Canary Wharf to Catford

I probably would not normally run this way unless I was going to run all the way home.  The DLR is pretty efficient.  However for a change I decide to run to Catford and get the train.

Despite two runs already today I feel fine.  I sense my way across the Isle of Dogs and eventually pop-out at the Greenwich foot tunnel.  I run down the stairs.  Running in the tunnel is strange, surprisingly easy with the lack of wind.  I start to run up the stairs at the other end.  I start walking and then detect another runner behind me and so start running again.

I make Lewisham in about 30 minutes.  I know that there is then only 17 or 18 minuted to go to Catford from this morning.  I run past the Ladywell Track and feel inspired.

I get to the train and have to wait 10 minutes for the train.  I then jog from Shortlands Station and back home

8km 47:40

Lunchtime with Colleagues

Was planning to a reconnaissance run to find somewhere for interval training.  I had an idea.  As it turns out Matt and Steve from work were going for a run, so I joined them.

We head out on the Thames Path.  And my search is for somewhere to run intervals is over.  Here, by the river will be perfect other than on a windy day.

Today thought we go on a big loop.  Steve running at the front, and Matt lagging at the back.  The weather is great, not too hot but the sun out.

It's great running with other people.

4km 21:40

Catford to Lewisham

A reasonably quick way to get to the new work place.  Run to Shortlands, fast-ish train to Catford, run to Lewisham and DLR to The Wharf.

The run was quite pleasant.

3km 17:30

1 x 3 Commons Circular Walk

I get the kids in bed and head out to the country.  It's light but I have charged the light.  I set of on the 3 commons circular walk.  I have used the route on my marathon/ultra training though then I usually do 3 laps.

It has been raining all day but has stopped now.  There is lots of mud in the light it is easy to avoid.  I set off not feeling too bad.  I've been caning it a bit since the marathon so I am not expecting to be in great shape.  I have set up a load of new commitment contracts to get me back in shape.   I am quite happy with the pace.

At the Keston Car Park the dark gets too much so on comes the light.  Then it be comes harder to see the mud so I simply run through it.  The combination of the seal skinz socks and my innov8 running shoes is a great combo.  I was never sure on the shoe because the soles did not seem flexible enough.  But off-road in the mud that's not a problem.  Even on the road they do seem to have a strange spring-like feel to them.

I reach the high point and I'm still feeling good.  By now there are lots of green and yellow eyes peeking at me from the bushes.  The final bit down Pole Cat and back to the car I run even faster.

At the end I feel fantastic.  No music, just some time to run and reflect.  There is still some marathon fitness there.  Now I just need to sharpen it up for the 5km season.

8km 51:10

Back on the horse

After yesterdays bang! I decided the best thing to do was to go back and do it all again.  So I get out of work on time and get the DLR to Lewisham.  This time I do the direct route.  For a change I have my racing flats on.

It's easier, though not fantastic.  The run through the Beckenham Place Park Woods is great, skipping and jumping over the roots and slipping in the mud.  I drag myself up the hills.

Towards the end I realise it is much improved on yesterday, in fact 10 minutes so.   Possibly I was not as hungry, the route was more direct, the wind was less, who knows?   I get back home and take the kids to the park.  Then the runners high kicks in and it is good, all good.

8km 44:20

Big Bonk

The weather is kinder so I decide to run back from Lewisham. I decide to take a cross country route. While it is more scenic, I suspect it is slower and longer.

Then I go boom! I struggle to find any energy. Through Bellingham I see a youth racing away from the old bill. I previously avoided this route after nearly witnessing a gang attack.

Beckenham Place Park is muddy from the rain. I struggle to scramble up the muddy side of the railway bridge.

I walk up some of the hills on the way back.

I get home feeling tired. Maybe it is still the marathon. Maybe I have not been running. I'm not to bothered but good to be back and running.

8km 55:25

Rainy day cuts short run

The plan was to run from Lewisham to home. There is the danger of a sudden downpour and 5 minutes in the rain starts. I hate rain and divert instead to Catford to get the train back from there.

15:30 3km

In search of a charger

My son has flattened the car battery by turning the interior light on.  Little tinker.  I need to get a battery charger.  I remember that there is a Halfords in Catford.  Perfect for the way back.  I get the DLR to Lewisham and run to Catford.

Even though it is a short distance it still feels like a run.  My plan is to really pick the pace up on these short runs  (may be even try and interval them)

3km 20mins

Catford to Lewisham on the way to Canary Wharf

To maintain some sanity with the move to Canary Wharf, lots of journeys will involve running.  So on the way I got my usual train to the city, but disembarked at Catford.  I then gently ran to Lewisham.  All good really, not a huge distance and didn't get sweaty but still a run.

At Lewisham they are practising for the Olympics with a reduced service and there was a big queue.  The look of bemusement on my fellow commuters leads me to think this isn't normal (hopefully!)

3km 20 mins

Wet Canary Wharf with Matt

We've moved office to Canary Wharf.  The Leadenhall Loop is no more. Matt at work has used the moved to try and re-ignite his running.  His wife is 8.999999999 months pregnant.  I don't rate his chances.

He is going running at lunchtime and I ask if I can tag along.  Neither of us know where we are going and we buzz about.  It's flat and there are lots of wide open paths unlike the city.  I had cycled to work and was going to cycle back.  Matt was still finding his feet so we kept the pace gentle.  The only shoes I had to hand were the aquas, but they were fine.

If I'm not running too much too and from Canary Wharf then there's potential for some interesting runs.

5km 30:00ish

Brighton Marathon 2012

'A' race for the year.  One target, sub 3:30.  McMillan running calculator said it was on based on my times.  I've not drunk booze, eaten chocolate, crisps or junk this year.  I've also not had any caffeine.  (The only exceptions to this regime was my wife's birthday and Valentine's day)  I'm at weight of 81kg, about 5kg lighter than last year.  I've run sometimes twice a day, done long runs and intervals.

I turn up for the race with kit, strategy and even the weather absolutely perfect. I had a slight wobble on footwear but in the end realised that the barefoot shoes I had done all my training in were the ones to wear and not my racing flats which wind the ankle up.

In the end, the attached graph sums up the story.  All on track until mile 18.  I even got to the halfway bang on schedule (this was the point I blew last year) Then gradually the pace slips away and by the end I am crawling my way home the same as last year.  The difference being, this year I only walked for about 30 seconds to take in a gel.

I think the problem is that my longest training run was around 2:50.  I based them on time rather than distance, assuming that I could dig an extra half an hour out of somewhere on race day, though it is likely all the race "goodwill" would go on lifting the pace.  Maybe I needed to make those long runs longer?  Confusingly this is also close to the magic 20 mile mark (sometimes referred to as "The Wall")

We always told that we need to run negative-splits.  I don't know how possible this is.  I saw a statistic that only 5% of runners achieve this.  Maybe you need to run the first half a little bit faster to get some time in the bank for when you inevitably go bang in the later stages.

I also think some longer intervals would help getting me used to running faster for longer.  My core strength is also abysmal other than that I have built up through running.

It's still a PB and it's still a marathon.  Other than a little towards the end where work encroached into my training, I set out and executed the plan, and it wasn't good enough for a 3:30.   Maybe 3:30 is beyond me and my limit is around 3:40.  The exciting thing though is it's a little project to work on.

42km (Marathon) 3:42:53 (PB!)

Beckenham Assembly League

Summer's on the way and the Assembly League races has commenced.  These are a series of race mostly around parks in South London of a distance usually less than 5km.  The standard is pretty high.

I have the marathon on Sunday in mind and so will be taking it easy.  There are some other people from the club there and it is good to catch up.

The race is soon under way.  I probably run faster than I should be.  Towards the finish I yield.  I have a strange pain and tightness like a stitch but on both sides of my rib cage.  Possibly I am not used to running such a fast pace with all my mileage training.  It is good however to start familiarising myself with pain.

At the finish I put in a sprint to make sure I am not overtaken.  I jab the watch and in front I can see that Jenny and Sabina have just finished.  I look at the time, for 5km it's not bad.  I soon realise that the course was not 5km (what did I expect?)

We all walk and jog back to the start.  I feel great for the run and it was definitely the right thing to do.

4.7km 22:06

The Last Leadenhall Loop in Shoes

This could be the last time I run the Leadenhall loop, the stalwart of my lunchtime runs.  In a couple of weeks I am off to Canary Wharf.  Sunday is the Marathon and I am racing tomorrow night.  Next week I probably will be recovering from the Marathon.

I hadn't planned to run today and had left my running shoes at home.  My locker is half empty ahead of the move and with no running shoes other than the aquas.  I haven't been running in this particular pair of aqua shoes as I kept stubbing my toe.  I can't risk anything like this ahead of the marathon.   However the thought of the last Leadenhall Loop inspires me.  I actually have barefoot work shoes which are really comfy with a thin flexible sole but a leather style upper.  They aren't great but I can get away with them at work.  Often I jog to the station in them and they are comfy.  I decide to run in these.

I set off, a little bit aware of my footwear and people looking at me.  The good thing is that this feel oh-so easy.  I'm deliberately taking it slow but I am flowing.  Down the River, up past the Tower of London and then back through Leadenhall Market.  I'm not in the mind to open up and it probably wouldn't be a good idea.

I really enjoyed this run.

5km 31:38

April Weather back from Grove Park

I was going to run at lunchtime but work intervened.   I decide to run back from Grove Park.  I zoom properly fast down to Cannon Street.  Maybe the staleness has subsided?

On the train, as it reaches London Bridge, the heavens open with rain and hale stones.  I think I am going to get wet.  By the time I reach Grove Park the sun is back out.

The run is hard as it is into a strong headwind.  I lack motivation but plug on.  At home I check the run time, and it's not as bad as I thought it would be.

I'm not too concerned by how hard it felt.  I know come race day the motivation will be there and the hours of training will pay off.

4.5 25:20

Stale

As you can see I haven't run this week at all since the Reading Half.  This is not some ultra-strict taper strategy rather a bout of business combined with tiredness.

I have been meaning to to a little bit of gentle running for a couple of days.  Today I finally man-up and get out. It is Easter Sunday Morning and very quiet.  I head down to Bromley Park (cunningly in Shortlands) and bang out a couple of laps. 

Following the Reading Half marathon I have been making some adjustments to the Garmin to try and get the pace reading displaying something more useful.

I decide to run at marathon pace to try and lock that in for the big day.  Except I am struggling, in the end I relent and slow down.  At one point I stop for a bit.  I hope this is just rustyness.  I muddle round for a bit and then head home.  Feels good to be running again.

I think I need a couple of faster runs just to sharpen me up again.

5.2km 30:00

Reading Half Marathon 2012

I entered this race after a few drinks one night.  To be honest it is a bit close to the Marathon.  In 2010 this was my 'A' race.  I worked really hard and got my result back then.  Last year I ran it my marathon build up.  I ran it too hard and it probably had an impact on my marathon.

So today I use it as a dress-rehearsal for the marathon race routine and a glorified training run.  I do a full race prep.  The plan is to run the first 8 miles at marathon pace + 1 (9 minute miles) and then run the  final 5.1 at Marathon Pace (8 minutes miles)

It is funny at the start.  It feels like a race, I am dressed for a race but I shall not be racing.  We set off and I struggle to reign in the pace.  After 4 or 5 miles I'm really enjoying it.  Previous years I have been in agony round this course, but today I'm taking my time and enjoying it. 

I try out a few things for the marathon.  My tiny, race short, shorts.  These badly chaff me and so I will revert to my normal shorts.  The long socks, I think conserve too much body heat without adding anything, so will be ditched.  I take jelly beans, but they bounce around and some big-mouth points it out that they are fallling out; it will be Wine Gums on the big day.

The main problem is the Garmin is unreliable.  I am running perfect 9 minute miles, but the Garmin is showing a faster pace and is lurching all over the place.  I am not sure how to manage this on Marathon day.  Presumably I am gleaning something from the Garmin as I am running such a steady pace, but it is reporting 10/s per mile faster than what I am running.

Eventually I get to 8 miles and open up.  I'm able to hold the pace comfortably (whether this will be the case after 20 miles on the big day....)    I am not have to really dig into any reserves but the Garmin is still unreliable.  The sun is out and the heat is building.  I am not enjoying the beating sun.  I really hope marathon day is cloudy.

Eventually I cross the finish line, 10 seconds ahead of my 5.1 mile schedule.  I seem to be able to run a really steady pace.  I run to get the bus back to the car to get back and see the kids.

I am tired, I know I have been in a race.  But I didn't have to dig deep.  Marathon day will be boosted by a big dose of caffeine.  Today my goal was clear, 8 miles at 9min miles, and 5.1 at 8min miles.  This I did and hopefully have not worn myself out.  And so, to the big day.

1:52:39 21km