Tag Archives: London

2012 – London’s year

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That’s 2011 finished and a week since Christmas.  Despite late starting with running last week – with Christmas Day and Christmas food getting in the way – I picked up and did 20 miles over 3 runs.  Last run just before lunch on New Years Eve – 4 miles at just better than 7 minutes 15 seconds per mile (a nice pace).  And a new last run of 2011.

The serious marathon training starts now with the mileage picking up fast.  25 miles planned over 4 runs this coming week.  Still need to think about 3 or 4 or even 5 runs a week and what the optimum number is.  A bit more research and thinking needed.

130 ish miles done in December.  And all at around the planned marathon pace – getting used to running at that pace, so the plan may be working!  Longer ones needed now to make sure I can hold it.

2012 promises to be an amazing year for London – the London Marathon in April, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June and then the London 2012 Olympics over the summer.

The London New Year’s Eve fireworks set the bar last night showing what London can do and what the celebrations this year will be like.  An awesome display last night and absolutely now best in the world.  11 minutes long and costing a bargain £2 million – click here to see the full video on the BBC News web site – it’s very impressive.  Could be seen and heard all the way from Twickenham where we are.

A very Happy New Year to you and here’s to 2012 bringing everything you wish and hope for, and more.

Let it (virtually) snow

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In the absence of real snow, we have the virtual alternative.  Watch this page slowly and you’ll see “snowflakes” falling across it after a few seconds – the wonders of clever technology (thanks to WordPress).  On a similar thread, Google have their own little snowy themed “Easter Egg” this year.  Go to the main Google page, type in “let it snow” – without the “” – and click search.  Snow starts to fall across your screen and after a while it frosts up and a new defrost button appears.  Have never understood how someone has the time to develop these and why.  Maybe I need to read a bit more about them – by clicking on the link above.  I’m sure there’s some logic behind them somewhere.

A white Christmas in London this year?  Probably not – no sign still of the arctic winter that was predicted.  Though little Mr. Noble has now had 2 snowy Christmas times – not on Christmas Day specifically but around then – out of the 2 he’s had in total.  His 3rd this year.

8 miles an hour and parkruns

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So close – an 8 mile run yesterday at 25 seconds per mile faster than planned marathon pace (should have been 30 seconds but slowed down after first 5 miles).  Great run into Bushy Park and some huge stags around – with massive antlers on them.  Very impressive to see.  It’s fantastic running through Bushy Park – much bigger than you realise and great natural scenery in the middle of West London.

And home to what must be the biggest parkrun of all – 9am every Saturday morning throughout the year, 750+ runners (plus volunteers) doing a 5km run fun.  Some in under 15 minutes as well – awesome to see and great fun to run as well (a fine way to start a weekend).  Haven’t done now for a good few months, on the to list for the New Year.  See the Bushy Park page on the Park Run website for more info.

 

 

Pace running

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What a fine start to the week.  Swimming with little Mr. Noble in the morning and then a 50 minute run home at marathon pace – 8 minutes per mile.  And a massage planned for this afternoon.

Managed to do 7 minute 50 second average pace for the run and it felt good.  More runs needed at that pace for longer distance.  Want to get used to running at that speed, so I know what it feels like and it becomes almost second nature.

More reading last night and a new book on order from Amazon – Run Less Run Faster.  After reading an article in Runners World this month, where a guy around my age, subscribed to this new training plan and got his marathon time below what he’d done some 20 years or so ago.  Sure his times was around 2 hours 20 minutes (that’s a sprint for me) but the theory is the same.  4 or 5 runs a week and 2 sessions of hard cross training.  The runs being one long one (but never more than 16 miles), one a speed work, one at marathon pace and then one medium distance one.

The theory is to get used to running the last 16 miles – so you know what it feels like.  The first 10, you know you can do.  The last 16 will be hard (very hard if my memory serves me right from 2009), so need to train to be able to do those well.  And run slow to start with and then slow down some more.  This last bit is the biggest challenge, and even more so when there are 35,000 or so other people running and everyone’s raring to go at the start.  In the last half marathon I did in September, I started way way too fast and ran into problems at around 8 miles – crazy!

And if you’ve never the London Marathon this is what it looks like at the start …

And this is the official video of start for the 2011 London Marathon – courtesy of the BBC News website.

Running another 26.2 miles

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As many of you know, I’m running the London Marathon next year for the charity Whizz-Kidz, who raise money for disabled children and young people. These guys help provide wheelchairs for the children and help them lead more active lives. After doing the marathon in 2009 – for the charity Sense International – I thought it was time for another go, to (a) raise more money for charity and (b) with the right training beat my first time!  The official training programme starts soon – once I’ve written it. One nice longish run (15 miles) done this week along the river by Kingston and Hampton Court. And a lot more to come!

Yes I’m blogging

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Welcome to my brand new blog.  Insights into technology, all things Apple, the universe and the wonderful world of physics and the very best (and worst) in customer services.  With a bit of blogging about my London Marathon 2012 training plan and progress and karate training!  Me in a nutshell and everything I’m passionate about!  Stay tuned…