With xmas day falling on saterday this year it means perfect excuse to not only get the traditional Xmas day run in but also double up and call it long weekend with LSD run on sunday (Box Day ) in fact with the following weeks new years day on a saterday you could call it a double roll over as its gonna seem like 'a month of sundays ' .
Xmas has always been the ideal oppertunity for me to throw the miles in and steal a march on my rivals most of which were usauly on the piss and piling on the pounds even tho' I retired from competitive running old habits 'die hard with a vengance ' .
18m easy over enrolled myself in the 'Skool for hard knocks ' and wore cut off shorts was ok after I warmed up and the blood started circulating not many runners out and about it seems the Traditional xmas day run has fallen by the way side amongst club runners but to get out at least once at this time of year even if its just for an hour or so is a psychological advantage .
Boxing day 26th
Managed to survive xmas so far without Collateral liver damage & limited myself to just a few drinks with plenty Brown Ale altho' did seccumb to few shots of schnaps as someone gave me bottle for xmas ,with my feck liver I shouldnt be drinking let alone still running !!.
20 miles easy pace the snow has been flattend and trapled down by walkers esp' on the canal towpath so its lot easier to run on in fact Im quite enjoying myself running on the stuff hope its here to stay for anougher few weeks at least .
Past few runners on the canal as I ran past the Uni' load sad bsterds on towpath to look at the new Bridge thats been lowered into postion to make way for the new Rd thats being built have to say it hardly makes a differance it seems some slap heads & local historians block the towpath with their cameras too occupied to move out the way and too deaf to here me shout " make a path coming thro' " .
canal new build
Mon 27th
with two succesive days of LSD I had the idea to try hit 100mpw just for kicks as that kinds milage used to be common when I was lot younger esp' as nearly every pleb out there seems to be pushing back the frontiers of running and unltras are the new marathon ,makes you feel so inferior especially when Celebs like 'Eddie Lizzard ' are doing it .
But I came down with bout of Neuralgia on the night , serves me right going out without a hat on Box day when it was -4c I dont usauly seccumb to cold viruses & manage train thro' them but with Neuralgia the pain in the head gets worse with exercise and I end up being doped up on pain killers so I rested up for few days .
wed 28th
Resumed running and went for session down the gym on the Treadmill for some more torture cranked up the machine to top setting and let rip 20mins @ sub 16 mins 5k pace ages since I ran that fast but the speed in your legs never leaves you even at my age , jogged the extra few miles back home via the common for total of 10 m .
Been useing an old pair of shoes as they offer better grip in the snow trouble is they offer little cushioning on my ankles & knees the new Trainers I brought over month ago are still uncomfortable to wear they dont make Nikes like they used to .
footnote
Seems to be growing trend for Barefoott running I blogged on this few yrs ago but most of it was wind up I know 'Ron Hill ' was famous barefoot runner but he only ran without shoes on the Xcross country Ive tried it on the beach run in the wet sand near waters edge & on a treadmill ;mind you doubt wether I get away with it now with health & safety .
I did try doing track session once but gave up half way thro' after get foot burn on bottom of my feet due to the tartan track surface but there are plebs out there running barefoot in parks and on Rds which is crazy as you never know what sharp objects ley beneath the surface !!.
