Now having successfully got a number of ultra distances under my running get, albeit slowly, I've started upping the game of the back to back runs for the great marathon des sables.
So this week I've managed 3x 15 miles Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Brain says yey! Legs say nay! (though I have just had a massage which was Ammmmmmaaaaazzzziiiinnnngggg).
Friday, I shuffled from North London, down to the river Thames, turned right, headed to the iconic Battersea Tower along the not-so-iconic Nine Elms main road - yuck!, span around, ran back to the equally lovely Tower Bridge (ah! thoughts of London Marathon came fondly back), high fived a couple of beefeaters, then headed back to Chancery Lane and to work. Boo.
Any burgers to hand sir?
Day 1 actually felt the hardest. I think this was because I was running to work, but also because I was carrying a pretty heavy bag too. It felt fine to begin with but around mile 11, my shoulders really began to feel sore.
Time taken: Two and a half hours.
Lots of thoughts about burgers after Tower of London (beefeaters, beef, burgers...)
Burgers eaten: None.
Saturday, I upped the shuffle to A JOG, with two laps around Richmond Park. Oh, it was refreshing to be running somewhere a bit different. And also to not have to think about where I was going. Round and round in a circle. Happy days.
Two sleb spots: Ben Shepherd (mental note: maybe got a bit too over excited about that in front of boyf) and Andrew Marr (not so excited, but excited nonetheless).
No Nell McAndrew - though I have seen her there before. Nor any Kenyan runners. Oh, how I love seeing them in Richmond Park. Even though they make me feel like a huge heffalump, stomping along as slow as you like while they bound gracefully past like gazelles on springs.
Nor, disappointingly did I see Benson the dog.
Not Jesus Christ Benson
Day 2 felt great, because it was somewhere different and I had no pack to carry, plus I saw Ben Shepherd.
Time taken: Two hours fifteen (fifteen less than Friday possibly due to speeding up after Ben Shepherd).
Lots of labradors seen, but none named Benson.
Sunday, back to marathon des sables shuffle pace. Down to Regent's Canal, along to Regent's Park, sneaked across West London into Hyde Park, along Rotten Row (sand and dog poo avoidance practice), high fived Her Madge, then ran back again.
Day 3 was a little tough mentally - I am just finding the long runs a bit boring sometimes, as I've done the routes again and again. However the last 4 miles or so were better as I sped up to challenge myself, which gave me something to think about, instead of moaning to myself about the fact that I was bored.
Time taken: Two and a half hours, with negative splits, but lots of negative thoughts.
So pretty pleased with that. My legs are feeling tired, but okay. I could run again tomorrow, though I'm having a rest (from running day).
I'm trying out 20x3 in a couple of weeks time. This weekend is the sand dunes. Gulp! Weather forecast says it's minus 10 but sunny. Small mercies I guess.
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