I joined the gym again. I did this for a couple of reasons. I decided after Edinburgh that when I ran another marathon I would do more speedwork sessions and more core stability training. Both I think are easier to do in the gym. Which works on the assumption that you can access a treadmill. Which actually isn’t very easy to do at 6pm on a Monday night when everyone else under the sum has the same idea. So perhaps interval training in London on a Monday evening is not a good idea – it will have to be another item to go on the “early bird” agenda. The other problem I found was actually running on the treadmill. I had visions of Bridget Jones flying off the end of it which didn’t help my cause. I realised I hadn’t run on a treadmill for a good two years and it is very different from running outside on varied terrain. I felt like I was running faster – perhaps because it was flat and smooth ground. I also didn’t know where to look. I felt I had to keep my eyes on the ground to check my feet would land in the correct place but then this isn’t good for running posture and also makes your eyes feel a little strange after a while as well.

The other thing I couldn’t stop thinking about was how strange it all was. A bunch of people running endlessly on a rotating bit of rubber, getting nowhere. Why? Surely treadmill runners can’t have the same motivations as outdoor runners? In a way treadmill running seems even more depressing than not running as you are trying to get somewhere but failing. And you are surrounded by other people also doing the same thing. With real running, you are exploring the great outdoors and interacting with the environment and everyone in it at least. Plus you are getting somewhere in distance terms, no matter how slow you are.

There is no real pleasure for me in treadmill running. My head can’t switch off from what I’m doing. I look at the distance and time all the time. I see others around me grimacing and sweating. It’s all a bit offputting and to be honest a bit of a turn-off I think for would-be runners. Which leads me to wonder what it is about outdoor running that appeals so much to me. I think part of its appeal lies in the ability to just put on trainers and go – no one dictates where, you decide. London is your playground. You don’t know what you will see or what feelings you’ll have but London is on your doorstep to go and explore. The beauty of London is in its size. There will always be somewhere you have not run before, or a new variation on a route to try. The types of environment to run in are also endless – the tarmac pavements of the city, bouncy undergrowth of Highgate woods, gravelly paths of Richmond Park, knee-long grass in Hampstead Heath, gripped surface of Tooting Bec Athletics Track or the canalside path by Regent’s Canal. 

I ran the same 10 mile loop as this post. I was pleased that it felt much easier, though I’m still not so confident with the long mileage at present. I decided how lovely Highgate village was and how nice it would be to live there, then discovered you had to be a millionaire to be able to but a decent property there! So that’s out the window – I can still dream though! Highgate is one of the few places in London that still feels like a village. It has a square, a church, independent shops, gorgeous period houses and a pond.

Running up Parliament Hill I reflected on an article I read in the evening papers about things that made people feel good – the top ones being “climbing into bed made up with freshly washed sheets” or “sitting by an open fire when there’s a blizzard outside”. One for runners could be “stopping at the top of Parliament Hill to admire the view after sprinting up there and feeling smug and fit compared to all the walkers”. Or perhaps they think you are mad. Whatever. It felt great anyway. And the view is always amazing. 

8x400m. Speedwork. Horrible! Why does it hurt so much? It hurts so much at the time then disappears as soon as you stop. Towards the end of the session I started to think about the psychology of pain and thought about GI Jane’s “pain is your friend!” When you break down pain of running, what is it exactly? The work of breathing so hard, the pain in the leg muscles? For me it is more my mind saying stop, it hurts, it hurts! Once you push past that, ignore your head, running becomes marginally easier. That or the fact I only had one leg of the last 400m to go, I sped up rather than slowed down. 

Second marathon training run. Done! 10 miles at 10k pace plus 60 seconds. Ran along the parkland walk through Highgate village, down to Hampstead Heath, up to Parliament Hill and loop round Hampstead before returning home. The view from the top of Parliament Hill is amazing. The sun broke through the clouds over the city so diagonal shafts of light filtered through. Still pretty cold! One of the underground station attendants at Hampstead came and chatted with us. She was very friendly. She said that sometimes marathon runners come and run up and down the stairs at Hampstead station! Think I’d rather be running up and down Parliament Hill! The run back was brutal up Highgate West Hill. I was overtaken by two people which was slightly demoralising but I managed to run all of it which is one thing to be pleased of I guess! 

My long run was a good run this week. I ran with P along part of the Capital Ring. The Capital Ring connects green parts of London together, forming a full circle. In total it is 125km or 78 miles. Today we ran 10 miles starting from Crouch End, heading West towards Highgate, through Queens Woods, onto Hampstead Garden Suburb and part East Finchley before looping back and returning home before the rain set in. Sunday roast nicely earnt! Before we set out I was in a pretty mardybum mood. I had too much university and work work to do. It was cold and the thought of running 10 miles was not appealing. Yet because we ran at a nice, easy pace, had a chat about random stuff and were running through some really pretty areas of London my mood changed. Yes it was still hard at times. My hamstrings start to tire around 6-7 miles at the moment but when we had finished I felt really good. Virtuous that it was just 11am on Sunday and we’d done our long run. I forget how nice that feeling is coupled with that good physical feeling of oxygenated blood coursing through your legs and head, making you feel relaxed but energised at the same time. 

I ran the Finsbury Park 5km race last Saturday. It’s a great training tempo run but I hate it. It’s too fast for me and there are hills but I know it’s good for training and it’s over and done with quickly. One of my main problems with it is I only really get over my nerves once I’m nearly finished. I think this is why longer races suit me better – it takes me about half an hour to find my rhythm and settle in to a run. A 5km race gets me jittery. My legs feel like jelly and I can’t control my breathing. So I wimped out of running it this week and instead did my own interval training from Crouch End to Finsbury Park along the parkland walk.

The Parkland Walk is a wonderful thing. Four and a half miles of old railway track that has been transformed into a green walk, cycle and runway for North Londoners.Two seconds from leaving urban surburbia down some steps brings you to a disused platform and the feeling of being in the countryside surrounded by trees and greenery. It’s only when you run over a bridge do you remember that you are still in the middle of England’s capital city! It’s really quite magical. I particularly like October when you can stop off along the way to pick blackberries. One of the best things about the Parkland Walk for runners is the section from Crouch End to Finsbury Park is dead on a mile (or near enough – its 1594m) which makes it perfect for interval sessions.

On this occasion I ran some intervals. Untimed and unmarked. Just ran hard until I couldn’t run anymore. Then walked until I got my breath back, and repeated and so on. I often feel a bit demoralised with interval runs as I get worn out so quickly as you are pushing your boundaries to the limits but I know intervals are the best way to improve times. No pain no gain.

Running has been hard recently. I wonder if it’s always like looking through rose-tinted glasses. You never feel the pain when you look back fondly at a certain race or training run. Tough saying that I know for a fact that my PB half marathon was HARD and I remember battling with my head and my legs who kept wanting to stop at every step. The only way I got through the race was to allow myself an easy half mile every few miles before picking up the pace again.

Anyway, I’m also concerned that I’m still not enjoying running either at the moment. I think it’s because I feel like I’m back at the beginning of training. The weather is cold. I have too much work to do. And I’m putting too much pressure on myself to get good times rather than just running a distance because I enjoy it and it relaxes me.