Hallelujah sunshine, come on Tigers

After what seems a week without sun I went and did a quick three miles early before we set off to see if the Leicester Tigers can win the Premiership Title from the most unlikeliest of positions in the playoffs.  So good to run in the sun!

Down day

woke this morning feeling last nights run..... so taking a rest today 

Mud, wet and cheers

Running the second leg of the Rutland Round takes you from Braunston to Uppingham, via Belton.  It is the longest leg of eight miles and probably the hilliest, with at least six notable climbs.  What is also notable is that we ran in heavy rain,  just as we did two years ago, when we had an impromptu 'wet T-shirt' competition, mid-run, as shown.   So, 13 hardy souls turned out this evening and finished in under 90 minutes, which is a great time given the terrain and conditions.  

Highlight for me was right at the end when Kevin, who is an experienced marathon runner and tells you as it is, informed me that you could expect to take up to 20 minutes of your best marathon at Berlin, owing to the flatness of the course.  This is most heartening as I put together my marathon training plan.  Only 16 weeks to go!

Hare and hound

So the running club introduced a gentle run every Wednesday evening around the peninsula, about five miles.  Having arrived late, for the second time we had to chase down the pack and having convinced myself it was not going to happen eventually we did.  Gentle run, no chance!!

Hope she makes it!

Running this morning I provided travel advice to Steph.  Her parting phrase was, 'thanks but if you're wrong........'

Chores

... and a sleep-in put pay to my morning run.  The awful weather has done the same to my evening run.  Tomorrow I resolve to run morning and evening - lets hope this lousy weather improves quick.  Nice long weekend, so its a short week for me!

It rains..... and Indiana Jones

So, Oliver and I got up for me to run and him to support on his bike for my long run of the week. We ended up completing eleven miles, just before the full impact of the blustery winds and the heavy rains hit Rutland. I am pleased as we have lazed around for the rest of the day and have just got back from seeing Indiana Jones take Cate Blanchett!

It's a blustery day

Having had a lazy start to the holiday weekend,  with a successful shopping trip, followed by  Oliver and me doing a nice six mile run/cycle.  He adds to the experience by getting stuck at the bottom of the hill in the wrong gear as well as providing a windbreak for me.  So I was going to illustrate today's blog with his picture, but my abiding feeling after finishing in the words of Winnie the Pooh, is 'Happy Winds-Day' .  Now for peanut butter and honey sandwiches.  Happy Weekend.

Sporting injuries

The hot topic of conversation on this mornings run around Eyebrook (see previous),  was that of sporting injuries we would least like to suffer,  much of it which focused on the male groin region.  Fortunately, not a high risk area for we runners!  This guy looks like a bit of a risk taker though!

Rutland Round

Its official, Summer has arrived in Rutland, as the Rutland Runners start their summer series of running around the County boundary a total of 65 miles over 10 weeks.  So we all gathered in the Market Square in Oakham as 20 plus runners set off in the evening sunshine for Braunston.  A fantastic run and a great turnout for the first five miles tonight.

Run London

Got up and ran for 30 minutes this morning through the streets of central London - taking in Covent Garden, Whitehall, the Mall, Trafalgar Square a lovely three and half miles or so......

Restin' Runner

Once more a day off from running.........

Unstopabbble.......

So fellow runners I have found the secret to running success, not gels,  isotonic drinks, supplements, or bananas.  The truth is out there and it is two pieces of lemon drizzle cake and two chocolate brownies (24 hours prior to run).  Just flown around my 10k route in 52 minutes, thats a whole three minutes better than last week.  Bring on the cakes!

Let them eat cake

After my nice ambling run today I went to Wendy's Birthday Party.  Wendy is world renowned (in Rutland anyway) for her cakes, she did not disappoint! 

Morning Call

After a night out in London, I set no alarm and disabled my blackberry, with a plan to sleep in, then go for a run.   These little critters (partridges) put pay to this with their early morning clucking. Oh well 6.6 miles with John who runs Edinburgh marathon next weekend. Good luck John.

Work life balance

....'start the day with a run'..... was my pledge when asked by my company as to what i do to meet the target. So it was a quick run around Eyebrook Reservoir this morning before a day in London dealing with next years budget setting!

Bare naked ladies......

As you can gather running in Rutland is pretty rural so even a run from Oakham this evening took in the fields and tracks around the edge of the town. As we reached the ridge on the West side we hit a field of sheared sheep. Good hill and lovely six and a half mile run.

Boston pops ....... into my Inbox!

13 May

Dear Athlete,

Thank you for your email.

Registration for the April 20, 2009 Boston Marathon is scheduled to begin in September, 2008 via our website.
Please check back at our website (www.baa.org) at the end of the summer for an exact date. Best of luck with your running endeavors!

Sincerely,

Boston Athletic Association

Ducks, Egg and Blues

So after my non-run day yesterday i went to bed feeling a touch grumpy and had a challenging day at work to boot!  It felt like I was suffering the blues.  So tonight I went and ran for just under an hour taking in Barrowden with its ducks.  So you might ask ask what about the egg?  Well I'm afraid that was my sandwich at lunch!

Achilles Heal?

I have had a long day at work and a slight twinge in my right achilles, so i decided to rest tonight.  However, I was reminded by a friend of the renowned reliability of our near European neighbours.  I guess a bit of pain in the achilles would not be putting off the vast majority of my fellow runners in Berlin.  Hmmm ........

Run, bike and crash!

In a bid to up my milage and to see how ready I might be for a half marathon, I decided that I needed to try the distance.  So I set off with Oliver (on his bike) and ran to Empingham to meet the Rutland Runners, with a plan to run part of the 'Sunday run', and then head home.  

All went to plan, first six miles to Empingham in less than an hour (bit fast), refuelled on flapjack and then set off around the Water to Normanton.  Having just missed been taken out by a mountain biker myself, Oliver then decided he needed to go one step better and managed to fell a female biker , in a head on crash!  It was spectacular.  Not too much damage done I hope.  Oliver seemed fine.

Completed in two hours in 27 degrees, finishing up a hill, not too bad.

Field of Dreams

One of  my five and a half mile run around Uppingham, includes running past a field which used to have a family of black pigs, alas no more. The field is now overgrowing at a rapid rate - it needs the pigs back!

Hells Bells 2

Just an update - 4.5 around Eyebrook with an revelation for Steph.

Hells Bells

So after a day off,  I ran a five and a half mile loop around Oakham,  taking in a fantastic view of the town from the south east, with the Water in the background.  In the absence of a picture for a map of the route hit this link. I asked advice from one of my experienced marathon running colleagues about preparation for a 3:30 marathon and he thought it would have been  good to be at 50 miles  week to get a good base!  Yikes!

Eek a little pain......not short of advice!

So I woke this morning (my day off), with a few aches and pains - always happens after a hard(ish) session. Wonder what advice is available? One is rarely disappointed by the Internet, and its range of opinions. My brief search leads me to conclude; doctors tend toward advising you to stop running, but runners belong to a stoical community - where pain is viewed more of an inconvenience rather than an excuse to hit the 'stop button'.

Loop the Loop

Summer has arrived in Rutland (we hope),  Rutland Running Club marks it by running a hilly three and half mile route from its summer base, the Blue Ball Pub in Braunston.  

It is not fun, but there is satisfaction having completed.  Now for a day off! 

Premier Running

Well today is a strange one for two reasons.  I have done two runs around Eyebrook Reservoir at 6:15 with Steph; then 9:30 as a Bank holiday club run.  The temperature and humidity levels were high, which is nice.  So a good 12 miles completed today.

After an absence of 23 years, my family's football team, Stoke City returned to the top flight of English Soccer, after a nervous match yesterday, which saw Leicester relegated.  There was some anxious texts with my friend Steve (who hoped his team would not be relegated too).  

I ask myself, is this the way two grown men should spend their Sunday afternoon?  I think not, but thats sports folks, no logic at all.  Running marathons is not the only form of madness.  Strange times, strange people!

Exton-cy

Great club run this morning with Nic, Allan, Richard and Percy, across the Exton Estate.  The run took us past Fort Henry ( a Folly - see pic.) and through Greetham.  I then added four and half by myself running down to the Trout Fishery, giving me a cool 12 miles .  An excellent run completing a really good running week.  

Exciting news ..... I have made my application for the Berlin marathon, now awaiting confirmation.

Berlin Bounce Back or Hitting the Wall

After my five mile run this morning, I resolved to make my application for Berlin.  I hit the internet and then hit the wall!   The wall you might ask, surely thats after 21 miles?  Well no, it is the requirement for a 'bank number', hmmmm, i wonder what that is?  I am not sure I have one.  Time to consult my German friends, or the quest to Boston will hit the buffers.

Gym-Nasty

Being away on business today I went to use the gym in the hotel this morning....... I waited for 10 minutes for it open, it didn't!  I know why I like running.....any place, any time, its so easy. 

Looking forward to a long weekend of running.

Morning has broken

Having started all our Eyebrook runs in the dark so far this year, it was a joy to see the sun peeking through from the start.  The views were stunning, as always, making me finish with a spring in my step. The thing is whatever the forecast, it always seems that if you run early the weather is lovely.  Bring on the rain!  

Note to self: Agenda for the weekend....... plan half marathon for May or June.