Unsuccessful Leadenhall Loop Recovery Run

I can feel the last couple of days in the legs so decide on a recovery run.  Except as I start running I am enjoying it so much I run harder than recovery pace.

It's a lot milder and I get away with a t-shirt.

5km 28:56

Smashed it

I was planning to run home from work.  Then someone sets up a meeting at 5:30pm.  This then rules out the run from Lewisham, still Grove Park may be on.  The meeting overruns and it's not on any more.  I have to run the 1km to the train which is enjoyable but not much training.

I decide to try and run tonight.  When I get home my dinner is waiting so I can quickly eat before getting the kids to bed.  Then at 9:00pm I go for a run.  I decide to head towards Petts Wood.  I start off fast and somehow to maintain the pace.

Usually I struggle to push myself in training, but today I push hard.  I don't quite make Petts Wood but after half an hour I turn and head for home.  I left my Evo Barefoots at work by mistake so I am in the Asics Piranhas.  I was planning to to wear the Piranhas for the Marathon, like I did last year.  At Park Run at the weekend I thought they hurt my ankle so had semi-decided to wear the Evos.  Today the ankle was fine but not sure if they take it out of my legs.  Last years marathon I had really ached.

About 3/4 of the way in I get like a stitch.  Not sure if it was muscle ache or a stitch.  It soon goes away after I finish the run.

The next month is the critical month for the Marathon training.  If I do it well then I can be in top shape.  Today was a great start ahead of the crucial month.

11km 58:50

Diligent Intervals

Sunday I had to do some work.  Monday, the same.  I start to worry that my marathon would be blown.  Who am I trying to kid?  With the family and work, sub 3:30 is unattainable.

Today the pressure eases at work.  I decide to go out at lunch.  A session I think.  I head to Andrewes  High Walk in the Barbican.  I bang out 5 x 3 minutes with 1 minute recovery.  They are definitely a couple of seconds per-rep faster than last time I did this.  I feel good.  I am going to do this marathon.  Then I think I may need to knock it on the head for a while.

Intervals 5 x 3 with 1 minute recover.

Stressed

I am a bit busy at work.  I am even having to do work at home around the time with the kids.  I had yesterday off running as I was so busy.  So today I decide to cane Park Run.

I bring the Garmin in an attempt to even pace the run.  I get there, switch it on and straight away "Low Battery" probably from last week's 3 hour run.  I see how far it will get me.

I start off well and hold the pace.  Though the pace zips all over the place.  I think the pace measurement is more effective over a longer run rather than a quick blast 5km.  Though it prevents me running too fast at the start.

Then half way round I fade.  Fatigue sets in and the old leaden legs start to grumble.  I noticeably lose speed but I keep pushing on.   Then the Garmin dies.  Then I decide to just run home as fast without really suffering. Some really negative thoughts about my running go through my head.  Thinking about the stress at work slows me down further.

I like to know my time without relying on the email but the Garmin is dead.  Towards the finish I spot a guy with a watch, I decide to try and keep with him so I can grab his time.  I don't completely catch him buy I am close enough to work it out.

In the end not too bad with my 5th fastest time ever.  There was definitely fatigue there.  Maybe it is 2 day thing  from the reps on Thursday or maybe I am just run down or have a virus like the kids.

I know I always says it, but once the marathon is out of the way I really want to concentrate on getting my park run time down.

5km 22:10

Grove Park with lead legs

I wanted to run back from Lewisham but the train times did just not seem to work.  Instead I go back to Grove Park.  Even on the run to Cannon Street the legs feel heavy, probably from Lunchtime.

And the legs remain heavy on the run from Grove Park to home.   It definitely must have been a good session at lunchtime.  But I get on with it.  A couple of times I get caught by traffic.

In the end, given I was not pushing the time was pretty good.  I am still worried about the lack of length of some of my runs ahead of Brighton Marathon.

4.5km 26:21

Andrewes House Intervals

Time for a sessions that has been put off for too long.  3 minute runs with 1 minute recovery.  I think maybe 6 initially to see how it goes.  I had previously scouted an area on the Barbican Highwalk that may be good.

I set off to run for 3 minutes and see where it gets me.  Each "loop" of the highwalk is done in about a minute.  This is good.  So a 3 minute effort is 3 laps.  This also keeps the pace nice and even through the interval.

There are a few people wandering about but they do not get in the way.  After 5 I decide that I have had enough.  A good session.  I think I will do it again.

5x3 minutes with 1 minute recovery

Grove Park to Lemonade Run

It's my wife's birthday so I need to be back quick.  However I need to get some Lemonade for my sick daughter.  This means a slight detour at the end.

I don't really push the pace as I know I can't really time it.  It is still a little bit light.  It's still a long way off but spring is on the way.

When I get the shop I look at the time, I can't be sure but if I had gone straight home the time would have been pretty good.  I walk from the shop back home to avoid shaking the lemonade up to much

4km 24"00

Back from Grove Park

I decide on a nice gentle run back from Grove Park to round the day off.  Except as I start running I don't feel like taking it easy so I push the pace.  Lunchtime was no dawdle, so it's surprising I am able to push the pace again.

Towards the finish I skip over the railway bridge like the steps aren't there.  I'm even able to power up the hill.  A few more good long runs at the marathon could be look interesting, very interesting.

4.5km 25:16

Leadenhall Loop

Things not to do when you are coming down with a virus:
1) Do a three hour long run

This piece of idiocy has kept me off running for the last couple of days.  Eventually today I get back on to it.  I thought about doing a session but instead to ease back into it I do a Leadenhall Loop.

It's still cold enough to need a coat but it's not bitter bitter cold.  The pace is good.  As I am getting fitter I am able to push the pace more.

Maybe a session tomorrow.

28:30 5km

Eventually a long run

The Marathon Training is going Tickety-Boo in all regards other than one crucial area - the lack of length.  After last weeks lack of long, this week I had to do a long run.

Events conspire against me, the worst being the children are sick.  I decide to run loops which would call by my house in case my wife needed me to abandon and help with the kids.  I decide that the route to Hayes and back takes around an hour.  I could run this three times.  Running the same route 3 times builds mental toughness as I learnt from my training for the moonlight challenge.

I get the kids in bed and struggle out.  I don't fancy it.  The first out and back is hard.  It is so tempting to quit.  At home I have a quick wee, check the kids are okay and have a drink.  I pick up my gloves to warm my frozen hands.  I then head back towards Hayes.  And it is hard again.

I get to Hayes, and turn round and head back  I do the same at home.  This time the initial effort is good knowing it is the last "lap".  I wobble in the middle and then come on strong as the torture nears its finish.  I try running some marathon pace efforts but can't get any where near.  Yet I am sure come the day it will be easier. It will certainly be flatter than the roads round here.

I get back and feel so proud for doing it.  It would have been easy to dodge out, but I did it.  However as I get back my daughter is not in a good way and rather than stopping to bask in the glory I have to help her.  Marathon training with young kids is too hard.  I think I should put all my effort into this one and then come back to it in a few years.

26.61km 2:56:23

Ins the skins

Park Run and I decide to wear the evo-skins.  These are a thin silicon glove round the foot.  On the way round someone asks me what they were.  I explained, and said they were about 30% as good as barefoot but 100000% better than running shoes.  I also added the ground was too cold for total barefoot.

The run was a windy affair.  However running in the evo-skins is a joy.  It's slippery in places and I have to concentrate.  Just after the first lap, Rob sales past me but then sits 100m in front of me where he remains until the finishing straight where he builds the gap far more.

In the end the time in the mid 22s is pretty pleasing for not an all out race effort and the 7th fastest Park Run.  The position 81st out of 280 is a little more disappointing.

5km 22:35

Postscript to a busy day

I arrived at work today at 8:45am and stayed at my desk until I left at 18:00 only getting up for a couple of meetings.  No chance to go running at lunchtime.  I was planning to run back from Lewisham but alas that was blown by someone ringing me up at 5:30pm.

Instead I do a quick blast back from Grove Park.  It's a bit warmer at the moment so I can run in a long sleeved t-shirt.  The middle of the run was hard but the run up the steep hill to the church by my house was easy.

4.5km 25:10

Standard Lewisham Commute

Ran back from Lewisham but not as fast as yesterday.  It's a lot milder and I am in a long sleeved t-shirt.  Can't wait for spring and when it will be light and I can cut across the park and through the woods.

My focus is the marathon.  After that it will be consistently running too and from work.

8.32km 47:00

Morning After

I've decided to extend my detox to the Brighton Marathon.  I really want to do that 3:30.  However I have two exceptions, Valentines Day and my Wife's Birthday.  So last night I had some Champagne and a few beers.  Remarkably this morning I get up and decide to run from Nunhead to work.

To be fair the pace isn't electric but it's nice gentle run.  For the first bit of the morning at work I am alive.

6.7km 41:50

Love Running

It's Valentines day and I am determined to spend some time with one of the ones I love; running.  The Long Run never happened at the weekend, and it really needs to.  It would be stupid to waste all the other good training come the marathon.  Today's lunch time run was canned due to work commitments.  Yesterday I had too much else on and felt too ill.

It was a bad day at work, and as I think about it on the run back from Lewisham, I feel the pace slow as my blood boils.  They say stress can really effect your running performance.  Still, good to be running a good stress buster...

It's a bit milder so I don't really need the hat.  However I am reluctant to stop and pack it in the backpack.  So I keep running with the hat in my hand.

On looking back across this blog I realise that today was a PB back from Lewisham.  Running in the streets is always subject to the whims of the  traffic but maybe I am making progress.

8.32km 43:09

The coldest park run

It is freezing cold, perhaps -5c.  There is no way I could do a long 2.5 hour run ending up with a Park Run.  Instead I decide to just do the Park Run.  My fitness is good so the time should be half decent.  I expected the ground to be frozen, but on my way round I realise that there was still some large areas of Norman Park with snow.   Running across this is tricky as it is slippery.  I still give it a good go.

I catch up and pass and in turn passed by Rob  a number of times before he finally pushes off in the final 0.5km.   I pick up pace towards the finish.  In the finishing funnel someone pushes in front of me and tries to take my place token.  Me and the marshal soon set him straight.

When I have just finished a run I am a poor judge of how good it was.  I often castigate myself unfairly.  Today is like that.  In the end the time is my 5th fastest ever in tricky conditions.  And I'm not right healthwise.  I feel tired.  I don't think it is the training either.

Still need to start getting some decent long runs in though.

5km 22:26

Cold, Cold back from Grove Park

I need to get the long runs going.  Tomorrow I have one scheduled with Chris from the club.  To avoid embarrassment and not being able to hold the pace I decide to take today's run home easy.  A quick 4.5km back from Grove Park.

I start off and it is bitterly, bitterly cold.  My nose hurts.  I settle into the pace and enjoy.  After a little was I realise that I had not started my stopwatch, but really the time was not going to be good or bad.

I manage the steps over the railway bridge and the hill up to the church fairly easily.

4.5km 27mins?

Reconnaissance run

I've been wiped out the last couple of days.  Not sure if I pushed too hard or whether it is a virus.  It was typified by the appalling effort last night.  Today I decide to a gentle jog to see if I can find some where suitable for running some 3 minute intervals.

My original plan was London Wall, but as I look it is not a goer.  Instead I go and trundle round the Barbican.   I come to the conclusion that maybe the best place is where I have previously run my 1minute reps, up on the Barbican Highwalks away from the traffic.  I think I can turn one half into a sort of loop.  I guess come April I will be gone.

Frequent stops and a gentle pace

3km 25mins

Not a Long Run

I had to work at home today.  It wasn't a great day.  So tonight I think a Long Run to banish some stress could be good.  I start of by running up the big hill towards Bromley.  It is very hard.

I run down Bromley High Street and by the bottom I decide to go home.  I feel horrible.  My dinner still sitting in heavily in my stomach.  I feel tired and horrible.

About 3km I give up and walk the final 1km home.  I do notice a couple of hills literally right on my doorstep which would be perfect for hill repeats.

Let's write it off and move on.

Horrible

3km 21minutes

Catford Suprise

I am a little tired from the lunchtime session.  I decide to run back from Catford (a couple of stops past Lewisham) and take it easy.

As I run, I start to enjoy.   The pace seems pretty tidy, and I keep on going.  The last hill up to my house is a bit of a struggle but I get there.

When I look at my watch the time is much quicker than I was expecting given yesterday's fast run home and today's session.

6.7km 31:37

Bit of a session

I now know I need to run harder.  That is what will get me faster.  A quick pootle at lunchtime is all well and good but it does not get you anywhere.  A lunchtime is perfect for a quick set of proper intervals.  The 1 minute efforts at Barbican Speedwalk are good but not enough.  I think more like 3 minutes of effort is what is required.  The problem is where to run them?  In the City there is not long stretches of unbroken path.  The Lockett's Rockets canal is too far away.

Today I decide to try and run down the Embankment. Trouble is by the time I get there I am already pushed for time.  I decide to reduce the recovery to 1.5 minutes but still run 3 minute efforts but four times.  I wanted to run 5 but that would have left me at the "far end", and as I said I was pushed for time.

The session is good.  I feel my heart booming in my chest.  The good thing with these hard efforts is that the runners high is that much sweeter.

The Embankment is too far.  I have an idea that they may be a possible route on London Wall which may be suitable.  Maybe I will go and take a look.

4x3minute efforts with 1.5minute recovery

Lewisham Hammer-time

On a cold day with snow still on the ground (but not too much) I decide to run home from Lewisham.  I get caught at the first set of lights and then eventually I am off.

The good thing about running home is that I can't wait to get back and see my wife and kids.  So I put the hammer down and fly home.  A couple of times I think about easing the pace, but I push again.  I get caught at some more lights but pick the pace up.

I get home, and the runners high is of the finest vintage.

8.3km 43:55

Mindless Run

Yesterday was a rest day. I fell asleep on the Sofa at 9:00pm.  I suspect it was running the kids back up to the top of the hill on their sledge.  A good hills session and good to put the marathon training to some practical use.

Today I decide a quick 30 mins at lunch.  I am reading a book about Mindfulness at the moment, but as I sit here typing now I struggle to remember much about the run, most of it done on Auto-pilot.

I know I ran down the South Bank across Hungerford Bridge and then back past St. Pauls.   A simple, sound run.

5km 31:00

Not the Moonlight Challenge

In the end I decided against the Moonlight Challenge.  Running in snow was fine, but I couldn't risk getting stuck down in the middle of Kent in the car overnight.

I feel guilty as this was meant to be my long run.  I decide to go for a run out in the early stages of the snow.  There is perhaps a cm on the ground.  This though has a strange effect on me.  The lower part of my calves start to really ache.  I think it is a combination of the slippiness of the snow and the cushioning effect.  I guess it is like running on the beach.  Where I can I try to run on the road and this alleviates it.

I still feel sluggish and struggle.  I think I may be sick with something as the kids are not too great at the moment.

I run up to Hayes and turn round and head back the way I came.  I was going to get up early and run tomorrow in the snow, but I have too much to do!

9.2km 57"35

Sluggish

I will be doing 20 miles at the moonlight challenge on Saturday night (snow permitting).  So today I decide to go on a 5km pootle down the Embankment, across Hungerford Bridge and back

I had a day off yesterday and I feel sluggish and slow.  It's bitterly cold, but when you are running you do not feel it.  In the end the sluggishness remains the whole run. Maybe it was a day off, maybe the thought of the 20 miles or just one of those things.

5km 31:40

Packed Grove Park Train

I got out of work earlier, after getting into work early this morning.  The train home tonight is packed.  I am in the end carriage but manage to get a seat.  Still it is okay, I am getting off at Grove Park.

I feel a little tired but crack on.  I am still enjoying this route as much as ever.  When I get back and examine the time, it's not too shabby for this route.

4.5km 25:03

Recovery Run

I need some more recovery drink at work so I decide to run for half an hour, stopping off at the running shop on the way back.  I run down the embankment at a gentl-ish pace.  After the turning point, and on the way back a female running comes zooming past, but I let her go.  She gets a couple of hundred metres in front and then stays there.  I pass her again on Blackfriars Bridge where she is bent over double and exhausted.  I plod on.

The running shop is sold out (???), the sports shop full off chav clothes but the Health Food shop has some-over-priced recovery drink in between the shakes for the knuckleheads.

4.5km 30 minutes