No Oyster Cards here..

I said I'd do it this Easter Weekend and I did.
Bedfont Lakes Parkrun, with the horrendous parking which means arriving 10 minutes early to a full car park isn't good enough.
(I didn't learn from my last experience and was counting on bank holiday traffic!)
Parked at the other carpark, got a bit lost and missed the start as I went around 1/4 of the 2 lap course to meet the real start.
It's a Parkrun so I had the option of looking not like one, but the friendly marshals cheered me on all the same.
Around halfway of the first lap, I overtook my first park runner - a woman in running gear who was walking. Then another minute or so later, I was starting to see a group appear in front of me , at which point I also had to redo my laces. That done, footsteps from the back - a lean person in running shorts and beanie with heels lifting beautifully, and slightly muddy legs - he must've gone on to win the race, I was lucky enough to be overtaken by him and able to spectate.
Lap 2 started with more encouragement from the marshals, and one stepped out to take a photo! Which meant I had to keep going and finish and not sneak off to the carpark.
Life got a bit easier feeling a bit more warmed up, but to be honest, I was tired. It almost felt like the end of the half marathon but this is only a 5k! More encouragement came with further overtakes of a fair few and into the final stretch 'quarter of a mile to go' - called out by the marshal, what is this? I think of 450 yards to go at birdcage walk before the vlm finish - but to get there one needed to negotiate another small puddle....
I finished at 30.46 according to my watch, and a top 100 chip! Whoohoo...first one in a long time.

But but but... Thought my Parkrun barcode was in my Oyster card holder with gym card and everything, but it wasn't. The guy behind me said 'no Oyster cards here' (yes, yes! Bedfont is outside the london zones) - so... This won't be on my record.
Which is fine - need to get up a lit earlier and be in better form to break that 27 minute parkrun barrier - or shall I aim higher and hit Richmond Park with that instead of a confidence booster at a flatter and still muddy course?
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Farewell to Homantin

Time flies. In the space of just a week and a half, I was in Hong Kong and now back again in LHR to work (just before everyone else's holidays for Easter is starting).

I was there for a special occasion: my younger brother got married and saying goodbye to his bachelor days, and so we also did bid farewell to the bachelor family home.

and how else to say goodbye to homantin, an area with a prized school catchment area , by linking the old to the new.

Running east from the reclaimed area outside of tai kok tsui (near Olympic station) through the busy streets of Mongkok and Yaumatei wasn't easy at all, even in the early hours. Pedestrians to dodge and even competitive jogging uncles who simply blocked my route and refused to let a younger woman overtake, on busy Waterloo road! Eventually I did and cleared the busiest streets into the residential area of homantin , through Perth Street (so hubby can get homesick) and through basketball courts and into the running track - closed on a weekend morning due to softball training.





Well then, a beeline up the hill to one of the flats behind for a shower and breakfast.

Tuesday week, an overcast day with fresher air from yesterday's torrential rains. I just had to get out there after a not so restful final sleep in this flat.

Rain was a risk and I had tons on my plate - so the iPhone went into a ziplock bag and here we go..back to the track - all mine! No Taichi walkers with radios.

There were never any explanation on what those 4*400 or 200 markers mean, where they start and when they finished. So 4 serious laps I did, with weary aching feet, and a little of a heavy heart...for the next training session on these surfaces would be.... 13 hours flight, and at least a 40 min warmup/taxi ride away.




I am missing the warm weather already and my feet aches on seeing Paula Radcliffe's struggling face on TV with the news that her career may be over. Wishing her a speedy recovery and back on her feet soon if just to walk.

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2 be or not 2 be ...

It wasn't meant to be.

Persuaded to visit the land of Shakespeare by the Devil (Bib 666! ) - a flat course, 'disused' airfield (Long Marston Airfield) , a rather 'last minute' entry 2 weekends after Wokingham Half.

A glimpse of hope that this could be a proper half marathon PB record on runbritain - checked. This race was on the website as "Full licensed course - certified distance".
4 laps and out and back - sounds familiar? Thinking Dorney Lake but licensed - Proper.
Airstrip - how smooth and flat can that be?

Saturday race, chance to visit Stratford upon Avon (Shakespeare's Birthplace), bathroom renovations in progress at home made a compelling reason to enter. Of course, to also see records being set ( Mr 666 was aiming for a sub-47 10k) when the course is a loop!

So there we go - enough justification for a 2 hour drive last saturday morning to The Spring Shakespeare 2013 - I had my reservations about making the trip, as had a hard week in the lead up, with daily very brief visits to the gym made compuslory by the bathroom renovations (ie no showers at home!), and the bad back from lifting those tiles last weekend (finally I could stand straight by thursday), but one can always DNF, although I am not one to sign up and not show up or complete.

Cold and slightly wet, on arrival, I knew why this race wasn't full in the lead up to spring marathon season! It was in the middle of nowhere, and the course was unkempt. At least there were no queues at the toilets and Race HQ was big enough to shield one from the elements before the start. Saving 2 bin bags for later. This was also an almost 'naked' race for me as Runkeeper packed up - so the iphone didnt go onto my hydration belt with me.

Chip was a plastic one to be strapped around the ankle. pretty comfortable I must say! Got ready for the start...it was far from crowded. The course was a + shape instead of a proper loop, and the bits of the airstrip that has been touched up for a dragstrip was smooth, whereas the other sides, one has to consistently watch out for potholes...

Another question was how accurate the course really was, where it was measured as being a proper 5k loop (at the same race and start were 5k - 1 loop and 10k - 2 loop runners)  - there were opportunities to take a tangent on turning the corners (apart from the U-turns at the top ends) but enough barricades to not throw everyone off.

It was a testing course - flat also meant no advantages gained from downhill...and it was boring. Milestones were only marked by the km and mile makers (which were not consistent and played tricks on my mental arithmetic on minute miles) , the marshals at every turning point, the mooing cows in the distance (disturbed by the pattering feet of runners nearby), and the occasional gun shots from some shooting range?/ (luckily we all survived).

5k felt alright at around 28 minutes but had no idea i was going faster, or slower..I had my gels before the 2nd loop, and just a slight surge of energy....and towards the end of the loop, really felt like I could take a detour and call it a day..but no, i had got so far already and should keep going.

3rd loop, it was harder and harder, I tried to push, but really had no real energy to push harder....relying on my spare energy of the honey pastilles in the back of the pack...at this point my specatator were already at the stands cheering me on...so here are some photos!

posed I think at the 4th lap....actually a hand signal to say it was already 1:30 and the sub-2 record is a goner... :( shortly after that i had to stop (hit the wall!) and dig out more honey pastilles from the plastic bag at the back of my belt..sigh

a further analysis of this out-and-back loop might indicate pronation on the left foot - a justification for the consistent left side pain and inbalance and that strengthening exercises need to be reinstated..

I got there in the end...instead of 2 spectators I am left with my poor hubby in the cold waiting. (The Devil had gone home with a better than expected 10k record!)
2:10.31 was the time - glad it was over. on hindsight - it was a time that is aligned with the effort and training I put in.

Then off to enjoy the showers and a hearty meal walking around Stratford-upon-Avon and a Sunday to recover.
  Now seeking out a 3rd half marathon to do...but all depending on how my back behaves in the next weeks and whether I can do more miles for now.
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Haven't you run before?

Now old news, still admiring the way how Mo Farah handled the winners interview of the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans.

Mo Farah's interview
Imagine a double Olympic gold medallist being asked that question? Haven't you run before? Is this your first time? And him not revealing his victories in shorter distances and at a greater level. Very humble indeed.

Checked out his time and the King of Negative Splits haven't quite nailed it in this distance. 14:31 then 14:07 for the first 2 5 kms finishing just under 1:01. Which means the last 11kms were done in around 32 mins, 2.87/km vs 2.93/km in the 2nd half.
His splits

New Orleans is a lovely city and lots of joggers spotting in the garden district along the tram tracks the last time I went. Not ever short of good music and food!



As for me? I almost haven't run .... Lifting tiles on a cold Saturday caused me to forfeit my last and only long run before this Saturdays next race. A sharp pain in my left gluteal left me unable to start. Never happened before. Whilst the clock was ticking, leaving my training partner to do his 1:30 run, I went to the high street, shopped and had an acupuncture . Struggled with standing up straight all week. Taking things slowly after a second session on Monday and hoping to be only just in shape for Saturday. I can manage 10 min jogs on the treadmill but have to see how it all goes. Fingers crossed.

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