February & Llanelli Waterside Half

Cut back a bit post #Janathon, extending my long run into double figures but making sure I had at least 3 rest days most week at the early signs of plantar fasciitis were beginning to show (aching feet in the morning etc) after the daily runs.  Total mileage for the month then dropped from 126 in Jan to a mere 90 in the years' second month. However, I felt good throughout the month getting some tempo runs in and generally finishing my long, slow, distance efforts feeling like I had a little bit left... so I entered a half marathon!

You may remember, if you follow me on twitter (@wgal_uk) that I have won a place in April's Merlin Half Marathon in Carmarthen but the Llanelli Waterside Half Marathon on March 3rd proved irresistible even at a steepish entry fee of £28.

Duly entered, March 3rd came around and the temperature at the race car-park was a "fresh" -4C.  However, once underway the value of the Janathon miles, the February long runs and those local hills all proved their worth and I managed to clock 1:50:11 finishing 682nd of 1658 finishers.  Now it was only my second half, the other being a trail half in Cirencester 2 years ago, but I didn't expect to knock 12 minutes off the time I clocked for that race. Indeed, I didn't expect to get anything like the time I got but everything went well... even the stiff breeze at mile 8ish to 12 wasn't as bad as some of the weather I've experienced on Llanelli Waterfront in the past!

So in summary, good miles in Feb and a nice, new, sub 2 hr PB at Half-Marathon distance... and still not injured!!  2013 is going okay so far!

Janathon Day 31 - That's Me Done!

That's it then... the challenge of #Janathon 2013 was "run every day - blog every day".  Sounded easy!   I added the proviso of doing at least 3 miles every day as I don't see the point going out of the door until I'm going to run for about 30 minutes which equates to 3 miles-ish.   Mission accomplished!

Finished the challenge with a gentle pre-dawn jog along my stock route to Rhosaman and back.  Something of an urban steeplechase this morning as it usually is on Thursday with bin bags and recycling bins to hurdle on every pavement.  In all honesty hurdling was beyond me but there was a bit of dodging to be done.

Tomorrow... is a rest day!

Day 31 stats...

Distance : 3.26 miles
Time : 34:43
Music : Rolling Stones - Grrr!  (Rocks Off to Undercover Of The Night)

JANATHON TOTALS

31 runs
Total Distance : 126.03 miles
Time : 20:57:54

Janathon Day 30

The work of a tired man, uninspired and somewhat past his prime... nothing to do with the late 70's output of The Rolling Stones (I haven't quite got there on my journey through their latest greatest hits collection yet) instead it describes my efforts this morning.

Yep - Day 30 proved a difficult one.  Up and out of the door at 6.45am again but just unable to get a rhythm going.  A buffeting from the wind probably didn't help and a long shift yesterday meant my feet were aching too. Was actually surprised to see my time not being as slow as I'd imagined. All in all a run to forget.

Day 30 stats...

Distance : 3.25 miles
Time : 33:37
Music : Rolling Stones - Grrr! (Can't Always Get What You Want to Angie)

Janathon Day 29

Running to forecast today... the weather forecast.  

I took a look at the hourly forecast for this area on the BBC weather page last night and it was all rain, with the exception of a window between 6am and 7am this morning where we could expect only drizzle.  That'll do for me then.

Kit readied last night I was up as soon as the alarm went off, paused briefly to ensure my teenage son had managed to drag himself out of bed and get ready for school and I was out of the door.

A slower run, necessitated by the dark and the drizzle on my glasses, I'm glad I got this one out of the way early.  I now have a good few hours to relax before work and as for the weather, well judging by how grey it is out there now the forecast for the rest of the day just could be correct.

Day 29 stats...

Distance : 3.26 miles
Time : 31.55
Music : Rolling Stones - Grrr! (Paint It Black to Sympathy For The Devil... wow - what a run of great singles that was!)

Janathon Day 28 - The End Is Nigh

A combination of feeling good after yesterdays long run and seeing only 4 more runs to go before a well earned rest alongside a sub-conscious desire to get out of the cold rain and back into a nice warm shower as soon as possible meant I ran this morning's 3 and a bit miler a fair bit quicker than either planned or expected.

That my average heart rate was the same as yesterdays long run and the pace felt easy can only bode well for the next few weeks though as I aim to put more quicker miles into my schedule in preparation for the April Merlin Half Marathon.

Musically, it was nice to drown out the sound of the rain with the sound of the new Rolling Stones compilation "Grrr" (is that the right number of r's?).  Will probably stick with this at least for tomorrow as well as the next track up is their greatest ever in my opinion... "Paint It Black".

Day 28 stats...

Distance : 3.26 miles
Time : 30:15
Music : Rolling Stones - Grrr!

A 9 Mile Run Beside The Seaside

Best #Janathon run yet!  A 9 miler around the Swansea Bay coast from Black Pyll to Mumbles and up the coastal path almost to Langland Bay... and best of all I had someone to run it with.  In 3 years of running I've hardly ever been able to run with anybody but my mate in Swansea has been saying for a while we should either do a run or bike ride together and this has been the first opportunity.  What a difference it made too.  Sticking pretty much to a steady 10 mile/min pace the miles just flew past and I really felt that at the end of the run - my longest for 7 months - that I had a bit left in the tank, which I think is what I read you should feel like after a long training run?

The weather was perfect too.  After torrential rain, thunder and lightning last night I was fearing a soaking this morning whilst the wind up here in the mountains had me imagining the waves blowing over onto the promenade.  Instead, I awoke to a much calmer scene and by the time we'd parked near the front the sun was out and there was actually only a stretch up on the headland to Langland where the wind was anything like strong enough to hamper running.

Typically I forgot to take my phone out of the car so no pictures therefore you'll have to take my word for it on how enjoyable this run was.  I've long wanted to run along the front at Swansea Bay - I've ran the 10k race once a couple of years but that was hard work! - and will definitely return regularly now.

Day 27 stats :

Distance : 9.06 miles
Time : 1:32:01
Music : none - conversation instead!

Janathon Day 26

Heavy rain overnight meant that although there were one or two areas of ice on the road, the majority of the snow has gone and hopefully that'll be the last we see of it this year too.  Fortunately the rain had cleared as well making it a bright, dry morning and there was even a mile or so with the sun out today. 

Got a longer run planned for tomorrow so it was just a gentle 3.5 mile jog for me today - down the hill, along the new cycle path and back up into the village.  Very quiet out there this morning - only saw 2 other people during the run.

Day 26 stats...

Distance : 3.49 miles
Time : 35:01
Music : Terraplane - Black And White (1985)