Sunday Training (20 mile road run...yes, TWENTY miles)

Finally, my first ever Sunday morning run with Plumstead Runners.

I knew it was going to be a long run, so I came fully prepared.  Two 600ml bottles of High 5 4:1, 2 packets of Jelly Babies and a couple of gels in my bottle belt.

Plan was to run to Plumstead Common, just a fraction over 2 miles away, do the run, and run back.  The last long Plums run was 17 miles, so was assuming similar, so would plan to get the 51 bus back to Welling after notching up 20 miles as that was my target.

Got to the common and Richard said he'd planned a 16 mile run.  Perfect.  With the 2 miles back and forth, that was spot on my 20.

One thing I failed to appreciate.  The Plums like hills.  Jesus, within 200 yards we were chugging down the steps at the common to leave a huge climb back up.  Down to Wickham Lane and straight up Bostall Hill.  WTF!!!  Ouch.  The quads were already hurting.  My early pacing went out the window and I just held on for dear life.

By the time we'd run across Bostall Heath, crossed Brampton and run past Nuxley Village at Belvedere, I'd settled back into my 9:30 min/mile pace and pretty much held it around that until Mile 16 when we'd run the length of the Thames Path and had to make our way up the climb in a park in Charlton that I'd never ever heard of and its got animals in it!  (Somewhere to take Izzy when its warmer!)

Left the Plums at the Common on the way back and ran back to Welling.  The last 2 miles were a drag.  I really didnt have a lot left in the legs but I'd done it.  Mission accomplished.  Finished with an average pace of 9:36 min/mile.  Got to be happy with that with the level of climbing involved today.  The Paris Marathon is a damn site flatter and 9:30 pace is more than realistic.

Got home.  Stretched.  400ml of Chocolate Milkshake for recovery.  Hot Bath.  Sofa.  Sleep.

Job done. 

The Strava reports are as follows...