Juneathon Day 4: Staying out for the summer

Well if the weather carries on like this....

Evening run for me today at about 9pm, it was just the way the day went. 5 miles fartlekky style on undulating-ish route - first half mostly uphill, second half mostly down. I say fartlekky but the fast bits weren't particularly fast. Listened to the latest parkrun show (always fun). I do love my parkrun but not as much as some of the people on the parkrun show love theirs. (And I am a person who has not only a 50 shirt but is also the proud temporary owner of the female points trophy - the only running-related trophy I'm ever likely to win.)

5.2 miles in 52 minutes anyway - 6 days into a streak which started on 30th May, and feeling pretty good so far.

Juneathon miles so far: 24.4.

Juneathon Day 3: Here comes the sun

Well, today, anyway.

Just a 3 mile recovery streak-saver today, squeezed in between finishing work, going to Sainsbury's and picking the little one up from school. It's a bit warm. I'm not complaining. I think I need to get some sort of moisturiser with sunscreen in it, though. Also, I have one of those runner's tans on the back of my legs that starts at my knee and stops at my ankle. We runners are easy to spot.

I felt a lot better than I usually do, yesterday and today, after a longish run yesterday. Dunno if that was down to the For Goodness Shake that I drank as per yesterday's blog, but I've bought some more anyway while the half price offer is on. (Half price is only on the chocolate flavour. Not a problem.) No aches and pains today and none yesterday even after scrambling over slippery rocks and fishing my phone out of rock pools. And none of the sick/dizzy feeling which plagued me after marathon-training long runs last time round. Let's see how it goes when the long runs get longer.

Juneathon Day 2: So long, and thanks for all the fish custard

Sorry, I just had to get that in there. I won't mention it again.

*weeps uncontrollably*

I ran 11.15 miles today along the old railway line, out and back, with a negative split of nearly 2 minutes! This is the longest run I have done for a while (did 10 last week). It was lovely. A bit warm on the unshaded bits. Listening to Big Finish Short Trips which kept me going nicely. I saw loads of people, including an entire family out running (dad pushing double buggy, followed by child on bike, followed by mum with dog). Lots of people on bikes. Girl wearing Where's Wally style woolly hat (?!) taking her pony for a walk.

Now that I'm marathon training again (Loch Ness on 29 Sept) I thought I'd better get a bit more organised on trying out different fuelling options, because during my last couple of marathons I have suffered what is politely termed Digestive Discomfort, including vomiting profusely during Loch Ness last year, feeling awful and walking most of the second half. I wouldn't necessarily take anything during an 11 mile run normally, but in the interests of research I tried a SIS lemon gel at half way, which was OK. Also took a bottle of water (in my waist thingy) with a Nuun tablet in it.

Earlier in the week I noticed For Goodness Shakes chocolate recovery drink milkshake fancypants whatnots were half price in Sainsbury's, so I bought a couple, and took one when I came back from my run today. It was really rather nice. Whether it makes any difference, or any more difference than a large glass of milk might, I don't know, but having spent the rest of the afternoon scrambling over rocks and peering into rock pools with the little one (we found starfish but no crabs), my legs feel pretty good, so maybe it does. (Also managed to drop my phone into a rock pool, which weirdly seems to have actually improved its performance.)

Stats: 11.15 miles in 1:57:24 (10:32 pace). Last 4k at marathon pace: 6:04, 6:11, 6:18, 6:15. (Have new watch and haven't figured out how to change it from kilometres to miles yet. But I rather like the kilometres, they pass quicker.) Happy with that.

Juneathon Day 1: Basically, RUN!

I'd forgotten about Juneathon till somebody mentioned it at parkrun this morning, then I hmm'ed and ha'ed a bit and thought oh, what the hell. I'll give it a go. I've done month-long streak-a-thons a couple of times before and it's been a positive experience. My running needs a hefty kick up the backside at the moment so maybe this will provide it.

Off the starting blocks with parkrun this morning. My parkruns have not been great recently. My PB is eighteen months old and I am nowhere near it. 27:36 today on a warmish day down at the beach - nearly three minutes away from my PB and a minute slower than my year's best time which I set last month. I'd really like to get the parkrun time down a bit. I've been doing intervals and everything. But I just don't seem to get any quicker.

This morning's parkrun was enlivened by a bunch of people in fancy dress (not runners) who were walking up the prom in a big group for reasons as yet unexplained.

Anyway today's scores on the doors: 5 miles exactly (parkrun plus warm up and cool down, not planned as 5 miles exactly but that's what it added up to!).