Parliament Hill

An evening run makes everything better. Even if you are growled at by a small dog. I don't think he liked my orange shorts.

4.4 miles; 48.59 minutes; 11.05 minute/mile.

Pic: Deciding whether to rain.

Nothing like a deadline...

Since the realization it's six weeks to Richmond, my exercise regime has moved up several gears. And last night, that meant track training at Paddington Recreation Ground.

As I'm told frequently by my physio friend, plodding is not going to get me anywhere fast. To increase fitness or speed, you need strength work (hence the Power Pump class on Sunday) and high intensity training (which I was hoping Paddington would provide).

Listening to the pre-session talk gave me the proper fear. In a nutshell, be aware of faster runners or end up track roadkill. However, once up and running (pun intended) it was fantastic. The session went like this:

6 x 500-metres (at 80% capacity) interspersed with 100-metre walk recovery

4 x 200-metre sprints with 200-metre jog/walk recovery

Warm-up and warm-downs.

I got a bit overexcited during the 200-metres and nearly popped a calf muscle. In fact, they were both like rocks when I got home. A bit of massage seems to have helped and I'll have a go on the foam roller later.

It's easy to see how doing this a couple of times a week could increase your fitness, but the main point being it's just really fun to run really fast - even if the latter is relative.

(Stats: 500 metres - 225 seconds; 200 metres - 45 seconds: Bolt need not fear just yet.)

(Pic: Muscles need protein. Hooray for the English summer.)

Whatever it takes

Tonight I went for a run for two reasons: 1) I can hear music from my house and wanted to see if there was a fair in the park. 2) I read that Harry Styles of One Direction has been hanging out at a pub on my running route. If fairs and minor-celeb hunting aren't good running motivation, then I don't know what is. However, following another short Vibram-based run on Saturday, my calf muscles are still really sore. So I decided to ditch them. (The Vibrams, not my calf muscles.) Just temporarily. Sinking back into my trainers was like reuniting with an old friend. If my old friend was a pair of oven gloves, filled with cotton wool. They may be the gift of the devil, but they are a very comfy, shock-absorbing gift. Given the Ealing half-marathon is less than six weeks away, I have decided to mix up my training attire. If I can't go farther in my minimal shoes, then my trainers will have to take me there instead. All in all, it was a very satisfying run. I chased a squirrel up Oakhill Avenue and managed to avoid running into a fruit stall on Finchley Road. Oh, and as for the reasons to run in the first place: no fair; no Harry Styles. But I did see Bill Nighy. As usual. (Stats: 4.34 miles; 41.59 minutes; 9.40 minute/mile.)