The Theale run meant a reorganisation of the weekend’s schedule, and I decided to push my 16 miler back to the Monday which, as luck would have it, was a holiday. The conditions, cool and overcast, were ideal for running, and absolutely traditional for the late Summer Bank Holiday. For only the second time since I bought it in June, I put on my water-belt and headed for the canal. What can you say about a solo 16 mile run along a canal? Er, well quite a lot actually, but i don’t have my notes with me, so call back in a day or so, and I’ll have come up with something.… …
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If the Burnham Beeches Half left me mulling over the quality of the race officials, the Theale 10K was a sharp reminder that I should be grateful for any marshals at all, however dozey. Ten kilometres isn’t a very appealing distance on a weekend when I’m supposed to run 16 miles, but I made an exception here as it’s my local race, and thought it worth supporting. As it turned out, it didn’t really need my support. When I eventually got my application in, I found that they were only 5 entrants short of the 250 maximum. The race took place at Englefield, the local estate. This isn’t an estate of the council or housing varieties. It’s one of those … …
Tuesday of this week I’m up early, 5:30am, for a 4 mile jog around the lanes. What a great time of day this is to run. It’s cool and quiet. Some rain must have fallen recently, and the village church is half hidden in a light mist. A few minutes out I’m in a long lane off the Bradfield Road. I begin to hear something crashing about on the other side of the tall, brambley hedge. I can’t imagine what it can be. Then suddenly, through a gap in the hedge, right in front of me, leaps a young deer. It turns briefly to face me. It’s trembling and sweaty. There’s a sudden… moment, as we exchange startled expressions, … …
Today I did the Burnham Beeches Half Marathon. Or was it the other way round? So despite the sense of incredulity that had lasted all of last week, I did make it to Burnham, though in keeping with the precedent set during my London training, everything was thrillingly last minute. I was up early enough for my condemned-man breakfast of dry toast and coffee. Even at 7am, the morning was bright and clear, and I could see that it was going to be a scorching day. It didn’t assuage my sense of foreboding about the venture. I pottered around for far too long, and at 8:45am, the point where I should have been striding confidently towards the car, I was … …
This morning the scales showed me 4 pounds heavier than yesterday. Hardly a surprise after yesterday’s binge. Another bagel-filled day. Plenty of healthy carbohydrate, but calorific. Two for breakfast with bananas, two for lunch with molten cheese and HP Sauce, and one this evening with more fruit. I’m also guzzling gallons of water, partly because it’s such a sweltering day, and partly to pre-hydrate before tomorrow’s Burnham Beeches Half Marathon. I find it hard to imagine taking part in this event. I feel so bloated and inert at this moment, just 12 hours before the race starts. At least I’m starting to see the funny side of it. I’ll make a final decision when I wake tomorrow (indeed if I … …
Am I really plannning to run a half marathon on Sunday? After a generally successful first half of the week in terms of runs, weight loss and optimism, it’s all started to go wrong. This morning I had a sudden overwhelming urge to eat. Cereal, bagels and fruit before I left home. Healthy enough, yes, but it filled me out, leaving me feeling leaden and out of condition. And as often happens in these situations I picked up an ‘in for a penny’ attitude. Just before arriving at work I bought 2 bars of chocolate, then rounded off with an early lunch of a fried egg sandwich and some crisps. This evening it was off to the pub for a … …
A terrible run this evening. Should have been 4 miles but it was so hot – even at 9pm – that I barely reached a mile before I stopped to walk. I ended up feebly half-walking, half-jogging for the rest of the way. Returned home feeling that I’d been for a pleasant evening stroll rather than a run.… …
All things considered, a glass or two of some decent New Zealand sauvignon blanc in the garden might have been a more sensible way of passing a warm, airless midsummer evening. But no, I decided to dress up in a skimpy number and run 7.34 miles round the streets instead. Not very quickly, it’s true, but I did it. It was tough, but I have a half marathon to run on Sunday and I need to do some preparation. That’s it. I have to go and say my prayers now. Dear God, please rain lightly on Sunday morning at Burnham Beeches. Between 10 and 12 would be great. Thanks. Oh yes, and while I’ve got you on the line, thanks … …
A good 5.5 miler this evening. Supposed to be just 3 miles, but I think I need to up my mileage a bit. It’s pretty modest as it is on the novice marathon training course, but if I will insist on missing long weekend runs I need to at least pay some lip service to making an extra effort during the week. The run took me along the canal and round the block. It’s a while since I’ve been along there. Who wouldn’t be fed up with the flies and the ever-encroaching nettles across the towpath? The flora seems to have been cut back a bit and the fauna (if midges are worthy of the word) also seemed to be … …
Terrible ‘long run’. What was intended to be (cough, cough) 15 miles turned out to be… oh, about 2 miles, before I gave up and wandered home. Too much beer on Friday, too much excitement at the legendary home of Queen Park Rangers yesterday, too much breakfast and too many gardening chores today, but most of all, too many excuses. Let’s forget this and start over again. Again!… …