Some days are diamond

My long run on Sunday proved to be one of those glorious runs that come once in a while where everything aligns like a solar eclipse and you feel like you could run forever.

My route took me 16 miles down the Uxbridge Road towards Hyde Park. It was a bright cool Sunday morning. Not much cloud but not too cold. I wore my new Hoka One One running shoes that I'm getting more and more used to. They really are much lighter than my other shoes and I think that helps in how I felt running the longer distance.

I ran from Ealing through Acton, Shepherd's Bush, Holland Park, up the gradual incline that announces the arrival of Notting Hill and then into Hyde Park. Lots of runners seemed to have the same idea and I lost count of the numbers I saw.

I ran down the road that separates Hyde Park from Kensington Gardens, past the Albert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall and over the road into the area surrounding South Kensington.

Anyone who knows London knows that this area is full of museums and so it was that I ran past the Science Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum, all within the space of a couple of hundred metres.

Just across the road from the Natural History Museum is Baden Powell House which is the headquarters of the scout movement. I remembered staying there over 35 years ago on a cub scout trip from Swansea. It doesn't look as though it had changed much.

Anyway, I then followed the A4 road all the way back to the Chiswick Roundabout that announces the joining of the North and South Circular roads that surround London. A quick run through Gunnersbury Park and then back home. I wish all runs felt that good. Unfortunately most don't.

Not that I'm complaining. I run because I enjoy it. If I didn't then I'd stop. I don't do it for the health benefits, they just happen to be extremely nice side effects. No, my pure reason for running is for the enjoyment. It sets me up right for the day.

This morning was a strength session of 2x3 miles with 1 mile recoveries. Not too taxing which hopefully means my legs are getting stronger and stronger. There's only one way I'll really find out though and that will be in four and a half weeks' time. I'm looking forward to it.

Weight loss was zero this week, although I did measure myself correctly which probably means there was some loss as compared to last week when I measured myself too soon after running. I'm hoping to reduce my weight now down to 77 or 76kg before the race. We'll see how that pans out.