How far did I go? Look how far I've come...

Morning folks! Aussie here on a beautiful overcast and cool morning (the wife and kids hate it - I love it... a PERFECT morning for a run). So, while the house was all sleeping, I was up and having my energy bar, bottle of water and loading up the hydration belt for today's long run - 15K was the aim for today...

So - all gadgets in place, phone in plastic bag just in case the heavens opened and the hydration belt securely on my hips (it's comfortable alright) I set off on my 5 minute warm up walk and before we know it I'm off... and taking it nice and easy for the first few kilometres as this is going to be a big one today... Today there was not a gremlin in sight.. the first few k's were lovely... my pacing was right, I was singing along to the tunes on my playlist and all was good in the world...

Entering Richmond Park and I decided today would be a clockwise loop which would mean meeting 'that hill' from Thursday morning at about the 11-12km mark... oh well - worry about it then... it'll mean a downhill finish though...

And we're off through the park and the first runner I meet coming the other way is dressed in a gorilla costume... at 8am in the morning, in the park... VERY amusing...

First hill is up from Ham Gate to the road... not too bad but heart rate is up and I recover quickly at the top and continue plodding on towards Richmond Gate and Pembroke Lodge... early morning bike riders are getting ready to tackle the roads and I jog on past and then it's a nice gentle downhill from here to Sheen Gate... I'm now doing the reverse of the Richmond Park Parkrun and running down the hill... lovely... speed up a bit and the heart rate stays low so I take advantage of that... After 6km I start taking a sip of water every km or so. Just a sip and I can do this one-handed with the belt... perfect! I don't even notice the belt is on and keeping a bit of water down every km works perfectly well for me (and my tummy)...

Onwards towards Roehampton Gate and the golf course now... lovely flat piece of path and nothing but me and the trail now... it's quiet and I turn the tunes off and just take it in... I'm actually smiling at about 8-9 kilometres... This is actually enjoyable... slow and steady... breathing is working, legs feel strong...

10km now and I'm past the golf course and approaching "that hill"... I know it's coming, but I ignore it... I get a gel down me now... little bit of energy, another sip of water and just remember "what goes up must come down"...

And there she is - my nemesis - that hill... the glute killing, muscle shredding, pain machine... Head up... shorten the stride... pounce up it like a ninja... here we go... keep it going, we can do it... breathing is hard, heart is pumping hard... but... WE MADE IT.. without walking, without stopping... back into normal rhythm at the top and the heart rate recovers within minutes... WOW! I feel fit now... awesome...

A km or so of flat and then it's down "Dark Hill"... great fun... my fastest km I found out later... taking care not to hit the ground too hard though (downhills are tough on joints) but it's amazing how you can use these downhills to make up speed for less cardiac effort...

So, that's a loop of Richmond Park done and I'm at 14km now... still can't believe it... another sip of water an out of the park and head back towards the roads near home as I figure finishing near home will be a good idea! Still feeling strong...

Between 14-15k I toy with the idea of going for 10miles... I politely decline this offer from my brain as I don't want to tempt injury by pushing too hard... 15K will do nicely and will end my run right near the local shops where I can buy a nice cold bottle of water (as my fancy belt has room for some money)....

15K done - the rest of my water is now consumed! I stop the Garmin... 6:38min/km average pace... my fastest km over 15K is 6:00min... 1:39.44 in total... non-stop running... with water... with hills... me - the bloke who couldn't run a bath...

I'm learning now that pace comes with logging the miles... I am getting quicker by NOT trying to be quicker, but by training (in the main) at a very comfortable pace... I was still able to sing along to my tunes at the 14km mark... I was able to say a cheery "good morning" to everyone today... I didn't feel "exhausted" or that this was something I just had to do... I enjoyed it... I didn't get distracted by pace - I let pace just happen as a result of the way my body felt... and it felt GREAT... and I feel completely energised for the day now....

As the title says, I can't believe how far I went... but I REALLY can't believe how far I've come...

Happy running folks... believe in yourself and enjoy it...

[poppypug Graduate]

Oh Aussie, this is a fab, fab post, it had everything , hills , pace ,distance, energy gels , water, new belt, all that was missing was a gorilla , oh no wait......

Brilliant run, the Running Gods were smiling down at you today

You have achieved sooo much, it just keeps getting better and better

WELL DONE !!!

Chill out now for the rest of the day, you've earned it xxx

[Hidden in reply to poppypug]

Thanks PP - a full lamb roast with all the trimmings was my reward last night...

Tomorrow will be a leisurely 6K (or so) recovery run... my how this running thing has changed me!

[poppypug Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Fab stuff, fill yer boots

Has Mrs Aussie started yet ? xxx

[Hidden in reply to poppypug]

Not yet - but she's mentioned it again twice today... she'll be out there soon enough... Laura is now resident on her phone... baby steps..

[poppypug Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Aw fab Aussie, plus she will have her very own personal coach/trainer, everyone's a winner xxx

[Beads Graduate]

I'm getting really REALLY annoyed with you lot now! Yes, you lot that live over Richmond way. I want to go play in Richmond Park with the deer and the Tarka trail and see if I can do that flipping hill, but it's too far with other things I need to do right now. *Walks off mumbling and grumbling to herself and stamping her foot!*

[MrsSparkle Graduate in reply to Beads]

Oh Beads, that's just what I was thinking too!

[Hidden in reply to MrsSparkle]

Haha... well, we'll just have to keep tempting you... perhaps I'll head down the Thame path to Hampton Court tomorrow on my recovery run ...

[Hidden]

Great post, Aussie ... what a way to start a Sunday, especially the gorilla costume bit!

For me the bit that has really resonated was this ...

"I'm learning now that pace comes with logging the miles... I am getting quicker by NOT trying to be quicker, but by training (in the main) at a very comfortable pace... "

I have tried to up my pace and have come back time and time again disheartened that I have had to walk due to struggling with my breathing rhythm. Reading your post now, I am going to leave the Garmin at home tomorrow and just go out for a gentle long run and get back to remembering why I caught the running bug in the first place.

Thank you and well done!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Frocky... I really have found that if I don't worry about pace my natural pace just happens as a result of my run... I'm not fast by any means, but I am getting ever so slowly faster...

[AmberC Graduate]

Well done Aussie, that sounds like an awesome run, as you say....you've come so far and you should rightly feel very proud of your achievement.....such an inspiration for newbies and graduates alike. Your posts are always very entertaining?

[AmberC Graduate]

Oops I hit the ? instead of the full stop. That must have read a bit odd!!! Sorry.

[Hidden in reply to AmberC]

Haha! Thanks Amber... twas a great run and I am already looking forward to a recovery run tomorrow... Garmin said I can... and my legs are itching for a cheeky 6K easy pace...

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Brilliant run Aussie - your elation comes through very clearly!

[Hidden in reply to Ullyrunner]

Loved, loved, loved it...

[teabreaks Graduate]

What a fabulous post Aussie, just wonderful to read and so inspiring. You deserve to chill out for the rest of the day now!!

[Hidden in reply to teabreaks]

Thanks Teabreaks - I had a proper roast dinner on Sunday as reward...

[danzargo Graduate]

Eee bah gum lad, you tonked that 15K! What an amazing accomplishment. Well done Aussie.

[Hidden in reply to danzargo]

Cheers Dan! I thought of you running into the gorilla man too actually... what with your "men with brooms", "damsels in distress" and "overtaking runners" of late... it would have been quite amusing... Apparently he needed to train in the suit... crazy lad...

[MrsSparkle Graduate]

Brilliant, love it that you enjoyed it and can see that you are making so much progress. Inspirational stuff!

[Hidden in reply to MrsSparkle]

Thank you! Slow and steady progress... the best kind!

[Miles_Yonder Graduate]

Bloody well done, Aus.

You answered the question I'd been meaning t ask, which I'd been asking myself for a while: where the hell do costumed runners train?! I mean, they have to train in costume, but where?! What a sight that must have been; bet you couldn't believe your eyes!

Well done, you covered a great distance; sounds like your fuelling is coming on nicely. How are you getting on with the gels? I've not tried them yet. I also must get a water belt. In fact, I've left it long enough now, it's about time I got one. *potters off to Amazon to have a look*

Really really good going mate, you're doing brilliantly well and are nicely on course for your forthcoming races! How are you feeling now, after that excellent effort?

You're right, of course; the more our bodies get used to running, the easier it is for us to find a quicker pace. One of the reasons I've gone up to four runs per week now, just to gently get my systems and body used to the fact that a hell of a lot of running has to be done over the coming months!

[Hidden in reply to Miles_Yonder]

Ah - the sight of a person dressed in a gorilla costume on a training run is one that will last a lifetime mate..

Gels are fine with me but not everyone likes them (and not everyone's tummy likes them either so be close to "facilities" if you try them out was the advice I was given)... The belt was great and there's a 4 bottle version as well...

The more miles that go on the legs the easier this seems to become which is why it's nice to keep on pushing a bit - whether it's a speed session, a hill session, a fast 5K or a long run... there's enough there to keep it interesting... and without needing to overtrain!

That 8.2 miler I've got on Oct 12th is absolutely going to be done without a walk (note to self) and the half is looking achievable now in that "under 2:15" time (wow - I actually said it!)...

[Net68 Graduate]

Well done! How amazing I love reading how others are getting on.

I seem to have come to a stop, but reading what you say about pace coming with logging the miles, think this is my problem. I am worrying about my pace and not just enjoying my run. I don't have any gadgets.

You are doing amazingly well happy running

[Hidden in reply to Net68]

I don't take any note of (or even have the Garmin show me) pace... until I hit stop I don't know my times... I run on heart rate and "feel"... If I can sing along to my tunes, that's about 7 min/km (I have found out)... if I can hardly talk, that's closer to 6 min/km...

The slow and steady approach means that as I log more miles at that comfortable pace, it remains comfortable to go a little bit faster (but I don't notice it)...

[dottiemay Graduate]

Fabulous run Aussie! And well done for stopping before you needed to, rather than when you had to - that's a lesson I've now learned after straining something a while ago!

[Hidden in reply to dottiemay]

Yes - and we all know the body decides to tell us 24-48 hours AFTER the run that we did too much!

Next weekend might be a 10 miler though... and then a week off long runs ... (just a week mind you)...

[ju-ju- Graduate]

fabulous...well done, and lovely to hear all about where I used to live! Is that lovely outdoor pool still in Richmond? I used to swim there pretending I was in France!!! Really well done, you deserve treats....

[Hidden in reply to ju-ju-]

Thanks JJ... you mean the Pools on the Park in Old Deer Park?? Yep - as far as I know they're still open and there's a Parkrun around Old Deer Park as well... not run that one but might do at some point... it's flat!

[paul2014 Graduate]

Great post I knew you'd do it A massive well done, Aussie. That's a great distance covered and it seems you really enjoyed the experience. You must be feeling on top of the world after that run and rightly so Fantastic achievement.

[Hidden in reply to paul2014]

Thanks Paul - was a great feeling knowing I could do that distance alright... who would have though back in March where I'd be now? Not me!

Hope your training is going well for the 10K... can't be long now!?

[AncientMum Graduate]

Fantastic post Aussie. Can't believe the progress you've made. Very impressive! Great conclusion about running slower to run faster. A lesson for all of us. Take care m'dear xx