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My Last Run
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Nice hare spot, Hazelnut. Always bigger than you imagine them to be.
Well, I sprung out of bed this morning after a good early night. The sun wasn't even up when I got on the road just after 5am. Nice and cool after more balmy weather but was still drenched in sweat after my 5 mile route to the marshes and back. Lovely mist hanging by the river and some raucous Moorhens trying to walk on water. This morning route has turned into somewhat of a progression run. The first mile is always a sleepy, slightly stiff affair, followed by a couple of steady, grungy miles. I'm nicely warmed by mile 4 and then the downhill final mile is usually me pegging it back for a bowel movement. It's taking training to the next level.
I got out early again this morning for a longie before the heat got bad. I took a bit of a different route, which freshened things up and I had my best run for ages. Everything felt good and I really had a strong second wind after 7 miles. Legs powered me on to make the last 2 miles the quickest and I finished on just under 11 miles in 1:41 - good pace for me. Hoping to fit in a few more miles before hols on Tuesday and then keep in some sort of shape as I have a night trail half on 31st August, starting at 8pm with headtorches. Happy running to you all!
Will- night trail race sounds good, where is this? I'm considering one in Kielder Forest at the end of the year, will bring a whole new experience to the trails
Couple of days off from running for me, Thursday steady cycle and gym, yesterday felt quite lethargic and took it as a rest day, as opposed to a steady run
Anyway, rest day did me good. Long run this morning, 1hr 45mins, came in at 15.1miles. Felt good, feel like I'm on track for marathon. Weather was as close to perfect as we can ask for. Saw a few runners out, one of whom becoming a regular sighting on the same stretch of road, always in an England football top- in spite of the World Cup is long over!
Got a bit of a show from the downstairs neighbours when I returned from parkrun, though - heard them laughing in the garden, looked out and one was completely naked.
Run was good though - ran to Wimbledon Common and then around there (Runthrough were doing a race later and the directional arrows were very handy as Wimbledon is a big common with a lot of trails). Saw a dead fox on the way there and a live bunny on the common.
Finished in 3:38:13 feeling there was more left so that's good. But I really need some sleep.
Take it easy JT - hope you are feeling better in the meantime.
Nice early runs Will. That trail half sounds interesting. Have a good journey and holidays.
Nice pr Cal and an enormous LR on little sleep. Can you have a word (or two?) with those neighbours? Was it good viewing at least?
Swift 15 that EF.
Just short of 7 miles recovery yesterday with 10 x strides - managed to concentrate enough to count to 10 this time.
Today 15 miles in 2:02 with 11 @ planned mara pace (8min/mile pace). The mara pace section went well - I am getting on much better with these runs this time around. All of the 11 miles were at or slightly faster than mara pace. Ran laps to take advantage of two water sources for regular soaking of my headwear which helped me cope with the heat (25 degrees by the time I was finished). Am also short on sleep - heat, humidity and a friend dropped in stay for the night involving a late meal and lots of talk.
10miles this afternoon mostly offroad in 1hr19. Went okay, not the run death of last time out. Passed a couple in a secluded spot by the river getting very amorously gropey. Handfuls of each other. Passed them again on the way back 40mins later and they were still going at it. Makes you proud.
Glad you had a better run, JT. I blame the heat for all that frolicking.
The night half that I'm doing is organised by Night trails UK and follows one of the national walking paths from just outside Norwich out to Langley. Hi viz and headtorches obligatory. Should be fun, if I can stay on my feet.
Double helpings of my Mum's Coronation Chicken and Eton Mess at lunchtime needed running off last night, so I headed out on my 5 mile marshes route. It was still very warm and a medium pace was about all I could manage. On the edge of the trail section another runner was crouched, taking photos of a tiny, stray-looking kitten, that was feeding on some McDonald's debris. I wondered if he was planning on cat-napping it. They weren't there on my return. No amorous couples on the marshes, just a pair of shady looking bench drinkers. Run done and I hit my weekly mileage target. I now have 17 days away and must find the discipline to fit some balkan miles in.
Steady six miles yesterday morning, was very busy as York 10k was going on a couple of hours later. No sights worth noting, all a bit dull really. And I’m not fuelled by coronation chicken and Eaton mess, which even is I type this over breakfast, sounds tasty!
Enjoy Montenegro Will, I hear it’s beautiful out there
Might need to pay your mum a visit Will.
6 recovery for me this morning with 6 x strides. Legs surprisingly fresh after yesterday's MP run. Not too much for me to look at this morning either but I wasn't really awake enough to take in my surroundings on the first few miles.
9.75miles in 1hr12 this morning. Cooler. Pace was a bit erratic. There was a lone trumpeter practicing at the furthest recesses of the Knavesmire.
Enjoy your break, Will!
Having a little bit of a cut back week this week, yesterday was my first experience of pilates (which was just what my body needed) and my usual Monday night spin. An early steady 7 miles this morning, loop up in to town and back via the river and racecourse. Only news to report on was dispute between a cyclist and pedestrian, no harm done to either, I just found it quite amusing.
Just short of 12 miles for me this morning in 1:46. No sun for once so it felt a bit cooler - very humid though, it felt as though I was running in soup. Saw a lonely white fungus in the wood - would have thought it is too dry for those at the moment. Enjoyed watching a thunderstorm a few miles away traversing the sky - far enough away for comfort though I did feel a few drops of rain. Met one of my Tuesday evening group out on a run. He is also running mornings rather than evenings at the moment.
I've been keeping a very low profile as things are going from bad to worse with my mum's health, and unlikely to improve really at this stage. I had foolishly hoped the decline was due to the heatwave, and that certainly didn't help things, but there are other much more complex and untreatable issues. The last year since mum and stepdad moved in with us have been so very challenging, and it's been a hell of a summer holiday. It's just as well I'm a teacher and have been off. Anyway, wrong forum for this.
I'm off with husband and kids to Corfu for ten days at the weekend, thank god (parents are going into respite care). I'll pack my running shoes and do some short runs if / when the heat allows, and plenty swimming in the sea.
I've been getting out for runs during the heatwave and over the summer holidays, very early, and mainly in the shade in the forest, and it is the only thing that has stopped me tipping over the edge (although that edge is close). It is quite literally running away from my problems!
Runs of note include a new regular speed session in a field in Epping Forest at the top of my road, which is easier to fit in. Also I accompanied a friend for a 12 miler on Saturday, as she is training for Chicago marathon. That was my longest run for some months, and it was very enjoyable. Otherwise it's been running for therapy, not miles or pace.
Met up with another RW poster after and we had an ice cream. Saw the Household Cavalry having a ride about. Nice day out.
The race was well organised but I won't be doing it again as I despise steep downhills. It's one I entered for my club, as it's part of the Surrey Road League which we're trying to score points in. However, only five of us showed up, compared to multiple numbers from the other SW London and Surrey clubs, which is disappointing. Ah well.
I rather wish they'd kept it entirely within the park, which is lovely. On the way there I passed the lake which had a huge amount of waterfowl, including swans with fluffy cygnets and a whole gaggle of geese - Canada, Greylad and more Egyptian geese than I've ever seen in one place.
Cal- not a fan of steep des bets either, and after living in Epsom for a few years, I should’ve become accustomed to them! Plenty of good running menories on the Downs and Box Hill
A bit of a tick over week for me, but took advantage of fresh legs and got a bit of speed in. A little marathon pace tester today, clocked a half in 1:28 on a dreary, wet morning. Sets me up nicely for the Cheshire 20 (miles) in early September. Perhaps goes against the convention/wisdom of running that intensity in training, but felt good, so sod science, just run...(and Friday night was a rare night of excess, plenty of fuel in the tank!).