RUN 123 - More snow on Tooting Common!

I spoke too soon... more snow in London today! falling quite heavily when i walked out the door to run today, but not really cold. I used the opportunity today to run randomly through the trees and across fields, sometimes i love planning routes other times its great to just run, like today. And it felt great, finishing today's 6m run i felt strong and fit, my next race is in under two weeks and i haven't drunk any alcohol in 2 weeks too which definitely helps my preparation. [6.14m - 52:27 - 08:32/m]

[Worst British winter in 30yrs continues]

RUN 122 - Melting snow on Tooting Common

A little warmer today, perfect for a gentle 4m jog, the snow is turning to slush and i forgot to put gloves on which while running i definitely needed, that gave me more motivation to push through my scheduled run to get back and a warm apartment. [3.0m - 23:32 - 07:50/m]

[Melting snow/ice on Tooting Common?]

RUN 121 - Chelsea & Knightbridge; Gordon Ramsay & a helpful Kiwi

Had a really satisfying run today, i was annoyed the night before as i misplaced my London A-Z which is critical for me to figure out where the bloody hell im running sometimes, but i winged it and with the help of a lovely Kiwi lady was able to get back on track and over the Thames River into Chelsea to continue my run. Saw Gordon Ramsay (i think) coming out of Starbucks wearing shorts and wellies, and i ran up through Chelsea and into posh Knightsbridge past the fancy English shoe shop pictured below and up to Harrods. I was also testing out our digital camera recording my run which i'd hooked to my camel bak using an ipod case (realised later that the camera was still running while i was talking to the Kiwi girl... she didnt seem perturbed. Its easy to start stop the video and not think about it but with my running motion it swings left/right too much, also the battery ran out in 1.5hrs. I'm testing it now as my next Trail run in Portland (where all the stone for fancy old buildings in London came from) is in a couple of weeks. I felt a little tired approaching the 16th mile, running on some ice covered streets made he going a little difficult but im always up for a challenge, didn't slip once and i didn't even have trail shoes on. As it often does, my tiredness faded fast and completing another longish run fills me with confidence, im starting to think about what time/pace i might place in the next trail marathon, but i have to not do that and focus on the challenge, each of these races are very individual and i know that so long as im able to give my all i'll be happy with completing the challenge. Seems like a good mantra to live by! [16.24m - 02:29:26 - 09:29/m]

[Some fancy shoes in a fancy shop window]

RUN 120 - Biggest UK snow storm in 30 years!

In the same day I'm cursing the weather for adding 90 minutes to my drive due to a closed motorway, and within hours I'm free of the constraints of cars and traffic and loving the same weather as i take it on and run across the snow covered countryside. I suppose that's what the saying "if life give you lemons, make lemonade" means. Set your expectations too high or be unwilling to adapt to life's curve balls and you're destined to fail. [5.57m - 49:36 - 08:54/m]

[England, the river Severn and Wales beyond]

RUN 119 - Clapham Common, London

I've been feeling really tired lately, I'm not quite sure why... i spend a lot of time staring at this tiny computer screen which might be it, but by the evening my head and eyes seem to be exhausted. It makes having confidence in running a little more challenging, but my strength and fitness seem good. Although i have been wondering lately if I should look into finding a personal trainer, I feel like my fitness has plateaued as my body is used to the routine i have, i suppose i could shake up the routine myself too, i just wonder how many running days to sacrifice for lights weights or bike riding. Something to think more about later in the year after my trail run schedule is complete. Felt strong today, had a good run on pace. [4:45m - 36:44 - 08:14/m]

[Frosty ground of Clapham Common]

RUN 118 - Wimbledon Common, London

Back in London again, had a busy morning getting ready for the week ahead, and didn't get out to start today's run until the middle of the afternoon. I think like most runners at that point the thought crossed my mind that perhaps i would skip running today, it was late, going to be harder to run the route i wanted to, possibly les satisfying since it was getting dark, but i knew i'd feel a sense of calm and contentment after running, that i'd acheived todays goal, and if i didnt go, i'd have to live with the sense of 'failure' for the rest of the evening, so i ran. I'd planned to make my way over to Wimbledon Common, at which point i'd have a couple more miles to run before turning back. I'd imagined it to be a great photo opportunity too... but it was pitch black by the time i got there as you can see. Although i did learn today of an organisation which plans free timed running events in Parks across London (and the country) www.parkrun.org.uk which i'm really excited about and plan to work into my weekend runs. [11.57m - 01:40:25 - 08:40/m]

[A War Memorial at the edge of Wimbledon Common]

RUN 117 - Hortham Lane, Almondsbury

A cool icy morning today, i encountered several other runners including a local football team out on a training run. So often people think I'm crazy for the times, weather and distances i run, its always nice to see other people out doing the same thing i love to do, especially on such a beautiful sunny cool day as today. The photo below is typical of many of the roads in this area, you need to be alert and keep an ear out for oncoming traffic, the reward is a beautiful calm running track, often rewarded with public footpaths which are easily explored across private land. So often, when i have a set schedule of running distances, each run has the danger of feeling contrived or mundane, when your starting point is so often the same the first few miles can be that way, until you have a chance to change direction at which point every changes and a completely new experience begins. [5.94m - 46:29 - 07:50/m]

[Typical local road]

RUN 116 - Three Brooks & Patchway Common

I'm still getting used to running in English streets and countryside, the countryside is a little easier, find a bridal way and you can keep going for miles across public paths. The country roads can be tricky, often narrow with no pavement and sometimes thick bushes lining each side of the road, there can be few places to take cover when a car eventually comes along. Running the streets is simpler, but without the grid system of Chicago that i'm used to and the expanse of space, i'm constantly navigating changing direction and figuring out where to turn next, all while keeping an eye on the overall distance to ensure i end up back at the start and complete the right training distance. It's a skill i'm learning, sometimes i'll not plan a route at all and simply run wherever my feet take me, this run today was a half mile of schedule, which is pretty good. It's important to me to keep the running environment stimulating, a big part of my running has become in part an opportunity to explore new places, especially where the landscape is less dramatic than that of Lake Michigan in Chicago. [4.5m - 34:31 - 07:40/m]

[One of the Three Brooks; obligatory shopping cart, check]

RUN 115 - Forest of Avon & Compton Greenfield

Fell running in Great Britain dates back to the 11th century, a product of the environment, cross country running too is much more accessible to runners that the often busy, small roads of the cities and even countryside, where there is often barely room for cars to pass each other let alone runners on the road too. That's ok with me, discovering a new public footpath across the countryside, following the trail or the kindly direction of locals out walking their dogs takes me through places and terrain i could not have planned and to see things i would never have expected; fields of mud, hairy cattle with big horns, beautiful church gates, hills and views.[10.65m - 01:38:03 - 09:12/m]

[Beautifully powerful and silent, cattle]

RUN 114 - Wintry Christmas eve

Having lived in Chicago for the last 6 years, snow and ice is not as exciting for me as my fellow countrymen and women, but i am pleased to be able to run and train in a variety of surfaces, so my Christmas eve run was really enjoyable today. This town doesn't have quite the drama of Chicago's Lake Michigan, but add a blanket of snow and its really quite beautiful. Ive always enjoyed varying weather conditions, they do so much to make every run interesting and varied. Not only the scenery but the terrain and challenges to a runner, especially cross country. My next marathon is on the island of Portland on the South coast of England, at the end of January its possible the weather could still be quite wintry so being able to prepare for all conditions is really important to me. [3.4m - 30:35 - 08:59/m]

[English Countryside, north Bristol]