Look East

6.5 miles in 50:27
Route: Lowestoft Circuit 2

A weekend in East Anglia, primarily for the Norwich Beer Festival, but also an excuse to devise a new route around Lowestoft.

I set out about 4pm and ran from my parents' house, to Pakefield Church (along Stradbroke Road - where I ran into Roger Waghorn sporting a new, short haircut), down the sea front to the South Pier (where I enjoyed a quick stretch), then over the bridge and along Denmark Road, Rotterdam Road and then along Normanston Drive and through Oulton Broad back to my traditional finishing post outside the Suffolk Punch pub. Pretty happy with the time, although I have no benchmark against which to measure it, it felt good.

The Beer Festival was excellent. Worked my way through roughly 10 ales and they were all top class. A vintage year. The entertainment was provided by a brass band (apprently there is a new law which stops amplified music after a certain time) and there was the usual selection of fat men with beards and Dr Who fans to keep us entertained. I indulged in a burger (and, later a steak sandwich...), tried my luck on the tombola and guiltily tried not to think about my training.

Must also add that after a dry spell lasting several years, I finally beat Andrew on the golf course! He came out with every excuse in the book (my favourite of which was that the only reason I was winning was because I was playing too well) but in the end, my sweet, sweet tee-shots and tender chip-and-runs were just too good. He'll get over it when he beats me at squash next week.

Speaking of next week, it is my last as Private Secretary to the Minister for Skills. Desperately hoping that the lovely :) officials in Skills Group will forget all those nasty bits of work I've asked them to do the last couple of years and sponsor me for the good of Shelter! Come on guys!! Hope to fit in at least two runs in between leaving drinks.....

Check out those legs

4.5 miles in 34:20 (PB)
Route: DfES - Home 1

Another minute off my personal best time! I don't think I can go much faster than this. I got lucky with the traffic the whole way along - Piccadilly, Oxford Street, Euston Road, Camden... very rare that you get a clean run. Didn't stop at all - ran it in one go. Physically, felt pretty good throughout - no problems with my knee. Should probably start upping the mid-week distance a little.

Weather was good - still avoiding the worst of the rain and it hasn't got too cold yet. It's pleasantly cool.

Did a slight variation on my usual route to cut out Oxford Circus. There are crowd barriers up at the moment and it makes it very congested - even more so than usual. One of the nice things about heading over to Windsor is getting away from all of that!

In other news, have launched my fundraising campaign by asking people I work with to sponsor me instead of chucking in for a leaving collection (remember guys, you can sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/jonathanduff). Am optimistic, not least because I flashed my increasingly-toned thighs to the lovely ladies (and men - although I am less hopeful on that front) in the Secretary of State's office this evening before setting off. In fact, the Sec of State got an eyeful as well - hopefully he'll chuck in a few quid...

Busy for the next few nights and am off to the Norwich Beer Festival this weekend (Charlie, if you're reading, it wont be the same without ya) so next run likely to be Saturday afternoon in Lowestoft along the sea front. Will aim for around 7 miles.

Royal Windsor

7 miles in 60:00
Route: Windsor Circuit 2
40 minutes of squash - Andrew 3 -1 Jonathan

A day in Windsor with my good friend Andrew! It felt good to be running around the Great Park again. This is a classic route - oft run in preparation for the Windsor Half. The Park is beautiful - at one point on the route, a dozen or so deer ran past me. Fantastic! It was a bit wet, but if anything that made the running all the more pleasant.

Fairly pleased with the time - nothing spectacular but a steady pace. Andrew biked alongside me and ran around the central loop, so we had a short delay while he locked up his bike. Otherwise, I tried not to stop too much. Also, the route is quite hilly, so it was nicely challenging.

The squash game afterwards was slightly less successful. 3-1 to Andrew, the swine! He seems to have the edge on me at the moment. Yes, I had just run 7 miles while he cruised around on his bike, but it's no excuse. The first game he wiped the floor with me. By the second, I had found my form and did the same to him. Games 3 and 4 were too close to call and could have gone either way - in the end Andrew's killer instinct (or my lack of it) won through. Not all bad however. I was happy to have given him a game, and the work-out is intense!

Might try to run 3 times next week. Not going to overdo it this far from the marathon. Sticking to 6-8 miles at the weekend is plenty for now.

After a busy day...

4.5 miles in 35:25 (PB)
Route: DfES - Home 1

... run home! It really is the best way to work out some frustration and make you feel positive about things again. I was drifting in and out of consciousness looking at ECHO cases this afternoon (something which the drafters had apparently been doing as well, based on some of the letters sent up for approval) so it felt really good to escape my desk (at 7.15pm) and fly home in a personal best time. Really pleased. Got lucky with traffic and only stopped for a minute to stretch at the corner of Regent's Park, which clearly made the difference.

It made me wonder just how quick I could do this route, if I put my mind to it. Scanning back over my training log, it amazes me to see the difference a year of training makes. On 16 November 2005, it took me 44:45 to do the same route. I'm nearly 10 minutes quicker! I'm sure I can get it down below 34 if I push. Part of my training for the marathon will be speed work, so there's no reason why I can't see how quick I can go. Will keep you posted.

In other news, my knee has been feeling pretty stiff the last few weeks. I have decided - based upon no medical judgment whatsoever - that running may actually help. If I find that it makes it worse (and I suppose that would be the logical prediction) I might need to get it checked out.

Running with Andrew in Windsor on Sunday. I'm going to make him do at least 6 miles and he's going to hate it. I'll let him beat me at squash later in the day to make him feel better.

A farewell to the Saturday lie in

4.3 miles in 32:21
Route: The Two Parks

My first run with the Serpentine Running Club! Got up at the last possible minute to join Stephen (a fellow York grad) at Speaker's Corner for a cheeky circuit of Hyde Park. It was a fast one! Averages 8 miles an hour - which is way quicker than usual. If I ran the marathon at that pace, I'd finish in just over 3 hours!! My target time, for the record, is around 4 hours, and I'll be very pleased if I make that!!

It's a beautiful morning in London - the sun is out and it feels good to be out of bed before midday. Having said that, it was a bit of wrench getting up early on a Saturday! I think I'm going to join the Serpentine Club - I think it makes sense to have the support when my training starts to get serious. Their website www.serpentine.org.uk is brilliant if you are a London runner and need advice on some good routes. Was good running with other people too - I've gotten pretty fed up of running with just my Ipod since Andrew hung up his trainers.

Am feeling very positive at the moment. I know there are tough times ahead, but you've got to enjoy these moments.

Into the Dark

4.5 miles in 36:57
Route: DfES - Home 1

The classic route home from work - from DfES, up the side of St James' Park, up the steps to Piccadilly Circus, through Soho, Carnaby Street, past TopShop and up Great Portland Street, along the east side of Regents Park (where the seemed to be a night time sculpture exibition going on and lots of drunk people), through Camden and up through Camden Square to home. It was a really nice run - stayed dry and was very warm for October!

Didn't finish work until 8:30pm, so glad that I still made myself run. It's so easy to slip when it's dark and potentially wet. I suppose you have to remember that running home is much more fun than spending roughtly the same amount of time on the Piccadilly Line....

It did strike me tonight that I will soon no longer have the luxury of a Ministerial office to warm up in, which leaves me with two options i) warm up outside - not recommended in winter or ii) find another spot in DfES. What will my new team think?!

Have been good about eating well this week as well. Have - so far - cut out the worst of the snacking (not helped at all by the PO lifestyle) and been eating sensible meals in the evening (albeit at 9pm, which can't be good). Instructed team that we should stock up on healthy foods - celery, carrotts and cucumber for dipping in humous or, failing that, a big salad bowl where the printer currently stands. They didn't take me seriously.

This morning I saw someone getting on the tube at Cally Road eating peanut butter from a jar with a spoon. Hayley suggested that a Snickers bar contains 800 calories. We must also remember that it takes 5 and a half hours of croquet to burn off two scones with jam and cream. I'm not sure what I can do with any of that information, but I feel it should be recorded.

Next run on Saturday with Stephen and the Serpentine Running Club. I feel this will be a one-off as I can't see myself giving up a saturday lie in that often. Or ever in fact.

Have downloaded Eye of the Tiger onto my Ipod and have started work on my training plan for the next 6 months. Will publish as soon as it's finalised.

The First Steps

5.2 miles in 42:00
Route: Highbury and Islington Circuit 1

Well, officially this is the first run of my London Marathon campaign. It's also my first run in a month and since missing the Windsor Half after getting tonsilitis. Did the Highbury and Islington route - one of my favourites - which takes me up around the new Arsenal stadium, across Highbury fields, down Essex Road and back through the Islington suburbs. It was a good way to get my legs back.

Given that I was cruising 11 miles only 4 weeks ago, you'd be forgiven for thinking a mere 5 miles is a bit crap. And, it would be fair to say that this wasn't the easiest 5 miles of my life. But I got around and I always think that one run is better than no runs. The first steps have been taken!

Actually, I didn't feel that bad. My knee is a bit stiff (but I hope that will improve with more exercise - it seems to) and I'm certainly less fit than I was, but I'm not starting completely from scratch, and that's important. The next step is to plan my running programme between here and April. And then to start raising money.

Today is also the day of the Nike North v South Run in Hyde Park. Have just discovered that the South won - convincingly by the sounds of it. Oh well, let them have it. We'll just have to be content with the tube and all the major tourist attractions.

Despite my Nothern loyalty, was pleased to hear that Helen Noakes completed the 10K in 67 mins - a fantastic achievement! Am really pleased for her - we've been comrades-in-arms over the summer, so am totally chuffed that she finished in her target time. I also have to thank Helen for donating her old Ipod clip (mine had completely worn out) which got it's first sucessful outing today. Also should thank Dunstan for suggesting I order a new Ipod battery from ebay for a mere £8. My old mini lives again!

Have decided I will buy a new pair of trainers in the week off I have booked at the start of November before starting my new job. Hope to get in a couple of runs a week between then and now.

Might run home from work tomorrow - will see how the weather looks.