Tom Roper's Running Training

Coton and Madingley

Not as long a run as I would have wished: a grey early morning run from Newnham out along the Barton Road, through to Coton and on to Madingley, then up to the Crematorium, back along the Huntingdon Road, through Girton and the centre of Cambridge. Rabbits and a bird of prey, bigger than a kestrel.
Time: 1:41:15
Average heart rate: 136
Distance: a bit of a guess, 11-12 miles

This week's total distance: 33.3 miles (working on lower figure for today's effort)

Now ten weeks to the London marathon, two till the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon and five till the Hastings Half Marathon

Rest day

Rest day today (travelling to Cambridge early this morning). But I'll get a long run in tomorrow.

Early morning

An early morning murky run down to and along Seaford sea front.
Time: 48:17
Average heart rate: 136
Distance: 5.1 miles

Lost

Got lost today, but saw a hare. A variation on the Health Week route.
Time: 55 minutes
Distance: to be confirmed when I've found the map and the string (subsequently measured at 5.8 miles)

Mens sana in corpore sano

Another rest day today, and I sought and found intellectual solace at a classical Greek class

Llamas

Longer run than intended at luchtime, over roughly the same route as last Friday. Saw horses and ponies, donkeys, cows, sheep, llamas, snowdrops, men with chain saws and long-tailed tits.
Have lost my watch, so a guess at time is 1:05.
Distance 7.4 miles

Short but hilly

Recovered from Sunday with a short but hilly run behind the University of Brighton Falmer campus, agreeably accompanied by a colleague Time: 30 minutes (I think, forgot to note starting time) Distance: 4 miles

"Give me a cool drink of water 'fore I die"

From John Henry (trad).
Time: 1:51:46
Average heart rate: 146
Distance: 11.4 miles
Today I took the car to the Seven Sisters Country park and ran over the Sisters, Birling Gap, Belle Tout and nearly to Beachy Head. Though not very far in distance, it was very tough, up and down, up and down very steep slopes, and very exhausting. I tried to count the Seven Sisters in my head as I ascended and descended each one, but lost count (like counting the balls of an over in cricket). Wild daffodils in bud near Belle Tout. Possibly I should choose easier but longer routes.
Total distance this week: 37.3 miles
Now eleven weeks to the London marathon, three till the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon and six till the Hastings Half Marathon

Seaford front

Short run this morning down to the sea where the sun shone brightly, along the front to the base of the cliff where the kittiwakes nest.
Time: 44:57
Distance: 5.1 miles
Average heart rate: 139

Health week run

A different sort of run today, for the University of Sussex's Health Week organised a six mile (they said) run over the downs. I added some extra mileage by running over from the University of Brighton Falmer campus with a colleague and foolishly taking her to the wrong sports centre for the start. But they kindly waited for us.
Time (for the main run): 1:05:00

I subsequently measured total mileage (including the detour) at 7.7 miles