Training Week 8 - Going places!

Start of the run just down a little from my house





Well I seem to be going from strength to strength at the moment..again managed to add a bit more on the previous weeks running and again only managed the 3 runs..from next week this will definitely have to go up to 4 nights a week running. Now as I mentioned last week my big goal this week was a Beckenham to Bayswater run after work Christmas Eve, some 18km's distance.




Near Streatham heading into Clapham area
















Clapham Common..about half way there






















I decided I would start the week with a short run so as to give my legs a decent rest for Thursdays big run, the plan was the most direct route home about 5.5km, 5 minutes into it I was feeling pretty bored so in order to make it interesting I lifted my pace a little above what was comfortable and I had a crack at beating my 5km record. Despite having to stop to re-tie my laces and being completely exhausted I did break my record by a solid 30 seconds! Unfortunately the extra stress from this run really put my Christmas Eve run in doubt, both shins, calves and even a knee were giving me issues right up to Wednesday afternoon.





Much needed carbo-gel on Battersea Bridge



Still not wanting to throw the towel in without giving it a crack I set off after work with the plan to take it easy and if something was to suddenly hurt more than usual then not be a hero and just take the closest public transport.














Chelsea Port-a-loo





After a slight hiccup with a gang of Chav's and a pack of dogs (have I mentioned how much I love London lately) I made some good steady progress from my house and up the hill taking me through Anerley and Crystal Palace where it peaked somewhere near Norwood and to be honest its all a bit of a blur from then on, the route I plotted was fairly straight forward and I was super conscious about keeping an eye out for turn-off's to avoid getting lost. I crossed the Thames on Battersea bridge and grbbed a couple of photos as well as devoured a carbo-gel to get me through the last 5 or so km's, unfortunately I found Hyde park to be closed so I had to add an extra kilometre to get round the park. Anyway I finished it in 2 hours 8 minutes, not a cracking pace but when you consider the sore legs and the odd stop for photo's\traffic then probably not a bad time at all especially as I was still standing at the end..also worth noting only another 3 km and it would have made it a half marathon.






I had a bit of a holiday until Sunday where I had another long distance run, this time from Brixton to Bayswater on the way for my cousins farewell drinks, nothing too exciting here except running the back streets in Brixton is not particularly bright (though you do run faster) and an open Hyde park is fantastic for running!



Finished! And yes I am steaming


Week 8 Results:

Distance Covered: 34.5 km's
Total running time: 3 hours 43 minutes
Average speed: 9.3 km/h
Money raised: £25.80 (Thanks again Greg & Amelia!!, also thanks to little brother Tom!)

Training week 7 - Getting Lost can be a good thing

Righto, got off to a cracking start on Monday with a new distance record of 15.7 km (9.5 mile), this wasn't really planned but somewhere along the way I took a wrong turn while running home from work and before I know it I had run an extra 4km than what I was planning. Anyway apart from the obvious exhaustion I felt pretty good afterward with no new injuries!

I decided to take Tuesday night off as I was pretty achy during the day and attempted a shortish 6km run on the Wednesday..which surprisingly proved actually too much for me and I found I had to walk the last kilometre. All was revealed Thursday when I woke up with the beginnings of the flu, this got worse by Thursday night causing me to have to take the day off work Friday.

After much of the weekend in bed I was feeling well enough on Sunday evening to have another jog, the plan was a gentle 8 km's to bring me up to my 30km for the week, however fate would have none of it and whilst thuroughly concentrating on my run and the music I was listening to I again missed a turn-off and found myself running out near some farmland, again I kept on jogging and eventually made it home for a very reasonable 11kms.

My plan now is to get rid of a couple of niggles with my lower legs and get myself pumped for my Christmas eve run from my house in Beckenham, Kent to my cousins in central London. This is the route I'm intending here it basically take me north through Anerley, Crystal Palace, West Norwood up to Tulse Hill then north-west through Streatham, Clapham and Battersea, crossing the Thames at Battersea Bridge then North through Chelsea, Kensington hopefully an open Hyde Park and finally into Bayswater. Fingers crossed work will finish a little earlier so maybe I can get through the more 'stabier' areas before nightfall. I'll be taking a camera along with me on this one so hopefully have slightly more interesting photos than me icing my leg next week.

Week 7 Results:

Distance Covered: 32.8 km's
Total running time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Average speed: 10.3 km/h
Money raised: £5.00 (Thanks Cat!)

Training Week 6 - Running is kinda boring after a bit...

It's cold, its smelly, its painful but worst of all it's bloody mind numbing...I'm guessing now that the injuries are under control I've got to moan about something mainly to get that sympathy sponsorship money...
Again planned for 4 runs..again only managed the 3... on the plus side another significant increase in distance run for the week.

8km's run on the Tuesday..just under 14km on the Wednesday and then a solid 5.5km on the Friday. Not much to report on the runs..cold very cold..so cold in fact that koro no longer seems so laughable

Anyway plans for next week is again to up the distance, I have a bit of a goal in the back of my mind on Christmas Eve to run from my house (technically in Kent) to my cousins (Bayswater central London) so will be aiming at preparing myself for that hearty endeavour, about 18km's or so..

Week 6 Results

Distance Covered: 27.3 km's
Total running time: 2 hour 43 minutes
Average speed: 10.1 km/h
Money raised: £10.00 (Cheers to the other member of the Southern Railway Kiwi contingent Rae!)


Cheers,

-Josh

Training Week 5 - Almost flying!

First things first,

The new trainers kick a$$!

Leg pain going, which is almost a shame as I was beginning to enjoy the ritual icing of the legs while watching the telly.

3 runs again this week, a gentle 7.5k run on Monday to break in the new trainers and then due to some rugby, Christmas and work commitments my next run wasn't until the Friday when I did an easy 5.5km run home from work. I woke up Saturday morning with almost no pain in my legs and managed a big 11km run, the first over 10km since mid-november so super happy about that!

Heading into week 6 I find myself injury free again and heading back into the realm of 30km's a week. Unfortunately however the weather has really cooled down and there is an increasing ice-on-pavement presence which is less than ideal for jogging injury free, guess its time now to get that gym membership and take the training indoors for a bit.




Week 5 results:

Distance Covered: 24.1 km's
Total running time: 2 hour 2 minutes
Average speed: 10.4 km/h
Money raised: £45.00 (Big thanks to Michelle, little sister Kate and bro in law Richie) ..and Michelle I will hold you to your after christmas training offer!


-Josh

Training Week 4 - Getting there slowly

Before I get into the excitement which was this weeks training, lets get back to what this is really about and why I'm pushing for money!

I was fortunate enough on Sunday to be invited to have a look around a 'Kith and Kids' centre during one of their weekend clubs to see what they were all about and get a first hand look at where this sponsorship is going. I met a number of members, volunteers as well as parents and even joined in with a couple of activities! Two things most struck me about this place, firstly was the flexibility given to the members during the activities with great importance being placed on members individual freedom, this is something we take for granted everyday but is often forgottan for those whose circumstances meaning having to rely more on others. The other thing that I noticed was the amount of actual fun that was taking place, and not just with the members but also the volunteers, this was quite infectius and before I knew it I too was taking my place under the colourful parachute and singing along with the 'Kith and Kids' song. Anyway I visit again at the end of the year for the Christmas show so will hopefully get afew pictures then.







Just the light training this week, really to get a gauge on how bad my legs really are.
3 runs, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday all straight from work and all a little under 6km's each.

I was really concentrating on changing my running style and found that this completely threw out my running rhythm so found myself on the Tuesday exhausted after only 5.5kms with all sorts of new ankle, shin and calf pain.Once home I gave the legs a good icing down with a couple of bags of frozen mixed veges.

Wednesday was much the same, though I did find the run fractionally less horrible, Thursday again was even better though Friday I found I was having trouble sitting down at work with my left calf cramping most the day.

Last weeks plans not going super well I decided on the weekend that my next best plan of attack was to look into some new trainers. Turns out there's a good running store at the end of my road, had a chat to the bloke in there he seemed to know his stuff, even demonstrating how rubbish my old trainers were by showing how easily they now bent in half..so after what I was assured was a sound investment I walked out with new trainers, socks, new running bag as well as a hot/cold icepack.

So without further ado, my brand spanking new trainers!!! (the ones on the right)



(Seriously if you ran at night in some of the areas I do the last thing you want is trainers that stand out)

Anyway feeling optimistic about next week, fingers crossed the new trainers and icepack will see me through some serious miles injury free!

Week 4 Results

Distance Covered: 17.3 km's
Total running time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Average speed: 9.7 km/h
Money raised: £35.00 (Big ups to Tim and Paul!)