Hitting the wall? Already?
Posted: 2 June 2012 Filed under: Running | Tags: juneathon 3 Comments »It’s only day 2 of Juneathon, and yet it’s already getting much more difficult.
I didn’t get much sleep last night, due to a combination of self-induced late night and being awake ridiculously early. The long and the short of it is that going to sleep at half 12 and being wide awake by half 6 doesn’t particularly put me in the mood for a run.
So I’ve plodded through the day, feeling very resistant to this whole Juneathon lark. ‘Why don’t you just give up now?’ asked the little voice in the back of my head.
One nap later and I still wasn’t particularly in the mood to go out. Then it dawned on me, it’s day 2, DAY 2; there’s no way I can throw in the towel just on day 2.
So I got out, trotted out a couple of miles and kept my Juneathon dreams alive. Well, at least for another day.
Stats:
Today:
Distance – 2.22 mi; Time – 18:05; Pace – 8:09/mile
Juneathon so far:
Distance – 4.36 mi; Time – 35:23; Pace – 8:07/mile
Here we go again
Posted: 1 June 2012 Filed under: Running | Tags: juneathon 2 Comments »So, it’s the first of June, and that can mean only one thing: Juneathon has begun.
For those not already familiar with it, Juneathon is a challenge to jog and blog every day in June. It’s also the warmer version of Janathon, which I successfully completed at the beginning of the year.
What does it hold in store this year then? Well, January was dominated by flat hunting, and June will be dominated by flat moving as they finish building our new abode. I should be moving in the second half of the month, so fitting in daily runs will be an interesting juggling exercise.
The good part of moving? New places to run. Most excitingly of all we’ll be moving much closer to the river, so you can expect some excited blogs about running along the Thames before too long.
But enough about the future, how about today? I successfully leapt dragged myself out of bed for a pre-work run. It’s still only te third since January, so not too far, but still not a bad effort considering.
That said, my legs felt a bit leaden this morning, so I’m already very aware that this first week or so is going to be particularly tough as my body adapts to running regularly again. But I’m ready for the roller coaster that lies ahead.
Stats:
Today:
Distance – 2.14 mi; Time – 17:18; Pace – 8:05/mile
Juneathon so far:
Distance – 2.14 mi; Time – 17:18; Pace – 8:05/mile
I (finally) went for a run
Posted: 28 May 2012 Filed under: Running Leave a comment »This year has mostly been one big fail. Well, at least on the running and blogging front. There have been other successes, but I’m saving that for my first Juneathon blog, so you’ll just have to keep waiting to find out. (Yes, I know, I’m a big tease).
Anyway, today that all changed. Today I went for my first run since 31 January. Yes, that’s right, my first run since the end of Juneathon.
So, how did it feel? Well, it started surprisingly well, and I was very quickly (and pleasantly) surprised to discover that my pace is bizarrely bang on its Janathon average: 7:46/mile. How on earth have I managed that after nigh on 4 months without running a single mile?!?
That said, I also discovered that my abs are really ready for me to push myself like this (they did complain a bit as I did my little 2.2 mile circuit) and that I need to remember to properly hydrate. The latter may or may not have been the cause of the former, I’m just not entirely certain.
A good start though (and significantly better than that on New Year’s Day, after my last running lazy bout, although I was also hangover then). Next up, a day’s rest and then another similar length run on Wednesday before I hit Juneathon head on this Friday.
Stats:
Distance – 2.21 miles; Time – 17:12; Pace – 7:46/mile
Janathon: What have I achieved?
Posted: 31 January 2012 Filed under: Running | Tags: janathon Leave a comment »Well, I’ve managed it, I’ve made it through January and run every single day. I think it’s quite interesting to look back on it all and consider what it is that I’ve managed to achieve over the course of the month:
- I’ve been running for 31 days in a row (but you already knew that one!) clocking up a total run time of 7:51:24
- I’ve run over 60 miles in a single month (well, 60.59 to be precise) despite having not run since 9 October prior to that
- I’ve discovered a pace that I just hadn’t realised was in me, the kind of pace that might actually help me to achieve my two target times for the year (sub 45 minutes for 10k and sub 1:40 for a half). My final average pace for the month is 7:46/mile. Not fast enough over the month, but I did start off much slower, as my weekly paces show:
- Week 1: 8:16/mile
- Week 2: 7:55/mile
- Week 3: 7:40/mile
- Week 4*: 7:26/mile
- 20.15 miles 2:29:38
- I’ve (nearly) bought a flat (subject to contract et al).
*Up until the end of the month
Stats:
Today
Distance – 1.96 miles; Time – 14:14; Pace – 7:17/mile
Final Janathon Stats
Distance – 60.59 miles; Time – 7:51:24; Pace – 7:46/mile
Warming the cockles
Posted: 30 January 2012 Filed under: Running | Tags: janathon, Madonna Leave a comment »I could tell from the moment I first looked out of the window this morning that it was going to be very cold outside. But of course that doesn’t stop a Janathoner (we’d all be a bit screwed if it did).
I got ready, and as I was going down in the lift decided I need some warming music, something with a Latin flavour. I decided to stick my iPhone on shuffle, starting with a live version of Madonna’s ‘La Isla Bonita’ and take it from there. (I had tried the Beach Boys with less success earlier in the month – I ended up just resenting their carefree beach ways – so hoped this would be a better choice.)
It’s got me wondering who else uses music to encourage themselves on a cold day. Anyone other Janathoners got any particular favourites for helping them ignore the harsh winter temperatures? Stick them in the comments if you do.
Anyway, whether it was Madonna’s effect or not, I seem to have got even better pace today, coming in with an average if 7:11/mile. Now that really is something to warm the cockles.
Stats:
Today
Distance – 2.01 miles; Time – 14:25; Pace – 7:11/mile
Janathon so far
Distance – 58.63 miles; Time – 7:37:10; Pace – 7:48/mile
Fancy running a marathon?
Posted: 29 January 2012 Filed under: Running | Tags: Brighton marathon, janathon, London marathon, marathon, YouthNet Leave a comment »If you do, my humble employer, YouhNet, has a spare spot going in each of the London and Brighton marathons. If you’re interested in running 26.2 miles and supporting the work we do to help young people in the UK make informed decisions and get involved with their community then I’m sure we’d be delighted to hear from you.
There we go, today’s super mini Janathon post was a shameless plug. Oh, and before anyone asks/suggests it, I’m nowhere near marathon fitness and still won’t be come April.
Stats:
Today
Distance – 2.06 miles; Time – 15:09; Pace – 7:20/mile
Janathon so far
Distance – 56.62 miles; Time – 7:22:45; Pace – 7:48/mile
Losing my rhythm
Posted: 28 January 2012 Filed under: Running | Tags: janathon Leave a comment »I never like it when I have to break a run up in the middle, but this morning was one of those occasions. I set off, and about three quarters of the way through stopped at Tesco to pick something up for Mark and I to eat.
Afterwards I simply couldn’t get my run going again properly, as usually happens after I’ve trotted around the supermarket in the middle. It didn’t help either that I was trying to hold on to my (admittedly small) bag of shopping in a way that wasn’t too awkward to run with. Although it did transpire that not too awkward was still rather awkward indeed!
The upshot is that the first part of the run had an average pace of 7:24/mile, and I’d been shaving the seconds off the average pace, so that may even have continued falling. But, after the disjointed short second stint, I ended up with a pace of 7:29/mile overall, which just goes to show that Tesco most certainly did slow me down.
That said, the caramelised red onion sausage sandwiches that we were able to have when I got back were absolutely delicious. Maybe that was worth losing my rhythm for!
Stats:
Today
Distance – 2.37 miles; Time – 17:43; Pace – 7:29/mile
Janathon so far
Distance – 54.56 miles; Time – 7:07:36; Pace – 7:49/mile
An odd run
Posted: 27 January 2012 Filed under: Running | Tags: janathon Leave a comment »For want of a better way of putting it, this morning’s run was a bit odd.
I quickly found after I set out that last night’s small dinner was a mistake as it felt like I was running on empty. All I could assume was that this would be a disaster, particularly as my first two time checks told me that I was gradually slowing down.
To my genuine surprise though, it wasn’t. I soon heard through the dulcet tones of the Runkeeper lady that I was running at a very steady pace of 7:27/mile (and a mini sprint at the end did chop another few seconds off). Yet it still felt like I should be failing miserably. I’m guessing it’s one of those runs that I’ll never quite make head nor tail of.
Stats:
Today
Distance – 1.94 miles; Time – 14:20; Pace – 7:24/mile
Janathon so far
Distance – 52.19 miles; Time – 6:49:52; Pace – 7:51/mile
Life after Janathon
Posted: 26 January 2012 Filed under: Running | Tags: janathon Leave a comment »I’ve started thinking quite a bit about what life will be like after Janathon, well in running terms at least. I’ve got some real momentum, stamina and discipline behind me having come back from bone idleness, and now I want to decide how I’m going to maintain it.
Well, I think I’m fairly committed to running every other day. And if not running, at least some cross training which I really want to work into my regime. (In particular Mark and I have both a bike and exercise bike that are shamefully underused).
The real challenge will be getting my distance back up while maintaining my pace. I’ve got a 10k in March, and it looks feasible that I could manage it in 45 minutes if I’m willing to put the effort in.
Either way, I’ve refound some of my love for running, particularly given what it does for my mental well being and clarity of thought. That’s something I don’t want to lose so quickly this time round.
Stats:
Today
Distance – 1.94 miles; Time – 14:22; Pace – 7:24/mile
Janathon so far
Distance – 50.25 miles; Time – 6:35:32; Pace – 7:52/mile
Feeling heavy
Posted: 25 January 2012 Filed under: Running | Tags: janathon Leave a comment »Another morning and another run. Today my legs felt heavy again. One of them loosened up nicely, but the other just stayed feeling heavy.
I’d been able to feel it at the end of my run yesterday as well, if that makes sense? Not a pain or an ache, just an awareness of my leg that I don’t normally have. Not that it felt that way today thankfully, just heavy, heavy, heavy.
Fingers crossed that 24 hours will work their magic and at least leave it feeling a. It less so tomorrow.
Stats:
Today
Distance – 2.27 miles; Time – 17:07; Pace – 7:31/mile
Janathon so far
Distance – 48.31 miles; Time – 6:21:10; Pace – 7:53/mile
