OH MY

We did it. The Paris marathon is over and the training paid off. Unlike my first marathon in 2011 which was very much a solo affair I had my boyfriend good friend and 5 time marathon runner Pippa to get through our training plan this very long cold winter.

With a time of 3hours and 37 Minutes (that’s a 30 minute PB) I’m pretty happy and it turns out the time gets me entry into London next year. Two weeks ago I was never running another marathon but now, well maybe.

With London I was always against the clock in my training and it was very much my thing. Music was my best friend and Saturday was always our proper catch up but this time i barley listened to music and it was good. I learned to listen to my body and breathing more and when I got tweak and pains I could do something about it without panicking.

The conversations and silence you achieve on a 20 mile run is something different to music and it is one of the most wonderful things about running with others. You understand each other differently after that. But don’t get me wrong a run home through the city alone with my music blaring. That one is hard to beat to. Time and a place.

So Paris although more entrants than London seemed less hectic and more spacious, there was definitely less winding at the beginning. The conditions on the day could not have been better. We arrives at the Arc de Triomphe to see the sun rising and it stayed out all day with little wind but still cool at 10 – 11 degrees.

The route looped us across the city and through parts of Paris I will probably never see again, I loved the drummers and random bands and chants of allez allez along the way and the run along the river was a welcomed distraction.

Refreshments may seem like an odd highlight but every 5k we had water stands and fresh oranges, bananas and raisins, these fresh and cold snacks were much better than the sugary syrupy drinks and gels at normal races.

For this race I only switched my runkeeper on 2 miles in so frustratingly had to wait for my time but I also didn’t listen to my splits through the run, Pippa would always laugh at my obsession with the data after our runs but it was very refreshing to run this without the runkeeper lady telling me how I was doing. This was all in my head and legs and it worked.

Next I am definitely keen to do some half marathons again and see some more cities along the way and if i get a free spot for London, it would seem silly not to use it. We will see. Thank you Pippa and Bradley. What a run, what a year so far. x

Last Wednesday I got a last minute chance to attend the Nike Flyknit event I had seen hashtagged all over instagram at the beginning of the week. Still needing to clock some miles that evening and the chance to try our a pair of these new Flyknits trainers I finished work and headed to Somerset House.

The premise of the evening was a run around London like never before and a chance to try out Nike latest innovation. So after handing over my trainers and ID I got myself a shiny light pair of pink and grey flyknits to try out. Being a very loyal Asics girl since my cross country and track days in school I was actually excited about getting to try these out without handing over the cash.

After an intro from Run Dem Crew’s Charlie Dark we were off, running around Somerset House grounds to warm up and then out to the streets. With Run Dem leading the run it was always going to be more than standard 10k through London.

We did some sprints near Millennium bridge and some stairs which was good opportunity to really get a feel for the trainers and how they support your legs and feet. They are super light so feel great at the beginning and after being steamed they do fit like a glove. We ran about 5 miles with quite a lot of stopping which is to be expected when in such a big group. Gotta be safe, but I must admit I was kinda desperate to get some momentum going and really see how they felt.

By the end of the run my front toes seemed to be pushing on the front a bit too much and after only five miles I’m not sure I would want to wear these for a full marathon but I think a half might be ok. The next day my soleus muscles were perhaps a little more painful than after a normal run but that is to be expected after trying out new trainers. I’m not sure I would stray from my Asics yet but I definitely wouldn’t mind a pair to wear out and about. Great marketing though and well organised event, if only they had let us keep the trainers…

The last week’s runs were not my favourites. The snow made everything pretty but I definitely think I have hit a running plateau. I’m running more than I have ever run and feel slower than ever.

Last Sundays long run went from this

To this beautiful blue sky exactly a week later.

Mostly sound tracked by this mix. I love you Joakim.

After a whole eight days off from my training plan for Paris this Monday was the start of the many many miles I’m going to be covering over the next few months. If I thought I trained hard last time it really was a run in the park in comparison to this plan.

I kicked off Monday with a long run home via regents park. I set off with Pippa from the Museum and when we left each other after our sprint sessions around the park met with the boy and continued a another 6 miles home. In retrospect a 10 mile off the back after a week of nothing was pretty tough but I still got up on Tuesday and ran the 6 miles back into work from Dalston.

Running music over these two days was a little ill prepared but I went for the Blondes album which was thankfully synced to offline and oh my its good to run to.

Yesterdays 8 miles home via a hard sprint session in London fields was sound tracked by some serious lady pop. I needed some motivation. Many thanks Robyn, how I love your disco knife

Today is rest day (phew) followed by what I think will be a half marathon in the snow on Sunday and a gentle 4 miles on Saturday, which will conclude my first full week of training in January. Never covered this much mileage in a week, I’m sleeping like a baby.

Morning running

Determined to keep up the first week of training and also not avoid any of the Christmas partying yesterdays usual lunchtime run was done and dusted by 8am.

I felt pretty tired after running 6 miles the night before but we got our asses out of bed and hit two laps from london bridge round to Tower Bridge. There was also a pretty stunning sunrise which adds to the early morning smugness.

No music on today’s run but I did listen to this for most of the morning afterwards.

I’ve been ramping up the runs recently. Finally free of injury and taking advantage of my close daily proximity to Hyde Park i’ve been running most days. In my lunchtime, which is such a good way to break up the day – I’ve noticed just how much i sit and eat at my desk by default, almost feeling guilty if i am actually away for an hour over lunch. The only time it doesn’t feel naughty is when i go for those runs. Alongside the lunchtimes i’ve also been running home. Ticking off most of London’s key landmarks along the way.

I say I but i’ve actually got a new partner for most of these runs and we just started our training for Paris Marathon. Unlike London a substantial amount of this training will be with Pippa and Run Dem Crew. Pippa and I work together so whenever one of us really doesn’t want to run we have the other to make you go anyway. I’m looking forward to going into this knowing much more about my body, what type of running I enjoy and also with enough time to really train and see what I can do.

So tonight was the first day of the 16 week plan. The (advanced) training plan we picked from Runners World was perhaps a hasty, slightly ambitious one but we’re off. Tonight was 5miles easy home. Pippa leaves me at Blackfriars to head south andI keep on going to Bank. Here I whip in the headphones for the last few miles. Today’s album of the day and re listen was Super Discount. French House tearing up the banker streets of London.

Major marathon training going on right now . Obviously deciding at the beginning of February running again would be a good idea, was a terrible idea but I’m fitting in my training around my day to day. Saturday long runs, short runs around Hyde Park at lunch and my midweek middle distance run is a tidy 13km from work in South Ken back home to Clapton.

Short runs mostly feel like a false start and I love my longer runs which are more like a story with a beginning, middle and end. They also give me 2hours to listen to anything I want. Floating Points and Juan Atkins were major breakthroughs last week.

Tracks on this weeks radar and needed for my marathon mix…

J Cub – Warning

Kazk- Pseudo habits

Jason Grove – Come with me

I’ve been running a lot recently.I went out for 9 miles on Saturday, ventured out in the snow on Sunday and have taken to lunchtime runs in Hyde Park.

The last two books I read, Again to Carthage and Why we Run have definitely sparked my sudden obsession again, but I suddenly woke up the other morning and realised I have been missing the training I was doing this time last year.

So I just agreed to run the London Marathon again. 2months and 12 days. Sorry legs….

At its most heightened on Christmas morning. I took out Reg and Stella for double approval!

Light too pretty not to snap

Jackmaster mix in the ears – Underground Resistance, Kate Bush and Levon Vincent to name a few, all on the same mix. Many thanks.