As a youngster, I would get home from School, get changed and go out to play with my pals.
Now I'm older, I get home from work, get changed and go out to play with my pals, but now I call it training.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

.....to see the queen


After my long run on Saturday I called into town to collect my Dick Whittington costume for Sundays trip to London. I went there with my pal Darren who dressed up as Dicks cat.

I was dreading getting up at 4am to collect Daz and drive to Newcastle for the 6am 'olympic special' train. It wasn't too bad though - only 2 hours earlier than I seem to be getting up these days for no apparent reason.

In Newcastle were children already waving union flags as they also made their way to the station with parents. After the British successes and particularly Mo Farahs historic 5000m win the previous evening it felt like we were all heading to the biggest party of the century.


Early in London


I didn't end up getting the job as Londons mayor, but the streets were certainly paved with gold. The sunshine, in stark contrast to the conditions met one week earlier for the womens marathon, streamed through the patchy clouds all day long and helped make 12th August one of the best days of the year.

Not training on Sunday I figured I should do something worthwhile on Monday (rather than my usual jogging with Scamp). After a reasonably swift mile warm up I ran the Houghton 5 circuit more or less as hard as I could. I was very unhappy to beat 6 pace by merely 10 seconds  (that's 10 overall, not 10 per mile). The difference from the run with Plucky one week earlier surely suggests that his route is not accurate - for I know mine is. I suppose the 23miles hilly bike ride and 60 mins fellwalk earlier in the day would have had some effect on my run - but not a lot in just 5 miles, as they were both very easy pace anyway.

Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda - 22 miles before he became the Olympic Marathon Champion


Scamps jog was done on Tuesday then Wednesday I didn't train at all. I felt absolutely knackered. Perhaps the inexplicable early mornings were/are beginning to catch up with me? Anyway, I know better then to train feeling so jaded. This leaves me with my intervals session to do tonight. I will be on my own so will stick to my tried and tested mile reps - possibly a two miler as well depending on time available (appointment with the man who takes my money to inflict pain on my legs in the name of sports massage)

Lesothos Tesepo Ramonene - 85th place in 2:55:54
 (knew I should have moved to Lesotho 20 years ago when I had the chance)


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