The Extra day!!

Day 60 of the 366 days running challenge. 13.4 miles. Miles to date 360.2 This is the day that is making me run 366 instead of 365 days, but I'm not holding that against it. As the alarm went off unexpectedly at 6am, my wife stirred and said "are you running to work", followed shortly by "fool". After a no.2 in the garden and some chewy biscuits, I re-locked the dog up and set off, having earned a few brownie points with Fi via a cup of tea in bed. Annie Page very kindly agreed to keep me company and we set off from Flitwick train station, heading over to the moor and then in the direction of Pulloxhill. As always, once out on the trails, it felt great even with last nights speed session still in the legs a tad. We wound around the fields and headed to the John Bunyan oak tree, where JB did a lot of preaching donkeys years ago. After a few tourist pictures at the oak, Annie and I parted. I headed onto the back road into Luton and hit major traffic around 4 miles from the town centre. I ran past a bus, feeling a bit sorry for the passengers. I found myself increasing my speed and getting faster and faster. The bus overtook me and that was it, bang, the race was on. I figured that a mixture of traffic and stops meant that I had a chance of beating it over the last three miles. We then played cat and mouse, with it catching me, the bus stopping, the lead alternating, the miles getting shorter and the adrenalin flowing. We were neck and neck for a while, until the traffic became heavier in the last mile as we went through a built up shopping district. The street was very busy and I dodged in and out of the pedestrians running at around a 6.40 pace. I reached the main cross roads, looked back and saw the bus quite a way behind at which point I promptly realised what a numpty I must have looked. Still, who cares. I beat the bus, yippeeee. Yep, sad I know.

Its the boy Jones fault...

Day 59 of the 366 days running challenge. 6.7 miles. Miles to date 346.8 A hard session at the club tonight, taken ably by Adrian Wadsworth and Richard Jones. Given satnav was in charge, it came as a relief to find we weren't taken off across the fields in twelve different directions and that I made it home before it was time to get up and go to work. I think one of my children recognised me although the other was startled when I walked in, but a bit of calm talking convinced her it was me. I had to hold back a little tonight. I've got another early morning 14 miler into work planned for Wednesday and a flat out speed session would have done me in. I settled for a harder run, but throttled back on the hill reps and tried to take it easier. I also have my first marathon of the year on Sunday, so I also had that in mind. Still, I've got a feeling that I might be a bit lack lustre in the energy department in the morning, so I'm off to have a couple of scrummie home made flapjacks. There are benefits to this long distance running lark.

The vino run

Day 58 of the 366 days running challenge. 3 miles. Miles to date 340.1 I decided against leaving the car in the dogger's delight car park off the A6, and headed instead over to my old village of Wilstead. I ran past the first ever house I bought (I'm only on two now) and that of old friends Ann and Steve Mathers , recalling the day not long after we first met when we knocked back nine bottles of wine and various other assorted beverages. Well, perhaps recall isn't an accurate reflection from after the fourth bottle. The vague memory of that and other jolly nights and a bit of Frank Sinatra via the long play i-pod thingy, saw me through a dark, wet and in truth dull run up and down the main road. Another great night with the Mathers, led to my wife trying to cut my hair in the early hours with a bikini trimmer on its lowest setting. That caused a subsequent flat top hair cut, with the sides being almost bald. Trying explaining that to a Judge the next day. I looked more like the accused than the lawyer.

The 12th farmers field No.2 of the year

Now, how many things can happen when your wife drops you off eight miles from home and you decide to run back. Mmmm, at least the following ;-

1. Within 5 minutes you realise you shouldn't have had the cake and extra large coffee 14 minutes beforehand at the garden centre;
2. Within 12 mins, you realise there ain't no way you are going to get home without a number 2;
3. Within 14 mins, you run into a fly tip area, locate an old cement bag, rip it to shreds and do the deed;
4. Get attacked by a dog;
5. Get an itchy posterior due to what feels like cement dust;
6. Fall over a stile into a thorn bush;
7. Run past a pub where loads of blokes are watching sport and feel like a fitness fanatic;
8. Wish you were in the pub feeling like Homer Simpson;
9. At almost every off road path sign, decide to go down it and see where it goes;
10. Run to the top of the field brow's and marvel in the views all around;
11. Realise you are on a farmers field, lose your bearings and run through the crop;
12. Feel as though your jacksie is about to cement up totally or explode (hopeing for the latter);
13. On the road sections, feel as though you are going quite slow, look at the watch and note you are doing 8 minute mileing (rare);
14. Start feeling better and stronger at the end of the run than the start;
15. Learn what sandpaper underpants might feel like.

What a most unexpected and great run. If I wasn't running the 366, I might have spent today sitting in front of the telly, resting on my laurels for the 20 miler I did yesterday, although in truth this is the start of the ultra training season for me. Still, I doubt I would have gone out for an 8 miler, so I am a happy chappie tonight.

Day 56 of the 366 days running challenge. 20 miles. Miles to date 329


Another cracking Saturday run cross country with yet another SMC record turnout of 22. The weather was distinctly warmer than the -10 of a few weeks ago, which caused a rash of lilly white legs to appear, clashing violently with the riot of coloured clothing on view. It was as if Sweatshop had had a closing down sale and you got a bargain, but only in the colours no one else wanted. I added to the mix with my Welsh dragon vest, worn in anticipation of beating the sassenachs in the six nations ( which we duly did). Satnav Jones hi-jacked the route plan early doors, taking us of piste a number of times. It was a bit of a concern that he had to look at his map so often, but the boy done good in the end bringing the final five in for a spot on twenty. On the way, we had a few drop off points for peeps doing a variety of distances, with a number of new faces joining us hopefully for the first of many longer runs. It looks to me as though everyone did more or less what they wanted in terms of mileage and hopefully all the new bods enjoyed the countryside as much as the seasoned distance crew. Or the old blokes as we are otherwise known. I cant tell you where we went, cos I don't really know for sure, which is rare for me. 
 We were out for a long time, which meant I had no clean clothes or time to change before going straight to an athletics training workshop, which required me to do lots of dynamic stretching exercises, which I can tell you are not best done after a twenty miler and having stiffened up in the car. At least I dropped mud all over their inside track in revenge. Mind you,  I then felt bad and picked it all up. Mmm, smelt a bit when I got home, 7 hours after leaving it. Still, 14 hours rest before the next run. Loads of time...

Photos of SMC run 25.02.12

Luton Hoooooo

Day 55 of the 366 days running challenge. 5.2 miles. Miles to date 309

Having worked in Luton for 20 years, I thought I knew most of it. The joy of running for me is in part that it can take you off some where new. After a mile to get out of town, I stumbled on the back entrance to Luton Hoo and headed into the grounds. Its a stately home, which has been part turned into hotel and golf course. I was only going to do 3 miles, but the sun was out, it felt the warmest it has this year, the miles were flying by and I found a new, albeit unathourised, trail. It was with some reluctance that I turned back for the office as I could have been out there for another five. Almost done in work, looking forward to weekend and loads of food tonight. Yippeee.

Day 54 of the 366 days running challenge. 8 miles. Miles to date 303.8 After yesterdays slightly longer X-C, my pins were a bit tight so instead of going faster, I plumped for an eight mile recovery run. It was a wise choice. Most of the lads had finished their dinner by the time I rolled in and some were probably getting ready for bed. I've entered my first marathon of the year a week on Sunday, so will be picking up the miles this week and next and dropping the speed work. That's how you train for a marathon isn't it...

Day 53 of the 366 days running challenge. 14.1 miles. Miles to date 295.8


First cross country mid week run into work for a while. Full story and picture record on my blog under the Wednesday in pics post. Check it out, including a pic of Niki Rouse as I have never seen her before - with proper clothes on??

Wednesday X-C in photos

After last night’s pancakes, I am happy to report that I managed to get through todays run without needing to pop into a bush or two. As the alarm went off at 6am, I was a tad tired. Fi had come home late from her book club last night and clearly had too much caffeine. After disscussing the progress of my book, she told me that I needed to run more races and do something more adventerious. Luckily I was sitting down at the time, albeit I subsequently could not get to sleep with all the race plans swirling through my mind.

 I was still dreaming of them as the alarm startled me into the land of the awake. I pulled on my tights, top and headed out the door with a coffee under one arm and a rucksack under the other. It was still dark as I pulled into Flitwick train station where I left my car, amidst the swarm of commuters heading into the big smoke for another days drudgery. 

I felt a little glee that they were commuting and I had at least two hours cross country fun in front of me before I turned back into a slightly smelly super solicitor bloke due to lack of showers in the office. I had my camera and took a few snaps of the commuters and station as I ran by, catching one strange looking women struggling up the stairs towards where I was standing. I knew I looked a bit odd but wasn’t expecting a complaint. Rather bizzarely, it turned out to be Niki Rouse from the club, on her way into London. Of all the people to take pictures of on the platform, it was her. I promptly apologised and said I didn’t recognise her with clothes on, which drew a few glances from the other commuters. She was in civvies and I have only ever seen her wearing running gear. I guess that’s true in reverse, including this morning as I was wearing running gear.

 I headed out of Flitwick, through the town moor and over towards Greenfield and then across country to Pulloxhill.

 There is a very large water tower at the top of the brow,that looks back towards Flitwick in one direction and Luton the other, which is where I was heading. I know the route very well and took every possible trail, with limited road running and at that point great views.

 I headed down the hill from the water tower on the other side, pausing to take a few snaps of the panoramic view in front of me. This is around the four mile mark and its about this time that the squirts hit, if they are going to make a guest appearance. They decided not to, as I ran past three places where I have stopped en-route before. I decided not to log my previous log stops on camera, even thought he physical evidence had long since gone. 

I carried on through a farm at the bottom and over even more fields, before reaching the outskirts of Barton Mill, which has been turned into a gathering of odds and sods shops which hadnt yet opened. 

I went through the grounds and for a time ran alongside the busy A6 heading into Luton, still feeling slighlty superior to the poor peeps in their cars. Will be me again tommorrow. 

Under the bypass and through a private road with a few expensive looking house’s. Some bloke in a very expensive looking Range Rover was about to shout, ‘’Gerrrr oofff mmmyyy lanndd’’, but I was away past him before he could pull up in his tank.

 Coming out of the security concious road, I turned right and started to cliumb up a steep, enclosed path through woods. At the top, I paused to look back, take a few more snaps and headed off towards a higher trig point above Luton Golf Club, still skirting around all the main roads into the town. By now, the wind had picked up and I struggled a wee bit through the course and up to the trig itself. At the top, Iooked back at the water tower to one side, uton directly in front of me and the magnificent views of the Hertfordshire countryside behind. I resisted the temptation to blow off work and instead, wound my way as far into the outskirts of Luton as I could before having to hit a few roads.

 I took a few more snaps of the cars and could only imagine what I looked like. There I was , standing very close to the road, cars going everywhere, wearing tight lycra running longs and top, rucksack, sweating,  somewhat dirty and certainly wind swepted clicking away at people in their cars as they drove past me. 

Having lost all sense of shame, I decided to run right down the high street snapping away at all and sundry. I eventually made it into work around thirty minutes late, tired, muddy but happy.