Month total 1209

186 min ahead of schedule.

Meidenloop

Have just picked up my t-shirt, pink laces and startnumber at Park Lepelenburg.  Now all I have to do is run the 10k this evening to get the rather attractive bling they've promised at the end...

83 min

Start 18.00

Clock time 65 minutes.  It was warmer than I thought and although I tried to up my speed now and then there really wasn't much more to be upped.  Never mind, it was a good run.  Lots of enthusiastic cheerers on and a good route through the old town and along the various canals. 

Weather was more or less perfect though I'd almost always prefer it to be slightly cooler.  But the rain held off until I was home - it's just started pouring now that I'm here.  Stayed for the award ceremony (after cheering in the last runners) and then jigged the last wee bit home. 

 The bling is Very Nice Indeed.  And since I've helped the Helen Dowling Institute in the past by volunteering to take part in their post-op questionnaire things after my own breast cancer episode I feel I've doubly earned it somehow. 

Out and Back

60 min
Start 21.30

Decided just before sunset that I had time to go out for a last run

before the Meidenloop 10k tomorrow. 

Raspberry Run

128 min
Start 4.45

Longer than planned as got a bit lost in the woods behind Groenekan and ended up in Bilthoven.  Found some wild raspberries on the way back.  Also saw a couple of small deer but they were gone before I got my camera out. 

Allotment run

61 min
Start 16.00

Week total 233

Sunset Long Run

123 min
Start 20.00

 Out to Groenekan and back with a detour along a fern fringed path through the woods.

Roses at sunset

85 min
Start 20.45

Out past the rose gardens, which are at their best at the moment.  Through Bloeyendaal and out to Groenekan.

Orange Run

25 min
Start 20.45

Went out the door as the football was starting.  Into the centre of town, passing various pubs with screens outside.  Saw some of the match in Karin's house and got home in time to see the last excruciating minutes. 

Week total 315

Put the flags out

80 min
Start 4.00

Woke up before the alarm so got up, hung the washing up and still got out the door before any real sign of light in the sky.  Specially under the trees it was still almost totally black, but I knew there was a dawn on the way so kept going out of town towards the light.  Too grey and cloudy for any visible sunrise but it was still good to get out early.  Realised I'd forgotten my cap when it started to drizzle but it didn't really come to anything. 

On the home strait saw this enOrmous flag hanging outside a house (Dutch pupils hang their schoolbags out of the windo with a flag when they've passed their exams.)  I've never seen a flag this big before. 

Wake up and smell the coffee

95 min
Start 6.00

Didn't manage to get up in time for sunrise but the greyness probably meant that there was no visible colour effects today so never mind.  Out to the Vleutenseweg to deliver a letter that had come for Sabine and then on out past the Douwe Egberts factory, with its ridiculously strong coffee smell.  Minor bit of hill training on the bridge there.  Ran up and down a steeper slope at the back of it down towards the Vredenburg building a couple of times. 

Blistering Run

140 min
Start 4.45

Had blisters on both feet when I got back - on the balls of my feet just behind/below the big toes.  Good socks and shoes on (green trail).  Wonder what that's about? I burst them easily and they're clean and not sore but not something I want to get into the habit of getting.

Week total 329

Dead Early

134 min
Start 5.00

Out to Groenekan and back via De Bilt.

Sunlight through Green

57 min
Start 18.00

Out to the allotments again.  I'd gone out with a long sleeved shirt on as it felt cold after all the rain but I soon realised it was warmer than I'd thought and hung my shirt in a tree to collect later.  Running with just my reflective vest on was just right (plus 2 armour like bras obviously.)

Allotment Intervals

68 min
Start 18.30

Out to the allotments in Bloeyendaal where I did repeated circuits of 4+ minutes intenser effort followed by 2+ minutes recovery jog.  Felt some muscles in the front of my thighs from yesterdays hilly bits. 

Photos were up on the site of yesterday's run in Haarlem.  I look as if I have Absolutely No Idea why I am there...

Letterenloop Haarlem

70 min
Start 12.30

 Didn't spot any known faces in this literary run which is usually full of famous folk.  The weather was ideal, the rain stopped just in time for the race and it was pleasantly cool and damp.  The few steep hills were a bit of a challenge. 



 Managed to run steadily the whole way through - time (67:28 netto) was a bit slower than I'd hoped but then I had forgotten that Bloeyendaal is so hilly.

Spotted this wonderfully Gormenghastian cathedral on the drive through town on the way home.