Category Archives: Training

The road to Claygate

March 1, 2015TrainingClaygate, Hampton Court Palaceadmin

I have often driven up the A3 towards the turnoff to Kingston and wondered where the road that runs parallel to the A3 goes to. So today, with a four hour walk planned, I decided to find out.

I walked up the river from Ham to Kingston and then up the Surbiton Hill and out towards the Ace-of-Spades roundabout which is the where you turn on to the A3 and just before the roundabout I headed down the mystery road.

Early morning beside the Thames heading towards Kingston

It turns out that the road goes to Claygate which is a town that I hadn’t been to before.

After solving the mystery of where the road went to I continued exploring and followed various roads and trails to eventually hit the Thames at Molesey and then followed the Thames back home taking a few more photos along the way.

Sign on farm fence — This made me laugh – this sign is on a fence with a rugby field behind it, but there wasn’t a pub anywhere to be seen

Back on to the Thames heading down river from Molesey

The Thames — My favourite photo from today

Hampton Court Palace - the former home of King Henry the VIII — Hampton Court Palace – the former home of King Henry the VIII

Looking down-river towards the Kingston Bridge

Sailing boats on the Thames down-river from Kingston

In total I covered 21 miles today in 4 hours 11 minutes. A faster pace than yesterday and I didn’t slow in the later stages like I did yesterday which was pleasing.

With 50 miles for the weekend I am feeling much better about my fitness and am planning on starting training back at Battersea Park with the Belgrave Harriers walkers on Tuesday night.

The plan is to try and walk Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights after work and do two long walks in the weekends for the next two weeks before a two week taper leading into the 24 hour race in four weeks time.

Connecting parkruns plus some sightseeing at Olympic Park

March 1, 2015TrainingOlympic Park, parkrunadmin

It was parkrunday again today, and for the fourth time this year I headed out towards North East London for a parkrun. This time I ran Barking parkrun in 22:14 – my best time for the year.

I arrived early – 8am – so started the day with an easy 5km walk before parkrun. But the main plan for the day was to walk a 15 mile loop taking in the venues for all four of the parkruns I have run this year in the North East and East London area – Barking (today), Valentines (on Valentine’s Day 2 weeks ago), Wanstead Flats (on New Year’s Day), and Mile End (3^rd of January).

Today's map - four parkrun venues and a detour through Olympic Park — Today’s map – four parkrun venues and a detour through Olympic Park

What I didn’t intend to do, but ended up doing anyway, was take a detour and check out Olympic Park in between Wanstead Flats and Mile End, but I am glad I did. It was the first time I had seen Olympic Park and what an amazing venue! I took heaps of photos, some of which are below, but as a result of that and a little bit of getting lost, my planned 3 hour 15 mile walk ended up being 23 ½ miles in 4 hours 50 minutes.

When I sent my wife a txt message to tell her that I had got lost but was now back at the car in Barking, she replied that maybe we should change the name of this blog to “Richard gets lost in London” as that seems to be a recurring theme of most of my long walks

Overall I was happy with the walk. I faded a little over the last 60 to 90 minutes, but I hadn’t had anything to eat or drink since breakfast at 6am, and in total I covered 30 miles today so maybe that was to be expected.

The original plan for this weekend, until I got sick a month ago, was to race the Bourges 24 hour race in France. Based on today’s walk I am glad I decided not to do the race as I don’t think I am in the shape I was in before getting sick. But hopefully two weeks of long walks followed by two weeks easy will see me in shape for a good 24 hour race at Château-Thierry in 4 weeks time.

Photos from today:

Barking Park - the start of my walk — Barking Park – the start of my walk

The lake at Valentines Park with the clocktower in the background

A muddy Wanstead Flats – it was muddy the day I ran there too

The Aquatic Center – which was just across the river from the Olympic Stadium

And after 4 hours and 50 minutes we are back at Barking Park again!

Lost in Twickenham

February 22, 2015TrainingTwickenham Stadiumadmin

This afternoon I decided to check out the venue where the All Blacks will successfully defend their Rugby World Cup later this year – Twickenham Stadium.

I wanted to walk 3 hours (about 15 miles) in total so took a roundabout route out to the stadium via Hounslow, following the River Crane for a while and then a trail through Hounslow Heath. It always amazes me how easy it is to find off-road trails and I enjoy looking at my Gamin map after I get home to see where I actually went.

Twickenham Stadium is the largest dedicated rugby stadium in the world, seating 82,000 people. The All Blacks have played England at Twickenham 22 times since 1925, winning 16 times, drawing once (26 all in 1997), and losing just 5 times. Not a bad ‘away’ record. In total the All Blacks have played England 40 times over the last 110 years and have won 32 (80%) of those matches with the one draw and 7 losses in total.

After leaving the stadium I planned on taking a semi-direct route home as it has started to rain and if I walked home via Richmond I figured I would still end up with about 13 to 14 miles.

But I have a habit of going exploring when I see signs ‘advertising’ public walkways, and today was no exception. Except this time I got horribly lost and 45 minutes after leaving the stadium I realised that I was walking back towards it again!

I ended up completing a total of 17 ½ miles in 3 hours and 28 minutes. This was my longest walk since getting sick three weeks ago and whilst I am not ready to do any fast walking yet, I feel that my fitness is back.

I am not doing the 24 hour race in Bourges next week though as I don’t want to overdo it, but I am seriously considering the possibility of competing in the Château-Thierry 24 hour race in France in five weeks time.