100 Days of Running Day 30 - Wimbledon Half Marathon!

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Day 30 = Wimbledon Half Marathon today! Early start and walk to station in the rain. Wimbledon seems like an actual mission to get to. Ditched public transport at Clapham but slightly underestimated how far it was from Clapham to the start of the race. On the plus side I got some extra miles in before the race, but on the downside I was still half asleep and forgot to start my watch, so it's as if they never happened. Gutted!

 

Met some really nice people today along the way, who were interested in the fundraising, and it was great to talk about it, and to remember again why I am doing this. And the nice guy I met on the way who had some top tips about the start of the race, which were really helpful! As the first mile or so was quite a steep uphill and quite uneven and muddy and busy with all the runners jostling for space - but due to knowing that it only lasted a mile or it doesn't seem so stressful! Once up onto the common it was flat for the rest of the lap, and the tracks were wider and more even and easier to run on. Love Wimbledon Common - it's more overgrown than lots of the other open spaces in London, and it feels like you're out in the wild somewhere. Also it has a Windmill, which gives it bonus points. And a golf course, which we ran through the middle of as golfers golfed over our heads.

 

And I realised my dream, and saw a Womble. An actual Womble. Twice. And I high fived him. And I have a medal to prove it.

 

 

Race route was two laps of the common. Great route. Even in the rain. Actually, continuing with my positive theme on the weather, I actually enjoyed the rain. There, I've said that for the first time. It was quite hot, and with the rain it felt a bit like a rainforest. But without the forest. And it was mostly drizzle. But anyway, it was good for running.

 

Official time 1:47:41 pretty pleased with that! Checked the last time I did a half marathon and it was in 2009.  On reflection, I think it's a pretty difficult distance. It's a long way, so you get tired, but it also feels like you should be running really fast. Whereas for a 5km, you just need to worry about running fast, and for a marathon it's just a long way. This is both.

 

Did hurt my leg 1/2 mile before the end. Felt like something behind my right knee snapped and it really hurt the rest of the way. Been icing it and stretching it since and it's feeling a lot better now. Hope is just a strain or something!

 

Really good race. And just realised it's on four times per year! As well as an excellent medal at the end there was also flapjacks and bananas. Perfect!

 

Stats
Days: 30
Total miles: 297.83

 

100 Days of Running Day 29 Time for Park Run!

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Mile End Park Run this morning. Just over two miles there, 5km race, and just over 2 miles back home = 7.55 miles.

2nd ever Park Run - official time was 22 min 43 seconds, which is EXACTLY the same to the second as my first Park Run on the same course weeks ago. Result! Totally planned that. Totally.

Loving Park Run, great events and lovely people there. Definitely worth getting up early on Saturday morning for. Feel smug running back along the canal knowing today's run is done and dusted and it's still before 10am. Mwah ha ha. Home in time for second breakfast. This deserves a louder MWAH HA HA.

Wimbledon Half Marathon tomorrow. Even though Wimbledon seems very close, it's apparently not according to TFL journey planner. Another early morning then...not feeling so smug now. So off to bed soon. In the words of Benjamin Franklin "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

Or, and alternative view from Orson Scott Card "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man stupid and blind in the eyes."

Right.

See you at 6am.

Stats
Days: 29
Total miles: 284.77

 

100 Days of Running Day 28 De Ja Vu

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This evening ran a half marathon with Andrew to Greenwich Park and back, which is kind of like the weekend run but without the 10km around the park. Anyway, it felt very similar, and it was very beautiful again running along the river to the Royal Naval College and the Cutty Sark .  

My watch got stuck on 4.6 miles for ages. Sometimes it does that. I think it looses satellite signal. The timer keeps going up but the distance gets stuck. It's quite it irritating when you're trying to record everything you do, so you can use it as proof as how far/ how often you've run. And even more annoying when it finally picks up a signal again and 'estimates' where you've been running in the time that it wasn't doing anything, and get's it wrong and says you did less than you have done (and according to the route it made up, I ran through several houses and brick walls during that time). I was done out of 0.2 miles today! I appreciate sounds a bit petty in the grand scheme of things, but it meant that I had to keep running at the end to make it up to 13.1 miles while Andrew got to stop and chill out. That's quite annoying.

 

I have been pulled up recently on my frequent mention of the weather, which apparently I said I would stop complaining about somewhere near the beginning of all this, but which I vehemently deny saying anything of the sort. I'm British, it wouldn't make sense for me to decide not to talk about the weather. After discussion, it's clarified that I am allowed to comment on the weather in a factual way, as long as I don't express any negative opinions on the state of it. So I can tell you about the weather today, in that it rained all day, until early evening, when it stopped and the sun came out, which is when we went out for a run. And I think that because this is a positive comment, I'm allowed also to say that this pleased me.

 

Stats

Days: 28

Total miles: 277.22

100 Days of Running Day 27

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Early morning run today as busy day ahead. Up early and swift (kind of) 4.5 miles around Victoria Park. Lovely being up this early with the sun already up and shining in the fountain!

I feel a bit peaceful being here. Which is an unusual feeling. But nice. I’d quite like to go and sit in the Peace Pagoda and contemplate on life all day. It seems like everything moves so fast, there is no time to sit and think about things, and reflect on everything we have that is good. I feels like all the time we are thinking of what to do next, and missing what is going on now. Alas, as usual, there is no time. And I have had no breakfast, so mustn’t think too hard whilst hungry.

Being London, it’s already busy out, in fact, there are more runners out at this time than later on in the day. Like rush hour for runners. But not on a tube. And everyone seems cheerful. And there are no delays, apart from pausing to let some geese move out of the way (if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s never to mess with a goose).

Still feeling good today, even running before breakfast doesn’t seem as hard as it usually does. Although I was pleased to get back for coffee and milkshake time. Things are always easier after coffee.

 

Stats

Days: 27

Total miles: 264.12

 

100 Days of RUnning Day 26 Twice as Nice

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Part 1: Beautiful sunny day. After a few hours stuck inside revising I couldn’t take it anymore and sneaked outside for a sneaky lunchtime run. I admit, this was also motivated by the need to buy a new handbag and something for lunch. Still, I did 3.6 miles and really enjoyed it. I think I’ve reached some kind of critical mass running-wise. The first couple of weeks, maybe more, of the challenge were really tough. My legs were always stiff and heavy and I felt generally a bit tired all the time. I thought this was probably just because of running more than usual, and thought it was probably normal, so I didn’t take much notice. But this week things have changed, and it’s like everything feels looser, like I’ve finally gotten into my stride. So, if my example is anything to go by, and in case anyone is interested, it seems it takes about 3 weeks of doing something every day before you get used to it. So there you go.

 

Part 2: I went home after Part 1 and continued with revision. I was meeting Andrew later in the afternoon for the actual planned run for today. So ran along Regents Canal to meet in Bloomsbury, then took the path of a drunken bee down to the river, along to Tower Bridge, and a bit further for good measure. Then back to Tower Bridge and up through Brick Lane (via Tesco for another emergency smoothie situation, this time for Andrew - I might make the same mistakes more than once, but not generally as a rule within 24 hours of each other). 10.5 miles tonight, so 14.1 miles altogether today.

Ran past some Shaun the Sheeps on the way. That’s normal, by the way. They are supposed to be here. Part of Shaun in the City tour – a flock of 50 of them are dotted about London. Have just seen they are only here until Sunday, would ewe believe it, and then they are moving to Bristol. I’ll miss ewe Shawn the Sheep when you go. And then they will be sold at auction to raise money for charity. And there will be no more sheep jokes. Ph-ewe.

Sorry.

 

 

Stats

Days: 26

Total miles: 259.62

100 Days of Running Day 25

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A quarter of the way there today! Awesome run along the canal to Euston Road and along to Regents Park to see the rose garden. Two cups of coffee two kit-kats an hour beforehand wasn't the best pre-run plan. Although it helped with revision for a bit. But then had a big sugary crash. Felt a bit shaky for the first couple of miles, so had an emergency smoothie which kicked in soon after. I should really be better at this kind of stuff. But it wouldn't be a challenge without some additional challenges.

Energy levels stable, made it to the rose garden and even though most of the roses aren't out yet, it's still really beautiful. One of the nicest places to be, so relaxing, and of it smells amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can't quite believe a quarter of the challenge has passed already. There's been some hard times, but far more good! Especially all the positive messages from everyone - thank you for all your positivity! 

Best named rose!

Stats
Days: 25
Total miles: 245.52

 

100 Days of Running Day 24

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Today we ran from Andrew's house to meet friends in Highgate. We met Steve on the way and he gave us a running tour of Hampstead Health (you can run for 22 km on here without leaving it! But we were a bit late, so todays run was 6.9 miles). Have always wanted to go here, and now I know why, it's beautiful! Feels like the countryside. It has everything. Even ponds that you can swim in! Sunny day and a new route = good times. I think there is something in this running somewhere new every day, it sure seems to make things seem easier.

Amazing view of London from the top of the hill through the trees. It looks a bit tropical from here, a bit hazy and mysterious, but that's probably all the pollution. Anyhows, it looks nice.

Followed up by Sunday lunch in The Spaniards Inn, a cracking 16th century pub in the middle of Hampstead Heath. Legend has it that Keats wrote Ode to a Nightingale here. Whether this is true or not, is irrelevant as long as the food and wine and company is top class, which it is! Hazelnut profiteroles and caramel ice cream. Yabadabado.

Nice time walking along the streets in Highgate, choosing the house/ car/ dog/ security firm/ landscape gardener I would have if I was rich.

Stats
Days: 24
Total miles: 235.72