A whole week with no blogging, where has the time gone I ask myself.

Monday was back at the piano practice loop – this time blowing away the cobwebs of last Saturday’s rather negative run, and I completed the three laps (5.4k) in under the half hour. In fact it was 20 seconds faster than my previous best for the loop. Son was less than impressed at having to share the journey home with a father who was not so much glowing as dripping!

Wednesday I was back at the gym doing some more intervals – again 4 mins 9.2kph then 4 mins12.2. 10k in just under the hour and another trip home with the car windows open and steam coming out!

So to the weekend. Once a year the wife goes off with girl friends for a spa weekend leaving me and the children (I mean young adults) to fend for ourselves. We coped last night, I even found some beer left over from the daughter’s party to enjoy while listening to 5live and the commentary from St James Park. My intention was to run on Saturday and get out and back before the offspring stirred! (Easily done if you have teenagers!)

I left the house at 6:30am – needless to say it was pitch black and headed off on what I had mentally planned as a new route. The new route took me into a neighbouring village before heading back into town as far as the Sainsbury’s roundabout – and the run past Sainsbury’s and the wafting aroma of Hot Cross Buns being cooked – before heading home. I had no idea of my early pace as I couldn’t see the garmin and we don’t have any street lights round here. As the sun came up I could see that I seemed to be averaging 10 min miles or thereabouts. Not quite sure why but miles 10 &11 seemed to hit the buffers but found a few last drops of energy to up the pace to get home.

Mrs Nike – about whom I may have said unkind words in the past, and even threatened to leave her, repaid my faith in her by telling me that I did a half marathon (13.1 miles). Mr Grumpy Garmin only had me down at 12.9 miles. I fear that Mr G is probably nearer the truth, but for the moment I am glowing at having done another half (without really intending to! – I thought the route would be about 12 miles).

Still, despite marking me down on the mileage, Mr G still has me quicker that the Royal Parks in October.

My training takes a rather curious route now. Next weekend wife and I are going north to see my mother, (leaving offspring in the house….) so no long run next weekend but I do have a  few days off the week after so will try to get some miles in.

As far as the 1000 mile challenge goes, 37 days into the year my target is 101.3 miles – I have actually done 96.3.

Just got to avoid the coughs and colds before Wokingham two weeks tomorrow.

Take care everyone and have a good weekend