Tonight I got to run round the sights of the capital city with a London Marathon Winner! 1983 London Marathon Winner 'Mike Gratton' in fact. oh 1983 you say, well this guy ran the Marathon in 2:09hrs!!! that's faster than the elite Brit runners run today, pretty good, no?! 
Save the Rhino had most excellently organised this run with Mike for us and it was brilliant – about 12 of us turned up inc Adam who'd set it all up, though he refrained from running with us cos he had to 'look after our stuff' hehe. We met in a gym in London Bridge and after Mike showed us how to warm up properly, we did about a 5.5mile circuit from London Bridge up and over Westminster Bridge and back to London Bridge where we started. A bunch of the guys sped off ahead of us at the start and were obviously aiming for a quick run, but a group of 4 of us hanged back so we could chat to Mike, plus we were prob lot slower than the guys ahead, am not going for 2:09hrs this yr, perhaps next 
. There were a couple of other girls too, but they went the wrong way down an alley half way and somehow ended up a bit behind us. Mike gave us some running tips and told us stuff about his training back in day – lots of repeated 400m's sprints etc!! It was a very nice run, taking in Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, the Wheel, glimpse of St.Pauls etc running over the Thames was cool too, pollution didn't seem too bad either. We finished with a drink and a superb pasta meal in the bar next to the gym. Mike gave us some very useful and interesting running tips. It was good to meet some other Save the Rhino guys too, really nice bunch, cheers Tristan and the girls for running with me and Thanks so much Mike for a very inspiring night.
Check out 2:09Events which Mike runs – they do fun events like a marathon run over three days between vineyards in the South of France, yes lots of wine too!
Month: February 2011
Most convoluted 10 miles EVER!
So it's Saturday night, I've just played a bit of tennis, I've got to get to Dham's last night out at Suburban and Curry Royale just after 8pm, so what do I do? I go for a 10 mile run 🙂 took about 1:40hrs and was a most convoluted route up the steep Edge Hill and even past the All England Club. It was a surprisingly nice day (despite being dark) and temperature to run. Have to say after the run, the curry went down very well! Here is the route:
A brisk 7miles past the Windmill
Another day another ~7.5 miles, wanted to run for an hour or so and edited my standard 10km common route to go via the Windmill for a change. Went early afternoon (~12:45pm) and the sun was out, this the first time I wish I'd been wearing shorts or a t-shirt instead of jogging bottoms and a t-shirt/top, sweated a lot in first 25mins getting used to hotter temperature but was fine in the end. Finished last mile very strongly, felt like coulda run another 7 after a 10min break! 
Click here for route map
9miles in the dark dark forest
Clocked up another 8-9miles up and around the common. Due to work, left as it was getting dusk and got to the A3 as full darkness ensued, the route I'd chosen meant I had to cut across the rugby ground and through the common. As it was dark, legged it through the forest pretty quick, hoping to avoid any dangerous vampire-rabbits, were-badgers or whatever else comes out at night up there, sure was very grateful for the full moon, meant could actually see the way, lit up the trees most eerily though. without the moon may well have detoured! 1:23mins or so. Was a nice run, legs felt pretty good too.
Click here for route map
10km up common then bit of tennis
Ran another approx 10km in nice new trainers(bit dirty now, but they really are very good) via a slightly different route up the torturous and steep Edge Hill, to Tibbets corner up then back down via Wimbledon town centre to buy a 6 pack of Gatorade(jog back home holding them was fun), got back and felt remarkably well, so ended up playing some tennis with top man Roger T.
Brand new trainers!…22 miles this week
Bought some new trainers on Friday from Blacks. Nike Air Pegasus +27's. Was getting a bit concerned with my dual pair of Nike Air Max Internationals – on both of them, the right one seemed to be playing my foot up, mind you, I've had the things for 3+ years, so was probably wear or something, amazing the air bubbles have lasted really tbh. Chose the Pegasus' after reading that they "cater for the more neutral runner or even slightly under-pronating runner", but most importantly they were a cool green colour!
Trialed them in a 10km up the common and back, took it moderate pace this time, incredibly light shoe, thought the Air Max's were light, but these are even more so, also seem to fit my feet and running style better(so far) and was surprisingly faster than last time by about a minute.
Planned and done 16.5mile route to Epsom and back!!
Sheesh! just back from 16.5 mile run to Epsom and back, man that was a long way! 
took 3:30hrs but had a break at Epsom to re-fuel with surprisingly excellent Boots Energy bar + bottle of Gatorade (only rehydration drink that has no artificial sweetners[evil aspartme], flavours or colours) + there were so many flippin hills it was nuts 
Think I must've subconsciously planned route with as much hills as possible, was like fell-running at points. Still Nonsuch Park was very pleasant despite the mud and I've cycled the route and driven it numerous times and it's one I like. Down London Road, waving at where the Sarah and the Rose live then past Modern Park (where used to hang out and do stupid things as a teenager 
) then onto North Cheam and eventually Epsom.
Fitness Note: Legs/self haven't felt this way since I used to play tennis with Wiltshire, Georgi and co for 6 hours a day back in the sun of 2006!!
Now munching on pasta + ham, tomorrow going to be interesting!
Planned route 16.5miles click below – slightly different really cos got lost in Nonsuch Park and took Cheam Road in Ewell village by accident, better route anyways.