Slowly does it - 6 miles!!

Well in my last run of 2007 I clocked up some of my slowest miles today - but then I've also run the longest distance I've ever done, and it's the length of time spent running today that was the important thing, not the speed! I ran 6 miles in 71 minutes:

Mile 1 - 11m09s
Mile 2 - 12m30s
Mile 3 - 12m49s
Mile 4 - 12m03s
Mile 5 - 11m16s
Mile 6 - 11m04s

It was hard work though - glad I've got a day off tomorrow!!

6 miles in 1h11m would be a marathon in 5h10m, but I still have 15 weeks left to improve upon that.

Happy New Year!!

More gentle jogging

After a day off yesterday, I went out for a more gentle run today (not pushing too far before my "long" run tomorrow). I was aiming for 11 minute miles rather than the under-10-minute ones I've been doing, but ended up doing the first one faster than expected. It's great to think that running a mile in ten and a half minutes feels like a relaxed run, when at the beginning of October a twelve minute mile felt like very hard work!

Mile 1 - 10m35s
Mile 2 - 11m44s

Tomorrow's the big one.
I should be aiming for a 75 minute run at the end of "Week 1" according to the Flora London Marathon 1st timers training plan. But that would be much more than a 10% increase in my weekly run, which according to the Dummies Guide to running a marathon is a bad thing. So I'll maybe run for 6 miles, in about 65-70 minutes which is somwhere in between.

I timed it right today

It looked a bit gloomy and was windy and just raining when I set out for a mile today, and I got back home in 8m49s and about five minutes later it started chucking it down.

Ouch... does it get any easier?

It's days like today that make me wonder what I've let myself in for. I would have hoped by now that it wouldn't hurt to run, but my legs were complaining today that they really didn't want to run. Especially the 2nd mile... Still, I've managed to better my 2 mile training time again, down to 19m09s

Mile 1 - 9m16s
Mile 2 - 9m53s

Boxing Day Run

Today I've run a mile in 9m11s, not my best but then I did have a huge curry for an alternative Christmas dinner yesterday (which I cooked from scratch all by myself in a mere four hours!!), and with all the wine and chocolate and baileys and mince pies, I think I'll be busy for a couple of weeks getting fit again...

5 in 54 (again!!)

Today's five miles took about the same as last week:

Mile 1 - 10m17s
Mile 2 - 11m11s
Mile 3 - 11m22s
Mile 4 - 11m16s
Mile 5 - 10m43s

When does running start to get easier?! Looking forward to a day off tomorrow!!

Slippery when wet. And cold.

It was rather slippy in places this morning when I went out for my run. I managed a mile (clockwise) in only 10m52s as I had to make sure of my tread on the corners where the sun hadn't done its job very well. I hope the weather is a little warmer tomorrow when I want to do my weekly long run...

2 miles in under 20 minutes

Today I've managed my fastest 2 mile run in training, in 19m24s
Mile 1 - 9m36s
Mile 2 - 9m48s

Back to a mile tomorrow...

9 miles in 7 days

In the last week I've notched up 9 miles (and that was with 2 days off). Today I managed my mile in 9m46s.

Running planned for tomorrow and Sunday, with my long run (5 miles hopefully) on Christmas eve. That way I get Christmas day off (!) and then back to the mile on Boxing day.

So far I have run 56.7 miles in 79 days. And there are only 114 days to go until the big one!!

Gentle jogging

To get back into it after another day off (and a late night, and somewhat drunken one at that) I took it easy this evening, and made it round the mile in 10m07s. Good for a gentle run - I was expecting it to be nearer 11 or 12 minutes...

[Off topic] IS Club 7

A video snippet from last night's department Christmas Party, entertainment provided by the Information Systems super group - IS Club 7:



Back to the running this evening, honest!!

10 minute mile

A day off yesterday to recover from my 5 mile run, and today I was back out for a mile, despite not really feeling like it. It's going to be tough to make sure I get out as often as possible - at least 5-6 times a week, especially when it's cold and dark. I managed to persuade myself (with a bit of encouragement from my lovely wife!). For a change I ran it clockwise again, which somehow seems harder. Anyway, I made it in 9m59s, not bad considering to still be under 10 minutes. Another day off tomorrow (it's the department Christmas party). Back to it on Thursday...

5 in 54!!

Today I've run 5 miles in 54 minutes!

Mile 1 - 10m27s
Mile 2 - 11m16s
Mile 3 - 11m07s
Mile 4 - 11m05s
Mile 5 - 10m30s

... and if I could just keep that up for 26.2 miles, I'd be able to complete the marathon in 4h43m!

Could I run the London Marathon in 3h45m ???

Well I could if I kept up today's mile pace - 8m35s!! Obviously there's no way I could keep that pace up for long, certainly not for over 3 hours... but look back at October. A mere 8 weeks ago I was running a mile in over 12 minutes. So I've knocked 30% off my time in two months!!

Actually the website I found before (see my post from 29th October) estimates that a fast mile of 8m35s is a 4h52m marathon. Still, I've still over 16 weeks to go... so that sub 4h30m time doesn't look so far off now!

1 mile in 9m18s

Still cold tonight, but I made it round the mile even more quickly this evening!

That's my second fastest mile to date...

Brrr rrr rrr rrrr!!

Too tired and too cold yesterday, so I treated myself to another day off running, and did 1,000 steps instead - indoors watching Chelski fail to score against Valencia.

 

Out for a run tonight, in spite of the cold, and I ran a mile in 9m36s - which is my fastest mile so far in the dark!

 

I may be forced to swap running to lunchtime soon, to make the most of the warmer daylight hours...

4 in 21

I went out for another 4 miles this evening, this time in a no impact kind of exercise, as I wanted to take a day off running, but didn't want to miss out on maintaining the get-fit regime I'm now on. I cycled the same 4 miles that I ran yesterday, in 21 minutes. Although my bike's convinced it's over 4.5 miles!

4.52miles in 20m55s averaging 13.2mph and a top speed of 22.2mph.
Lap times of: 5m08s, 5m21s, 5m12s, 5m14s

I'm quite happy that my "mile" lap of the village may in fact be over 1.1 miles - as it means that the runs that I'm doing are actually better than the running times I am recording... which should mean I'm doing better than I think I am!

4 in 43

Today I've run 4 miles in 43 minutes!

Mile 1 - 10m13s
Mile 2 - 10m54s
Mile 3 - 11m13s
Mile 4 - 10m46s

At that pace that would be a marathon in 4h42m - and I'd be quite happy with that.
It seemed a lot easier today. The prospect of running 5 or 6 miles doesn't seem too daunting now, although running 26 still does!

A mile in 9m16s is a marathon in 4h02m

If I could keep today's mile pace up for the whole race next April... I'd be so close to a 4 hour marathon - which would be amazing!

If you're reading this - please leave me a comment! Any words of encouragement will be most welcome - especially when I ramp up my training in a week or two. That's when the hard work starts, and I'll be able to tell if running 9-minute miles is going to be possible...

s54m9 - esrever ni elim A

For a change this evening when I did my normal 1 mile lap of the village, I did it clockwise. It took 9m45s, and would have been quicker if it wasn't so dark!

I think I'd better get some running lights.

 

A third of the way into my overall training plan (65 days gone, 128 to go!!), and I've made quite an improvement on the 12-minute-mile pace that I started out at.

I should be starting my 16-week marathon training plan in 2 weeks' time... three days before Christmas!

London Marathon in April ... showers?

It rains in April, doesn't it? Ah well, good practice this evening then, splashing through puddles. Brrrr. I only braved it out for the 0.6mile lap this evening, in a time of 4m50s. Still, it was the getting out there that was important!

Better weather tomorrow I hope, and maybe no April showers come the marathon next year..... please?!?!

Santa Warm-up video (thanks to Fox FM)

It stops about half way through though... (so watch your speakers/headphones at the 46 second mark!!)

I'm the one front left (2nd row) with "784" on the front of my Santa suit...

Sub 10 minute miles

I ran out for 2 miles today, and did them in under 20 minutes:
Mile 1 - 9m22s
Mile 2 - 10m09s

That's more like it!!
I wonder if I can keep that pace up for 3 miles at the weekend?!

Santa Fun Run in Pictures

Lauren feels a bit silly

Lauren thinks Dad is a bit silly too

Outside Exeter College, just registered

Not feeling so silly - there are lots of Santas about

Only 20 minutes to go - what have we let ourselves in for!

Warm-up exercises in a minute...

There's quite a few of us now!

5 minutes to go - 700 santas to the start please

The 2 mile Santa Fun Run route

We did it in less than 30 minutes

(it took me 30 seconds to get my camera!)

Phew, glad that's all over!!

Just glad it didn't rain harder, we got wet enough!

We did it!

Lauren and I made it round the 2 miles in the wind and the rain this morning, in a fraction under 30 minutes! Pictures to follow...

Warming up for tomorrow

I went out with my daughter today for a warm-up run for tomorrow's Fun Run. We didn't do it as a dress rehersal though!!

We ran round the 0.8 mile lap of the village, in 7m58s.

 

Let's hope the forecast of rain for tomorrow doesn't come true...