Some stats

For all of you who love statistics (ok just me then) here are a few about last year's running:

Total miles: 601

Number of runs: 167

Average run distance: 3.6 miles

Total time running: 97 hours, 43 minutes, 43 seconds (i.e. nearly 4 days !)

Average time per mile: 9 minutes 44 seconds

Longest run: 12.06 miles

And a few graphs to round off the year:

So I more than doubled my mileage in 2009 compared to 2008.

So looks like getting married in June did a lot for my stamina :-)

Note how my mileage per month really took off in May when I committed to doing the challenge for charity... the power of goals !

From January until August I was behind my target, but some time in August and September working from home and running most lunchtimes helped me get ahead.

And I started the year averaging just over 2 miles per run - by December I was averaging more than 5.

Well, that's it on this blog. Thanks for reading !

I've started a new one for my 2010 challenge over at http://www.alans750milechallenge.blogspot.com

Alan

The end...

So, after 365 days of running, I've reached the end of the challenge. Yesterday: 4 laps at Crystal Palace in the drizzle for 7.68 miles; this morning: 4 laps of Dulwich Park bringing my total for the month to 70 miles and for 2009 to

601.35 miles.


So:

• I beat my target by 20%;


• ran more than twice the distance I ran in 2008;


• and, thanks to the generosity of my friends, colleagues and family, have so far raised £580 for Practical Action.

Fantastic !


I just want to say a huge thank you to all of my sponsors, to my wife, Sophie, and to Michaela at Practical Action for your support and encouragement, without which none of this would have been possible.

Thank You !

Alan

Sunshine on Inverleith part 2

At last, a nice sunny day to go running. Still a bit treacherous underfoot but by judicious use of the road, keeping to the white grainy bits and avoiding the black shiny bits I managed to stay upright. Actually walking back from the park at the end was much more hazardous.

I did a big loop of the park for 4.6 miles, a smaller one for 2.25 miles and then ran a little further for a total of 7.37 miles, bringing me up to just under 590 miles for the year.

Back to London tomorrow. A long run on the 30th and a shorter one on Hogmanay should bring me past the 600 miles mark for the year: magic !

A big thank you

First things first - a big thank you to my Mum, brother, sister-in-law and nephew, with whose generous help my fundraising just broke through the £500 barrier. A great Christmas present for me, Practical Action and all the people whose lives it helps to change.

And, happily, the weather has relented a bit and after a week of inactivity I managed to get out for a run today ! The pavements are still pretty icy in places but in general they are good enough to run on, and I ran a 4.5 mile lap from the flat around the park and playing fields opposite. Not that many people out and about, but I did pass a couple of other runners, both of whom looked a bit more hardcore than me.

So another 4.5 miles on to the total and given the direction the weather's taking I should be able to get out tomorrow as well, which should help me move towards 600 for the year (I'm now at 582).

More snow.... no running...

Back to Edinburgh for Christmas.

The weather itself isn't stopping me getting out, it's the icy pavements that are the issue. I don't really want to end the running year by going over on ankle.

Hopefully the temperatures will rise at the weekend and I can get out for a nice long run to catch up on my 600 mile target.

Local run

A couple of laps of Honor Oak / Forest Hill this morning for 4.7 miles. Pavements still pretty icy in places but it's perhaps easier to keep on your feet while running than walking, judging by some of the pedestrians shuffling past.

Nearly 578 miles for the year now.

I'm going back to Edinburgh for Christmas on Tuesday so am hoping to clock up a good few miles during the holidays and reach the 600 mile mark before the 31st.

Back to Dulwich

Too icy underfoot for Greenwich or Dulwich today, so 5 laps of Dulwich instead. Quite strange going back there after a few months away - the "hill" which we used to struggle up 2 years ago is barely noticeable any more, and where once it seemed quite a big park, now after a few laps it starts to get a bit dull and repetitive. But it was still good to get some exercise after a few days off this week, and burn off the pre-Christmas party food and drink.

573 miles for the year now.