RUN 113 - Brockwell Park, London

One of the great things about being a runner in London is the number of parks, (todays run was around and across Brockwell Park, which is well over 200 years old) probably a hundred who knows? They all have something different to offer, and are great to run randomly across to meet any distance. One of the things I love about running is the sense of being part of a larger community of runners, but recently I've encountered a lot of grumpy runners unwilling to simply say hello, so if you see me running and I bid my head or raise my hand in a friendly gesture, say hello back, it won't kill you. [5.92m - 52:45 - 08:55/m]

[Brockwell Park, London Beyond]

RUN 112 - Bayswater & Hyde Park

I took the tube over to Bayswater, I've been trying to find a particular item for a stocking stuffer and I knew the chances were good I'd find it there, which I did! I also knew where I could cleanup and change after running, there's a lot to think about when you're a runner! Hyde Park is beautiful & much bigger and more varied in terrain than you'd imagine, if you stray off the footpaths. I'm still in the recovery stage from This months marathon, so an easy 3m run around the Serpentine and back to Bayswater was perfect. [about 3m - about 30mins]

[126 steps to the tube, perfect thigh warm up]

RUN 111 - Embankment, London

Running can be a solitary pensive time, even when running with a partner, which i haven't done in a while, i'm not much of a talker and just enjoy the company of someone who shares my passion. It occurs to me that your environment can be like a partner too, especially a lake like lake Michigan, and a river like the Thames. Running with the river, like the lake before, is a guiding comforting experience, a constant that stays with me on the journey, constantly changing, but always there. Sometimes my love of photographing the places I run can be a little consuming, and you never know what to expect ... today, i noticed a lady on the South Bank that i recognised from a TV documentary i'd recently seen... the Worlds most pierced woman! [about 5m - about 45mins]

[Skateboard Paradise on the South Bank]

RUN 110 - Streatham, London

I'm in London again this week, i forgot to bring my Garmin & Road ID with me, i don't know how far or fast i'm going and if i get hit by a car no-one will know who i am!... more likely i'll be mauled by a dog though. I like dogs, they like me too, they especially like to chase me. My next Trail Marathon in Portland, England is in 6 weeks, i've planned out my training and am excited to see how i'll do at this next event, now that i have a time from my previous race to work towards. I need more extreme cross country training, but its not really possible where im living and travelling to. More repeats will help, i'd love to do another stair climb but i haven't found any in the UK. Unless i move to Wales Cornwall or Yorkshire im not going to be able to train over similar terrain, although i could plan some days out to the Breacon Beacons perhaps, take my wife and i'll go run for a few hours, then have lunch together when im done... otherwise i'll keep running. [about 3m - about 28mins]

[Streatham, Tooting Bec Common]

RUN 109 - Brook Way, Bradley Stoke

It's been a week since my first trail marathon, while the race itself was amazingly difficult my recovery has been really good. I've had no aches pains or stiffness and after a day or so felt completely recovered, I took the week off running just to be sure and today I felt great, I need to figure out a training schedule for the next Marathon in only 6 weeks, my cardio and endurance levels were quite good, I need to build muscle in my quads and calves to cope better with the hills and climbing. [2.05m - 17:46 - 8:47/m]

RUN 108 - The Gower, CTS Stage 2

Today is the proudest and most painful day of my running endeavours since it all began 3 years ago. I completed the Endurancelife Coastal Trail Series Stage 2 in The Gower, a designated area of "Outstanding Natural Beauty" I don't care about the time, I wasn't last and I finished without injury which is brilliant! I've never run in such constantly demanding challenging conditions or terrain, but being able to rely on the never ending support of my wife family, and fellow runners is a constant to running events worldwide. Whether it's telling me at mile 17 that I look great and that they believe in me (even if I've just run 2 miles across sand into a biting cold headwind and feel like death, and probably look awful) or a kind runner giving me a pain killer for the agonizing inner quad pain that's been crippling me from miles 18 to 22. Runners are awesome people! And so is my wife and family! Pushing through stomach cramps from miles 23 to 26 I started to get my legs back and feel some energy, which I needed to ascend, traverse and descend the annoyingly located 800ft high Rossilli hill right at the 27 mile mark through to the finish. The resent and sprint for the line were exhilarating, conditions underfoot worse than ever, surface water, mud to my shins, 5 kinds of animal poo not to mention more rocks! Sprinting to the finish to my ever patient wife and parents, I'd made it across beaches, rivers, pebbles, rocks, thick mud, forests, sand dunes, constant undulation and brutal hills. The event was perfectly organised and flawless! and I met a bunch of brilliant people crazier than me! Can't wait for the next one at the end if January! [28m - 06:01:46 - 12:55.2/m]

RUN 107 - Tooting Bec Common, London

Only 5 days before my first Coastal Trail Marathon in The Gower, South Wales, I've been tapering off my training, missed this weekends last 'long run' but I'm not too worried about that, i've cut back my mileage in this way before and am always amazed how much benefit there is to be found in not running! The hard work has been done, my 21+ mile long run before the taper went great, simulating underfoot conditions as much as possible using the equipment ill be running with, i just need to take my time in the race and find my own pace, finishing in 4 hours would be nice, but I'm not sure what to expect of the terrain, so I'll be happy to complete this first race and then look towards the next one. Since moving back to the UK from Chicago my wife and i have done a lot of cross country traveling, away from our 'home base' which makes working in my running quite difficult, but gives me opportunities to explore many different parts of the country. Having a place to record these runs in this blog as they progress is really enjoyable. [4.93m - 39:42 - 08:03/m]

[Tooting Bec Common]

RUN 106 - Lion Gorge, Chafford Gorge nature reserve

I'm into my usual 2 week taper before the race on Saturday December 5th, its a strange time for me as a runner, i take a lot of confidence from the training which has come before, but its also frustrating to cut back the mileage, and change my daily/weekly routine so much. However it is nice to rest and focus on saving energy for the race. I discovered a small nature reserve today, although i made a 'wrong' turn and only ran through the small half, which is ok, i can save that portion for another run. [6.05m 48:43 - 08:04/m]

[Lion Gorge, Thurrock]

RUN 105 - Thornbury, England

Today was a difficult run, i just didn't feel strong and my stomach was causing some discomfort. While i always run light, careful to maintain a freeflowing natural form, the simple act of placing one foot in front of another over and over; for 16 miles in this case, churns you up inside sometimes. The terrain, destination and the knowledge that i will eventually make it with patience is always enough to keep me going. I headed towards Thornbury, England today, along the A38 road to Gloucester. Thornbury is a small village over a 1000 years old, with a Castle to prove it (which is now a Hotel) My pace was slower than usual, but im less concerned with pace and more endurance and stamina, which i think will serve me better in the upcomming Coastal Marathons around Great Britian. [16.12m - 02:25:04 - 09:00/m]

[Sunrise over an English farm yard]

RUN 104 - Three Brooks nature reserve

There is a small nature reserve nearby called The Three Brooks Nature Reserve, which I've run through a few times already, but today i decided to explore a little more. The reserve centers around the Bradley, Patchway and Stoke brooks. I had an 8 mile run scheduled which would need me to cover the nature reserve several times, which was ideal to run without thinking, turning randomly through the forests, trails, up hill, over rivers and bridges. The terrain was perfect, and while i didn't feel particularly strong as the start, i felt really energised by the end, its amazing how some days the same distance can feel short and others long. I'm feeling strong and i know I'm running faster then more efficiently than i have before, my race in a little over two weeks is still a big challenge, especially as the next race is only about 6 weeks later. My trail training pace has been quite consistent, especially over my recent 21miler, but i still don't know exactly how the race will go, ill be happy to finish, and then think about improving in the next race. [8.18m - 01:11:09 - 08:41/mi]

[Three Brooks nature preserve]