Street Life

12.6 miles in 1:43:09
Route: Hyde Park circuit 2

“I’ll play the street life, because there’s no place I can go;
street life, it’s the only life I know.”

Well said Randy Crawford, who was obviously a marathon runner before she took up singing.

Today’s run was the longest one I have done since completing the ’05 Windsor Half nearly a year and a half ago. It was only just short of a half-marathon, but I completed it about 20 minutes quicker than my Windsor time. Next week, I push on into the unknown…

I modified my classic central London route, which takes me down through Camden, Regents Park, Baker Street, through Mayfair, around Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens and back through Paddington, Maida Vale and St John’s Wood. It’s a nice route, but I’m slightly frustrated with myself for not trying something new. I have resolved to mix things up a little in future, after I have completed the next two weeks runs with Stephen.

The route took me around the Serpentine (below), the lake which lends its name to the running club I belong to:

Indeed, I was wearing my distinctive Serpentine Running Club top (red with two yellow bands around it – I’ll organise a picture) and got a couple of waves from what I assume were other club members, running incognito.

It’s been a really hard week of training and I started this run with a few aches and pains, notably my right hip (which sorted itself out quickly enough) and my right calf (which didn’t). Thankfully, tomorrow is a much needed rest day and next week is a cross-training week, which should give my limbs a bit of a rest. Happily, my knee has been ok – although it is a little sore now.

I am settling into my training regime, which is following a bit of a pattern. Monday is a rest day (after the weekend long run), Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are mixed sessions, often speed work of some kind or a steady run, Friday is a rest day, Saturday is hill training and Sunday is my long run. I am fairly happy with this approach, so long as my body can keep up.

Incidentally, I have decided that I will give up alcohol after my birthday next month (I’ll be 29 on 16th March!). I’m going to get hammered on Friday 16th, recover on Saturday 17th, get on the wagon on Sunday 18th and stay there until race day. I intend to be very strict about this – I have trained for months now and I want to be in top condition on April 22nd – now only 63 days away!!

Off to the cinema tonight to see Blood Diamond and contemplate my aches and pains, both of which are now a firm Sunday night tradition.

Missing something: The 'Flower' Walk in Hyde Park