Fartlek

Hey I can speak Swedish !

Should be very handy when I next go to IKEA .......

Fartlek actually means "fast slow" or something like that. Its a posh name for interval training. So tonight was a gym session with 6 x 400 m sprints at 12.5kph with 200 m recoverys in between rounded up to 5km.

Not sure what I think of it to be honest but my training guru swears by it so there you go.

Off to put up that bookshelf up now that I can translate the instructions......

Another day another k

After yesterdays day of rest it was back to the grindstone - 8.6 miles (83 mins) in the dark around the streets of Morden. Thought about going up to Wimbledon Common but couldn't face the big hill so decided on a couple of laps round a street circuit. I need to mix up running on pavements with treadmill work and soft terrain. Tomorrow will be a fartlek session! I shall report back on how successful that is.

Rest Days

I like these :)

I am not a number I am a free man!

Well actually not quite -- I am number 34660.

Many Thanks to everyone who has donated so far -- its getting close to 50% of target. Please feel free to pass on my appeal to anyone that you know who many be able to support me.

Yesterday did 10 km in the gym (54:24) and today, due to family commitments on Sunday, was the weeks biggie.... twice round Richmond Park, with the second circuit cutting through the middle of Pen Ponds as the sun came up; 2 hours - legs feeling a bit sore so will take the opportunity of popping to gym and having a sauna later.

Philleas Fogg

My feet are really sore today - thankfully its a rest day. Yesterday did a short run through Hyde Park at lunchtime. Not looking forward to the next 3 days, especially the long run at the weekend.

Just under 80 days to go now. Given the option I would consider finding my own Passpertout and taking off.....

Sloane Square Shuffle

Its getting really difficult finding the time fitting in all this running around normal life and work. So today I hit on the idea of combining the daily commute with a training session. Jumped on a tube to Sloane Square then ran home along the Thames Path (a few interesting detours around Wandsworth) up to Putney, then up the hill (ouch) to Wimbledon Common and back home. Around about 9 miles or so -- 90 minutes.

Thanks to Jim Desmond for some top tips on keeping hydrated and suggestions for practice races in early March.

Special mention for the 5k Wimbledon Common Time Trial he organises every Saturday at 9 am - check it out at www.parkrun.com

Dawn at Richmond Park

Dark, Damp, Windy.......mercifully not that cold

Got to the gates at 6:45 and found them shut! Fortunately the pedestrian side entrance was open so let myself in and to the sounds of Led Zepellin (credit Glen) began to trudge round the cycle path in the pitch black.

Surprisingly didn't feel that bad, beautiful sunrise -- very grateful to find the public conveniances open at Ham Gate :)

Back at the car in 72 minutes. Bit of a shock when I saw my training schedule required a 100 minute run next Sunday!

T minus 85

About 2 days ago I did a very very stupid thing.......
I received an email offering a opportunity to run in the London Marathon. I'd been thinking of doing something like this for a while now but fortunately had been sensible enough to resist the temptation.

That changed on Thursday 17th January 2008
So now here I am with 85 days to go and £1,800 as a fundraising target. gulp!

I've been keeping up with some gentle running over Christmas but Ant sent me a proper training schedule. Yesterday I rolled my sleeves up and did 10km in 57:30 --- its a start.

Set up fundraising site and have had a fantastic initial response £330 --- Many thanks to everyone who is supporting me. Check it out on www.justgiving.com/henrykswiatek

Today is a rest day and tomorrow I'll try and run round Richmond Park as respect to Mickie boy :)