5km. It says 22:20. Park run PB is 21:50. I felt really comfortable the whole race, making the most of my experience. I can go faster with some weight loss and some more intense training.

Still, a few years go I would be exhausted after running 5km. Tonight I toy with running the 10 miles home, but the call of the beer is too strong.

5.6km 25:10

Barefoot Park Run Again

I was planning to run a PB today. When I get there it is already getting hot. We are running the course backwards because of a football tournament. I see Sabina and she is running barefoot. I can't resist and remove my race socks and shoes.

Richard and Jenny are also joining in the barefoot-fun. None of the others have done it before. In the end most of the run is uneventful. I do notice that I am going at a decent lick.

As I near the finish, Jenny zips past me and says playfully:
"Come on barefoot man!"
So I decide to race her to the finish. I put on a full tilt sprint and just manage to creep across the line ahead of her.

I look at the watch. It is only 12 seconds slower than my PB. As I suspected, the course was a little short (No criticism of the organising team, as some people had parked across the course!)may be by 20 or 30 seconds.

So it all looks good ahead of Wednesday corporate challenge. Maybe I can take some inspiration from Sabina, who on her barefoot park run debut ran a PB and then got up to take the Ladies Veteran's title at the Orpington 10k!

5km (ish) 22:04