Running by Letters - Janathon Day 29

Sunday Run Cub convened on a Saturday this weekend - just to confuse matters. Lucinda had organised a brilliant 14km route so Lucinda, Kaye, Shoshana, AJ and I set off armed with maps (THANKFULLY!!) for the longest run of 2011/ ever.  All bar fellow Janathoner, Half Marathon Training and accomplished long distance runner KAYE who regularly runs for miles and miles and miles when she's not climbing 1,000,000 stairs!!

Lucinda and Kaye managed the original and full 14.75km route in a staggering 1 hour 30 mins - WELL DONE girlies.

But for the slower but steady Run Club contingent - as the route progressed, our legs got wearier, we grew more convinced we were running miles not kms, our faces froze and our map reading skills fell to pieces (teasing AJ!!) so here's the slightly shortened route AJ, Shoshana and I ended up taking:

(Route Markers are in Miles!!)

Running by Letters Key:
A - Run Club meeting point and where we just missed PT joining us on the run - SO SORRY PT xx
Run kicked off: 9.08am.

B - I threw my first wobbly (the old "have to stop and tie my shoelace trick") - at the customary 20 mins of running mark. Fortunately Shoshana was not standing for any nonsense and we were soon on our way again but run/walking especially on the uphill sections.

C - Shoshana, AJ and I tag team run this stretch until my AudioFuel track kicked in and I apparently got noticeably faster - THANKS AJ - I like to keep you on your toes!!  Trust me the AudioFuel thing really works.

D - I realise we were not where I was hoping we'd come out (at the top of the Serpentine) and AJ realises we've gone off Lucinda's selected route and that we still have eons to cover. We decide to cut a section but are forced to drag ourselves up a steepish hill, for our sins.

Here after a gallant 4.5 miles Soshana completes her run ON A HILL. WOOP, WOOP. Great effort S.

AJ and I continue our brand of running (i.e. running with walking/breathing/talking breaks!!) and decide that the Serpentine Cafe will be our finish line as that MUST be 10km or thereabouts.

E - AJ and I stop for photo in huge lakeside mirror:

Proof we are shrinking!!

F - We pass Lucinda and Kaye at their 11km mark - looking as though they could run forever. And they do!!  AJ and I continue to the cafe, collapse on the bench outside then proceed to convince ourselves that we did run a rather hilly 9.8km in 1 hour and 10 mins AND on a freezing cold day. Two very happy people hastily depart for buses before the other suggests that we should really attempt another km!!

I may not have covered the 15km I was hoping for but today's run was my longest of 2011 and has set the baseline for next month's 28 x 10km. 

Plus left to my own devices, I know I wouldn't have gone more than 2 miles.

THANKS RUN CLUBBERS xx