Runvember Week 1

It's been a whole week since I started my Run November challenge (cleverly renamed Runvember by my other half) and I have to say that the first week was pretty darn successful with a whopping 45.5km (28.2 miles) of pounding the pavements!

Managing a new job with trying to run everyday has been a tad challenging as I'm a stickler for a routine. This last week has had me up at 6am to run before work, hunting down new running territory along Regents Canal at lunchtime and dragging myself around my local streets in the dark after a sleepy train journey home from work and I have to say that I've enjoyed the challenge so far. I'm definitely preferring the morning or lunchtime runs because coming home from work and knowing you have to run makes it a bit of a chore when all you want to do is curl up on the sofa, but I realise that the trick is not to sit down and to head straight out the door once you're changed :-)

The biggest issue I faced over the week was finding suitable running routes because the morning and evening runs are shrouded in darkness and the nicest routes I know are alongside unlit rivers or in dimly lit parks, neither of which I feel are particularly inviting in the dark. So far I've just managed to pound various streets that are not that far from home but I have a feeling that by the end of the month I'll be sick of the sight of them. I did manage to get in a nice long run at the weekend up on Wimbledon Common in the rain, mud and wind....it was really good fun, until about 8km in when I thought I might vomit - I must learn not to run shortly after eating a large lunch!

Week one has most certainly been a week of learning and exploring but a very good one at that. I'm looking forward to seeing what the next week has in store for me!

Week 1 Statistics: 45.5km (5 hours and 10 minutes of running)