January 2010

[Sweder]

Oh to be in Sussex now the grass is here!
Most of the snow has had the good grace to bugger off, driven into the chalky soil by days of warm(er) rain and this morning's blast of sunshine.

No shock then to see a monster turn-out at the JSJ Brighton marina run this morning; something like 50 runners ready for the challenge. Before I left home I found the following posted on the Brighton Marathon Runners' Facebook page. This snap was taken last Sunday at the top of the Snake and bears testament to the hardy few who took on those perilous slopes.



Much the same group with a few additions today. At the top of the Snake I noticed a couple of the guys looking rather fresh and bouncy. I invited them to add a couple of miles and they jumped at the chance. We doubled back down behind the Snake, finding perhaps the only path on the hills still buried in thick, slippery snow, across to the reservoir and down into Rottingdean. On the cruelly steep Windmill climb to St. Dunstans my hamstring piped up - I plan on having that molested - sorry manipulated - this week - so I eased off. I still managed to finish strongly, running westward along the cliff-tops into a firm headwind at sub 5 minute (km) pace.

I felt a bit jaded this morning but running the first 5k with Stevio 3 minutes faster than usual helped to perk me up. 23.27 kilometres in 2:14. I'm out again on Tuesday for around 16 kilometres then off to Dubai for work before we fly to Almeria. Let the (unfortunately long) taper commence.