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!