Well I've got my excuses over already and placed them in full view in the title for all to see. I'm sure it would have been a snappier and more alliterative blog title if I could have found a synonym for Pavements that begins with H but never mind ...
My second midweek run has ended up being on Saturday morning, and this time it occurred to me that recently my long runs have been on roads and my shorter ones on the treadmill, so I have not been on the pavements of Bicester for a while. I set off on my standard 3.5 mile loop, with the intention of running anything from 3.5 to 7 miles, depending on if I wanted to stop, add some fiddly bits or do a second full loop.
As it happens, this was a tough run. The lovely spring weather meant there was not a cloud in the sky, and the council had mown all the grass verges. I felt quite sniffly all round and it looks like hay fever will be something I may have to contend with. Hopefully less so in London next month, but the immediate concern is Oxfordshire now. In addition to this, the hot weather meant it genuinely was hard work.
And in the end, I put in a small extra bit round the estate, checked my distance when I got back, and it seems I've done about 4.2 miles in 42 minutes. Good even pace and easy maths! But it pales into insignificance compared to the distances I have to do now. Already have a 16.5 mile route planned for tomorrow, it's just madness considering those distances let alone running them, but I have worked out a 2 mile shortcut if it's all too much ...
Saturday, 21 March 2009
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Latest run and Silverstone photos
Well the first run after Silverstone and it's back to the treadmill and interval training. To be honest, most of my thinking right now is looking back to the half marathon and five and half weeks forward to London. As with previous interval training days I went through an album with the intention of fast running every third track.
Sure enough, after nine tracks of an album I had 33 minutes under my belt so we can assume I ran 3 and half miles or so. Three of the nine tracks were run faster as planned, though as usual in the conservatory the effect was more like a sauna.
The main thing is, touch wood, that I have been very lucky so far. Potentially this would have been the time to tentatively test aches and pains from Silverstone excesses, having run the furthest stretch in one go than I have ever done before. But honestly I have no such aches, pains or blisters ... as I write all is fine!
So here are some pictures from Silverstone instead!
Sure enough, after nine tracks of an album I had 33 minutes under my belt so we can assume I ran 3 and half miles or so. Three of the nine tracks were run faster as planned, though as usual in the conservatory the effect was more like a sauna.
The main thing is, touch wood, that I have been very lucky so far. Potentially this would have been the time to tentatively test aches and pains from Silverstone excesses, having run the furthest stretch in one go than I have ever done before. But honestly I have no such aches, pains or blisters ... as I write all is fine!
So here are some pictures from Silverstone instead!
Smug sense of achievement at the finish:  |
Becki - my running partner for the day  |
Relief at the end - love the Hearing Dogs sausage dog trundling behind!  |
Monday, 16 March 2009
Silverstone
Yesterday was the Silverstone Half Marathon. For all those who want the facts, not the waffle, and can't be bothered to read down, I completed it, in 2 hours, 30 minutes and some seconds, the number of which escapes me at the moment.
Well there were a lot of nerves, not entirely sure why as physically it ought to have been something I could do OK given my performance on the last two Sundays, but on the day I would be proving myself in public, and in the company of other runners for the charity. Just not something I've ever done before! Tasks like attaching the race number to my running vest with four safety pins, and attaching the race chip to my running shoes, were nigh on impossible when you combined my usual uncoordination with my shaking hands, and I was still attending to all these things when my parents arrived, who were coming to give support and take me to the track.
A well timed call from fellow rhino runner Emma alerted me to the fact that queues were already forming on the A43 and that if I hadn't left, to leave now. So, we did, with perhaps a little more panic. Still, we made it to the circuit in good time and fortuitously bumped into the Save the Rhino team (you'd have thought the three huge lifelike but dismembered costumes in the car park would have given it away …).
I began the race in the company of Becki, running in her home made imrpovised rhino costume. Her website is here: http://beckisavestherhinos.wordpress.com - her fundraising efforts are herculean compared to mine, so anyone who is thinking of sponsoring me still, please do (you know where to go, it's http://www.justgiving.com/neilrichards1), but please check her efforts out too and see if you can squeeze a little more at http://www.justgiving.com/beckisavestherhinos. And to cut a long story short, I ran the whole race in her company too. This helped so much - they always say (whoever "they" are) to run with company and to be comfortable enough to hold a conversation, again, something I'd never done.
It was actually a gorgeous day - have heard reports of some runners getting a little sunburnt. Certainly there was sun in the first mile or two, and then at intervals throughout, but when the sun went behind a cloud it was fine and a little breezy. It's not the most scenic of runs, with little in the way of milestones, apart from mile markers, but the race went quickly enough. Becki planned a walk at 7 miles, then 8, and I had no intention of talking her out of it but did say that I at least wanted to *try* and run the whole thing. In the end, I think we were both struggling by 11 miles but the realisation of the 12 mile marker round the corner gave us both a second wind knowing that there was no point walking by that stage, only a mile to go! So I think, despite both mentioning we had no problem whatsoever with stopping and walking if we had to, we both inadvertently made sure that each other ran the whole 13.1 miles.
And I think it was all bluff from Becki anyway as with a stunning sprint finish I was left a few seconds behind but I don't care and was delighted to finish after running the whole way. The time was about 11.5 minute mile pace, and in truth I think I'm a little faster. But I don't care about the time, and who's to say that if I had run at 10 or 10.5 minute mile pace that I wouldn't have had to stop and walk at some point? If I can run the London Marathon in or around 5 hours I'll be delighted.
Big thank you to my parents for coming down to watch and offer support - I'll sort out some pictures from the event to go up soon.
Well there were a lot of nerves, not entirely sure why as physically it ought to have been something I could do OK given my performance on the last two Sundays, but on the day I would be proving myself in public, and in the company of other runners for the charity. Just not something I've ever done before! Tasks like attaching the race number to my running vest with four safety pins, and attaching the race chip to my running shoes, were nigh on impossible when you combined my usual uncoordination with my shaking hands, and I was still attending to all these things when my parents arrived, who were coming to give support and take me to the track.
A well timed call from fellow rhino runner Emma alerted me to the fact that queues were already forming on the A43 and that if I hadn't left, to leave now. So, we did, with perhaps a little more panic. Still, we made it to the circuit in good time and fortuitously bumped into the Save the Rhino team (you'd have thought the three huge lifelike but dismembered costumes in the car park would have given it away …).
I began the race in the company of Becki, running in her home made imrpovised rhino costume. Her website is here: http://beckisavestherhinos.wordpress.com - her fundraising efforts are herculean compared to mine, so anyone who is thinking of sponsoring me still, please do (you know where to go, it's http://www.justgiving.com/neilrichards1), but please check her efforts out too and see if you can squeeze a little more at http://www.justgiving.com/beckisavestherhinos. And to cut a long story short, I ran the whole race in her company too. This helped so much - they always say (whoever "they" are) to run with company and to be comfortable enough to hold a conversation, again, something I'd never done.
It was actually a gorgeous day - have heard reports of some runners getting a little sunburnt. Certainly there was sun in the first mile or two, and then at intervals throughout, but when the sun went behind a cloud it was fine and a little breezy. It's not the most scenic of runs, with little in the way of milestones, apart from mile markers, but the race went quickly enough. Becki planned a walk at 7 miles, then 8, and I had no intention of talking her out of it but did say that I at least wanted to *try* and run the whole thing. In the end, I think we were both struggling by 11 miles but the realisation of the 12 mile marker round the corner gave us both a second wind knowing that there was no point walking by that stage, only a mile to go! So I think, despite both mentioning we had no problem whatsoever with stopping and walking if we had to, we both inadvertently made sure that each other ran the whole 13.1 miles.
And I think it was all bluff from Becki anyway as with a stunning sprint finish I was left a few seconds behind but I don't care and was delighted to finish after running the whole way. The time was about 11.5 minute mile pace, and in truth I think I'm a little faster. But I don't care about the time, and who's to say that if I had run at 10 or 10.5 minute mile pace that I wouldn't have had to stop and walk at some point? If I can run the London Marathon in or around 5 hours I'll be delighted.
Big thank you to my parents for coming down to watch and offer support - I'll sort out some pictures from the event to go up soon.
Friday, 13 March 2009
Last run before Silverstone
Still not really sure what to do on the non-long runs. Two problems really, one is the motivation of a run that's not going to push me further than I've done before, and one is the lack of time on weekdays. Another week, I'd have the second of my three runs on a Saturday, but with Silverstone to run on Sunday I don't want to run the day before, so it's time to squeeze in a run on Friday.
Anyhow, not much to write, I cranked the treadmill up to its highest incline (he says, like there's a mountainous setting, I'm sure it's only a degree or two) and ran for just under half an hour at my usual pace. It's quite a workout as I work up quite some sweat on the treadmill indoors, but thirteen miles it isn't.
Details of Silverstone are here: http://www.adidashalfmarathon.com/ and hopefully blogs and photos to come. I'm actually quite terrified ...
Anyhow, not much to write, I cranked the treadmill up to its highest incline (he says, like there's a mountainous setting, I'm sure it's only a degree or two) and ran for just under half an hour at my usual pace. It's quite a workout as I work up quite some sweat on the treadmill indoors, but thirteen miles it isn't.
Details of Silverstone are here: http://www.adidashalfmarathon.com/ and hopefully blogs and photos to come. I'm actually quite terrified ...
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
More Interval Training
Another attempt at interval training today. Once again the motivation for the non-Sunday runs is difficult. The days have passed where every run was a potential personal best, now that only happens on Sundays, so today I wanted to try and get some faster bursts in.
My plan was to choose an album on my iPod, then run for its length. Each third song I would up the speed on the treadmill to a faster pace. It seemed to work well this time - as always my mind is more focussed on Silverstone on Sunday and then the small matter of London. TMBG's album got me through with sprints on songs 3,6,9 and 12.
But it was mission accomplished - 36 minutes or so, probably at an average of 9 and a bit minute miles. Next stop, who knows, but the one after that is the half marathon. Touch wood, I'm lurgy free, everything is still pain free and in good working order
My plan was to choose an album on my iPod, then run for its length. Each third song I would up the speed on the treadmill to a faster pace. It seemed to work well this time - as always my mind is more focussed on Silverstone on Sunday and then the small matter of London. TMBG's album got me through with sprints on songs 3,6,9 and 12.
But it was mission accomplished - 36 minutes or so, probably at an average of 9 and a bit minute miles. Next stop, who knows, but the one after that is the half marathon. Touch wood, I'm lurgy free, everything is still pain free and in good working order
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Personal best
Get me - I'm being all marathon runner now! Carb loading last night (always used to be known as eating pasta and making enough for seconds, now has a posh name) and this morning I prepared for my latest long Sunday run. The plan was to retrace my steps from last Sunday and ultimately see if I could run the full 14 mile distance.
If I can't run the full distance I did have other targets:
a) Run further in one go than last time (previously 11 miles - 13 would be nice!)
b) Run more overall than last time (previously 12.5 miles - 13 would be nice!)
c) Beat the overall time (previously about 2:25 - 2:30)
The weather forecast was for sunshine at 9am, heavy sleet at noon, and sunshine again at 3pm. So I set off just after 9am. Once again the first half mile or so is a killer - I got a bit of stitch right away, then again at a couple of miles. I'm just glad now I can run through this if it comes early, and once again the middle phase goes a lot more smoothly.
Running on the roads, I only hit a busy road when I cover 2 miles of the B4100, about 7 miles in. Until then I only passed three oncoming cars in the first seven miles. Big thank you to the cars heading from Bicester to the A43 - almost all give me a very wide birth and are rewarded with a tired friendly acknowledgement. Only 2 or 3 cars didn't follow this rule, and got a strategic two finger salute along the drinks bottle for their efforts!
So how did I do against my targets? I ran on to Bucknell and past the point where I stopped to walk last week. On to the ring road, I ran further but did stop just before the Banbury Road roundabout. So I ran a little under 12.5 miles off the bat. Target (a) hit but unfortunately not the full marathon distance or 14 mile distance of the route.
I struggled a little to start again after walking, but did run a little less than a mile again in a couple of stints when I restarted. So I think I ran about 13 miles in total, walking one male. Target (b) hit. The time was about the same as last time - I'm not sure why, but I'm not really that bothered about times apart from as a guide. I think my walking was quite slow as I seemed to have a little less left in my tank when I stopped, but am still on target for sub 5 hours if I can keep this up.
Best of all, I beat the weather. As I crawled upstairs and ran a hot bath I heard very stormy winds lashing rain and sleet against the windows. Half of me wouldn't have minded running in the rain as I haven't done that yet - would not want to try it for the first time at Silverstone in one week's time ...
If I can't run the full distance I did have other targets:
a) Run further in one go than last time (previously 11 miles - 13 would be nice!)
b) Run more overall than last time (previously 12.5 miles - 13 would be nice!)
c) Beat the overall time (previously about 2:25 - 2:30)
The weather forecast was for sunshine at 9am, heavy sleet at noon, and sunshine again at 3pm. So I set off just after 9am. Once again the first half mile or so is a killer - I got a bit of stitch right away, then again at a couple of miles. I'm just glad now I can run through this if it comes early, and once again the middle phase goes a lot more smoothly.
Running on the roads, I only hit a busy road when I cover 2 miles of the B4100, about 7 miles in. Until then I only passed three oncoming cars in the first seven miles. Big thank you to the cars heading from Bicester to the A43 - almost all give me a very wide birth and are rewarded with a tired friendly acknowledgement. Only 2 or 3 cars didn't follow this rule, and got a strategic two finger salute along the drinks bottle for their efforts!
So how did I do against my targets? I ran on to Bucknell and past the point where I stopped to walk last week. On to the ring road, I ran further but did stop just before the Banbury Road roundabout. So I ran a little under 12.5 miles off the bat. Target (a) hit but unfortunately not the full marathon distance or 14 mile distance of the route.
I struggled a little to start again after walking, but did run a little less than a mile again in a couple of stints when I restarted. So I think I ran about 13 miles in total, walking one male. Target (b) hit. The time was about the same as last time - I'm not sure why, but I'm not really that bothered about times apart from as a guide. I think my walking was quite slow as I seemed to have a little less left in my tank when I stopped, but am still on target for sub 5 hours if I can keep this up.
Best of all, I beat the weather. As I crawled upstairs and ran a hot bath I heard very stormy winds lashing rain and sleet against the windows. Half of me wouldn't have minded running in the rain as I haven't done that yet - would not want to try it for the first time at Silverstone in one week's time ...
Friday, 6 March 2009
Onwards and upwards
A day off work today meant I felt I should definitely run this afternoon. I'm never sure what to do in the two runs a week that aren't the long Sunday run now - it feels like I should be doing something different to a slow short to medium run, so after interval training earlier in the week. So although it was a nice sunny but chilly afternoon, probably perfect for running, I opted for a run on the treadmill, setting the incline up to the highest level.
In the winter, treadmill running was in the garage, and so cold, but right now the treadmill is in the conservatory. I soon realised that running in 18°C in an enclosed space with the sun shining would be a bigger challenge than the incline, well an additional challenge anyway. The windows and doors stay closed out of respect to the neighbours (not that they ever show us any), as the treadmill can get loud ...
Probably looks like I'm making excuses already. I've found now that my mental challenges of treadmill versus outdoor running have almost completely reversed! Now, if I'm outside, I know that stopping won't get me home any quicker! Whereas inside, on the treadmill, I can start without a particular target in mind, just stop when I feel like it and walk back into the kitchen.
Anyhow, despite preloading this post with excuses, I did run an uphill 25 minutes in the hottest conditions I've run in so far, and I'm moderately happy with that. I thought I'd run anything from about 30 to 50, and I probably could have kept going, but I have at least had a decent workout. I certainly sweated more than I did running 12+ miles on Sunday, bizarrely enough!
I think the problem is that 2.5 miles sounds so pathetic in relation to the 13 or so I will run on Sunday, the 13.1 that I will definitely have to run in 9 days, and the 26.2 I need to get up to for the end of next month! I shouldn't feel like this really, but I feel that I stopped too soon and have slightly wasted one of my three slots for the week ... and in hindsight regret running outdoors on what would have been a lovely afternoon. Oh well, onwards and upwards!
In the winter, treadmill running was in the garage, and so cold, but right now the treadmill is in the conservatory. I soon realised that running in 18°C in an enclosed space with the sun shining would be a bigger challenge than the incline, well an additional challenge anyway. The windows and doors stay closed out of respect to the neighbours (not that they ever show us any), as the treadmill can get loud ...
Probably looks like I'm making excuses already. I've found now that my mental challenges of treadmill versus outdoor running have almost completely reversed! Now, if I'm outside, I know that stopping won't get me home any quicker! Whereas inside, on the treadmill, I can start without a particular target in mind, just stop when I feel like it and walk back into the kitchen.
Anyhow, despite preloading this post with excuses, I did run an uphill 25 minutes in the hottest conditions I've run in so far, and I'm moderately happy with that. I thought I'd run anything from about 30 to 50, and I probably could have kept going, but I have at least had a decent workout. I certainly sweated more than I did running 12+ miles on Sunday, bizarrely enough!
I think the problem is that 2.5 miles sounds so pathetic in relation to the 13 or so I will run on Sunday, the 13.1 that I will definitely have to run in 9 days, and the 26.2 I need to get up to for the end of next month! I shouldn't feel like this really, but I feel that I stopped too soon and have slightly wasted one of my three slots for the week ... and in hindsight regret running outdoors on what would have been a lovely afternoon. Oh well, onwards and upwards!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
