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.