I managed to get myself out at lunch time today for my overdue long run. It’s 3 weeks since I last ran 10 miles and only 4 weeks until my next half marathon so if I’m going to make it up to 14 miles before the HM I had to get out for a 10 miler today.
Home to Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park for a few loops, round the serpentine and a nice neat circle around the round pond to make a pretty map! The first 4 or so miles were hard going. My legs didn’t hurt or ache anywhere I just felt tired and generally weary all over. However as usual after slogging through the first 4 miles the rest of the miles melted away and before I knew it I was at 8 miles and on the home stretch.
Like most people my mind wonders when I run and I have all sorts of creative thoughts on the hoof. Shame I can’t always remember them afterwards. Today I started out thinking about the two great blogs I’d read before I set out from Local Adventures and Beanoutrunning about ways to skin a cat, leave your lover or save the world! I had a few original thoughts but mainly all my mind could concentrate on was ways to shove my gloves somewhere on long runs! Pockets, waistband, bra? Then I took off my hat!
On my loop of the serpentine today I really began to wonder if I’d been transported to a European ski resort! Everyone I was running past was wearing hats, fur coats, puffer jackets and reflector sunglasses were everywhere! I had to keep watching the swans on the Serpentine to remind me where I was. Obviously cold crisp sunny days in London bring out all the beautiful people (and runners)!
10.13 miles in 1.40.51 mins.
fairweatherrunner 
January 15, 2012 at 8:58 pm
But surely runners ARE the beautiful people. Sounds like a great run. Well done for getting the miles in.
January 15, 2012 at 8:58 pm
What a great route. Boris Johnson pays those people to make London look like a glam cosmopolitan metropolis.
January 15, 2012 at 10:41 pm
Great place for a lovely long run. Well done!
January 16, 2012 at 12:01 am
Thank you very much for the mention. Glad you liked my blog. Well done on getting out for your long run today. You picked a great location. There are always plenty of distractions in London parks. Normally I end up marvelling at how people can wear so many clothes when it really is not that cold outside. Keep up the great running and blogging. P.s. For me, it always has to be the waistband for my gloves. Rather than take a hat, I wear a buff. It can then be wrapped around the wrist if it gets too warm
January 16, 2012 at 5:27 pm
Great pace for your long run. I miss running along the Serpentine! Lots of happy running memories there.
When I run I have lots of random thoughts….including things to blog about! 🙂
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January 17, 2012 at 12:27 pm
Ah, the age old question of where to put your hand and gloves when you have to strip them off after you’ve warmed up! That’s why I always wear a jacket when running in winter, so that there are pockets for all my layers 😉
January 18, 2012 at 10:51 pm
hhe i always wear too much then try to find places to dump layers!
January 22, 2012 at 12:04 pm
May I congratulate you on both your 10 mile run and your very pretty map!