Week Ten

Tuesday - 3 miles
Wednesday - 15 miles
Saturday - 3.5 hours (20 miles)

My first run this week was with Toby, who has not run properly since his knee problems started but since having physio has been much improved.  I suggested we run 5k together, but after 3k he was struggling and suggested he walk back while I continue.  In typical unreasonable fashion, I declined, and insisted we keep running as, "it's all in your head" and "if it's not a stabbing pain, you don't need to stop".  He suggested we stop at Millenium Bridge and walk from there.  I declined again: "You've almost done it now, it'll be worth it afterwards".  To my delight, he did me proud and finished the job.  His knee was OK afterwards, his physio is pleased and he did another 5k today (Sunday).  Which is good because we have signed up to do a marathon together!  We are off to Tromsø in Norway in June to do the Midnight Sun marathon - one of the ones I've always wanted to do, yippee!

Because I did such a short distance on Tuesday, I knew I'd have to do extra later in the week to make up the mileage.  On Wednesday I did an 8-4 shift on placement so I was home early enough that it was still light.  This was too much of a gift to miss so I headed out on an evening 15-miler incorporating quite a few major landmarks!

Top row: Battersea Park lake, view towards Albert bridge
Middle row: Albert memorial (Hyde Park), Speaker's Corner (Hyde Park)
Bottom row:  Big Ben, South Bank

This has been another exhausting week at placement and the last thing I felt like doing was getting up at 7am on Saturday morning for another long run,  but obviously I did it anyway.

It was a slow route, pootling round lots of familiar bits of Horsham.  Midway through, I found myself running in the wrong direction through the local Parkrun (not recommended!)

When I got home I was eating a Clif bar and Iz asked me what it was.  I explained that it was a snack with lots of carbohydrates in it and that this one (oatmeal/raisin/walnut) is my favourite.  Unfortunately it is really difficult to get hold of and most running shops don't stock it, so I have to sneak into the most hostile and unpleasant environments to source them..... (cycling shops!  Hiss!!!)

That reminded me that my favourite gels (High5 banana) are also impossible to find so I have to buy them by the box from the internet.  Literally nowhere stocks these bad boys.  They taste like foam bananas and I love them more than any other gel.  Iz thought I was being a bit of a princess because all my favourites are obscure and nowhere sells them... I don't know what to say to that!  Maybe I just have exclusive tastes!!!

On Sunday, my training plan said I needed to do some other cross-training.  I'd already planned that I was going to take my new rollerblades out for a spin with Iz but as it was forecast to rain we made an early start.  It was great fun and I took to them quite quickly and we rolled around the South Bank for a couple of hours.  It was all going really well until I went over a bump in the pavement and landed pretty heavily on my arse - I expect I'm going to have a pretty major bruise as it's still sore 10 hours later.  I have to say rollerblading is amazingly good fun though....

...even if the fun police are trying to stop us!

Hope you're all having a lovely week, the next couple of weekends feature interesting runs so do come back next week to read about the latest insanity.  Sponsor the madness here:  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/marathonmadness Thank you so much to everyone who already has, you are all wonderful people xx