Blister in the sun

Day:         111

Distance: 11.86km/7.37 miles

Time:       59:41 secs

Calories:  914

It's the last of the long runs. It doesn't feel all that long though as it's one of the shortest runs I've done since I started my marathon training - only the run at the end of week one was shorter than this. Still, I guess that's exactly what this tapering lark is supposed to be about.

It's another beautifully sunny morning and while it's a pleasure to run 7 miles or so in weather like this I am wondering what 26.2 miles in similar conditions will feel like. I've just checked the BBC's outlook for next week and it tells me that:

Temperatures will remain well above the seasonal average ... more dry weather can be expected across the south of England and Wales, whilst April's rain and showers will be found further north.

Granted, the BBC's weather forecasts should always be taken with a pinch of salt but it looks like I may need to get used to running in lovely, sunny, punishing weather. Still, it'll be nice for spectators.

Anyway, back to the run and the running playlist must have sensed that this was the last of the long runs as it saw me out in style. Around 20 minutes in I was treated to the finest threesome that an honest married man can enjoy; "I wanna be sedated" by the Ramones, "Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)" by the Vaccines and "Get Free" by the Vines. Three perfectly formed nuggets of rock n' roll to propel me along the street of London. At the time it feels as if my ipod has judged my mood perfectly, but then I remember that the playlist is stuffed to the seams with tunes of this quality - a fact that is highlighted when the Vines segue into Funeral Party's "Finale" which has a fantastic riff built for speed.

Although I have now decided to run the marathon sans ipod the running playlist has been fantastic for the training runs that I've done over the last few months. It's been there to spur me on when energy levels have dropped, it's been there to put a smile on my face when the right song comes on at the right moment and it's been integral to my enjoyment of the last 111 days. I had originally planned to use it on the marathon, but I've been advised that the crowd and the atmosphere of the day do the exact same job. In addition, I have friends and family coming out to watch me so I'd like to be able to see those who do come out to cheer me on.

Speaking of spectators, I need to sit down at some point and work out where I'm going to be at certain points. I'll post those details up over the next few days.

Anyway, to finish off today's post I'm going to leave you with another song from the Vaccines. I've mentioned this band quite a few times on this blog (not as many times as the National, admittedly). I picked up their wonderfully titled debut album "What did you expect from the Vaccines?" last week and I'm really pleased with it, so here's their latest single which features a very insistent chorus and a great line about "all the friends I do not like as much as you".

Drawing it forward, pushing it back

Day:         67

Distance: 11km

Time:       59:21 secs

Calories:  843

The training plan is less specific than usual, my sole instruction: "60 mins fartlek". Not 2 mins easy 8 mins fast or anything like that, just 60 minutes of fartlek running. 

With this new found creative freedom I take the opportunity to create a new, less structured, fartlek playlist. It contains many of the usual suspects, but also gives me the chance to throw some different stuff into the mix. The first change in tempo comes around 5 mins into the run when Adele's heartbreakingly beautiful "Someone like you" segues into the Datsuns' pedal to the metal riffing monster "MF from hell". Such a juxtaposition has no right working, but it's fantastic for a run like this and I soon find myself tearing up the streets bellowing out the expletive strewn chorus. It's a good thing that no-one's around at this early hour of the day.

The whole point of fartlek (or, "speed play") is to alternate paces with periods of slow running augmented by bursts of speed. The playlist sees me swinging from slow acoustic numbers like "Don't leave" by Faithless and "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix into punky tunes like "I wish I was someone better" by Blood Red Shoes, "A whole Child Ago" by Biffy Clyro and "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys. Good Lord, why have I never thought to add that last one to the actual running playlist? Not only is it a fantastic song, the 70s cop show spoof which accompanied the single release back in 1994 is one of the finest music videos ever made. Fact.

It's fair to say that this new playlist made for a most enjoyable run. While it probably wasn't as knackering as the more structured sessions I've been doing recently it still took it out of me and by the time the last slow song was rolling by I was about ready to stagger home. Until, that is, said slow song gave way for Funeral Party's fittingly titled "Finale". When the driving, insistent riff kicks in after 30 seconds my legs, energy levels and speed all pick up and the 60 minute run ends triumphantly.

But what of the actual run, I hear you say. Well, interestingly the Run Keeper stats for each of the 11 kilometres would suggest to a casual observer that this wasn't a fartlek run at all as they're remarkably constant (averaging 5:24 mins/km). Of course, these times mask the actual highs and lows so it's interesting to see that my slowest minute was jogged at 7:10 mins/km, while the fastest minute saw me propelled along, like a MF from hell, at just 3:49 mins/km. 

One February Friday

Day:         54

Distance: 6.76km

Time:       39.37secs

Calories:  563

It's another early start and one that isn't helped by the fact that the last song I hear while getting my running gear together is "Shoot the runner" by Kasabian. Thanks for those words of encouragement XFM.

Putting worries about the possibly prophetic nature of the song to one side I head out and find that my legs are feeling the effects of yesterday's fartlek outing. This just gets better.

On the plus side, I do have company today as Jim joins me for a pre-work run. He's now just 3 weeks away from the Silverstone Half Marathon and he already has designs on the St Albans Half Marathon later in the year - I think this underlines the addictive nature of running. Jim started running 10k events a few years back and his experience (along with other friends) inspired me to give it a go for myself, since running my first 10k in November 2008 I've been hooked and haven't looked back.

As ever, I digress.

Once we set off my legs stop protesting and we tackle this 7km route at a fairly easy pace (averaging 5:51 mins/km across the 40 minutes). Although the training plan recommends "45 mins steady" I'm quite happy to run at this pace as I've still got another run to do on Sunday and at 26km or so I want to be in a fit state for that.

Assuming all goes to plan, the run on Sunday will take me to five runs this week, which I'm really pleased about. I only managed to fit three in last week and, as a result, felt like I wasn't doing enough so it's good to be hitting the target set by the training plan again this week. I was always a little concerned about how to fit the running around work and a social life but the fact that I was in the mosh pit at Funeral Party's gig at Cargo last night and still got up for a 6.30am run suggests that it is doable.
 

Funeral Party's energetic stage show in full, irresistible flow. I was down the front. Should have thanked them for providing one of the standout tracks on my running playlist ("NYC moves to the sound of LA")