Sun...

For the first time in months... I've run with the sun shining. This made a massive difference as running was no longer an ordeal.

I can see now why people in the past got very obsessional about the seasons. Running involves spending hours out in the elements just like the farmers, travellers and workers of the past would have done and the difference a bit of sunshine makes is amazing. Today we pop into our cars, from one nice warm, lit building to another and barely notice the cold.

Anyway 15 miles! The furthest run yet in 2hrs 03mins and 10 sec's. Now applying the formula - T2 = T1 x (D2/D1)^1.06 where T1 is the given time, D1 is the given distance, D2 is the distance to predict a time for, and T2 is the calculated time for D2 = a marathon time of 3.40.53. I know I can run faster and hopefully more training and the excitement of the race will help me break 3.30.

Check the archive

Due to the number of posts to read the whole blog check the archive on the left.

This is make the page load faster.

Gimme shelter...

On the big day I will joined by a very good friend Ben Morgan... Hopefully we'll attempt 15+ miles together this weekend. Running is the new going out...

The reason I mention this is he's got his justgiving page sorted now... so if you know Ben through me and want to help him and his charity SHELTER. Click or save the link below.

http://www.justgiving.com/benmorgan1

Over a 100 miles a month

Jan I did 93 miles. I did 5 miles in the last couple of days of Dec when I started logging. See RSS feed at foot of blog. So far this month I'm up to 35. The snow knocked a good bit off and it's a short month so 100 seems out of reach. But the aim must be 130+ for March.

Half Marathon - Done!

Today - Sunday - I got a half done in well under 1.45. Less than 8 min mile pace... I forgot to time it again... but this is how fast I will need to run to get a sub 4hr time.

Sunday morning at 6.45 is a strange time to be out. The streets are filled with... people on a mission while the rest of the world sleeps.

There is the good... going to church. In Lewisham this involves wearing some pretty wild Sunday best. Then there is the bad well dressed but now dishevelled people staggering home from the clubs and the ugly... me sweating away.

Whilst on my run the temptation to give up was very real today... not just in my head. As I usually run in a hoop there is always the temptation to knock a few miles off and head home. Today a fella in track suit walked out a newsagents ahead of me. I cruised past him but then suddenly he started sprinting. My first though was... race...! but this was mile 8 so I plodded on. Surprisingly I managed to not only catch him but the bus as well... this was because the driver thought we were together, so waited for me. He then started shouting at me to get on the bus. Very tempting... but... I did the full run and went home... to turn rocks into sandwiches*...

These were needed to go to the Tate and take in some Russian constructivist modern art before watching Ireland hammer Italy.

A good day! In all all... and it's school hols.

* A Sunday / Lenten joke

Love and legs...

It’s Valentine’s day so no training today… Did 10k before school on Friday and felt very comfortable. 10k now feels very short and I really wanted to do more…

I have a week off work now so the aim is to lift my mileage and weight train more often at the gym or in the garden. I rarely do lower body focused exercises so I’m getting used used to lunges, squats, donkey kicks, step ups and calf raises. Frankly, I know why I don’t do them… … they’re sooooooooo dull so I’ve combined them with upper body moves to make them more interesting. E.g. step and shoulder press, squat with cleans. However lunges can’t be done with anything… they look like they should be easy… just walking a bit funny… but they’ve given me the worst DOM’s I’ve ever experienced… which is a sign they’re worth it?

These excercises will, according to the reading, strenghten my legs to make me run faster and/or longer...

As it’s Valentines day we’ve been eating fizzy lovehearts…. We all got nice messages such as “Your cute”… apart from Scarlett whose first ever loveheart read “Grow up”. ???? They were still lots of fun... especially as we had them at our wedding too.

Rugby this afternoon is excellent. Scotland didn’t get thrashed and in fact you could say they were robbed (by an Irish referee), so should get a win… to unsettle things. It’s midway in the England game with Wales… and both teams look a) Beatable b) Capable of winning this game.

Tomorrow is the Ireland /Italy game… really want to go to see this game one year in Rome. Tomorrow I'll need to get my long 13 mile run done early to be done before kick off.

Our local shop which sells Irish produce such as white pudding, fig rolls and Tayto crisps has shut... So I'll have to be on the look out for a new fig roll seller as the Irish ones are so much nicer than any others and a great snack after a run.