Yesterday I completed 10.6 miles, by far the longest since the London Marathon. Once again I'm starting to feel that I might be able to do this run next month after all.
The advantages of a midweek running parter are many - meeting and running with Tash was of course a pleasure. But the mental challenges are very different. With two of you running, you are ...
- far more likely to consider a shortcut home
- obliged to have a plan before you set out
- guaranteed of company to make the run go faster and be less boring
- possibly more ambitious
All these things worked very well! I don't think I would have considered stepping up to in excess of ten miles on my own, but step up we did, and the run went well. A sunny late evening meant the heat was difficult, particularly at first, there was no escape running the long straight Bucknall road, contributing to the usual difficult first mile, and almost two hours later the usual tired last mile appeared on schedule, but I think we both had fuel in the tank at the end of the run, enough for a "sprint finish". Steady 12 minute mile pace is not impressively fast but pace wasn't the aim.
I still can't believe how far I've come in still comfortably less than a year. I wonder how many other people got home from work, walked the dogs then went for a 10.6 mile run. Probably just me, and that feels good!
Thursday 25 June 2009
Sunday 21 June 2009
Short and sweet
My last update shows I have got the running bug back and am determined to stay on course for the half marathon next month.
But that was a few days ago - today is another day, the end of a lazy weekend. I did run, but I feel it was more to tick a box, so that in my mind I have satisfied the condition of running three times this week.
I also didn't really have a plan. I set off with the idea of deviating from the ring road to run the circuit of a lake - I knew where it was but in 5 years of living in Bicester had never seen it, only run past an access footpath every time I go round the ring road.
Felt very sluggish today, but I stuck to as much of a brief that I could think of while running along. Do minimum three miles, try to run at "pace", i.e. a little over ten minute mile pace which would represent a significant improvement on my half marathon time.
So, it's done - 3.15 miles in just over 32 minutes. I should really have run further.
But that was a few days ago - today is another day, the end of a lazy weekend. I did run, but I feel it was more to tick a box, so that in my mind I have satisfied the condition of running three times this week.
I also didn't really have a plan. I set off with the idea of deviating from the ring road to run the circuit of a lake - I knew where it was but in 5 years of living in Bicester had never seen it, only run past an access footpath every time I go round the ring road.
Felt very sluggish today, but I stuck to as much of a brief that I could think of while running along. Do minimum three miles, try to run at "pace", i.e. a little over ten minute mile pace which would represent a significant improvement on my half marathon time.
So, it's done - 3.15 miles in just over 32 minutes. I should really have run further.
Thursday 18 June 2009
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
Well, I haven't posted since May. The MK half marathon is still on, but the running had started to fizzle out, as had the blogging. My plan had been to retire this blog.
The journey, documented in the blog, from zero to marathon had been amazing for me, and I could see the attraction in the blog. But is it quite so interesting to follow the journey of someone who has now run a full marathon, fighting the motivation to complete a far less illustrious half marathon?
Perhaps not, but I enjoy writing, and as long as just one of you is still reading (and just one of you has asked why I've stopped blogging), that's good enough for me. The challenges and goals have moved slightly, but the running is continuing. And doing this blog makes me continue!
I struggled to about a run a week - treadmill or outside. But this week the tide has turned, and Neil the runner is back, ready to tackle his half marathon. On Sunday, 6.3 miles through the villages felt good. Yesterday, 5.2 miles, including 4 at faster pace, showed me that I may be able to work on improving my time, and today 7 miles exactly at steady 12 minute pace showed me I still have the distance potential. The change in my morale, not just in running terms but in outlook generally as a result has been worth every step, as now I can see the next goal is achievable once more.
Also today, for the second time, I have had the pleasure of running with my new running partner Tash! The life cycle of this blog has gone full circle - my first follower and commenter as I struggled in Bicester to get past my first mile or two last winter has now become my co-runner as we train together towards her first ever half marathon next November! After today's run I'm convinced we're making great progress towards our respective half marathon goals.
So I will continue to blog! I'll try not to squeeze six runs into each update so there will be a bit more detail in future ... and, for you diehards who find that stuff interesting and continue to read, thank you!
And finally the blog entry title ... well allow me the luxury of keeping the title I was going to use in "retiring" the blog. My allegiance to Save the Rhino is inspired in part by the late Douglas Adams (author of said book with the same title) who devoted his conservation passions and energy to Save the Rhino.
Though my fundraising for them has now ended, if it has inspired you, do continue to follow http://www.savetherhino.org and watch the TV series "Last Chance to See" this autumn. Inspired by Douglas Adams' book and journey with Mark Carwardine, and with Douglas Adams' place taken by Stephen Fry.
The journey, documented in the blog, from zero to marathon had been amazing for me, and I could see the attraction in the blog. But is it quite so interesting to follow the journey of someone who has now run a full marathon, fighting the motivation to complete a far less illustrious half marathon?
Perhaps not, but I enjoy writing, and as long as just one of you is still reading (and just one of you has asked why I've stopped blogging), that's good enough for me. The challenges and goals have moved slightly, but the running is continuing. And doing this blog makes me continue!
I struggled to about a run a week - treadmill or outside. But this week the tide has turned, and Neil the runner is back, ready to tackle his half marathon. On Sunday, 6.3 miles through the villages felt good. Yesterday, 5.2 miles, including 4 at faster pace, showed me that I may be able to work on improving my time, and today 7 miles exactly at steady 12 minute pace showed me I still have the distance potential. The change in my morale, not just in running terms but in outlook generally as a result has been worth every step, as now I can see the next goal is achievable once more.
Also today, for the second time, I have had the pleasure of running with my new running partner Tash! The life cycle of this blog has gone full circle - my first follower and commenter as I struggled in Bicester to get past my first mile or two last winter has now become my co-runner as we train together towards her first ever half marathon next November! After today's run I'm convinced we're making great progress towards our respective half marathon goals.
So I will continue to blog! I'll try not to squeeze six runs into each update so there will be a bit more detail in future ... and, for you diehards who find that stuff interesting and continue to read, thank you!
And finally the blog entry title ... well allow me the luxury of keeping the title I was going to use in "retiring" the blog. My allegiance to Save the Rhino is inspired in part by the late Douglas Adams (author of said book with the same title) who devoted his conservation passions and energy to Save the Rhino.
Though my fundraising for them has now ended, if it has inspired you, do continue to follow http://www.savetherhino.org and watch the TV series "Last Chance to See" this autumn. Inspired by Douglas Adams' book and journey with Mark Carwardine, and with Douglas Adams' place taken by Stephen Fry.
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