Friday 27 June 2014

7 Day Runstreak

Wow! This morning with a 7K run at around 7am I finished my 7 day runstreak. In my ten years of running its the first time I have ever completed so many consecutive days running. I have always had an irrational fear of sustaining injury and a mental block about my capabilities to run back to back days. I have on occasion ran on back to back days and maybe once or twice managed three consecutive days but a whole week that is crazy talk! 

I am so pleased I gave it ago though and so amazed of my mini achievement, it required a good dose of dedication and determination to complete, here is a brief outline of my seven days of running:

Day 1: Saturday, Park Run, Harrow Lodge Park, 5K, official time 22.01

A bright, warm and sunny summers morning where I achieved my second fastest parkrun time.





Day 2: Sunday Morning, weekly longrun, 26K, 2hours 23.

An epically long pavement pounding longrun as I ramp up my mileage ahead of my marathon in August.

Here is a breakdown of the last six days of running:


My runs this week were fueled in no small part by a tuna pasta bake I cooked up on Sunday evening and then subsequently consumed throughout the week.



It provided a delicious, nutritious and filling pack lunch for work providing both my carbohydrate and protein requirements.


Day 3: Monday Evening, recovery run, 5K, 31 minutes.

A slow and gentle recovery run sandwiched in between the world cup games of HollandvChile and BrazilvCameroon.

Day 4: Tuesday Evening, 10K run at pace aiming for close to PB time, 45.53.

A great run only around 1minute 30 off my PB, the training is obviously going well as feeling so much stronger and faster!

Day 5: Wednesday morning, before work along the Thames, 5.84K, approx 35mins.

A nice little canter along the north bank of the Thames from Temple down to Tower Bridge. The mapmyrun graphic shown above showing a time of 18 minutes is wrong! My battery died and while the distance kept tracking the time just cut off when my battery gave out.

A snap of the wire lion sculpture by the Tower of London, a sculpture to remember the menagerie of wild and exotic animals that were kept here in days gone past. 



Thursday mornings run was put in jeopardy from a nice evening out watching NigeriavArgentina, a few alcoholic beverages and a cracking burger!



Day 6: Thursday morning, a few slow miles along the Thames south bank, 4K, 22 minutes.

A run I struggled to complete as the week and the night before caught up with me. A change from my usual routes, I headed over Waterloo Bridge and down the South bank and then back over the Millennium Bridge.





On the North side of the Millennium the steps up to St Paul's provided a great workout area for some step ups, toe tappers and step running before a few sprints along the way back.





Day 7: Friday morning, local run before heading out for the day, 7.3K, 40minutes.

I was determined to squeeze a run in this morning before I headed out for the day and away for the weekend that won't feature any running. Heading out soon after 7am a 7K run sealed my 7 day runstreak!

Tuesday 24 June 2014

What goes through my mind trying to run a fast 10K

Last night I headed out to run 10K, I wanted to push myself to run as fast as I could and to try and see if I could get close to my PB. I figured this was a good indicator of where my fitness was and a good way to work on my speed and strength so this was my speed session for the week.

I had planned out a route that was fairly flat, on concrete pavements and paths that would allow me to run fast as opposed to trails and tracks that would require me to run slower. The route was also designed without the need for many road crossings so I wouldn't be held up or delayed.

I have ran a few 10K distances over the last few weeks in around 50 minutes without trying to hard so knew I could get a few minutes under 50 if I pushed a little bit. My 10K PB is 44.30 and I wanted to see if I was in any kind of condition to run close to this bearing in mind I hadn't trained for it and my training emphasis has been on long and slow with the exception of a couple of 5K parkruns.

As part of trying to learn from every run and reflect on what parts of my training are going well or not well I thought it might be useful to try and record my thought processes during my run so here they are listed against each Km ran:  

1st - 4.23 split - I need to run fast, is this fast enough? Am I going too fast? How long can I sustain this pace? Do I feel strong enough to run a good time?

2nd - 4.39 split - Good first K, should I have pushed harder though? Is this pace fast enough or should I push harder? I am nicely settling into a rhythm this is going to be a good run I am feeling good.

3rd - 4.16 split - I am sure I have pushed to hard, I can sustain this for 5K maybe 6 or 7 but not 10 I should have started more conservatively. 

4th - 4.26 split - How is my 5K time going to stack up? I have 3 quick Ks in the bank should I take it easy a bit?

5th - 4.26 split - 22.06 5Km - On course for a great 5K time, I rally need to push a bit harder at Parkrun! Running on concrete though makes a big difference. When will I start to tire? How badly and quickly will I tire? 

6th - 4.40 split - 2nd half its going to get harder! I need to keep breathing, I need to keep concentrating on my technique. Have I fueled well enough to keep going? Should I have eaten more/differently during the day? 

Around this point I started to realise the course I had planned out thinking it was going to be around 10K was now in fact going to be a bit short. I tried to focus on not letting this bother me and distract me but at the same time try to think ahead and plan out where I could run to extend my route on paths or roads that would allow me to keep running fast.

7th - 4.40 split - This is it, this is where the game is won or lost, this is where I dig deep! This is the time to hurt, push now and you get a good time to be proud of, start to relax and you will regret letting yourself down. I want to hurt, I want some pain, I want to push myself hard to the point I will feel ill when I finish, this is it time to go time to give it what you have got!

8th - 4.45 split - Stay strong, keep running the hardest part is behind you but don't let your hard work go to waste you need to finish the job you started.

9th - 4.41 split- On course for a good time now just need to keep at it the last little bit.... I have pushed to early I thought I could increase my pace and sustain it to the end but I have pushed and now there's not much left in the tank, just need to keep working till the end now.

10th - 3.29 split - What have I got left? I am pretty much spent, my technique has gone, my breathing is heavy and so are my legs, when is my final push, what do I have left for a sprint finish?

Overall I was really satisfied with my time of 45.53 as this is probably my second or third fastest ever time and goes to show my training is progressing well and I am getting fitter, stronger and faster, a very satisfying run and result.

Performance problems in the heat

With the British summer now in full swing, well until the rain that is bound to come now that Wimbledon and Glastonbury are upon us, running is becoming a hot, sunny and sweaty affair.

Here is a look at problems running in the summer can course:

Dehydration - the first thing you think about when it gets hotter. Drinking plenty is a fairly obvious solution but a hydration strategy is less obvious and is necessary to make sure you get enough fluids. Think of hydrating as a marathon not a sprint as you need to drink plenty and increase your fluids over a long period not just a short time before your run. My strategies include; drinking a pint of water first thing when you get up, carrying a water bottle with you at all times and eating plenty of water dense fruit and vegetables like cucumber and melon.

Rehydration tip - my quick, cheap and easy tip for staying hydrated or re-hydrating after a run is to make a pint of fairly strong fruit squash and add a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar so you can replenish your salts and sugars lost through sweating. Give it a good stir and it works a treat! 

Dehydration can then lead to cramps and stitches as direct negative affects of not getting enough fluids. I am aware of a noticeable increase in cramps while running in the summer compared to the cooler months. Once you develop a cramp while running it can be hard to shift but its a good indicator that you haven't been drinking enough and you need to increase your fluid intake.

Tiredness - I for one feel much more tired in the heat and can often feel pretty drained from being out and about in the sun before I even start running. I try to keep in the shade where possible, dribk plenty and stay cool by drinking icy drinks. The main way I try to increase my energy levels in the heat is by taking glucose tablets to keep my blood sugar levels up and replace what I lose in sweat, these are so easy to pop in your pocket when you are out on a run.

Sweat in the eye - one of the most painful ailments known to man surely!?! Certainly one of my least favorite issues caused by running and can be much more debilitating than it sounds as if you cant see cause your eye is clenched up in pain then you cant see to run! There are no real cures for this other than trying to mop sweat from your head and face before it can run into your eye and being careful not to rub your eyes with sweaty hands.

Sweat - sweat is an inevitable consequence of running in the heat and sun and sweat soaked running kit clinging and sticking to you can quickly become very uncomfortable. These days there are so many materials that are marketed as 'sweat resistant', 'climate control' or 'breathable' that are designed to make running more comfortable. Try out different materials to find what works best for you. My tip is to wear a top that's a little baggier and longer than normal so you have a bit of extra stretch and material to mop sweat from your face to help you feel a bit less sweaty.

Bright sun - when we are lucky enough in Britain to have a bright sunny day we are often so quick to complain about it! I don't want to complain or moan about bright sunny days but some strong sun can cause problems when running by limiting your vision either of whats around you or of your footing below you. Sunglasses and caps are obvious solutions but not everyone, myself included likes running with these but a bit of extra care needs to be taken to avoid running into anything or any trip hazards.

Hayfever - last but by no means least hayfever, sniffly nose, runny nose, swore sinuses, swore throat, head aches, runny eyes are all hayfever symptoms that can then impact upon running. Of course hayfever can be so debilitating it can leave you housebound with a trail run in the countryside the last thing on your mind. Recently I have been struggling with a dry throat that feels coarse and makes you feel you always need to cough and this has been problematic as it has affected my breathing but I am thankful that the affect of hayfever on my running are so mild and I can still run. I suppose the best ways to combat hayfever are to take medication as appropriate and in terms of running avoid rural routes or route containing allergy causing trees, flowers or plants. Running at different times of the day can also be beneficial and with pollen forecasts now being widely available its easy to gauge when hayfever is going to be more of an issue and try to avoid those times and days accordingly. 

Summer is of course the ideal time for running with warmer temperatures, longer evenings and sunnier skies. Whatever the negative factors and problems get out there and make the most of it because after all the British summer never lasts that long! 

Monday 23 June 2014

Weekend run report 21st/22nd June

A busy weekend of running as is pretty much usual! Parkrun on Saturday and a long run on Sunday and both were successful and enjoyable.

Parkrun

My aim once again as it has been in the last few was to try and run a PB or close to PB time and to try and dip under the 22 minute barrier.

It was a beautiful summers morning but I thought it possibly too hot for a good time. 


This week I had decided on a different tactic, I thought I should be more conservative and cautious and not go out so fast.

My usual tactic is to blitz the first Km in around 4 minutes and then try to maintain as fast a pace as possible for the next 2kms, hang in there for the 4th then give whatever I have left on the 5th to try and finish strong.

This week I wanted to go off slower and try to target my efforts to running faster on the parts of the course that would give most benefit namely the sections on concrete or downhill. I also wanted to run stronger through one of the middle sections from 3.5-4Km which is a mentally draining straight path along a grass field. I am usually tiring in this section and find it difficult having this long straight, flat section laid out in front of me  without having the stamina to run it fast.

My race plan worked out pretty well I was more conservative and saved my energy for faster bursts on the concrete paved parts of the course. The dreaded section at 3.5Km was easier too as I managed to pass a few runners in front of me as well and worked hard at keeping in touch with another group of runners just ahead. 

I finished in 22.01 which i think is my 2nd fastest time and certainly my fastest time this summer.

Looking at my splits they were quite typical as I still ran a sub 4 minute first Km and still faltered a bit in the 3rd and 4th Kms.

Perhaps running faster when trying not to is a great sign of me getting stronger and faster?!

Sundays long run

My aim was to cover around 25Km building on my last few runs of between 20&22Km, in the end I covered 26Km in 2 hours 23.

I opted this week to pound the pavements rather than head out into a country park and my route took me from Hornchurch, into Upminster, back to Hornchurch, to Emerson Park, Gidea Park, Romford, back through Gidea Park,  Hornchurch, Upminster then out to Cranham and back to Upminster and Hornchurch. Quite a little journey!

Again I wanted to work on my race strategy and wanted to concentrate on a steady slower pace through the first hour and then build on this to see what speed I could bring and how strong I could run for the remainder. 

Learning as I run 

I am trying to use every long run as a learning experience ahead of the marathon.

For this run I wanted to think about pacing, pre run nutrition, using energy gels and of course bedding in my new trainers for their first proper long run.

Pre run nutrition

I again ate a flapjack around 1.5 hours before running, a banana 30 minutes before as well as an energy drink. This option worked well and I didn't experience any digestive issues or feel like I ran out of energy during the run.

My good energy levels through the run were also helped by the fact I had eaten a good big meal the night before in the form of my wife's massaman curryThe rice and potatoes providing a good carb source while the chicken providing protein for my leg muscles to be in great shape. 



My muscles were further aided by the fact I had a protein shake before bed as well. I think I will be adding both of these factors to my usual pre race routine, that is if I can persuade my wife to cook for me on most Saturday nights! 

Pacing

As I said I wanted to head off at a good slower steady pace rather than push myself through the first hour. I achieved this by covering 12K in the first hour. I then wanted to try and push my pace to try to get close to 18K in hour and a half, I managed 16.5K in around 1 hour 22 before I popped back into the flat for a quick refuel and toilet stop. 

After taking on some water and an energy gel I was able to push on inject some good pace as I headed towards 2 hours with the aim of covering 21K+ in 2 hours, I was pleased with hitting this pretty dead on the head as I covered 21K in 1 hour 59.

My aim then was to hang on and cover the 25K in under 2.5 hours, I was impressed with my stamina and endurance levels of then being able to cover 26K in 2 hours 23.

I continued my recovery experiments by taking another cold water bath as soon as I got which again I found incredibly beneficial. This coupled with a good stretch and a hearty breakfast to refuel with meant I was able to have the energy to crack on with a afternoon of gardening cutting back some seriously overgrown grass in my mother in laws garden.


I did however start to feel the side affects of my long run later in the afternoon as I started to tire and ache. A bit if a stretch, a quick nap and a cracking roast beef dinner soon left me feeling much better though!


So to the week ahead; I plan to run seven days straight through this week as it will be a restful weekend running wise as I will be away.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I would love to hear any thoughts and comments you have, all the best with your own training and running plans.

Thursday 19 June 2014

Boot camp cardio circuit workout

I thought I would share the main part of the workout from my boot camp session last night as I loved it so much! 

It was a great session for working on cardio fitness and will have real benefits on my running as it worked on leg strength and speed.

On top of these circuits outlined below we did a full warm up routine to start, a pyramid circuit of press ups, dips and crunches as well as a plank/ab session to finish with.

Hope this article gives you some ideas and motivation for your own workouts. I have included descriptions and video links for all the exercise but I am sure you will be familiar with most of them if you have done any kind of circuit training or boot camp before. 

Cardio circuit – all for 1 minute with a quick changeover into the next exercise


High Knees – jogging on the spot bringing your knees up in front of you to around waste height. 

Fly jacks – The same as jumping jacks but instead complete a 'fly' or 'chest press' movement with your arms to work your chest muscles. 

Bum kicks – jogging on the spot with your legs coming up behind you with your heels trying to touch your bum. 

Jumping jacks

Mountain climbers – in a high plank/press up position, keeping your hips low drive your legs one at a time forward towards your chest keeping your abs contracted, think high knee movement with your legs. 

Fly jacks

Twisted mountain climbers – The same as mountain climbers but this time twisting the knee of the leg you are driving forward towards the opposite arm working your oblique and side muscles. 

Jumping jacks

And rest! 
________________________________________________________________________

Running circuit

Run x 1 minute
Kettle bell full body squats x 1 minute – Gripping a kettle bell to your chest squat all the way down, as you come back to a standing position thrust the kettle bell upwards above your head extending your arms.
X2

Run x 1 minute
Kettle bell lunge x 1 minute -  Gripping a kettle bell to your chest squat, complete lunges with alternate legs keeping the kettle bell still and firm in your grip. 
x2

Run x 1 minute
Kettle bell rockets x 1 minute – Again gripping the kettle bell to your chest squat down and as you get to the bottom of your squat drive upwards jumping vertically off the ground.
x2

Wednesday 18 June 2014

Am I eating enough protein?

The last week or two I have been craving and subsequently eating a lot of ham. 



This has led to me wondering whether or not its a great thing for me to be eating as I try to clean out my diet ahead of my marathon in August and whether or not its a good source of protein for me as a runner. This then led me on to thinking about my protein consumption generally as well and if I consume enough. 

My diet

I have been trying to cut down on my carbohydrate consumption as a snack and looking for protein based alternatives. Ham seemed to git the bill as its cheap, easy to eat as a snack and low fat, not to mention a tasty treat.

When people talk about a good protein source to have as post workout or as a snack chicken is always towards the top of the list. Chicken has a few drawbacks though as it is more expensive and requires cooking and preparation if you choose to buy it uncooked. Ham then seemed like a decent alternative for someone like myself operating on a budget.

I know ham doesn't really fit in with a clean eating approach as it is processed and somewhat artificial especially in comparison to freshly cooked chicken straight off the bone. 

So how do they compare nutritionally?

Chicken as taken from myfitnesspal
A snapshot from the back of my packet of ham

Here is a breakdown of my usual sources of protein that I try to include in my diet to increase my protein intake, listed below in order of the amount of protein they provide.  

Per 100g:

Chicken:                                                             165 calories               31g protein
Whey protein shake (pro start):                       120 calories               20g protein
Ham:                                                                   124 calories               17g protein
Whey protein shake (Holland and Barrett):       83 calories               16.6g protein
Chickpeas:                                                         125 calories               6.4g protein
Pinto beans:                                                         86 calories               4.9g protein
Milk (semi Skimmed):                                         47 calories               3.6g protein
Peanut butter:                                                       90 calories               3.5g protein 
Nuts:                                                       approx 500 calories   approx 20g protein
Eggs:                                                                   155 calories            12.6g protein
Mackerel:                                                            206 calories             18.8g protein

All nutritional information in this article is taken from http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ either using a generic description for the mentioned food or the specific brand or type that I would regularly eat. 

which I use to track and monitor my diet when I fell like keeping a closer eye on what I am eating or when I want to make my self feel really bad about the large amounts of calories I have consumed. 

I would recommend using it especially in its app form as its a clever little resource that can provide a lot of useful information. 

As we all know protein is an important part of a runners diet as we need plenty of the stuff to repair our muscles and keep us strong and healthy through regular training. 

Research tells us that the best sources of protein are those that contain the best balance of amino acids the so called 'building blocks' of protein. Some of the top protein sources that fall into this category include: 

Almonds:                                               578 calories        21.3g protein
Tuna:                                                      126 calories           30g protein
Chocolate skimmed milk:                      76 calories          3.4g protein
Eggs:                                                     155 calories        12.6g protein
Beef:                                                    1200 calories        81.5g protein
Low fat yogurt:                                         63 calories          5.2g protein
Turkey:                                                   104 calories        17.1g protein
Soy Protein:                           approx   400 calories            90g protein
Whey protein:                         approx   400 calories            90g protein  
Salmon:                                                  200 calories            20g protein

Again these figures above are based on Per 100g:

Only three of these 'best' source are listed in my list of my regular sources of protein so I obviously need to change my diet a little to try and incorporate these better sources of protein.

As you can see some of these items are very rich in protein and certainly a lot higher in protein than most of the items on my list. 

How much protein should I be eating? 
Its all well and good knowing all this information but what affect does it have on me? How much protein should I be eating? 

A Runnersworld article suggests a regular runner will need 0.6g of protein per pound of weight. 

So I weight somewhere around 11 stone which works out as around 154 pounds which works out as around 92g per day as a minimum, maybe more when I am training more or on an intensive training day. 


What I need to work out now is how close do I come to meeting this require of 92g+ of protein per day? Unfortunately I haven't been keeping a food diary for ages and my diet is quite different to what it was last time I kept a record so I will try and figure out my protein intake myself. 

Looking at just food that is a good/high protein source my protein intake would look a bit like this if I was on a typical day to eat these protein sources: 

Milk on my cereal:                                                      3g protein
Whey protein shake after training:                         20g protein
Chickpeas with my lunch:                                     12.8g protein
Mackerel with my lunch:                                        17.4g protein
Some almonds as an afternoon snack:                    8g protein
Ham as an evening snack:                                      17g protein
Some peanut butter on toast for my tea:               1.3g protein
                                                                   Total = 79.5g protein

These figures are based on actual serving sizes of what I would actually eat. 

So looking at just the protein rich foods I am not very far off and am pretty impressed with the amount of protein my diet could contain. 

Conclusion 

Do I need to eat more protein? Strategies for eating more protein 

I think I need to be more conscious of always trying to include protein whenever possible into every meal. I already do this by including bean into my pasta or rice dishes for lunch and I need to keep this up as well as regularly snacking on protein rich foods like nuts. Buying and eating more chicken is a definite as well as treating myself to eggs for breakfast a lot more often. 

I definitely need to substitute some of my food choices for options higher in protein such as chicken and beef. This brings me back to my original question about the ham, ham seems to be all well and good but it isn't as protein rich as other meat sources and as discussed isn't that healthy as it is processed and not fresh. 

In an ideal world my perfect protein rich diet would look something like this and would provide me with more than enough protein;

Breakfast:
2 eggs                                                      156 calories     10.8g protein
200g baked beans                                 156 calories       9.6g protein
Mushrooms & tomatoes                           56 calories       7.8g protein

Lunch:
Brown rice                                               216 calories       5g protein
Chicken                                                   102 calories      22.1g protein 
Chickpeas                                              125 calories       6.4g protein
Peppers 39 1.5g protein 

Dinner: 
Homemade potato wedges                  414 calories      12.9g protein
Ham                                                           62 calories       8.5g protein
Salad                                                         16 calories       0.6g protein  

Snacks:
Almonds                                                  137 calories    5g protein
Bananas                                                  100 calories    1.2g protein
Whey protein shake                               120 calories     20g protein
Apple                                                         65 calories     0.3g protein 

                                                  Totals: 1725 calories      110.2g protein

Wow! That is a lot more protein than I was anticipating! This is far from a typical day but is potentially a 'normal' day if you like in terms that although I don't do this every day it is achievable on any given day. 

I know my diet is far from perfect and could be improved in a lot of areas and even the diet scenario outlined above could be improved a lot but I know I am moving in the right direction and my diet has steadily and consistently improved over the last few years. 

So going back to the start of my article I have certainly learnt a lot about protein and my own protein consumption just from thinking about the healthiness of a bit of ham! 

I hope this article was interesting and useful for you to think about your own diet and protein consumption. 

Monday 16 June 2014

Posh grub - a nice meal out


Prawn cocktail wrapped in a cucumber ribbon. 


Pork belly, mash, red wine gravy and vegetable ratatouille. 



Thought it looked so hood it deserved three different photos from different angles and of different presentations.


Hazelnut panna cotta with radpberry collis.

New trainers and a new toy

 This weekend was a slight blip in my training schedule as there was no opportunity for a long run.

As I knew this in advance I ran most of the way home from work on Friday evening as a way of manipulating my schedule to find the opportunity to squeeze in a long run.

The plan worked well and I was then able to rest over the weekend and be ready to train hard again come Monday morning.

My plan for Monday morning (this morning, as I write this) was to get out before work for a 10K, fine I thought I do this quite regularly but that’s not taking into account a busy sleep deprived, rich food filled, heavy alcohol consuming weekend!




Needless to say it was a struggle getting up this morning and I wasn't feeling massively energetic or vibrant as I prepared to go out for a run.

My route his morning was a 10K loop around the Thames crossing at Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge. London was depressingly cloud covered and dull this morning and could have easily been mistaken for a dreary winter morning. London was also strangely quiet and empty this morning, the tubes were far quieter than usual, the gym practically deserted like the week before Christmas and the streets pretty clear of pedestrians.

As a result my runners statistics were particularly low as I only counted 74 runners, so that’s 7.14 runners per Km or 1.45 runners per minute, interesting stuff I know! (I will be compiling a graph or chart to illustrate this information once I have collected some more data, for my own amusement more than anything!)  

Anyway I still managed to tick off 10K in 51 minutes and continued to feel stronger and fitter as I continue to progress with my training. I am aiming to complete a 10K and half marathon at pace in the next few weeks to see what times I am currently capable of.


New trainers and a new toy!

Today was my second run in my new trainers and my first longish run as my first run was only 6K. I am still loving my trainers and still feeling amazing going out running in bright shiny flash new trainers as opposed to dirty, dull and battered old trainers that have seen better days. 


I am still in a period of adjustment though as I don't feel I have quite worn them in fully as they are feeling quite irritable around the heel, time will tell of this sorts its self out or if it develops into more of an issue. 

I also used for the first time a heart rate monitor which I was given as a gift by a friend over the weekend.


I have never really seriously thought about using a heart rate monitor before as I have always been more concerned with my time, distance or pace and recording these statistics to check my progress.

However the prospect of using a new toy to aid my training and having a whole new load of statistics to record and monitor is an exciting prospect! The geek in me has also come to the fore as I am strangely enthusiastic to start regarding this new data in a spread sheet!

Using the heart rate monitor today was fine, it wasn't overly uncomfortable and just needed pulling up after slipping down a couple of times but I didn't actually notice it at all while running.

Monitoring my resting heart rate yesterday I was averaging around 75BPM and my highs during my run were in the 160s with a high of around 173. I have no real idea what this means in terms of my training or how I should start using this but I am excited to find out!  

Pictures

Firstly let me share with you what I think is my favourite photo I have ever taken while running:


So cool, a duck sleeping on the wall by the river Thames with rush hour about to kick into full steam all around, millions of people rushing here and there on trains, buses, cars, bikes and boats and this guy just sat there taking it easy napping!

Secondly my continuing experiment in trying to take a running selfie.

I am not someone who has any interest in taking a lot of selfies as I am pretty sure most people don’t care about seeing my face but it occurred to me that without me or another runner in a photo the photos I take our running aren't really running photos but just photos of the scenery I have ran past. I know they are running photos as I was the one who ran along and took them but without me telling you I was out running at the time they could quite easily have been taken while walking or while out driving or even from a bus or train sometimes.


So as I run on my own I am determined to try and take a decent shot of me running with some kind of reasonably interesting background. 

Saturday 14 June 2014

Running home from work for the football


I fell a little short of my destination as I called my run off two tube stops early.

But overall I had achieved my goals of running a minimum of 20Km and getting home with time to spare for the football.

I had covered my desired distance of 20Km, I had bad cramp in my rught foot, the heat had taken its toll and time was getting on.

My total distance of 20.55Km was achieved in just under 2 hours which I was really pleased with when you take into account I was running with a backpack and all the stoppages at traffice lights and waiting to cross roads as well as two stops for water.

I was also impressed with how good I felt, at a steady pace 20Km was a comfortable distance easily achieved.

Running my commute is increasingly becoming a viable option as I was struck by how easy it felt to just pop on my trainers and run as part of my journey.

When taking a train or the tube gor the first time the experience is some what daunting. Am I getting the right train? Have I got my ticket? And all the other things you worry about but over time as you make the journey numerous times it just becomes routine and you conplete the journey without thinking too much.

The same is nkw true for me with running my commute, I used to feel I couldnt achieve it, running with a back pack would be too hard or I didnt feel comfortable with the route and running alongside roads. Now its a breeze and lacing up my trainers and running off is as second nature too me a lacing up my ticket and junping on a train. 

The run its self was easier than I thought and I was pleasntly suprised with how better my stamina levels are than what I expected. Also the weather conditions were more pleasant than I anticipated as there was a nice cooling breeze for the majority of my journey. 

Sure running alongside major A roads isn't the most pleasant of experiences but I did enjoy the variety it provided and the mental challenege of having to overcome the monotony of dull surroundings. 

When I got home I was rewarded with bring able to sit and enjoy the football and what a spectacle Spain v Holland provided?! I was so glad to have not missed out and really enjoy a great game and some great goals! I am looking forward to more occasions of running home for the football. 

So my quest to run all the way home from work continues although I am now only about 6Km off my target. I have pencilled in the 3rd July, the next run2work day as the day to give it ago. 
 

Friday 13 June 2014

Running home for the football

Faced with the prospect of knowing I am not going to have any time over the weekend to get out for a good long run I decided the only way to get out for a long run this week was to run home. 

From my work in central London to my home in Essex it’s quite a stretch of around 15 miles.  

Following the success of my run2work on run2work day last Thursday I have renewed motivation in my desire to run the whole commute home, not today though! Today I plan to run most of the journey and take the tube for the last 3 stops and to cut out the last few miles.

The total distance I estimate to be around 28Km and although this isn't the most direct way it is the easiest and most logical way to navigate.

Today I plan to run around 22Km of this journey with the view of making it home with time to spare to do a few jobs around the house and then be ready to watch Spain v Holland at 8pm.


If I finish work at 5pm and can get changed and out running by 5.15 I should be able to do the journey in just over 2 hours.

I have ran home when we lived at a different slightly closer to London address, that was a run of around 24Km but involved getting lost and going maybe 3 or 4 Km out of my way, I am hoping to avoid any such diversions tonight!

The temperature is also going to be a factor tonight as it’s currently around 25c at the moment and when I have out and about this afternoon I have easily broke into a sweat just leisurely walking around.


I plan to continue my experimentation with cold baths as well post run so I will be getting straight in and jumping into a cold water bath which I think I will need after running in the heat!