Blog Archives
Hard conditions for 4 miles but loved it!
I've not run in nearly a week due to other commitments but was determined to complete my 4 mile run this week.
Not the best conditions but as you can tell from the video, it all went rather well 
:( DNR*
*Did Not Run
Well, not when I intended and not until Thursday.
Work commitments have gotten in the way and things won’t calm down until we finish out live global broadcast on Thursday.
I have every intention to go for a run Thursday evening even if its only a short one.
I’ll want to get at least one run in before the weekend as that’s blocked out with a very short trip to Devon.
So much for my half marathon training!
Still there’s plenty of time…
Best run by miles…
Starting the half marathon training a week early may sound mad but this is probably the only time this week or next I'd get in the long run which this time is 4 miles.
In an attempt to mix it up again I've extended my route and this time made my way into Highwoods Country Park. Richard and I have only been there once and it is on our doorstep so I'd be mad not to include it in my runs and explore it.
As you can see I made it into the country park and turned around at the half way marker. From the satellite image above you can see exactly how big the park is. I am sure it'll be a great commodity as I increase my mileage. Of course running the park will be even more enjoyable if its as beautiful and sunny as it is today.
I really found my rhythm today and just got on with it. I think the new route was a bit of a distraction and running through the fields of buttercups was lovely.
Running with Paul last week has given me confidence too. Finishing the 10K and running a steady 5K Wednesday has woken me up and getting through the 5k and into 6 was good going today. I didn't worry about it. I simply got on with it.
I'm glad I took Paul's advice and reverted back to kilometres instead of miles as I can gauge my efforts based on each km. I've also reduced the amount of information iSmoothRun provides mid run so I am not swamped with stats.
Busy day at work but the run has really helped me switch off and start my weekend with a great boost.
I started to read Zen and the Art of Running today and its given me some ideas of how to further boost my mental attitude to my runs. Most importantly it will help me balance my doubts about my abilities and the voices in my head that stress me when I worry about juggling all my training with my time at home and work commitments.
Fastest track today (giggles) was Runaway by Janet Jackson.
Have a great weekend everyone!
All Change
My first run following Saturdays 10K and its all change tonight…
New trainers – my old Lunarglides were starting to hurt my feet but I decided to wait until I completed the race to change them (I did clock up 318km/198 miles in them).
I can certainly feel the difference. There is definitely more bounce and obviously more cushioning as a few times I scuffed the floor whilst running.
I have a pain in the ball of my right foot which is where I am getting support I wasn't with the old pair. It'll be a matter of time but I am sure I will get used to them.
They are a bit bright though, I may need to get them a bit dirty!
This will probably be my last pair of LunarGlides as Nike seem to be discontinuing them. Looks like I will be moving to Flyknits after all!
I don't actually start my half marathon training until next week but have a week of crap and upheaval in work so have decided to start from tonight.
It wasn't an intense run tonight as I had to do 30 minutes at a steady pace. This seemed ideal for the new shoes and was just about right to run following the 10K.
Given the shoes and the fact I only had a days break I am feeling remarkably well except for a minor niggle here or there. After the Mo Run I was in discomfort. Just shows how much I have grown since November.
I think I may try to find some more 10Ks before the half marathon though to give me as much experience as possible before race day.
Although (above) Nike is reporting in KM I have made the switch to miles to ensure that I am running at a measure that makes sense for the half marathon. As the first set of runs are based on time rather than distance it'll give me chance to get used to not running in KMs and mentally waiting for my usual distance markers to come up during the run.
I am also running different routes to shake things up a bit. By August I'll be running 10 miles so I'll need to get some new routes sorted otherwise I'll go mad. There's plenty to do around here, I just need to branch out and forget my old loop methodology. I'm not sure I will branch out as far as Paul did when he ran here but then again 10 miles is some distance!
The training with Gipis did ok but I am going to move to a half marathon training plan I have seen on Walk Jog Run. This allows me three runs a week and up to four when it gets full on in August.
I can tell that something triggered in me on Saturday and I kept on my feet today, ignoring any doubts or concerns. In fact to be fair I didn't have any. I just got out there, managed to program iSmoothRun to the right pace and apart from a couple points where it told me to go faster (mainly as I went under the railway bridge) I was on pace throughout the run and enjoyed it.
As I wasn't held back by concerns over the distance etc I was free to just feel my way around the run and enjoy myself. It was a lovely evening and I was really glad I got out and running.
I think juggling all my running around work is going to be tough but I am determined to crack the training and complete the half marathon in a time I will be proud of.
Fastest track this run was When a Fire Starts to Burn by Disclosure. If you want a great album for running you cannot go wrong with this English Deep House gem. It certainly kept me motivated!
Roll on the next run (which will be in London with Paul).
Forfeit
I had one more training run to complete. One more chance to get out and get ready for Saturdays 10K and I am having to forfeit tonight’s run.
Work has been completely shit today and I’ve left later than I usually do.
There’s been so much unnecessary stress and aggro at work that I really could do with tonight’s run but I simply do not have the time.
I chatted with Paul about missing tonight’s planned session and as he says I have done as much conditioning ahead of Saturday that I can.
Tonight was a steady 5K so I am not missing much by not running.
I understand this and I understand that I should now rest ahead of the race on Saturday but I’m really unhappy about it.
I wanted to run tonight and I wanted to get some movement in my legs.
Work should not rule what I am able to do in my free time and I am fully aware that I will have to configure my work and running schedule together to achieve my half marathon goals.
I’m pissed that I’ve not even started half marathon training and already the job is getting in the way.
I will over come this and I will work a way through this but for now I shall simply have to resign myself that for the first time in ages I have forfeited a run.
Not because of the weather or my health but because of other factors. This does not please me at all.
I am heading home now and will ensure I have a long hot shower to unwind. I will then spend my evening curled up on the sofa with my baby and Miss B (it’s not all bad is it )
So this is my last running related post ahead of Saturday. I’ve started to pack my kit etc to make sure I don’t have to rush to do it tomorrow.
Wish me luck!
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
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!
Runner Watching
It was a glorious day in London and I chose to find a bench on the Embankment and watch the world go by whilst enjoying the sun.
Of course this meant I got to observe all the runners heading up and down the river.
This used to annoy me (as a non runner). It used to give me a chance to look for cute guys too but not any more…
Before long I found myself watching how people run, their form if you will.
I wonder if all the runners have read about techniques, whether they have received coaching or wondered how long they have been running.
I’m no expert but I find it interesting how we all have different styles of running and I wondered what I look like when I run. I did try to catch a glimpse of myself in the window of a merendero on Spain but couldn’t be too critical at speed!
In Chi Running you are taught to lean into the run to help gravity move you forward and these guys seems to be doing that with some success.
So people’s posture was all over the place. These two appear to have it sorted.
I also find it interesting that on such a hot day only these two were running with a drink. 
These two seemed to be flying along and their valance seemed to be quite high. I find it interesting that my snap has both of them off the ground so they must being doing something right.
The other thing that fascinates me about runners is their arms. Chi running states you keep you elbows at 90 degrees, push your arms back (not forward) and use them as a pendulum. Trying not to cross too much in front of the body.
I really try to remember this one and was amazed how many people seemed to look like they were trying to fly, didn’t move their arms at all. One guy looked like he was treating himself as horse and jockey and kept slapping his own arse!
I guess when it comes down to it you run what is comfortable and you find your own rhythm.
I may read about this kind of stuff but whose to say I don’t look as ridiculous as everyone else.
Maybe I am being too critical.
All I know is all shape and sizes of runner are out there to observe and it’s interesting to see how we all differ.
That said I would never run like this:
Running topless is a brave move. I think you have to have a certain confidence (which this guy obviously has), but even with the best body in the world topless running is best avoided. You could burn. You sweat faster. Technical clothing exists for a reason people!
And who wants to see that when eating their sandwiches!
I know there are no pictures of women but I find the way they run very different from men as they have very different shapes and curves to consider when running.
Maybe next time I’ll join them and look just as ridiculous running down to Westminster and back… Maybe
