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.

White Christmas ?

Snow forecast for overnight so no doubt London will have ground to a halt by tomorrow. If you went by what the media says you'd think it had never snowed in December before.

Christmas shopping and eating have cut down the running opportunities this week so I've only added 3.75 miles to my total for a lunchtime lap around Hyde Park on Tuesday, taking me to 568 miles for the year.

Hopefully I'll get out at the weekend to add a few more and keep me on target for 600 before the end of the year.

Two laps at the Palace

Brrr.... winter's here. Very chilly morning at Crystal Palace. After 10 miles yesterday, just a short run today - a couple of laps around the park. It's a lovely place to run - even in summer it's much less busy than Greenwich, it's a good mixture of flat bits and hills, straights and curves, and there's lots of nice scenery to look at. Plus - it's a shorter drive from the house.

So, four more miles to add to the total, which stands at 33 for December and 564 for the year so far.

Greenwich

Five laps of Greenwich park today on a bright, chilly Saturday morning with the Chinese State Circus tent pitched at the entrance. A glorious day for running - it took a couple of laps to get properly warmed up but after that the miles flowed smoothly past and I could have managed another mile or two.

Winter running can be such a pleasure - no leaves on the trees to block the view, only the "serious" runners brave the cooler temperatures, and the number of what my friend Bill calls "daytime people" - the ones who dawdle and wander all over the road, baulking runners and faster moving pedestrians - is very low.

So just under 10 miles to add to the total - now 560 for the year.

550 miles

4 more miles yesterday lunchtime in Hyde Park. 550 miles for the year now. Tomorrow, more miles at Greenwich.

Mr Hunter, this is for you...

Twenty something years ago, I had my first real experience of running. Just started secondary school and when the PE teachers were lacking ideas, had some paperwork to do or the weather was particularly grim, they'd send us out for a "cross country run". "Cross-country" was a bit of a misnomer, it was basically a run around the playing fields and back to the school.

Back then, mainly due to having had asthma since I was 6 months old, I'd never get a lot of exercise - in those days the thinking around asthma was to avoid situations which might provoke it (rather than getting on with life and using an inhaler when necessary which seems to be the approach these days).

So I was never particularly good at cross-country running, and generally ran/walked the course, trailing in last.

However one day I decided it was time to grit my teeth and at least run all the way around. I teamed up with a fellow asthmatic and another non-athlete, and with a bit of mutual encouragement managed to run the entire route (which I now know to be not much more than 1 mile !). Overjoyed with my first success in athletics I approached the school gates triumphantly in 3rd last position, only to be met by the PE teacher with the words "I need a calendar to time you, not a stopwatch"

So... Mr Hunter - you might not have realised it at the time but your - admittedly quite funny - remark all those years ago planted a seed in my mind which, for a long time, discouraged me from running, then a couple of years ago made me determined to give it a go, and now, as I watch the miles pass by at 7 miles per hour, 20 miles a week, just makes me smile.

Four more miles in Hyde Park yesterday at a decent pace takes me to 546 for the year.

Hangover cure

No running midweek this week due to a business trip. Not only no running but more food than usual and a lot more alcohol, especially on Thursday night. One of the positive benefits of running a lot is that because you tend to feel the effects of alcohol more (a hangover is a lot more obvious when you're out the next day trying to run 10km) you tend to think twice about having a skinful. Which I'm sure has other positive health benefits - less drinking means less disturbed sleep, which means more energy. Also, my impression is that the people I know who drink more than me (and don't get much exercise) tend to catch colds and flu more often. Certainly I've not had a day off work since I started running.

Anyway, as a result of an exercise-free week, and a few beers more than usual, running this weekend was a bit of a struggle. Yesterday I did 6.5 miles around Greenwich park, and today (after a few glasses of wine and quite a big meal) a 4.36 mile plod around Crystal Palace. However the weather this morning was great - one of those mornings when heavy rain had been replaced by dazzling sunshine, almost making up for having to run with a foggy head.

542 miles for the year now - still on target to pass 600 by December 31st. Now I need to do a bit more to try to pass my fundraising target.

Back on the road...

Well I might have passed 500 miles for the year, but my running continues - a couple of runs round Hyde Park during the week, and 9.27 miles in Greenwich Park today. Running 8 miles+ now seems pretty routine now, which is a measure of my progress since the start of the year.

Total for the year is now 528 miles - on track to reach 600 miles by the end of December...

Thank you

Having passed the 500 mile mark, it's time to say a few "thank you"s to the people without whom it wouldn't have happened:

Firstly - to my wife Sophie who ran many of the 500 miles herself, took many of the photos whichh appear on this blog, and has given me great encouragement ever since I started running. And not forgetting Sally and Phil whose enthusiasm for running spurred me on to set myself bigger targets

Secondly - to Michaela at Practical Action for her support and encouragement, and for the T-shirts and vests !

And thirdly - to everyone who's sponsored me so far. Your support really makes a difference - to me, to Practical Action, and, most importantly, to the people whose lives they help to change for the better.

Thank you.

511 miles and counting...

Well, I completed the challenge yesterday - 39 days ahead of schedule. Somewhere around Blackfriars Bridge on the first lap of my half marathon I passed 500 miles for the year.

I started out from Embankment around 09:50 on a grey but mild morning. Pretty soon after starting I regretted wearing a long sleeved top and tracksters - shorts and a T-shirt would have been a better fit for the temperature, and after a few miles I had to perform a striptease while running.

The early miles were pretty straightforward - I tried to keep my pace slow to keep something in reserve for later. However my pre-run preparation contained a flaw - the Thames path under Blackfriars Bridge is currently closed, meaning a quite sizeable detour inland, including crossing a busy road, which I hadn't factored in when I measured the distance. (This added 0.6 miles to my route).

By the time I started my second lap the crowds had started to build up on the South Bank around the Christmas market and the London Eye, making me start to regret my choice of route. I'd assumed that a grey November morning might be quite quiet in London but no such luck.

Oblivious tourists increasingly blocked my path forcing me to dodge and weave and occasionally just stop in my tracks, politely saying "excuse me" while swearing under my breath. It's one of those situations where no-one's to blame - they're just tourists being tourists and they have as much right to be there as I have. But it doesn't stop you wishing they could just be a little more aware of their surroundings.

Nonetheless there were a lot of good points about the route - in spite of it involving three laps, there was always something interesting to look at, and after the first hour the weather started to brighten up.

By my third lap, at around the 10 mile mark, I was starting to feel a bit leg-weary and uncomfortable. I managed to keep running until reaching Lambeth Bridge at 2 hours 7 minutes, but then I had to stop and walk for a while. I guess the dodging and weaving had burned up a few extra calories than I bargained for - and maybe I lost a bit of fitness during the last two weeks of relative inactivity. Anyway, I walked for just over half a mile to Parliament Square, and then started a slow, stiff and painful jog up Whitehall. More tourists to dodge.

At Trafalgar Square, the welcome sight of the Mall and the home straight came into view. As it turned out, thanks to Network Rail's Blackfriars detour, Admiralty Arch constituted the actual 13.1 mile mark, and I passed it in 2h 21m 16s which, considering that I had walked for 10 minutes, and probably ran quite a few extra yards dodging the crowds en route, isn't too bad for a first attempt at an (albeit unofficial) half marathon.

I gave Sophie a call on the mobile halfway up the Mall to warn her to be ready with the camera, and reached the "finish line", 13.76 miles from the start, in just over 2 hours 28 minutes.

After finishing - lots of photographs, a welcome drink, and then a slow walk into the West End for some lunch and a rest.

As a result of my stop for a breather after 12 miles, and according to the rules of the challenge, this constituted one 12.06 mile run and a 1.1 mile run to add to the total, which now stands at 511.03 miles for the year.

Some Hong Kong miles

Back from a week's holiday in Hong Kong where I clocked up just under 6 miles in a couple of runs along the harbourside in Tsim Sha Tsui.

It's always a pleasure to run along the waterfront in Hong Kong, in spite of the sometimes humid climate and the pollution (although the air quality seems to have significantly improved lately). There's so much spectacular city scenery to look at while you're running and you can follow your run with cheap delicious dim sum and then go for an equally cheap but very good massage.

I could have done more running whilst I was in HK but I was planning to save my 500th mile for this coming weekend back in London. So with the 6 Hong Kong miles and the 4 I did on the Thursday before I left on holiday my total now stands at 493.87 miles - 6.13 to go.

The plan to pass the 500 mile mark is:

- go out for one lunchtime run in Hyde Park this week for 4-5 miles

- then on Saturday or Sunday this weekend, complete the equivalent of a half-marathon by doing three laps of the Thames, starting from the London Eye, running to the Millenium Bridge, back to Lambeth Bridge, repeating a couple of times, and then on the third lap, heading up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, then hanging a left and running up The Mall to complete 13.1 miles at the Buckingham Palace gates.

At least that's the plan. And the beauty of the plan is that I'll pass the 500 mile mark early on in the run, so from that point on everything else is a bonus. But I've never run half marathon distance before, and it would be great to complete the challenge with a new "personal best"

Greenwich, Crystal Palace and Putney

I've fallen behind a little with the blog updates, but I'm still keeping up with the running:

• A long run at Greenwich on Saturday - four big laps and a smaller one. Total 9.26 miles
• A dash around Crystal Palace in the rain on Sunday morning - two laps for 3.75 miles
• A lunchtime jog along the Thames in the lashing rain yesterday - 4.12 miles.

So getting very close to the "finish line" now - less than 16 miles to go !

Next week we're off to Hong Kong on holiday. Will be taking the running shoes for one or two jogs along the harbour front - a spectacular place to run - but probably won't do more than half a dozen miles - so I'm still on target to reach the target on the weekend of November 21st/22nd.

93% complete.

Still a bit sore and stiff after my 11 mile run on Monday, so a very gentle 4 mile jog along the Thames at lunchtime.

Only 33 miles to go now !

Plan B

Weather was foul yesterday so neither of us were very enthusiastic about two laps of an Edinburgh hill in a southwesterly gale and squally showers.

So a lazy day on Sunday but today I was off work and after the gasman had been I went out with the intention of doing a long run. Having got a bit bored with my normal 2 mile lap around the park I did a bit of pre-planning and worked out a larger lap totalling 4.6 miles which I figured I could probably do twice.

A lovely day for running, very different from yesterday: almost no breeze, cool but with a hint of sunshine. The route was relatively flat, with one long gentle incline, and I managed both laps without any real problems (other than having to dodge the traffic around some of the ever-present Edinburgh tram-related roadworks).

Having got to the 9.2 mile mark I was in a good rhythm and still felt there was some running left in my legs, so I kept going and added on one of my usual smaller laps of the park, bringing me to a total of 11.26 miles - a new record !

I must admit I was pretty tired by the end and felt the beginnings of cramp in my legs. I could maybe have done another half mile or so but that would have been it.

However a half-marathon is starting to look well within my grasp !

70 miles in October now, and nearly 463 overall.

Edinburgh weekend

Just back from a couple of laps of Inverleith Park in Edinburgh. A mild, grey, cloudy morning - good conditions for running. Just over 4 miles added to the total. Yesterday I ran from the office to Putney Bridge and back at lunchtime for 3.3 more miles. So that's nearly 59 miles in October and 452 overall.

Tomorrow the plan is to run a couple of laps of Arthur's Seat - the lump of volcanic rock which overlooks the centre of Edinburgh. There's a road which runs round and part of the way up the hill and which forms the course of the BUPA Great Winter Run which I took part in back in January. It's a fairly unrelenting climb for the first 2km, then level for 1km and then there's a very satisfying long downhill stretch (visible on the bottom left of the photograph) back to the starting point. A full lap is 3.25 miles, so given the climb (and the everpresent wind on the top of the hill) a couple of laps is a good workout.

Barnes Bridge

A lunchtime scamper along the Thames, across Barnes Bridge and back on the other side to Hammersmith Bridge, then back to the office.

4.8 comfortable miles.

Lots of people rowing on the river being shouted at by other people in motorboats with loudhailers, but otherwise a very nice run on a cool, cloudy day.

Lazy morning at Crystal Palace

Feeling a bit tired and sore after yesterday's efforts in Greenwich, so a nice lazy lap and a half around Crystal Palace Park this morning.

Just under 3 miles to add to my total which now stands at 46 miles for October and 439 for 2009.

New record

8.77 miles at Greenwich. 3 big laps and then a couple of smaller ones. I think that's the first time I've run up "the hill" 3 times. I could have passed the 9 mile mark if I'd had more time which is encouraging now I'm thinking towards doing a half-marathon.

At the current rate of progress it's looking like I'll pass the 500 mile mark sometime in November so I'm having a look around to see if there's any interesting races to do around then. It would be nice to make an occasion of it.

And of course I'm going to carry on running after that and see how many miles I can complete in the year...

Lazy week

A combination of having a rest after Run Kingston and being busy at work means I've only run once this week - a lap of the Thames between Hammersmith and Putney bridges for 4.12 miles.

Totals: 34 miles in October, 427 in 2009.

Tomorrow: off to Greenwich for some more "hill training".

Run Kingston

Well, a very successful trip to Kingston - I achieved all of 5 of my goals and finished with just under 75 minutes on my watch.

I somehow ended up right at the front on the start line with all the "greyhounds" so was overtaken by what felt like the whole of humanity in the first mile. I'd planned to set off slowly but I was carried along by the crowds and passed the first mile mark in 9:15.

I consciously tried to slow down after that and did mile 2 in 10:25, although I think the mile markers might have been a bit out as I then did mile 3 in 8:10 without noticeably speeding up ! However after that I settled down to a pace of around 9:10 per mile and kept that going for the rest of the race.

Approaching the finish I saw I was on target to beat 75 minutes so I put in a bit of a sprint finish and crossed the line with about 8 seconds to spare on my watch.

It was a great feeling to finish with a bit of extra energy left and although my legs were getting a little heavy over the last mile it gives me confidence that I can ran further.

The weather turned out to be pretty ideal - cloudy and cool with some light rain - and the support from the spectators was really good. In a way its nicer in a smaller event - the support seems more personal.

Nice also to run in a race for runners - very few people walking after 800 metres, no barging at the start, not too many iPod wearers wandering all over the road. The course was a little disappointing though - the first section along the barge walk was lovely, but the remaining 3/4s of the race were along the side of main roads.

However, overall it was a really enjoyable day - all four of us ran well, and I was delighted with my time and fitness.

So... another 8.2 miles onto the total, bringing me to 423 miles for the year.

Pre-race update

A low-key week in preparation for Run Kingston on Sunday:

a quick 3 miles in Crystal Palace last Sunday;

4 miles along the river at lunchtime on Tuesday;

3.3 miles along the river at lunchtime yesterday

bringing my total to 22 miles for October and 415 for the year so far.

Plan for tomorrow - no running, then head down to Kingston early evening, get an early night ready for the 0800 start on Sunday morning. Weather forecast is for light rain - perfect for running !

PS - the nice people at Practical Action have added some info about my challenge to their website. Hopefully that will drum up a bit more interest - and sponsorship !

A new record - and a new landmark

Off to Greenwich this morning with the aim of doing a long run, ideally more than 7 miles, as preparation for runKingston next weekend.

It was a cool, breezy but dry day, ideal for running. I ran two long laps but thought a third trip up the hill was probably a bad idea, so I stayed on the top level of the park and completed 3 shorter laps for a total of 7.8 miles - a new record for me, and close enough to 8.2 miles to make me confident I'll handle the distance ok at Kingston.

And somewhere in the middle of my run I passed 400 miles for the year so far - fantastic !

So, maybe time to set some targets for next weekend:

1. Complete the distance
2. Run all the way !
3. 85 minutes
4. 80 minutes
5. 75 minutes

Putney loop

4 miles along the Thames at lunchtime - to Putney Bridge, across the river, back to Hammersmith Bridge, across the river, and back to the office.

I aimed to take it easy today and ran at 9.5 minute/mile pace - much more comfortable. My previous 6 runs have all been at 9 to 9.25 minute pace which might explain why I was struggling to clock up a decent distance lately.

So - the plan is to aim for a long (7 miles+) run this weekend, and then take it easy up until the Kingston race a week on Sunday.

Tour of Barnes

A lovely lunchtime run along the river to Barnes bridge and back via Hammersmith bridge. Feeling much better after my cold and I could have continued for longer than 50 minutes/5.4 miles if I'd had time. So a bit more confident that I can complete 8.2 miles in Kingston next weekend.

So my total for September was 70.8 miles and for 2009 so far, 393 miles.

Still lethargic...

Still feeling a bit lethargic. Went to Crystal Palace in the hope I might be up for a long run. Felt better than yesterday but still a bit stuffed up with the cold. Ran a nice random route around the park which added up to just over 4 miles, in 36:39 - just over 9 minute/mile pace.

Hopefully this cold will clear up soon as I doubt if I could run 8.2 miles at the moment. Maybe I can get out running one day after work for a decent long run. I did do 7.4 miles back on 1st September, and 6.5 on the 19th but psychologically it would be good to get close to 8 miles at least once before the race. At least the Kingston run is completely flat - unlike my training runs in Crystal Palace and Greenwich...

That's 65 miles run in September now, and a total of 387.4 miles for the year.

10 more miles

Another lunchtime run yesterday, this time to Putney Bridge and back - 3.25 miles.

Today I was hoping to do a 7 mile+ run in preparation for runKingston, but I felt really lethargic - maybe due to the cold I've had these last few days. Anyway, I managed a couple of half hour runs at Greenwich with a rest in the middle.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll feel better - I'd like to cover as close to full distance as possible before the race on the 11th.

383 miles completed now, 117 to go !

Riverside run

My first lunchtime run at the new office. Just over 4 miles along a curvy bit of the Thames from Hammersmith bridge to Barnes bridge and back again.

A nice route, not too many pedestrians or cyclists and some interesting scenery. And also good practice for runKingston, which takes place a bit further up the river.

4 miles at the Palace

40 minutes of running in Crystal Palace Park - a nice way to spend a sunny September morning. Feeling fit and positive and looking forward to that 8.2 mile run in Kingston.

That's 47 miles in September now, and 369 for the year so far. 74% of the miles in 71% of the time, so assuming I stay fit and healthy it's looking good for an early finish !

10k-ish at Greenwich

Back to Greenwich after an absence of a few weeks on a suprisingly hot morning.


I set out to do 7 miles as a preparation for the 8.2 mile run at Kingston, but after a couple of large laps (4 miles) I reckoned I wouldn't make it up the hill for a third time, so instead ran a loop at the top of the park, clocking up another 1.3 miles.


Having recovered a bit I decided to give the third big lap a go, and I made it to the top of the hill before giving up, for a total of 6.56 miles.




Since 8.2 miles is further than I've run before I thought I should come up with a bit of a training plan for the Kingston race, so this is it. Let's see how I get on !

19th Sep: 7m
20th Sep: 4m
21st Sep: Rest
22nd Sep: 3.5m
23rd Sep: Rest
24th Sep: 3.5m
25th Sep: Rest
26th Sep: 8m
27th Sep: 4.5m
28th Sep: Rest
29th Sep: 4m
30th Sep: Rest
1st Oct: 4m
2nd Oct: Rest
3rd Oct: 8.5m
4th Oct: 3m
5th Oct: Rest
6th Oct: 4m
7th Oct: Rest
8th Oct: 3m
9th Oct: Rest
10th Oct: Rest
11th Oct: RACE DAY!

Evening run

Back on the roads after the BUPA 5km run at the weekend. I'm working in town now on a new assignment, and haven't got the lunchtime run logistics sorted out yet, so instead I went for a run around Forest Hill after work.

The usual hilly route - which according to walkjogrun was 3.88 miles - and after three days sitting at a desk getting out running again was very welcome.

Now I need to start gearing up for the 8.2 mile run in Kingston on 11th October.

BUPA Great Capital Run

Just back from Regents Park where Sophie and I ran in the BUPA Great Capital Run. I finished in 28:17 and Sophie in 28:18. So personal bests for both of us !

The course was generally pretty flat but with a downhill start.

Sophie ran really well so if I hadn't been keeping her company I probably wouldn't have run a lot faster - maybe under 28 mins but not by much.

Our split times were quite consistent but we saved up a bit of a sprint for the end:

1km: 5:49.16

2km: 5:36.56

3km: 5:42.42

4km: 5:41.05

5km: 5:30.37

Funny how a 5km race seems like a quick sprint these days - there was a time when it would have been a real struggle to run all the way around !

Quick sprint

Tomorrow is BUPA 5k day, so just a short run this morning - a couple of laps at Dulwich. I thought I'd see how fast I could do a lap there and my second lap was 8m:27s. Not sure I could sustain that for 5km but I think I could beat 28 minutes.

However my plan tomorrow is to run at Sophie's pace and cross the finish line with her, so I'm expecting my time to be around 30-31 minutes.

Total miles for September: 29
Total miles for 2009: 351

More lunchtime miles

Four laps at Dulwich at lunchtime. Possibly the last at lunchtime for a while - next week I start a new assignment, so no more "working from home". Hopefully it'll still be possible to get out running, but we'll see...

Hot 5k

Back to Dulwich for another lunchtime run. 3.33 miles under the very hot sun - 28 degrees today. Hope it's a little cooler for the BUPA 5km this Sunday.

Edinburgh weekend

Back to Scotland for the weekend. Saturday morning I went out for a couple of laps of the park, completing 5.35 miles at a decent pace (9:30 per mile).

Sunday: feeling a bit under the weather so gave running a miss.

Quick 5k

At Dulwich at lunchtime for a quick 5km. Did the first 3 miles in 28:42, not bad. Total for the year now 336 miles.

Off to Edinburgh for the weekend - might have to swap the shorts for tracksters this weekend, autumn temperatures are definitely here !

2/3rds complete !

Yep, I've run 333 miles this year. In almost exactly 2/3rds of the year - so I'm bang on schedule !

Not the best way to reach the landmark though - I went for a lap of Forest Hill and came to a halt on the steep bit of Honor Oak Park Road after 2.5 miles. I'll blame the "discomfort" caused by the big drink I had before I setting off - must remember not to do that again.

Anyway after a bit of a break I jogged the last mile home so still added 3.58 miles to my total.

New month, new record

Dulwich Park at lunchtime and a new record for me - 7.4 miles. 4 laps around the outside plus two normal laps. And at not a bad pace too - 9m:59s per mile. Clearly the increase in mileage and the running up hills (Greenwich, Crystal Palace, Forest Hill) is having an impact !

My total now is 329 miles completed.

More miles at the Palace

Back to Crystal Palace today for some more exploring. I ran for an hour, clocking up 5.91 miles, my longest run this year. Definitely a nice place to run - a couple of lakes to run around, one big square at the top of the hill where the Palace used to be, and a few other meandering paths to keep it interesting.

Another nice day for running too, some sunshine but cool and breezy. Starting to feel a bit autumnal.

New venue

Some environmental campaigners have set up camp in Blackheath / Greenwich over this bank holiday weekend so rather than get stuck in traffic over there we decided to go to Crystal Palace instead. It's closer, quieter and more varied than Greenwich, and it's large enough and has some inclines which pose a big enough challenge. So very nice to go somewhere new.

I explored about 2/3rds of the park and ran for just over 50 minutes, completing 5.18 miles. And felt surprisingly comfortable - could have carried on for another mile without much trouble, which is encouraging with the 8.2 mile run in Kingston coming up in a couple of months.





My total for August has now reached the heady heights of 73.6 miles, with a couple of days still to go, and I've nearly caught up with my overall targets now, which is great. What seemed like a daunting challenge a few months ago looks thoroughly achievable now.

Evening run

On a training course in town this week so no scope for lunchtime runs. But I went out this evening - in the drizzle - for a jog around Forest Hill and Honor Oak. 3.8 miles bringing my total for August to 68 miles and overall to 311 miles.

300 miles !

Another milestone passed - 300 miles for the year. 5.4 miles at Greenwich today.

Two full laps (4 miles) and then the best part of another lap - and this time I made it up the hill for a third time - although I had to stop pretty soon afterwards !

Today I also signed up for an 8.2 mile run in Kingston in October. There's also a 16 mile run on offer but I think that's a little beyond my capabilities at the moment ! But the way I'm running at the moment 8 miles by October should be possible.

The course runs along the Thames towpath around Kingston / Hampton Court / Thames Ditton so it's flat and should be picturesque. Looking forward to it !