Day: 35
Distance: 19.59km
Time: 1:43:14 secs
Calories: 1,514
Lent is over. We went out to meet up with some friends last night and any resolve that I had not to drink crumbled as soon as I saw the ales on offer in the East Dulwich Tavern. A man can only be so strong when faced with Tribute, Ubu Purity and Doom Bar on tap and bottles of Brooklyn Lager, Meantime and Samuel Adams chilling in the fridge. So I made it three weeks without even a snifter of alcohol, not quite what I'd intended but also not too bad either.
Knowing that I had a long run scheduled for the next morning I decided to take it pretty easy. So, why oh why did I wake up with a foggy head and a throat as dry as the Gobi desert? I'd intended on getting up and going for a run at 7:30am or thereabouts but in the event I made it out the door at 9am. Again, not quite what I'd intended but also not too bad either.
Lent is over. We went out to meet up with some friends last night and any resolve that I had not to drink crumbled as soon as I saw the ales on offer in the East Dulwich Tavern. A man can only be so strong when faced with Tribute, Ubu Purity and Doom Bar on tap and bottles of Brooklyn Lager, Meantime and Samuel Adams chilling in the fridge. So I made it three weeks without even a snifter of alcohol, not quite what I'd intended but also not too bad either.
Knowing that I had a long run scheduled for the next morning I decided to take it pretty easy. So, why oh why did I wake up with a foggy head and a throat as dry as the Gobi desert? I'd intended on getting up and going for a run at 7:30am or thereabouts but in the event I made it out the door at 9am. Again, not quite what I'd intended but also not too bad either.
Jim wasn't available to join me for a Sunday run today, so instead of the usual discussions about football, music and runner's nipple, I had the running playlist for company. Across a total of 103 minutes of running the compilation which I have been carefully putting together over recent weeks didn't let me down once. I enjoyed a fine mixture of tunes from the Stones, the Ramones, the Sex Pistols and the Clash amongst others but special mention must go to Idlewild and the Rakes. Allow me to explain why.
The route I took today was basically an extended version of the 3 Park Run Jim and I have done over the last couple of weeks. The route features a number of hills. The first of which hove into sight at around the 9km mark in Brockwell Park. As I approached the hill my legs were feeling somewhat sorry for themselves, but they were given a real burst of energy when Idlewild's 2009 single "Readers and Writers" burst into glorious life with its trumpet and glockenspiel propelling me up the hill with a spring in my step.
The second hill was never part of the route I had intended to run, I ad-libbed and added it in when I realised that the planned route wasn't going to last for the 100 minutes demanded by the training plan. So I found myself on Forest Hill Road - 17km into the run - staring down the barrel of another hill when the Rakes' "Strasbourg" started up with its insistent guitar riff and fantastic lyrics; "our children must have rock n' roll" indeed. Again, I found myself carried along by the simple power of rock n' roll.
I've said all along on this blog that the running playlist is an integral element of my training and that the right song played at the right time can make all the difference. Today's run provides a perfect illustration of this. Despite my wife's protests I fully intend to be running the London Marathon with my ipod strapped to my arm, so if you happen to see me cranking out an awesome riff on my air guitar or maybe singing along with some of the lyrics you'll know that I'm being treated to one of those songs that can make all the difference.
One other thing to note before I go is that this run wasn't too far off of a half marathon distance. The one and only time I've run a half marathon my legs turned to jelly as soon as I crossed the finishing line. My legs were undoubtedly aching at the end of this run, but they didn't turn to jelly and I actually felt as though I could continue running. Of course, it may well be the case that I pay the price tomorrow ...
The route I took today was basically an extended version of the 3 Park Run Jim and I have done over the last couple of weeks. The route features a number of hills. The first of which hove into sight at around the 9km mark in Brockwell Park. As I approached the hill my legs were feeling somewhat sorry for themselves, but they were given a real burst of energy when Idlewild's 2009 single "Readers and Writers" burst into glorious life with its trumpet and glockenspiel propelling me up the hill with a spring in my step.
The second hill was never part of the route I had intended to run, I ad-libbed and added it in when I realised that the planned route wasn't going to last for the 100 minutes demanded by the training plan. So I found myself on Forest Hill Road - 17km into the run - staring down the barrel of another hill when the Rakes' "Strasbourg" started up with its insistent guitar riff and fantastic lyrics; "our children must have rock n' roll" indeed. Again, I found myself carried along by the simple power of rock n' roll.
I've said all along on this blog that the running playlist is an integral element of my training and that the right song played at the right time can make all the difference. Today's run provides a perfect illustration of this. Despite my wife's protests I fully intend to be running the London Marathon with my ipod strapped to my arm, so if you happen to see me cranking out an awesome riff on my air guitar or maybe singing along with some of the lyrics you'll know that I'm being treated to one of those songs that can make all the difference.
One other thing to note before I go is that this run wasn't too far off of a half marathon distance. The one and only time I've run a half marathon my legs turned to jelly as soon as I crossed the finishing line. My legs were undoubtedly aching at the end of this run, but they didn't turn to jelly and I actually felt as though I could continue running. Of course, it may well be the case that I pay the price tomorrow ...
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