Staines to Richmond - the last of the long runs

It's all done (the long runs) before Brussels Marathon - 2 weeks to go.

For the 3rd time in 4 years, I've chosen to finish this journey on this route.
This time, with the Runkeeper GPS - measuring 19.66miles meandering through the Thames from Staines to Richmond.

Timing and milestones - some only to be traced through the good ole faithful spreadsheet and not electronically recorded!

2009 -15/3   3:58:49
2010 - 18/5  3:49:04
2011 - skipped route - ran to virginia water instead
2012 - 22/9 3:26:58

am I faster? I'm not so sure...but the only thing I know is that, I feel less tired than my other runs along this route. Only too familiar with the route now to halfway mark, only thing new being the Hampton Court - Richmond leg which as I approach Richmond, I know I'm almost there...but not quite.

Perhaps I had rested for a day, and only did a 4 miler earlier in the week? or that I had fuelled a bit better , with a bottle of 50% diluted lucozade in hand and topped up by my 'drinks station' at the 11 mile mark? Or it is the honey pastilles - I didnt even finish all of my gels (although I did use my elastic on my trail belt to display them externally). with minute-miles- this was not as hard work as farnham pilgrim half.but still, not happy with it being an ideal timing (compared to actual marathon minute-mileage)

with this range and effort - fingers crossed I should be able to pull through (only just) within my target time (or rather, a PB on the marathon course).

time to stop/slow down. reflect. lose weight. eat good food. get lots more sleep!

The taper begins.....(with a big Dim Sum lunch, and a 1:30am bedtime... but this will need to go away..)

The other thing to think about is the Palace to Palace Bike Ride the week after Brussels - and the pledge for sponsorship. My page is up and running - please click here  and give generously!

Stiles, kissing gates and Mars Bars - my first trail half marathon!

Completed Farnham Pilgrim today - my first trail half marathon!
I had low expectations of timing, and my main goals were to:
1. enjoy the view,
2.finish the race and
3.not trip over and jeorpardise Brussels marathon and Palace to Palace - my endurance challenges in October
Achieved all three, and more!
Excuses not to get a PB were given to me by a fellow runner at the toilet queues:
1. the refreshment stations are well equipped with goodies like Mars Bars so you need to get your money's worth;
2. Queues build up at stiles and kissing gates ( ie steps and gates across fences to stop animals from getting across);
3. Roots and obstacles are marked with orange paint so you know what (not) to trip over.
It was an amazing experience and I do think my runs in Edinburgh holyrood park and the long run thru Lyme back to home on a friday's evening prepared me for this. I wasn't too afraid of hills and only stopped to walk up one. Had to hold back on some downhills so that I don't trip over roots.
Due to the narrower trails and to an extent the types of people that enter these races, there wasn't a lot of aggressive overtaking and people acknowledge they can only pass when they really can.
The stepping up and down thru the stiles were a good workout, lack of defined mile markers and real landmarks mean you just simply had to keep going . Well marshalled course so one would get lost.
Focus was crucial as if you don't, it can cost you an injury! Kept me occupied without headphones and no zoning out like other road races..
Running through sand was interesting, and how to keep myself going? The imagery of mr bean running thru sand in the opening ceremony came up, and the chariots of fire theme kept me going..
The fields, and panoramic views across the Surrey hills was worth it. Especially so after quite a bit of 'eye candy'.
First refreshment station outside a pub at 3miles (or even before the first mile!) was furnished with a buffet table of goodies. Bourbon cremes, choc digestive biscuits, jelly beans and the infamous mars bars chopped in bite sized pieces.
Feeling dehydrated after a first big hill, I went for some water and then greedily went for a portion of mars bar. And then drank more water and choked on it!! :( despite that, it did give me renewed strength to power through the next field.
I only attempted one banana piece in one future station, so it was all eye candy... Stuck to my tried and tested gel. Did not want any choking risk again.
This was a shorter run than our last few weekends long run , but effort was probably more...I made it to the finish with lots of cheering and landed on the mat at 2:22 - if they say a trail adds 15 mins to your half marathon time... Only just slightly better than MK in july but not really...
Medal round my neck, I was directed to another refreshment table - best I've ever seen! Cakes brownies flapjacks fruit cake bananas (fresh and mushed) more biscuits!! I only managed to take a picture (only now and not during the race at all despite the temptation!) , and few pcs - what a napkin could hold.
Goodie bag has a Farnham pilgrim 2013 which will probably have a copy up on our wall and another for my dad in HK.
No wonder It's voted one of the best new races !

The cotton race Tshirt (small sized this time!) has the words 'there's no discouragement' ...brings me back to the Pilgrim's Hymn - and as less pain this week (no reciting hymnals required to distract from distance/boredom!) I'll share part of this one as its got some good motivating bits- the trail which forms part of the pilgrim's way of the north downs way..
He who would valiant be ’gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy follow the Master.
There’s no discouragement shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

Who so beset him round with dismal stories
Do but themselves confound - his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might; though he with giants fight,
He will make good his right to be a pilgrim.

......
Then fancies flee away! I’ll fear not what men say,
I’ll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.
Legs tired but all motivated to go again. There's work to do before the taper..
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Below the flight path..

The last of summer is approaching. Thoughts of 'should
I cycle home?' need to be extinguished after 6pm, last night I pushed my luck.

Headed southwest into the setting sun for as long as the shared cycle/ walkway took me.
The exciting bit was watching keen photographers waiting for the perfect shot of LHR arrivals. Yes, we were metres from planes!
Of course I had to pause and do the same.





The shared path got more cycle unfriendly after that, and I had to alternate sides of the pavement. Yep, borders of where the tube can reach and the start of 'rural' surrey is best approached by fast cars. Hmm.

That's 11.8miles done under 1:20. At least I have done some cycle training for the Palace to Palace!

It is getting colder, my toes can feel it when I'm wearing my inov8s. And also this morning, even a long sleeve tech top feels cold. Perhaps this also means less perspiration, and the possibility of wearing proper civilized work dress even when doing a 4 miler on the way in?

I 'look forward' to using my new front lights on the bike :)

And more comfort meals like a veggie tagine...energy levels have been really low since the long runs over the weekend, been wanting early nights . Perhaps the body is trying to compensate.




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7 + 19+...?

It was supposed to be the weekend of the longest run, but a Friday night out and a Saturday afternoon start at 4pm for Proms in the Park ( and subsequently making it home past midnight), meant that we 'had to' do a short one on saturday (after having porridge and part of smoothie as you do before long run..) and then a longer one on Sunday.

A steady 7miles it was on a sunny Saturday (quite happy with the pace I maintained!), and then a new diversion that allowed us to see the start of the Wey Navigation (a canal that links the Thames at Walton all the way to guildford and godalming).

Thought it was 10 miles there and return but the gps wasn't at its most accurate- ended up being slightly more than 19 miles which wasn't too bad.

A very warm day 28degrees Celsius and sunny too. Had many relay racers from nearby clubs past me, and marshals cheering me on and clearing traffic for me even though I wasn't a bib wearer (Thanks!)

Tried some new nutrition, a high 5 orange gel which was watery and worked for a few mins, and a vanilla halwa bar wrapped in foil(not the same sugary energy hit as a powergel or when having the same as a normal dessert). So, have to keep looking or get back to diluted lucozade (headache).


The main thing was dehydration. Had to desperately refill in water taps from toilets, unsure if it contributed to my bathroom visits afterwards, and I wasn't energized! Started to divert myself from tiredness by chanting in head all the verses of the hymns that I remember : Amazing Grace got me through the last few miles but the words became muddled towards the end!!

Glad there was a lovely lamb roast (that started cooking before we left - ie no excuse to get home late or the flat will burn down!) waiting at home, what a way to relax and put my feet up for rat of the evening , watching the Paralympics closing!



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Oops, did a week's mileage in a 23-mile dose ;)

Not recommended. Especially after a full Saturday at a wedding and then sleeping in til 11am on a Sunday (extremely rare in our household!) it was 1pm when we finally got out.

Where to? Hampton court bridge sounds like a bit longer than 17miles, so...see you there! With only one phone, one set of keys and one set of money between us, the only way of determining the next plan of action is to reach the finish.

Thinking after a feast of suckling pig, Peking duck, seafoods, lotus rice, red bean soup and the likes, we were very well fueled. Nope! A new banofee gel with guarana and some sultanas wasn't enough at all. I found myself almost shouting at the woman splitting her 99 flake from the soft serve with her 2 dogs ( thought chocs are no-no's for dogs?) and even with hubby talking about the post race spuds we were going to have, was no good.

I just need to focus and finish. And hope this is not the form I will be in for the next run.

No music to distract. The skies were getting darker. Pub crowds were dispersing. Home just before dinner time. Where did the weekend go?




Monday, a day in the city. Very sunny and seeing that I have a professional appointment in Covent garden, to save my legs, I took miss Brompton to town asked whether it was step free/elevator office.

With the help of Barclays bike app, I found a slow way to get access to Waterloo bridge and up. I can just feel miss B's joy in wheeling up the back of the royal opera house, and around the markets, and bump...br..br along the cobblestones of the piazza. The post office and bank seemed better after hours, and I managed to get my errands done in around 15 mins as opposed to a hard dash to London bridge at lunchtime which got me nowhere.

Last stop, touching in at the office again and turning off the lights . And it was merely still light.

Up in higher gear, faster speeds, less people, zoom zoom thru the Cut and onto Waterloo Concourse.

I do love the biking after the long run. It is an amazing way to recover from it all.

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