A very hot 5km with my lunchtime group

I meet up with the Thursday lunchtime running group I have fallen in with.  Martin is there as well.  Today it is  a time trial of either a 2.5km or 5km.  These are run every six weeks  I have already decided to do the 5km having wimped out last time.  Oh, and it is hot.

I am determined to run a negative split rather than going for all out time.  I start off alright, but then the sun starts beating down and reflecting off the concrete.  The first "lap" is in 11 minutes.  Last month I had run the 2.5km in 10minutes dead and stopped.  As I push on the sweat starts to sting my eyes.

The last couple of km I am seriously overheating and feel myself slowing, but I keep going.  I see the finish and even put together a sprint.

In the end I cross the line, not in a negative split but in a satisfactory 22:23.  I slump in the shade and try to cool down.   I struggle to jog back to the office and end up walking large portions.

In the lift at work it tells you the outside temperature.  I am shocked to see 28C.

In reality with the Corporate Challenge and the great City Race coming up, it was just what I needed.  The Achilles is a little bit tender at the moment.

5km 22:23

3 Bridges Relay

I'm with a good bunch of guys.  At the age of 36 I'm the young Whipper Snapper.  I'm running leg 2 of the 4 leg relay in the shadow of Big Ben.

Nick comes hammering back trying to hold of another run.  We slap hands and I am off, focussed.  But alas too fast, I start to suffer and ease off.  At the stairs by M16 I swing my arms and bound up the stairs, overtaking another competitor.  I catch a few more runners on the North side of the Thames.

In the last couple of hundred metres I manage to pickup a sprint and get a big cheer from the fellow runners.  Last year I had run two legs, the faster being 16:16.  This year I wanted to go sub 16.  I look at the watch, 15:54.  Happy with that, job done and so off to the pub.

3.68km 15:54

Run home from Lewisham with a bad knee

After the intervals the other day, I had a sore knee.  A bruise like pain on the front.  Yesterday I cycled to work and back which seemed to irritate it rather.  Today I decided to take the day off.  Yet something made me take my running kit.  The funny thing was that my knee didn't like sitting.  That really made it angry.  So what is the opposite of sitting.....ermmm...hey....I know.....RUNNING!

Last night was the England game, so I am a little jaded.  I decide to take the Ladywell Park Route back from Lewisham.  And I struggle.  The weird thing is, that a couple of times I get ready to walk, a mysterious hand pushes me on.  I feel like quitting and walking, but I keep on.  Even through Beckenham Place Park and Railway Fields I keep running.

The pace is pretty poor, but it is good to be running.  The knee was fine whilst running.  There's still pain there, but maybe I'll run through this one

8.32km 52:40

Jaded Intervals

Bit of a hard weekend of eating and drinking.  Brutally aware of the summer 5km and relay races coming up I decide I need some sharpeners.  I head down to the riverside at Canary Wharf for some intervals.

Nothing too taxing, 1 minute effort with 1 minute recovery and 10 of them.

I start off okay and then struggle.  I finish them and then slink back to the office.  Afterwards I have a sore knee on the front.  The achilles and ankle are a little naggy as well.

30:00 Intervals 10x1minute with 1 minute recovery.

Bit of a run about

The ankle is a bit sore, but I am thinking some 1 minute intervals along the Thames Path.  I planned to go at 12 but the rain fall radar warns of rain.  So I wait.  At 2:00pm I slip out.  And the sky is as black as can be.

I am despondent.  I decide to run and see what will happen.  And it descends in to some sort of f*cked-up Canary Wharf fartlek session.  I run about, a little bit down the Thames.   In the end the ankle is fine and it is good to be running.

4km 25:00

Gentle lunchtime run with a final flourish

I thought I was too busy for a run at lumchtime, but I saw Steve, Matt and Jules were going so decided to go along.

The usual 4km loop round the docks.  Steve runs off the front so I follow him.  Matt and Jules gently slip off the  back.  I would probably not run this fast on my own, but I am very comfortable with the pace.  Just before we get to the bridge I decide to sprint to the end.  I zig-zag through people on the bridge and blast through the DLR station.

I love running with other people.

4km 19:30

Lewisham to Catford to get home quickly

Haven't been getting the runs in.  A number of excuses, work, the weather, the EURO 2012 football champs.  I was going to run back from Lewisham but was caught up late and work and just wanted to get home.

As it turns out the quickest route was to DLR to Lewisham and then run to Catford for the train to Shortlands.

I start off fast, but then a couple of days of boozing catchup with me and I have an overwhelming urge to quit and walk.  But I keep going.

I'm hoping I haven't lost too much fitness.  I need to do some sharpening up ahead of the Corporate Challenge 3.6 mile race in June.

3km 16:00

urrghhhh

I've not been feeling energetic.  I got in to my running kit for the journey home but was not feeling it.  Managed to jump a train to Beckenham  Hill.   The run back from there is trivial.  Yet a couple of times I stopped and walked.  I probably could go out and run a marathon tomorrow but when I'm not motivated I can't even manage 2 miles.

I think this is an in-between goals slump.

3.2km 20:00

Clubbing

It's half term.  This means I can get away to run with the club.  I haven't been able to do an evening club run for months and months.  I'm not even sure I have done one since the baby was born.

I turn up and see the familiar faces.  After listening to the menu I decide to go with James.   It look like the rain has stopped and I am glad that I left my coat behind.

I sit at the front and chat with James.  The pace is nice and I am comfortable.  The rest of the run is sheer joy, chatting and catching up with people.  I am definitely fitter these days and the run does not stretch me.

Hopefully as the baby gets more stable then I can grab my Tuesday nights back. I love the running and I love the social aspect.

10km 60:00