A short sharp burst

Today my training plan allowed me to get away with a mere three mile run. I carefully planned the route to find the flattest, straightest route with the least road crossings possible.

The idea of the occasional short sharp run in the training plan is not only to give your legs a rest from the longer runs, or to provide a fresh mental stimulation, but also to quite literally, get a bit of speed into your legs. I'm not sure how this then goes onto helping you during a much longer race, but presumably it does somehow. We shall see next Sunday I guess.

Well rested and full of beans I set out with the intention of beating every PB possible up to the 3 mile distance. The weather was dark and drizzly, but I'd managed to miss the worst of the rain that had splashed down not too long ago, and had a great time splashing through all the puddles, averaging 7:14 miles in the process.

The scariest thing to come out of the whole run was how short 3 miles felt, a distance that not too long ago, I would have struggled round.

I beat my 3 mile personal best time by 36 seconds, and also broke my 1 mile, 3k and Cooper (distance in 12 minutes) personal bests. Well happy. There's definitely something in the theory that orange shoes are faster than regular white ones.

My 1k personal eluded me by a second. I will beat that at some point even if I have to do just a single kilometre at some point.

Despite running 3.1 miles in 22:26, and having set my phone to target 5k in 23:00, for some reason it didn't acknowledge my beating of that PB. I can only assume that it cut out a metre or two too short?

On the sponsorship front, I have now broken the £262 mark. This, significantly, means that I have raised £10 for each of the miles I will be running. Whilst I acknowledge that there is still a long way to go to hit the magical £750 mark, I would like to take a moment just to thank every single one of you that has sponsored me.

I am truly grateful to all of you, and it really does mean a lot to me that not only have you been so generous with your money, but also that you've been generous with your time. Simply taking a moment out of your life to fill in a sponsorship form, really will help to change someone's life forever.

Thank-you.

(Shameless sponsorship link)

There and back again

Some days are made for running, the sun is out with a smile on it's shine, greeting each bouncy stride with a cheery hello. The wind is light, the paths are dry and you wonder why anyone would be doing anything other than enjoying the wonderful scenery of the world outside the door with a relaxing jog.

Today was not one of those days.

The week started out well enough. On Tuesday I had a "short" five mile run. I dashed home after work to get a quick run in, before rushing into, and out of, the shower to pick up the wife from work. In hindsight I was staggered that not only did the five mile run feel easy, but also that I had reached the point where a distance that used to daunt me, was now just a brief "popping out for a run" distance.

My legs felt nice and refreshed after the rest day, and with memories of last weeks personal best beating run, I decided I'd try and keep the pace up in an effort to beat my 1km personal best which I had only equalled the week before. I failed in that attempt, but I did creep under my 3km personal best by a second which was a nice surprise.

Wednesday's six miler was fairly uneventful, I didn't push it too hard, and concentrated on maintaining a steady pace, around the 8:30 minute mark. The sort of pace I will be hoping to be running at on the big day.

On Thursday hockey training was cancelled due to problems with the floodlights, so I must confess I was lazy and made the most of the unexpected rest day. Friday was another rest day, and the less said about the hockey match on Saturday the better. Needless to say, we're not top of the league any more.

So, on to today's long Sunday run.

I awoke early, and rolled over to check the weather on the phone to see if I could get away with a few more minutes in bed. Unfortunately the rain was coming, so I decided to get up and out there quick sharp, in a bid to dodge as much of it as possible.

Most of my Sunday runs seem to be of significance now, and today was no exception. After last weeks Great South Run equalling distance of 10 miles, this week I was faced with running the farthest I had ever been, an experience I will be repeating quite a few times up to and including Marathon day.

It's a dangerous business, going out of your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to. With the wife's workplace almost exactly six miles away, I took the opportunity to head in the direction of Portchester, on a there and back again type run.

The clouds were grey, and hung ominously waiting to coat me with their watery ammunition. The roads seemed eerily deserted this morning. I'd set off at 8:00 am on a Sunday, but it did feel all a bit "28 days later" until I saw my first car, two miles into the run!

Three and a half miles in I was faced with an unexpected underpass, with a nice friendly blind right angle turn into it. Warily I entered, half expecting a gang of orcish youths to greet me, half expecting someone to be strewn in there following some antics from the night before.

As it turned out, it was completely clear and safe. There's always something worrying about a brightly painted and colourful subway. You just know they're trying to compensate for something. At least I knew it would likely be clear on the way back, of dead bodies at least.

Shortly after, the rain came. Not particularly interesting rain, just the sort of grey horrible drizzling rain, sucking out any glimmer of hopeful colour that had survived so far into the day.

As I reached the turning point, I ran past Portchester crematorium where my grandparents were laid to rest. Reflectively I took a moment to remember them, and knew that if it was at all possible, then they would be doing all they could to support me through the training, and the marathon itself. Failing that, I was heartened by the thought that I would doubtless be thinking of all of them at some point on the day to keep me going. I will after all, need all the help I can get.

Heading back home I realised that I'd had the wind on the back on the way there. On the exposed, wind facing miles, my pace took a bit of a hit.

At the ten mile mark, I really could have done without the footbridge that I needed to summit to make it over the road. My legs really felt that one.

At this point I took a bit of a wiggle for a change of both scenery and terrain and headed for the wood paths that I would usually use for my lunchtime three miles run in the summer.

It gave me a fair few muddy puddles to dodge, but it made a nice change to the relentless pounding on tarmac, and the dreary industrial estates I had been running through.

As I was getting near home, I realised that I'd miscalculated the length and with a short detour I could round it up to half marathon distance. That was, until I spotted the wife walking the dog round the corner from our house. After 12.5 miles in 1:49:34, it seemed like a good excuse to stop running, for some hugs, cuddles and licks. I said hello to the dog too.

Half marathon distance next Sunday.

On the fundraising front I am now very close to breaking through the £200 mark after another bit of a push this week. With pay day looming for most after the long month of January, I have every intention to carry on with that push in an effort to get me closer to my £750 target.

Personal bests and accumulated fatigue

Well it's certainly been an eventful week, who knew that bright orange trainers could be so much faster than regular white ones! I guess that's why they were so popular at the last Olympics.

Keen, eager and rested I headed out on Tuesday evening for a 5 mile run with my new trainers on. They were so very comfortable, and although I was aware I was running at a good pace, I was very surprised for the audio update to tell me I'd completed the first mile in 7:30! Overall I averaged 7:34 for the 5.15 mile run which was phenomenal, given that the previous week I was around about 8:10.

As a result when I got back I discovered that during the run, I'd not only equalled my personal best for fastest kilometre, but had beaten my personal bests for all of the following distances: 1 mile, 3 km, 3 miles and 5km. I'd also beaten my record for the cooper, which is how far can you run in 12 minutes.

Given that all of the PB's were around about three to four years old, and that all of these had been beaten during a reasonably evenly paced 5 mile run, I was obviously very pleased.

I have no idea if it was a result of the training starting to come together, the new trainers giving me an extra spring in my step, the healthier food I had been eating or more likely a combination of all three, but I was absolutely buzzing.

The following evening I had a 6 mile run scheduled, but I upped the distance slightly to enable me to have a crack at my 10km PB, given how well I'd run the night before. Unfortunately, I could feel fairly soon into the run that the previous nights antics had taken its toll on the old leg muscles, and despite my best efforts with a still impressive average pace of 7:58, I was agonisingly 14 seconds shy of my target.

By Thursday I was definitely starting to feel the effects of two longer midweek runs. My training plan up until this point had allowed one or two midweek 3 milers, the increase in distance was telling, but unfortunately for me Thursday was no rest day.

Although I didn't have a run planned, I did have hockey training to go to. Not only does this change in exercise keep my brain from dying of street pounding boredom, it also allows a bit of pseudo-interval training to make it's way quite easily into my plan. Unfortunately, Thursday night was a night when the heavens opened at just the wrong time. On several occasions, soaked through to the skin with nothing dry to change into to, I contemplated jumping in the car and heading home, it was only the thought of looking down the Mall at the finish line that kept me there.

Friday thankfully, was a rest day.

Saturday involved more hockey, and possibly the highest paced, most intense match I have ever played in, as first (us), played second (Petersfield), in the league. With just a point in it, both teams knew that a win was vital to their chance of winning the title. Inevitably it was a 2-2 draw, but again it was a really good interval workout, and better still I didn't pick up any injuries.

So, onto today's long run, and "just" the 10 miles to do. I had a couple of routes planned, one involved following a similar route to last weeks run, but extending it to take me up to, and around Havant Tesco, the other which was the one I ended up doing purely for a bit of variation, was a run down to Canoe Lake, along the seafront and back home, with a few 'wiggles' to make it up to the ten miles.
 
My main target for this run was to beat my personal best from the Great South Run, set in 2011 which stood at 1:27:16. To hit this would need to average about 8:40 pace, something I felt was achievable, so long as I didn't have any stops for walking.

The run felt good, and although there were a few points were I was struggling, the music, or the views, always seemed to pick me up just when I needed it. My pacing was incredibly consistent, with only 15 seconds difference between my slowest mile and my fastest mile. The low point of the run had to be when I had no choice but to run through a muddy puddle, and get my shiny luminous orange trainers dirty. Sad face.

I was cheered up at the finish though when I discovered that I had made it round the ten miles in 1:22:18, beating my personal best by (more or less) 5 minutes. On top of that I'd also beaten my personal best for distance covered in one hour.

Such a great end to an amazing week.

Tomorrow is rest day and my legs are looking forward to it very much!

All I need is a race number

Today I had some lovely presents waiting for me when I got home from work. 

Firstly my late Christmas present to myself in the form of a VERY bright pair of asics gt-2000s. They are so very comfortable with plenty of cushioning all over to protect me as I pound down the miles. I'm so tempted to take them out for a jog tonight but it'll have to wait, need to respect the rest days after all.

Secondly and far more surprisingly was the running vest that had been sent to me by Send a Cow. It looks awesome and very cow like. Just need to find a way of getting my name printed on the front now for added crowd support on the day.

I have to admit, it may be three months away still, but it is starting to feel very real now the vest is here.

The bounce is back

I headed out this morning for my 9 mile run, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it felt. Granted it was only a mile further than the long runs I've been doing recently, but I was dreading it a little bit as it was the first long run I have done with a game of hockey the day before.

Usually on the Sunday after a hockey match, I'm stiff, sore and limping around the house, and with this being the first match back after the Christmas break, I was anticipating even more aching than usual. I have to say though, I felt fine. Certainly during the run anyway, my legs are aching a fair bit now, but then again, there is a reason Monday is a rest day.

My Tuesday 5 mile run this week was a fairly uneventful affair of running five miles in the dark streets, but on Wednesday I got to head out at lunch time at work with Mike for a nice three miler. The usual lunchtime route is prone to muddiness during inclement weather, so we found a new route and it proved a nice change. The only downside was it was pretty much an "out and back" kind of route, involving two bridges, so plenty of work for legs used to the otherwise pancake flat streets of Portsmouth.

Additionally I headed out on Thursday for an unscheduled cheeky little three miler with the dog, as hockey training was cancelled. The main thing I noticed during these midweek runs was how easy it all felt, my training is now in full swing and I have the "bounce". The bounce is something I refer to when training, for the feeling I get two or three weeks into it, where everything just seems that much easier, I'm full of energy and I get restless on the rest days.

On Friday evening, I decided that it was about time I reviewed what I was eating, as I'd come to the realisation that I am only planning on doing a marathon once, and as such I want to ensure I am doing everything I can to get myself under the four hour mark. If I can shift a few pounds, and get the right sort of fuel into my body I should hopefully be able to shave off a good few minutes from my time. Or more importantly, get round in the first place!

The internet, I found out, is amok with eating plans for runners. The key as I found out, certainly during the monotonous training stage, is to keep the fats down, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, a lean protein source and a good helping of carbs.

The guidance that I have pinned to the front of the fridge was taken from therunningbug.co.uk and I think it appealed to me due to it's fairly hands off approach to telling you what to eat. It doesn't have specific meal plans, with prescribed weights portions, but instead works well as a prompt and a reminder on what I in truth knew I should of been eating all along. I'll keep you all updated with how well I get on sticking to it. The weekend has gone well, but I suspect I may struggle during the week once work gets introduced to the mix.

Best of all, all the fresh fruit and vegetables actually taste nice. Look how yummy my lunch from yesterday looks!

So full of energy, and armed with the bounce I headed out for this mornings 9 mile run. I had toyed with the idea of doing it up and over Portsdown hill, for a bit of hill work, but with yesterdays hockey in mind I decided to leave it for now and see how I got on with something a bit flatter.

I set off with the intention of heading north of the city to do a lap of Farlington Marshes for a bit of a change of scenery from city streets and Southsea seafront. When I got to Farlington marshes I discovered the gates shut and locked. Bummer. Unfortunately it was a bit late to change my route, so instead I just carried on along the cycle path heading towards Havant, and waited for the Endomondo powered voice in my ear to tell me I'd reached four and a half miles so I could turn around, retrace my steps, and return home. Not quite the scenery I was hoping for, but still a nice change.

The run felt good and was completed in a time of 1:17:36 and I felt like I could have gone on a lot further, which is handy given that a marathon would entail another 17.2 miles on top of today's run.

Next week is a ten mile run, and I am looking forward to it, and a chance to beat my personal best of 1:27:16 for that distance set at the Great South Run in 2011.

Shinglegeddon and chains of good

Today I somehow managed to dodge the wind and the rain, and get another nice 8 mile run in, in relatively pleasant conditions.

During the week I was lucky enough to spend a few days in London as a Christmas present from my wife. It was amazing fun, and brilliant to unwind before heading back to work on Monday.

On new years eve I got a 5 mile run in, but the trip to London meant I missed my other 3 mile midweek run. I also ate a bit worse than I probably should have what with the cooked breakfasts, the burgers and the trip to an american BBQ restaurant, but fortunately the trip was filled with plenty of walking, and even climbing the stairs on the underground which was very tough. I flaked out of attempting the 193 steps out of Covent Garden tube station though.

Back from London and back to marathon training reality with 8 miles today. Apparently it was -3 when I set out, but I had my new running gloves and hat on to keep me nice and toastie. (Thanks Luke for the Amazon voucher). I took a slightly different route to last weeks long run, partially to keep me interested, but mostly to take in the sight of Southsea esplanade covered in shingle. Apparently there must have been some strong winds and high tides whilst I was up in the big smoke because the promenade, and more impressively the road, had been turned into a makeshift beach. 

I wish I'd taken a photo really but I was busy dodging pebbles underfoot. So here's one that someone else took instead. presumably as the damage was being done. Fortunately, I missed out on the wind, waves and rain and just got to run through aftermath, still it added an extra challenge to the run.

Anyway the 8 mile run was completed in a 1:09:31, a little slower than last week, but after the eating in London, I was happy with that, and it was a nice change to get round without pushing the pace too hard.

With the new year now upon us, it is only natural to think of new years resolutions. At the moment I have to say my focus 2014 is going to be the marathon. Not really a resolution though, but I'm hoping the training I will have to do will take good care of the usual fitness / eating habits / weight aspects. It better do anyway!

Finally, I need to mention this; before I went to London I saw the following video that has been produced as an advert for innocent smoothies and will no doubt be hitting your screens in the near future, however it's worth pointing out that the advert is a true story of the work done by my charity Send-a-cow.



It sums up so much more simply and coherently the good that the charity does, than I ever could.
(Unsubtle link to my sponsorship page).