Category: Janathon

#janathon Day 8

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 7 Comments

Janathon Day 8

Firstly, being a teacher I normally plan lessons in my head during long runs, but since the start of janathon I have found that I am planning the daily blog!

No pictures in today’s blog – took the ipod instead. From reading other blogs (which I’m loving) it would seem that the #janathon blogs seem to be expanding all the time, we’ve moved from weather reports to #jokeathon and now we seem to be moving into music choices. Unlike Garry, who had the company of Madness today, I went for Frank Turner. That was until about 3 miles into the run when my headphones started playing up, finally finishing with a very faint noise coming out of the right side only!

Following on from a previous blog post where @runningman856 asked what I was planning to do with janathon. This got me thinking….and last night I signed up to run the Stamford St. Valentines 30k.

It was not until this morning’s run that I really began to think about it. In 2006 I completed the London Marathon so I’m not unaccustomed to doing the training and running long distances. Although, during the first week of janathon I’ve run as many miles as I did training for the marathon, I’ve done lots of 3 and 4 mile runs so far. So I’ve decided to increase mileage on a Sunday, starting today, and after seeing that @lilbee67 completed 10k this morning, I was spurred on….

Took the dog (Billy) and completed just over 6 miles around the fields of Bourne/Toft/Northorpe (2 laps). A nice run, plenty of people/dogs/horses about. The run felt pretty good. After a long run I would normally follow this with a rest day. Although, I am intent on running every day of January, so I’ll be stealing the idea of @AndyRoss75, who stole the idea from someone else, and having a go at a fast one mile.

Runners passed = none

Cyclists passed = 1

Walkers passed = loads

Horses avoided (Billy doesn’t like horses) = 3

Summary
******
Distance: 6.12mi
Time taken: 00:51:03
Average/Max Speed : 7.19/9.00 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:08:21/00:06:39
Calories: 724

Total Janathon mileage after day 8 = 30.41 miles

Not to forget #jokeathon….

A blonde goes out for a run. She comes to a river and cannot see a bridge anywhere nearby. She spots another blonde on the opposite bank. “Yoohoo!” she shouts, “How can I get to the other side?” The second blonde looks up the river, then down the river then shouts back, “You’re already on the other side!”

#janathon Day 7

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 3 Comments

Janathon Day 7

I make that 1 week done!

Today’s run was a nice steady run round the woods with the dog – nearly 4 miles. I do quite enjoying running on the muddy tracks, although it must be very funny to watch . I did actually nearly stack it today – running down a muddy hill – it was only flaying arms and legs that stopped me landing in a ditch (I’m thinking Phoebe in ‘Friends’).

Long run planned for tomorrow – time will tell….

Summary
******
Distance: 3.89mi
Time taken: 00:33:17
Average/Max Speed : 7.01/11.22 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:08:34/00:05:20
Calories: 462

Total mileage after day 7 = 24.29 miles

And why not….. #jokeathon….

Q: What do you get if you cross a vegetable with a 26 mile run?

A: A marrowthon.

#janathon Day 6

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 3 Comments

Janathon Day 6

Got away nice and early from school today with Janathon in mind. I’ve been running mostly on concrete all week and felt my legs needed a softer surface. Drove like a madman home to pick up the dog and get to the woods for 4pm (didn’t want to finish my run in the dark – the woods are very creepy at night).

Billy Boy was more than pleased to get to the woods nice and early….

Although with the extreme weather conditions we’ve had recently there were a few obstacles to overcome, fallen trees…

….it was very, very, very muddy…..

…resulting in….

That’s 6 days running, legs are slightly aching, so I was happy to be told I wasn’t allowed to climb the timber stacks….

Summary
******
Distance: 2.71mi
Time taken: 00:27:27
Average/Max Speed : 5.93/8.62 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:10:07/00:06:57
Calories: 308

Total mileage after day 6 = 20.40 miles

Taking Tim’s lead….#jokeathon…

Q: What do you get if you cross Bambi with a ghost?

A: Bamboo

#janathon Day 5

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 2 Comments

Janathon Day 5

A pretty uneventful run tonight. 4-miler around town. Was planning on a short 2-miler, but felt pretty good so carried on for a bit more. Although during the last mile home I wished I hadn’t.

On a positive point I was able to listen to the fantastic Beans on Toast on ipod – have a listen – be warned: it is a bit sweary!

Runners passed = none

Dog walkers passed = 1

Dog walkers passed who took up all path causing me to run in road = 1

Cars reversing out of driveways I had to avoid = 2

Summary
******
Distance: 4.09mi
Time taken: 00:34:28
Average/Max Speed : 7.11/8.38 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:08:26/00:07:09
Calories: 484

Total mileage after day 5 = 17.69 miles

#janathon Day 4

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 1 Comment

Janathon Day 4

I read someone’s blog yesterday (can’t remember who they were) that mentioned a lot of blogs seemed like a weather report, so for the record, I will not be mentioning the massive ****ing ridiculous hooligan of a wind that was raging AGAIN for tonight’s run.

Also, I know it’s only day 4 but work seems to be getting in the way of janathon, what with working late at school and the fact I should actually be marking rather than sitting and writing this, I dread to think what’s going to happen by the time we get to day 31. Ok, well onto today’s run….

The plan was a couple of laps of the estate where I live. This includes running on the path for a bit before passing Tesco…

…and running on a muddy track down the side of a field, over a stream and eventually getting back on the path. Also, to kill two birds with one stone, I took the dog for his evening walk/run. Simple you would think. In reality, not quite so simple:

  • The track was incredibly muddy (think cartoon character running) and incredibly dark.
  • Nearly ran into a mysterious cyclist without lights.
  • When negotiating a particularly tricky part of the run (muddy under foot and trying to avoid falling into the stream) I promptly ran through a REALLY deep puddle.
  • Needless to say, on the second lap I did exactly the same thing!

But on a more positive note…..day 4 done!

Summary
******
Distance: 3.33mi
Time taken: 00:29:47
Average/Max Speed : 6.71/8.21 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:08:57/00:07:18
Calories: 389

Total mileage after day 4 = 13.60 miles

#janathon Day 3

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 2 Comments

Janathon Day 3: Running Club Training

The real test of janathon starts now, Christmas is over and I’m back to school. Tonight’s run was the usual club training night, but thankfully is was decided, as it was the first session after Christmas, that we’ll take it slightly easier tonight.

Tonight’s session:

  • Warm-up
  • 10 min sustained (10k pace)
  • 3 min jogged recovery
  • 10 min sustained (10k pace)
  • Cool-down

Although it was very, very, very windy. In fact it was so windy that running into the wind felt like you were running up a steep hill. Legs feeling slightly tired by the end…..

Summary
******
Distance: 3.79mi
Time taken: 00:34:24
Average/Max Speed : 6.60/9.26 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:09:05/00:06:28
Calories: 441

Total mileage after day 3 = 10.27 miles