New day, new route

5.9 miles in 44:13
Route: DfES - Home 4

Yet another new route. Two reasons i) I felt it was time to up the distance of at least one of my mid-week runs and ii) because I am so bored of running the same old route home that I thought I would go crazy if I had to weave my way through all those Christmas shoppers again.

This new route took me from DfES, across St James's park, across Green Park and into Mayfair, through Berkley square, across Oxford St and, eventually, onto Baker Street, around the edge of Regents Park to Camden and then the usual route up the hill through Camden Sq to home. It was very dark in places - I nearly ran into people a few times, who were coming the other way. A whole group of people with bibs were running the opposite way around the outside of Regents Park. They didn't seem to realise that pavements are two-way affairs and I was forced into the road a couple of times to avoid a head-on collision. Unbelievable.

Fitness-wise it felt very good. Did the whole thing comfortably without stopping. The conditions were excellent - cool but not too cold. Pleased with my time too - never done this particular route before, but the time works out at 8mph average, or 7.5 minute miles. That's quick for me.

Have discovered that the citizenship adviser in my new team is an experienced runner, a graduate of the London Marathon and accomplished triathlete. I intend to soak up his wisdom in the coming months - he even offered to go out running with me (I've a feeling I would be greatly outclassed).

Am eating too much junk food at the moment. I really have no control of my diet. Need to cut out the really bad foods. It would be naive to think that I can do the marathon without eating better. Need to read up on nutrition. Off to eat a healthy baked potato with beans and no butter.

Well, maybe just a little bit.