Deer oh deer!

I'm constantly surprised by how green London is. I shouldn't be considering I've lived here for 17 years but it still amazes me that I can be running past a housing estate one minute and be surrounded by the most delightful flora and fauna the next.

On Sunday I had a 15 mile run ahead of me. A good distance. Long enough to give a work out but not too long to exhaust me.

I planned a route to take me down to Richmond and through the park and back along the Thames to home. The weather was perfect. Overcast, not much wind and not too hot. I suppose at 6am it's never too hot but it stayed cool for the next couple of hours and I just avoided a downpour of rain that has hit London for the last week or so.

I also remembered to take my iPhone with me so stopped and took some snaps.

View from Richmond Bridge

After crossing the bridge at Richmond I ran up the hill and into Richmond Park. I love Richmond Park, it's beautiful and has trails and paths that criss cross the entire park but it isn't flat and that's what's so great about it. Variety.

Miles of greenery in Richmond Park. The Shard is visible just in the distance

Sitting in the long grass next to the path were some deer. They blend in so well I almost missed them. Almost. The stags have magnificent antlers at this time of year although I don't think rutting season is on us at the moment.

A stag in the grass

Herd of deer? Of course I have!

One thing you can't avoid in Richmond Park are the MAMILs. Cycling around and around in all the latest gear and high spec bicycles. Even though I cycle to work every day and have cycled solo from Land's End to John O'Groats (see my other blog from 2012: http://mikelejog2012.blogspot.co.uk/) I have no interest in cycling for fun or fitness. Don't get me wrong, I love cycling to work and doing LEJOG (as it is known) was one of the most pleasurable and proud things I've ever done but I don't see the appeal of cycling as a fitness pastime. Running always wins for me.

Came out of Richmond Park and then ran back along the Thames to home. Just as the rain started to empty out of the skies. Pretty good timing.

View of the Thames from south end of Chiswick Bridge

Here's the run in total, if you look at the pace charts then you can see how often and where I stopped to take photos:

My mid week running has been going well. I'm hitting the paces and finishing strong. Hopefully this is a good sign for the next ten weeks.

Next Sunday I'm running 16 miles. I think I'll head into London and through Hyde Park down towards the museum area. I ran the same route back in March and really enjoyed it. And that is the key word. Enjoy. If you can do that then you can run forever.

Here I go again!

So, Chester marathon is on the 4th October. That's just under 11 weeks away from now. Luckily I started my 12 week Pfitzinger and Douglas plan last week.

Since the plan is only 12 weeks they don't mess around too much with warming you up into the distances. The first long run was 13 miles and they only get bigger. They do however only have me running four days a week for the first two weeks before moving up to five days for most of the rest of the plan. Compared with the six days a week regime I was used to doing with the Hanson method for 18 weeks this seems almost like a holiday!

I'm still training at a pace that would get me under 3:30 for the marathon although due to summertime interruptions such as holidays and the fact that the schedule is a third shorter than usual I am not expecting to run the marathon at that pace. If I can get round in under 4 hours I'll be pleased. It's more of a "bonus pleasure marathon" (if there's such a thing) than going for a target.

I have however decided to ease up on alcohol once again. It may be a bit trickier to go the entire 12 weeks without drinking since we're hoping to go on holiday at some time, my birthday also occurs during the schedule as does the Great British Beer Festival (to go there and not drink would probably be the ultimate challenge!). But, generally I won't be drinking.

After the Shakespeare marathon in April I put on about 3 kgs (half a stone in old money), and went from 77kg to 80kg over three months. Which to be honest I was happily surprised at. I thought I'd pull the ripcord and balloon up to the mid 80s but I suppose the general running I was doing helped keep it down.

After 1 week of proper training with no alcohol I've gone back down to 79kg.

Next week I'll try to remember to take my camera with me. I have a 15 mile run on the Sunday and the weather is beautiful at the moment. Perfect for a few snaps.