Day 272 - five more.....

Bit tired again today but decided to stick to the schedule and went out and ran the usual Otley five. Nothing major to report, just five more miles run, and 1,485 miles since September.

Day 271 - tired two

Yet another long working day, this time down to our head office, The Lodge, Sandy, Beds. An address I remember from Blue Peter days!

Uneventful run. Rainy to start with, but nice, misty, rainy sunset.

 Two more miles and the tally now reads 1,480.

Day 270 - yum, Bombay potatoes

Just two miles this evening, which is just as well as feeling a bit tired (post fast marathon) and was on painting duties as soon as we got home - Emma's bedroom makeover latest.

Nice easy run though, cool but not cold and very quiet on the streets. And then, a treat. Half of Emma's tea was sitting, still warm on the plate. Some very tasty, quite spicy Bombay potatoes. Perfect post run food!

Two more miles takes the tally to 1,478.

Day 269 - five mile recovery

A day of decorating (Emma's room) and a bit of gardening. Not feeling too stiff or tired but five mile run to Menston Station and back to collect Wednesday's train tickets, was a little slow!

Still, five more miles and the tally now stands at 1,476.

Day 268 - Edinburgh Marathon (Sunday 26 May)

Awesome day out in Edinburgh running a 3:11 marathon which was completely unexpected!!

Having had a stupidly busy two weeks working without a day off I was feeling far too tired to contemplate anything other than a 3:30 marathon at best, figuring 8 minute miling would make for a nice Sunday run out.

After parkrun on Saturday morning and a spot of gardening I managed a few minutes rest (though not actual sleep) before the drive to Berwick upon Tweed where I would stay overnight in Ivan's caravan before the hours drive up to Edinburgh for the race on Sunday morning.

Beautiful sunny evening in Berwick and, after eating and preparing my kit, I was off to bed at 8 pm!!

A very early start on Sunday, but in glorious sunshine again, I set off for Musselburgh where the race finishes, at 6:20 am. The plan, park at Wallyford park and ride and get the bus to Edinburgh city centre for the start, the same plan as my previous Edinburgh runs.

However I arrived to be told that the park and ride was closed and being used for race shuttle buses (but not ones to get you to the start......) so had to quickly find alternative parking and race to the bus stop. Problem number two. The bus stop sign was covered up and a sign said the stop was out of action, but only until the Friday before. However, a few other runners had wandered off so we waited at a stop as indicated by the 'bus stop closed' notice. But then, the bus we were hoping to catch turned off the main run just before our stop and headed off in a completely different direction. I legged it towards the bus and must have been seen by the driver but despite the fact there was a us stop only 20 metres ahead he refused to stop......

So, plan B, get the 8:10 bus which I'd thought might be pushing it with road closures in the centre and thousands of runners and spectators about. However, the bus was not too delayed and we got to the start with about an hour to go. So, it was just a case of queuing for loos and chilling out below the grandeur of the Royal Terrace.

As for the race, it went like a dream. Using my Suunto Ambit GPS watch I decide to run on pace rather than mile times, but also had no real time in mind other than 3 hours 30 minutes.

After the gun I settled into a nice easy pace, enjoyed the scenery (the Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood Place, Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags) and was soon clocking a steady 6:55 pace, only just outside sub-3 hour pace but as I wasn't aiming for that, the pressure was off and it was just fun.

At six miles I took a quick loo stop and resumed running 7:09 which remained constant for about the next 12 miles, in fact at one point I thought my watch must have stopped working as every time I glanced at it it still read 7:09 pace!

I went through half way in just over 1:34 and by mile 16 was working out that if I continued around 7:09 I could possibly beat my London time of 3:08.

I still felt good, was slowly passing people and the 3:08 time was still on. In fact that was the case until mile 24 when my legs started to feel the effects of the effort and I started to slow. Over mile 24 and 25 I probably lost about two minutes, but picked up my pace for the last mile and finished in 3:11. My fastest Edinburgh Marathon and a very satisfactory run!

26 more miles on the 365 challenge, 1,471 miles now run.

Day 267 - sunshine!

Spring has arrived!! Lovely morning for parkrunning today and a nice steady, didn't want to push it, run saw me home in 19:02 for 16th place. Pamela also ran a season's best today.

A bit of gardening then off to Berwick where I'm staying overnight before tomorrow's Edinburgh Marathon.

Three more miles today, 1,445 now run.

Day 266 - make mine a ninety nine

Nothing spectacular about today's run, just the Otley five but today marks the start of the countdown to August 31 and the fact today we are into double figures.

Five more miles, 1,442 now run.

Day 265 - one hundred days to go!

Down to double figures tomorrow. But for today, just a three. Low mileage at the moment ahead of the Edinburgh Marathon on Sunday, that should improve the daily average.

Three more miles and after 265 days of consecutive running I've now run1,437 miles.

Day 264 - FOUR!

A quick four in the sun before a trip to Ikea, which was actually OK as it was very quiet and deserted.

Not much else to say but, four more miles to the tally and 1,434 miles now run.

Day 263 - three plus one = four plus a red kite

Three mile run around Ilkley with Pamela while Emma was at her guitar lesson. Very dark skies and cool after a day of sunshine, we even had a few spots of rain.

Pamela and Emma then went off to Weight Watchers (one getting weighed, one watching...) so I ran home adding another mile to the day's tally. Oh, and was followed by a soaring red kite. Nice.

So, four more in all, 1,430 miles now run.

Day 262 - back to the Otley five

Back home to the usual Otley five miler. Ran quite late, 9 pm, but it was still light, warm and almost humid. Run felt good too and I had a real spring in my step, running very much on my front foot. Does it make you run faster? It certainly felt like it!

Five more miles and edging towards the 100 days to go milestone. Tally now standing at 1,426.

Day 261 - third early morning in a row.....(Sunday 19 May)

Decided to get today's run out of the way rather having to run by the time I got home. Ran all the way in to Kendal this time and did a loop that took in (to my surprise) a ski slope! It was pretty wee and looked more like a snowboard park.

Three miles in all taking the tally up to 1,421.

Day 260 - another early two

6 am run today, but after a night of heavy rain it was dry in the sky and not too cold. Set off from the hotel and just took a right turn, no idea where I was going but signs said Town Centre so that seemed like a plan. Then I spotted Castle Road and having seen the castle from the coach earlier decided to explore.

It was a bit of a climb for such an early run, but nice views and gave a view of the route back to the hotel.

Just over two miles taking the tally to 1,418.

Day 259 - early two

Long weekend ahead working in the Lake District and with a packed agenda the only real time I had for running was first thing. So out at 6.30 am for the obligatory two. Quite mild this morning and later on in the South Lakes a sunny day. Nothing but rain forecast for tomorrow.

Two more miles ticked off taking the tally to 1,416.

Day 258 - Eight

Long working weekend ahead so nice to get out for a longer run, runs that should clear the head but are sometimes consumed by work challenges......

Still, a good run tonight, just over a mile running with Pamela who was only only out for two miles before peeling off and heading out to Pool Bank for a few more miles, one big hill and great views of sunny skies and sunsets.

Eight miles in all, taking the tally to 1,414.

Day 257 - gentle four

After a day of rain showers and cold winds and a bright and almost, but not quite, warmer evening. Run out with Pamela around the the streets of Otley. Four miles in all, taking the ongoing tally to 1,406.

Day 256 - another two....

With full report tomorrow.....

But, actually, not that much to say! Another busy day, full on at work and then a full Governing Body meeting at school in the evening. However, I did manage to draw that to a close half an hour early, so my run was late but it was still light at 9 pm but its still cold!!

Two more miles takes the tally to 1,402.

Day 255 - two more miles and only 110 days to go!

Busy day plus school meeting this evening equals two miles. Felt pretty tired too so just as well.

So, a cold two miles takes the tally up to 1,400!

Day 254 - runsunday, won Sunday!

Well, not a bad week of racing. Three races, two first place finishes and a season's best. Boom!

Today's race was the free, timed, five kay race in the Chevin Forest Park on the hill above our house. I've thought about doing it a few times but never got around to it. It's a 10:30 start, so quite civilised, so I decided I'd do it today and make it part of my ten mile Sunday run.

So, stage one, run up the hill to the start. That's just a small matter of 486 ft of 20% gradient and about 1.8 miles as I did a bit of a loop to get there.

Quite a small event, about 12 to 15 runners today. I'm guessing all local, at least one Ilkley Harrier and an Otley AC runner Matt Pod who I know. No elbowing to the start line, indeed a reluctance for anyone to toe the line! So it was a gentle start, flat, then downhill before a steady climb then a very steep but short uphill and another uphill drag back to where we started, then repeat!

I trailed behind two younger runners to the foot of the steep hill then slowly pulled away. I ran the whole of the second lap out in front and was never really challenged and didn't have to push too hard. I finished in 19:50, quicker then I was expecting but feeling good.

I then hung in until everyone had finished. It's low key, it's free, it's run by volunteers so there is an expectation that you join in cheering the runners home. There were even homemade biscuits!

However, it was getting chilly in the forest with a cool westerly wind and the sun obscured by more low cloud. So I was grateful to set off on leg three of my ten mile run, heading off towards Bramhope for what would be 5.5 miles of meandering downhill running, dropping 656 ft from the top of the hill back into Otley.

All in all then, a grand day out. And, ten more miles takes the tally to 1,398.

Day 253 - finally a quick parkrun! (Saturday 11 May)

Nice dry conditions underfoot, bright and not too cold, little wind and for some reason unexpected energy in my legs resulted in an 18:34 parkrun. 10th place on the day and a season's best. Very happy with that. Sadly the 18:19 result texted to me by parkrun is clearly a mistake, but very happy with 18:34 and already thinking about how I can improve on that.

Three more miles on the 365 challenge, 1,388 miles now run.

Day 252 - early morning two

Off out to see Star Trek at the Bradford IMAX this evening so we (Pamela joined me) were out at 6.30 for a steady two mile run.

Weather was quite cool and blustery but bright and with blossom swirling about very spring like.

Two more miles takes the tally to 1,385.

PS got home to find this mug had been sent out by Likeys, one to every runner who has passed the 100 mark on the 365 challenge. Thanks!

Day 251 - late night posting, tired, tired run....

Yes, feeling very tired which I guess is hardly surprising as I ran a marathon on Monday! And, work continues to be very, very busy.......

So, five more miles, 1,383 miles now run.

Day 250 - FOUR!

Yes, four miles today. And, according to my Suunto Abmit, it was exactly four miles. Not any pre planned route but a real exploration of Otley's streets, cul de sacs and dead ends. Fun!

So, four more miles. 1,369 miles now run since the 1st September 2012.

Day 249 - another two, slow miles!

Well, it's only fair! After a fairly hard 26.2 miles yesterday and then a busy, busy day at work, it's nice to only do two.

And, it's was fun! Did a bit more meandering around Otley but still came back running just two and a bit miles.

Two more makes 1,378 on the 365 challenge.

Day 248 - Northumberland Coastal Challenge

Second year of taking part in this 26.2 miles coastal trail run and surprised myself by going 30 minutes quicker! That might have something to do with the fact it came after consecutive weekends of the London Marathon and then the Three Peaks Fell Race last year!!

Still, good weather today, low grey cloud, a bit of rain but warm enough for T-shirt running and, with the sun coming out after Craster (the run goes from Budle Bay to Alnmouth) even got a bit of suntan without it ever getting too hot. Probably helped by the south westerly wind that was a constant throughout the day but was no where near as strong as last year's full on headwind.

So, 26.2 miles in just over four hours running 9:15 minute miling. Very happy with that.

Today was also marathon number 30 and my 61st race to count towards the 100 Marathon Club. Next marathon, Edinburgh at the end of this month.

Today's run also gives the 365 tally a nice boost taking it to 1,376 miles.

Day 247 - another two ticked off

Just two miles today squeezed in between a day out with friends and their two little boys in Harrogate - Valley Gardens play park and nice lunch at Farah's (the famous toffee people) - and heading north for tomorrow's Northumberland Coastal Challenge. So, only two today but hopefully 26.2 tomorrow!

Two takes the tally to 1,350 miles.

Day 246 - parkrun number 111

Family outing to Leeds parkrun this morning and a request from Emma to run as time keeper targeting sub 26 minutes. Result, 25:57! So hoping that the official time is one second quicker which would give Emma her second fastest parkrun time. PB remains at 25:15. That's looks entirely within Emma's range, as indeed is a sub-25 at some point over the summer.

Pamela had a trouble free run coming in just behind last week's time in 27 minutes.

Fairly fresh morning with a bit of a breeze, but good conditions underfoot and a big turnout today.

Another run done of the 365 challenge and 1,348 miles covered so far.

Day 245 - trains, planes and automobiles

And lapwings and black tailed godwits and unidentified warblers! A day in the Dearne Valley for work today, seeing the amazing work that has taken place at Adwick wash lands and how in just 12 moths the landscape has been transferred from arable fields to vibrant wetlands hooching with birds, most notably lapwings!

It was also another day of bike and train travel and dodging the very poor Otley rush hour driving.

Only time for two miles this evening as we are off to listen to Pamela's choir singing at the Courthouse.

Two miles takes the tally to 1,345 and only another 120 days to go!

Day 244 - six miles (Thursday 2 May)

Six miles out to Pool, up Old Pool Bank and back home along the Leeds Road.

Very tired legs today, very slow going up the hill (though admittedly it is rather a steep one), but nice to be out running and, finally, running in a T-shirt!

Six miles also gives a bit of a boost to the tally which now stands at 1,343.

Day 243 - two more miles.....

Another long day at the office followed by a cancelled train and an eleven mile cycle home from Leeds on the Brompton.

So, decided to skip seven miles of fartlek and just do two. Two was in fact 2.5 but the legs were definitely tired today.

Just two more then and the tally edges up slowly to 1,337.