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Change of Plan…
So it wasn’t a brilliant day today and the Gipis plan had me running an easy 15 minutes as an “easy recovery day”.
I decided that I wanted to keep the pace that Gipis recommended but keep going.
I also decided that I would stop counting my warm up and cool down sections in my work out. This has been skewing my results for a bit and I was pleased that the run with Paul on Friday was a true reflection of what I am possible of.
I have been running long enough that I now know how long I need to walk to warm up and the same goes for cooling down so that will no longer be added or counted into my running plans.
This means I find tonight’s map really interesting as I was to run a regular pace for the duration of the run and can clearly see that I started off slow and got into my stride as I went.
I am very happy that the rest of the run is much the same shade which means I managed to keep a good pace throughout the run. This is especially good as the coaching ran out at 15 minutes and I simply carried on until I reached 5K, trying to make sure I maintained a regular rhythm – which it looks like I did.
I wasn’t as fast as I was running with Paul on Friday but I am pleased that I just kept going and I didn’t think about pausing.
I also managed to reduce the amount of water I drank and subsequently reduced the amount of crap I felt the need to clear from my chest. It was quite humid tonight so I thought it would be worse (and I hasn’t had my inhaler) – yet all seemed to go well.
Fastest track tonight was Alive by Empire of the Sun although oddly that does also include the slow section.
I’ve noticed since Friday that the soles of my trainers are starting to wear so I have had to hunt around for a new pair of Nike LunarGlide +4′s. This is not as easy as it sounds as it seems that Nike are starting to stop stocking them (probably to get us all purchasing Flyknits). I did manage to get a pair online (the exact same colouring I have now) – I won’t wear them until after the Richmond 10K on the 1st. I am sure that my current trainers will last until then.
I had a minor pain in the top of my left knee following Fridays run and this is possibly due to my trainers – my knee feels ok tonight. Thankfully a couple of minutes Saturday and Sunday on the foam roller seemed to set everything right.
Paul and I are meeting for dinner tomorrow so that I can plan how I can going to train for the half marathon. A fortnight before the run Richard and I are off to Canada so I need to work out whether I train for the race date of until Canada. I am sure we’ll work it out.
I wanted to thank all of those who have already sponsored me for my Half Marathon on the 6th October – you guys are the best 
Woodkid / Excerpts
I finally got around to putting my Woodkid videos together from Tuesday evening.
They weren't as great as I was expecting but you get the general idea…
Please Sponsor Me
I am participating in this years Royal Parks Half Marathon in London on the 6th October 2013. I am running on behalf of the British Heart Foundation.
I have a fundraising target and I would very much like all your support to not only help me reach this target but to help me raise as much as I can to help such a worthwhile charity.
And then the crowd did this…
During the Woodkid concert this wonderfully spontaneous moment happened when he was saying his goodbyes following the Run Boy Run.
We all started to sing the string section from the song (which I believe from Woodkids reaction on Facebook, this has never happened before) and then this happened…
I am so happy someone caught this on camera and really pleased that Woodkid himself posted this on Facebook stating “thank you London, this was a wonderful moment in my life that I will never forget”.
Brilliant. Truly the power of the crowd and the perfect example of what a fantastic concert we witnessed on Tuesday.
Running to Lambeth
I went on another lunchtime time run with Paul today and we extended our route to Lambeth Bridge. This added about 1.5K onto the run we completed last Friday.
We learnt from last weeks experience though and stuck to back roads as much as we could.
That said we had to stop to cross Westminster Bridge at Westminster Palace due to the crowds, government vehicles and traffic lights.
I was happy to run close to Paul’s pace (even though he was on a go slow due to a lively night out on the beer!)
Conditions were ok although it was quite windy in places.
I felt a few twinges here and there but persisted as I was determined to keep up with Paul as much as I could. As you can see we managed a pace of 5:07 at one point so we were certainly motoring along.
Next week we are going to change tactic and do some speed work instead – this will be more like the work I have been doing with the Gipis training.
Not long to go until the Richmond 10K and the more I run with Paul the more confidence I get and the more enthusiastic I am about race day
Coming back into work and carrying on working does seem to astound my colleagues but I like to think it’s testament to what I have achieved
Run Trunkguy Run!
Well the mid section of tonight's training was fairly long and fast. I had a tough central 15 minute section where I had to run quickly and I managed to maintain my pace for most of the run.
Of course electronics coaches such as Gipis cannot keep calculate for hills and wind but I think I managed pretty well considering.
As you can see from the map it's very warm with plenty of green streaks in there. I am really happy with tonight's achievement especially as I had a few nagging doubts about a pain in my knee/back of my leg. It feels fine now. I am sure it's a result of last nights activities…
I was unsure how I would cope on tonight's run as I was at the Woodkid concert last night jumping and dancing around all night. I think I managed about 5 hours sleep to so I was tired and achy today.
I did adjust my playlist so that the Woodkid tracks were closer to the start of the run and in the fast section and it worked. Believe me once you have been in a concert where there are massive drums thundering out the beat and you see his enthusiam – it's nothing short of infectious.
I did chuckle today as I walked past St Paul's and the bells started to chime, I was immediately transported to last night, th eglantine white statue of the boy and the opening bars of Run Boy Run. This brought a huge smile to my face.
In fact we enjoyed last night so much we have already booked for his next show in London in November as he will be accompanied by a full orchestra.
I have now told everyone about my half marathon ambitions and am very pleased with the positive response I have had from friends, family and colleagues. I have already raised £150 which is brilliant – thank you. Some people are confused and think I am running a marathon, I'm not. This is a daunting enough challenge for me!
The Richmond Park 10k is a couple weeks away and I am confident that I will be in good shape for it. I plan another run with Paul during Friday lunch break so that should give us more opportunity to time into one another's running rhythm.
Today's fastest track was The Conquest of Space by Woodkid
Woodkid – live at the Roundhouse 14/5/2013
Well what can I say?
I convinced some friends to come along and I was worried they would be disappointed. Worried Paul, Enda and Bogdana would think I was mad.
I can safely say I am not.
Woodkid at the Roundhouse was fantastic. There was so much music filling the dome, the echo of the drums, the orchestra, the choir. What a performance.
I am not sure what stood out more, Woodkids enthusiasm, the electric light show or the thunder of the drums.
All the way through he engaged with the audience and genuinely seemed to be having a fantastic time in London. I've never seen a performer act so normally or humbled by the reaction he got and we were pleased for him.
I don't know where his music gets played so I didn't know what would stand out. This crowd knew their Woodkid though as favourites such as Conquest of Space, Iron (which we were treated to twice as he did a stripped down version with the orchestra during the encore) and favourites from the ep such as Brooklyn and Fireflies all got a massive response from the audience.
Run Boy Run was definitely the highlight but purely because the crowd made it so. After the extended rousing rendition the crowd alone started to hum the choral section. Amazed and please Woodkid and co joined in and the music continued on and on and on. I thought running to this track was hard work, dancing to it is even more so.
There were so many highlights in this monochrome cacophony of light and sound I really do not think I could do it justice.
Lets just say we will be booking for his return performance.
If you have not heard The Golden Age please give it a chance. Take the time to immerse yourself in the whole album and fill your head with this massive orchestral adventure.
Genius.
Giving it all my Heart : PLEASE SPONSOR ME!
I have been thinking about this for so long and after some deliberation and a false start I can confirm I have a place in this years Royal Parks Half Marathon in London.
This is my first ever half marathon and I have to say I am more than a little bit nervous. I thought I was nervous about running the Mo Run 10K last year but I am more than a little daunted by this prospect.
That said it has been just over a year since I started running so to contemplate a half marathon last May would have been laughable. I really am amazed at how far I have come in such a short space of time (regardless of the winter set backs).
I have a great support network though, Richard is fully behind my decision and understands why I feel the need to run this Half Marathon.
You may recall I cojoulled my friends to sign up for the race with the intention to run as a group. Sadly I did not get a place and some of them did which left me feeling a little guilty.
I have been thinking about a charity to support as I can only get a charity place now and with the recent events (let’s call them 2013 events) I now know the charity I want to support.
I am therefore announcing I am running for the British Heart Foundation on the 6th October.
I have a fundraising target and I would very much like all your support to not only help me reach this target but to help me raise as much as I can to help such a worthwhile charity.
My mum was recently taken ill and ended up going into hospital for an angioplasty (her fourth such operation).
The maternal side of the family all suffer from coronary problems and my mum has been through the wars the last couple of years. Mum however has been fortunate and survived all of her procedures – her siblings have not been so lucky.
My parents have found help in the literature and support the BHF offer and I have had my mind put at rest by the informative and supportive information on their web site.
It is because of this (and many others reasons ) that I have chosen to run for the British Heart Foundation.
Paul and I are already working on getting me up to pace for the Richmond 10K at the beginning of June and I am sure Janice, Enda and Em (to name but a few) will do all they can to encourage me towards my 21K target.
I have no doubt my friends will support me and my training efforts and I am sure those who I talked into running the Royal Parks Half will be pleased to hear that I will be running alongside them (or maybe a little behind them as they are all super fit!).
I will charge up the Kindle and re read the Half Marathon Guide I downloaded months ago and start to think about how I can achieve my running target. I am however not going to obsess over it as the race is not until October and I have more than enough time to train.
I am asking for your support to help me reach my target and I am sure you won’t let me down. I have set up a Virgin Money Giving page to raise funds online as they do not take a cut in the proceeds (unlike Just Giving). I would like to see every penny I raise to go to the charity.
And before you ask, no I am not planning on running a full marathon in the future!
Running rings around London
Today I teamed up with a very good friend of mine and went for a run in central London in my lunch break.
According to Nike I ran a famous route which started at the office, across Blackfriars bridge, down the South Bank to the London Eye, across Westminster Bridge and back along the Embankment.
This was just a shade over 4K and appears to be my best 4K to date with a good pace.
Paul was very kind and held back when I needed it (he’s so super fit he ran home after we finished and had been to the gym this morning!).
It was a little busy around the Eye and Westminster with tourists. This is very unusual for me as I run in a rural spot at home and see very few people. Thankfully Paul was ahead some of the way so I followed the path he cut through the crowds.
I did take the lead on some of the run and found myself ducking and diving around the various two legged obstacles.
Oddly running up the Embankment and the traffic is other runners coming the other way.
I definitely want to run London again as this was an exhilarating run and of course there are lots of sights on this route.
I enjoyed running with Paul too – made a change from the normal head space of music and electronic coaches that I am used to. With Paul I kept going and stopped worrying/focusing on my inner monologue of doubt.
He doesn’t know it yet but I’d like to squeeze in at least one run a week I. London as its pretty exhilarating, it’ll get me used to running with Paul and it’ll help me focus.
It was great to run midway through my day as I’d had a shit morning so this allowed me to switch off.
Now I’ve toned up I’m not so self conscious on the work showers either!
I hope we can get some more runs in together before the Richmond 10K on the 1st June and I am confident I will crack the 10K in good form.
Bring on the next run
Hard and Fast
Tonight’s run was more training from Gipis to get me ready for the 10K race I am running on the 1st June in Richmond Park.
It was an intensive session which saw me start at a steady pace then run pretty fast for 15 minutes before slowing for 3 minutes and then returning to the steady pace.
It was quite hard work and after the second loop of New Braiswick Park I did find my stride but dreaded hearing iSmoothRun tell me to run faster. That said I kept going and managed the whole of the 15 minutes stretch and as you can see the colour is consistent on the run.
I started at a different point this evening because our neighbours are looking after our car as the road outside our house is finally being finished this week. This made for an interesting run and I am glad I had a warm up walk as it gave me chance to work out which roads and paths were closed. Running back past the house was a challenge too as I had to go onto the road and run on fresh tarmac – it wasn’t hot but it was still a little sticky, I don’t think that did very much for my pace.
I won’t have to worry about the roads here when I run on Friday as I am going to run in my lunch break with a very good friend of mine. If you want to do like I did yesterday and partake in a bit of Runner Watching then pop down to the Embankment in London around mid day as that’s when we are setting off.
If you see us out running Friday, Paul is the handsome one on the right – I am not!
Paul is super fit so it’ll be interesting to see how much I slow him down when we run!
We are running together as we are both participating in the Richmond 10K and thought it would be good to get one another motivated and run as a pair. He’s promised to run at my pace for Richmond but I know he can do so much better than me…
It was a little breezy this evening but the focus on the interval training and the coaching really helped to concentrate my mind. I knew pretty much what I had left to run and was surprised how quickly the KMs tripped away. For a training session I am also surprised that I broke through 5K as I hadn’t imagined that would be the case given the time I am out running.
Fastest track again was Alive by Empire of the Sun – that seems to be a really motivating track. Mind you I have gotten used to my playlist but surprisingly not to a point where it annoys me. I think I have mentally struck the right balance between listening to my body, using the music to motivate me and having the coach guide me through my runs which is great.
Remember if you are in London on Friday, please don’t laugh as you see me struggle past!
