Last challenge of 2011

I’m a sucker for round numbers.  When I run distances, I like to try and round it up to the full mile, half mile, quarter of a mile, or even a tenth of a mile.  Perhaps a little sad, but it’s brought me to my last challenge of 2011.

Here goes:

So far, up to the 29th of December 2011 I’ve run 1,263 miles this year.  I have 2 days left to ’round up’ the miles I’ve run… and I had thought 1,275 would be a good (and achievable number)… but then I thought… perhaps 1,300 would be better? 😉

It means running a total of 37 miles in the next two days.  A bit of a challenge, but an achievable one perhaps.  I’m meant to be running 6 miles with Twinkle Toes tomorrow anyway, so I thought why not add on about 20 miles to do 26(.2) miles on Friday.  Then I’ll do the remaining 11 or so miles on Hogmanay morning.

That’ll be 1,300 miles this year, an average of 25 miles a week.  It’s still not quite double what I ran in 2010 (683 x 2 = 1,366 miles), but a good number of miles anyway.

I’m meeting Twinkle Toes at 10:15, so here’s the plan for tomorrows run:

• 7:40am –  Leave the flat, run 18 miles around Glasgow. (see map below)
  (Carry two energy gels on me, 2 in my water pack, and some water)
  Take an energy gel roughly every hour.
• 10:15am – Meet Twinkle Toes for 6 miles (probably Pollok Park)
• 11:15am – Run 2 miles home, make it up to 26.2 miles.
• Finish around 11:30-11:40am.

For the 18 miler, I’ll run from the flat, to Glasgow Green, up through George Sq, St Vincent Street, Buchanan Street, Sauchihall Street, Woodlands, Park Gardens, Great Western Road, Byres Road, back down to the Clyde, then over the river, over the M8, down Nithsdale Road, along Allison Street to Aitkenhead Road, up horrible Prospecthill Road (14 miles in – ouch), left at Cathcart Road,  Battlefield, Shawlands/ Minard Road, Titwood Road, Dumbreck Road, Moss Park Blvd, Bellahouston. (If I remember the route that is!)

Then I’ll run the remainder of my 37 miles to make it up to 1,300 miles in the year, on Hogmanay.

Let’s hope I can do it ok.  And lets hope my legs/bum feels ok after the legs weights I did with them today!!

I’m off to get a playlist together. 😀

Here’s how I did:

Wk52 – Last Marathon of 2011 →
Wk52 – I ran 1,300 miles in 2011! →