Then I remembered that I don't measure runs in miles but in kilometres. So I upped the minimum slightly to 2km (1.25 miles) instead.
My running streak started two days before October did, as I did a parkrun - Kerry and Patrick's last one in Hove before they moved to the Midlands, so there was no way I wasn't doing it! As I ran with them I got my first plus 30 minute time at that course since the marathon, but it was not about a PB and all about saying goodbye. The following day was a six km run to stretch my legs ahead of a busy day in London.
I tried not to stick to the same routes when doing my basic 2k runs. The first two runs went to Hove park and then a half lap before finishing - the second was much more fun as I had Dana accompanying me. Wednesday saw me use running as a method of transport for the first time as I ran to a Zumba class. If I do this again in the future I should factor in that it takes a bit longer than taking the train, but at least my sweaty arrival hid how badly I was at dancing for exercise! Thursday was a run to Tesco - I needed to go and get some groceries anyway so took a slight detour to tie in my run with the trip.
Friday was one of my fastest runs yet, as I managed the 2k in 10:25 - it was Claire's leaving drinks that evening and if I reached the bar before 5pm I had a free pint waiting for me, as part of a promotion for a brewery whose beer isn't nice enough for me to give them a shoutout. This was after finishing work and I also had to cram in prepping my bike for the weekend in a short space of time - luckily I made it to the bar with four minutes to spare! That pint, and three others before eating, meant that I was not in a fit state to ride my motorbike to work at 6am the following morning. Instead I got a train and a rail replacement bus, doubling my journey time to and from work to an hour each way - on top of a twelve hour shift! I didn't get home until 8pm on Saturday evening but forcing myself to go out and run in the pouring rain while knackered was probably the point in this run of, well, runs that I thought I could easily fit the marathon training around my work schedule.
Needless to stay I didn't get a personal best on that run.
The next day was dryer, and soberer, so I took my bike to work instead. It was bloody cold each way so Sunday's run was actually longer as it took a while to get my legs going. These weekend runs were going to be the trickiest to fit in as I work 12 hour days every other weekend; the other working weekend later in the week I'm on nights for, and there's usually a dead 3 hours from 1am to 4am which I'd earmarked for a run then. From the Monday I switched to late shifts at work, so my runs switched to the morning. This started around Hove park but the habit of playing Pokemon Go screwed up the GPS, so I'm not taking these times as gospel. Wednesday incorporated the game to give me a goal to run to, as there was a raid happening at Aldrington station so I ran there. Thursday and Friday were treadmill runs in the gym before work, to give me a bit of a change.
There was a medical reason behind that swap as well. I'd noticed earlier in the week that my shins were aching more and more during and after the runs and talking with a houseguest (hi JJ!) who had suffered from shin splints I decided to call a halt to the Run-tober plans. Thursday and Friday were easier on a very springy treadmill at work, but Saturday's parkrun enforced the decision as a good one.
Yesterday's parkrun. The last one down here with Claire for a while, as she's moving to Manchester. My plan was to stick with her as long as possible, as she's faster than I am (the only time I've beat her was when she gave me a five minute head start, and we tied the day after she gave blood and nearly passed out) but it only took me two social cues to realise that she wanted to run with me, which was a new personal best! She dragged me to a time of 27:57, a scant 13 seconds off my fastest parkrun time ever but boy are my legs showing the effect of a fortnight of running now.
Oh, and yesterday's run was significant in other ways, too...
Yes, after falling 20km short of the same goal last year, and hitting my 200km goal on New Year's Eve in 2016, I've hit this year's goal with 79 days (a good 20%) remaining! So I've decided to bump it up to a nice round 300km, keeping to an increase of 50km a year.
