Bedfont Country Park - thumbs up

NINE WEEKS TO GO...

OK...Total running/walking time 2 hours 48 mins. Distance run 11 miles.

After fumbling round the longer trail route I opted to run 10 times round the 0.75 mile trail.

Splits

1) 25:18 (includes getting lost, avoiding dogs) 1.5 miles
2) 24:08 (better but I didn't really like the trail) 1.3 miles
3) 10:12 (ooops took a shortcut so probably only 0.6 mile)
all the following are 0.75 mile track
4) 10:27 (got on the track, but this lap was too fast)
5) 11:01
6) 11:57
7) 11:53
8) 11:44
9)51:33 - ok this was a collection of 4 laps because my mobile ran out of lap recorders after 9! bah - 51:33 / 4 = 12:53 average - reason - left ankle playing up, decided to walk most of these laps - hmmm typical operated ankle NO problem, other one dodgy.

After about lap 7 feet started to ache...just imagine what they will be like after twice the time....Anyway, despite dodgy ankle could probably have gone round at least another 5 times - need to work on having negative splits - i.e. getting faster and faster...which means that I need to slow down at the beginning.

It was a fairly nice day with a brisk breeze (sun and clouds) and there were lots of people out walking...including a few groups of teenagers. In one group of 4, one boy shouted a few words of abuse at me...when I ran round and met them again, I thought ohhh here we go again...the same boy was trying to make the other three laugh at me...but interestingly as I passed them the lad closest to me in a hoodie over his face gave me the thumbs up - and made me think - that there is still hope for the youth of Ashford.

Anyway, next weekend long run is 13-14 miles - the trail is pretty good because it is on compacted soil, but I'm not sure I could bear running round it 18 times....probably time to work out a more interesting route.

Bye for now my friends, will update after next run on Monday.