Lucy’s first parkrun
After 10 years of well-meant teasing about how odd runners are, Lucy decided she was going to give it a decent stab, perhaps inspired in part by the London Marathon. She embarked with determination on the NHS Couch to 5k … Continued
London Marathon 2018
The short version I completed my first marathon in the hottest London Marathon yet, with wonderful support from family and friends coming to London and many others more remotely. The crowd support was quite extraordinary. In common with almost everyone … Continued
Dear friends (two days to go)
As I approach my run in the London Marathon this Sunday, I wanted to thank you for your support, through your words of encouragement and morale-boosting. I am feeling excited but also a little nervous in advance of my first … Continued
Picking a pace
A pleasant run 24km this morning, mostly on lanes towards Diss but including about a mile on a rather muddy byway. There were a few spits and spots of rain, but not enough to wet the ground, and getting distinctly … Continued
Peak District 35km – longest yet
I ran 35km this morning on the High Peak and Tissington Trails in the Peak District, starting from Middleton Top. (The photo shows a wagon at the top of Sheep Pasture Incline and the engine house which used to pull … Continued
Speedy legs in Essex
This morning I popped to the Essex coast for a nice almost flat traffic-free half marathon, from Walton past Frinton and Holland and back again, where possible using the upper and lower options available in the two directions. The weather … Continued
Within sight
With five weeks till the London Marathon, I ran 31.3 km this morning, my longest run yet, in 3h14. It snowed almost throughout but fortunately only very light, but the wind was gale-force so with the temperature below freezing (the … Continued
Getting longer
28km this morning, my longest yet. I found it went in four phases, perhaps more mental than physical. First it was easy, as any run will be to start with. Second it turned hard with my legs no longer fresh … Continued
Cyprus half marathon
Seven weeks to go till the London Marathon, and my training plan had suggested a half-marathon race, and somehow that got turned into a short holiday to Cyprus. It was an early start on Sunday morning to get to the … Continued
8 weeks to go
So, just 8 weeks to go till the London Marathon. So, how are things going? A good week, I think. During the week, some hill intervals on the treadmill, a good paced 10km, some speed intervals, a swim and a … Continued
Claire’s 50th parkrun
Today was Claire’s 50th parkrun, and someone who bear’s his share of the responsibility for Claire doing parkruns (and 10k’s and 10-milers) at all, I thought I would pop down to Hadleigh to help celebrate. It was a glorious morning … Continued
Plans afoot
Since getting my place in May 2017 for in The Big One on 22 April 2018, I’ve deliberately run a lot more races than previously, with more in the pipeline. Those planned still to do: In March, my first overseas race, … Continued
London Marathon Meet the Experts, February 2018
at the Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, 3rd February The organisers of the Virgin Money London Marathon put on an event called “Meet the Experts”, an opportunity to hear from a range of experts to help those attending (almost exclusively first … Continued
Hadleigh 2012 Legacy 10k, January 2018
Part of the legacy of the 2012 Olympics is the mountain-bike course at Hadleigh in Essex, including some rather challenging terrain for bikes. Arising from that is the slightly confusingly named Hadleigh 2012 Legacy 10k, confusing only in the sense … Continued
Review of the year
So, how did 2017’s running go? I’m pretty pleased.