Week 7, Day 4: The best laid plans...

I planned to run 12 or so miles yesterday, but thanks to the suprise extra snow that started falling at 2am Thursday/Friday and didn't stop until around 5pm Friday, I bagged that plan in favor of a (hopefully) less snowy Saturday. When I went to buy new running shoes, there was a sale on hats and gloves, so I grabbed some. Saturday arrived clear and chilly. I pulled my running clothes out of my suitcase and discovered I'd only brought capri pants. Definitely glad I had my new hat and gloves. Then I discovered that Big G was out of batteries (again! Didn't I just charge it?) - this has got to stop. Luckily, NYC is kind of my home turf, so I have a pretty good idea how far things are and I'm not concerned about getting lost. Off into the cold go I. Big thank you to the folks from NYC Parks who, with 2 notable exceptions, had the East River Path completely clear. It took me a few miles to warm up, but after a while I relaxed into it and got into something of a groove. Around 30th St, I found myself 6 inches deep in icy water, and facing a dead end that meant I had to backtrack through the icy water. I forgot that the path goes up 1st Avenue here. I was feeling pretty good, running 4 songs and walking 1, though after about 1 minute I felt ready to run again - but I enforced the loger walk to ensure I'd make it through the whole run. While running up 1st Ave, I found myself behind a couple of cuties and I have to admit I sped up a bit to not get dusted by them, especially as we got back onto the path. They turned around at 79th, and I was on my own again. At 85th, the Parks Department fell down on the job again, and I was in the cold water again. Luckily the socks I was wearing were pretty wicking, and my feet didn't stay wet for long. Around here there was also a big hill, where the kids were all out sledding - pretty cute. I had intented to run to 120th, but at 96th my right IT band was starting to hurt, so I turned around and retraced my steps to my friend's apartment. Total distance: 10.7 miles. I can't wait to get back to London where it doesn't snow, and my sweetie is, and I can run with some regularity.

Week 6, Day 4: n of 1 learns what doesn't work

I had a rough time getting up this morning. Might have had something to do with the 5 glasses of wine I drank last night. Then I got out there, and my legs absolutely felt like lead. Could be that running at 5 yesterday, going out for dinner and drinks until 1am, then getting up at 9 to run for the third day in a row doesn't agree with me. I'm also not sure that the audiobook is working for me as well as it used to - I was kinda bored! I kept tripping over rises in the sidewalk when I didn't pick my feet up enough, and may have twisted an ankle or something - it really hurts now. And I still feel like lead several hours later. I ran through east London, up the marshes, then as I was turning toward home wishing I was more than 6 miles in, I came across the Blackhorse Road tube station on the Victoria line, which conveniently goes to my stop. So, despite the fact that there won't be a Blackhorse Road on my marathon, I hopped on the tube and came home.

I am traveling for work this week and will be in Switzerland on Wednesday morning. I had been thinking about running on Monday and Tuesday and taking Wednesday off, but honestly, I think I need the day off more tomorrow and I'll just bring my shoes with me.

6.3 miles, 1:18:00 (I think - need to confirm the time but I'm too lazy to go look at my watch right now).

Week 5, Day 4: I feel good

Hrm. Let's see. Today's plan was 10 miles. I decided on 9 min/1 min to ensure I could finish it all. After 5 miles I changed out for 1 mile/1 minute (the rest of 1 mile). Quite happily, I did the whole thing. Mostly great - though the last 1/2 miles was tough. And the rest of the day I was not too sore, and I really focused on practicing success until I finished, when I went for beer as a recovery drink. Oh, and weather.com and google were right. A great (if chilly) day. 10.0 miles, 2:05:54.

Week 4, Day 4: Curry is not a runners fuel

We went to a friend's house last night and had a curry and a little wine. One of these things resulted in my being REALLY thirsty this morning, and I drank my whole bottle of water in the first 3-4 miles. And then couldn't find either a water fountain or an off-license/grocery store for another 2 miles. My splits from that time are not pretty. As a whole, though, considering this is the furthest I can ever remember running, it felt pretty good. Some walking, but vast majority running (though I'd call it more like shuffling near the end) and I finished strong. After 3 days in a row, I'm ready to take a day off and let my blisters heal a bit. 8 miles, 1:44:58.

Weekly total: 19.3 miles, 3:56:33
Cumulative Blackpool marathon training total: 85.7 miles, 18:04:26

Week 3, Day 4, v2: the guilt-free bacon sandwich

Our regular Saturday morning ritual includes a trip to Borough Market, where Roast serves a free-range, organic pork loin sandwich with applesauce on a roll. This is known in our house as a "bacon sandwich." When I woke up this morning, I was not really that jazzed about getting up at 8 on a Saturday. Until I remembered that if I ran, I could eat the bacon sandwich totally guilt-free. I wonder if that will get me out of bed on Mondays too? Finsbury Park route, plus a little detour into the Ecology Park (way cool, but not actually a good place to run), and a lap of Highbury Fields at the end to get the total distance. I felt really good at the beginning, but was walking anywhere from 0.1 to 0.25 miles in each mile by the end. And then I had chocolate milk. 7 miles, 1:33:17.

Week 3, Day 4: I'm a princess

7 miles scheduled today. I went back and forth abou the headgear. In the end I decided to forgo the wollen warm one. Mistake. It wasn't too bad except when the wind came up, but my lips and chin were CHILLY! At the outset, I was alternately dreading and excited about this run - my legs feel a bit heavy, but this was going to be the longest I'd ever run on purpose. I ran the Serpentines 3-park route, stopping the clock for map-finding, so not a lot of walking but a fair number of breaks nonetheless. This route takes you around the central London royal parks, including past both Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace (and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting - see the Serpentine website for a great description). I also decided it was time to do a little mid-run fueling. I meant to get some Lucozade, which is what they're planning to have at the marathon, but I forgot yesterday and they don't sell it at the M&S I went to. I went for 750 ml of water and a bag of Percy Pigs, which I ate about I every mile and a half or 2. This felt like a pretty good strategy, so if Lucozade sucks I'll probably use this as a backup. The water was in a huge bottle (all they had) - if anyone reading wants to send me a present, I'm in for one or two good handheld water bottles (reviews and recommendations requested from my runner friends). One place this route takes you is through the Sunken Gardens, outside Kensington Palace. My friend Cora said this was one of her favorite places when she was living in London, and I'd never been - it was nice to see, and made me think about Cora. Looking forward to seeing her this week, too. When the run was over, I decided to do a little last minute shopping - cut to me chasing the bus to Oxford Circus down the street. I outran it, though! 7.2 miles, 1:29:38.

Week so far: 17.3 miles, 3:39:07
Cumulative: 48 miles, 10:26:37

Week 2, Day 3: Sunday December 9: Someone please take Hackney off the map!

I did it again. Went out for a nice, well mapped 6 mile run. One of the directions says "cross the river and head south." I must have turned north (no sun visible to tell me which way to go), because that was the last of the landmarks I saw. Instead I ended up running most of the way back to my house, but because I don't have my Christmas present yet, I didn't know it. Meanwhile, part way through the run I got, as they say here, "caught short" and had to go find a bush. Stupidly, I chose a bush that had prickly burrs in it. My legs were a bit numb (it's cold and rainy!) and I didn't feel them until I was on the wrong bus trying to go home (see again about north and south and the sun). An hour and a half later, cold, stinky, and hungry, I find myself riding the bus through Hackney. If you've been playing along at home, you'll know I've already been lost in Hackney once. At least this time I had bus fare. Roughly 6 miles, roughly 1 hour 15.

Week so far: 16 miles, 3:23:40
Cumulative: 31 miles, 6:47:30