Marathon Training Runs

When I first started running with a club, a marathon seemed to be a superhuman attainment, and I entertained a vague notion that I would eventually do one and then retire. When I found out how many people in the club ran marathons regularly and thought nothing of it, that didn't seem like such a heroic notion. But still it has taken me over 11 years to get round to it. The chief reason for that has been the time required for the training. This year I am finally doing it.

So how difficult has it been, grinding out the long runs, increasing the milage I ran per week from ~8 up to 40? Frankly far easier than I ever dared to hope. For that, I must say that my training plan has proved to be very good - all credit for that to Runners World website (http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/) where I got it from. Secondly, what has helped enormously has been that I like, no make that love, the places I have been running in. Also that I have deliberately not put myself under any pressure to try to achieve any particular speed. I just run and enjoy myself. I look around me and look for wildlife, watch for interesting things happening, keeping an eye out for anything unusual. I don't wear headphones when running, despite the fact that I love listening to music, and a long run would be an ideal opportunity to do so. But listening to the sounds of nature is a key part of the experience, and often the first indication that there is something to look at. Finally, I have been exceptionally lucky in having some remarkably good weather for running. Throughout September and October as my milage has crept up from 12 to 20 for my long runs, 2 miles further each week, the weather has held out, being consistently dry and sunny, not too hot (with one exception), but not cold either and with moderate winds. Perfect conditions for me.

Some of my midweek long runs have had to be run at least partially at night. These have been really fun, too. I carry a torch but have found myself rarely needing to use it. When I do, it is frequently to alert other users of the path to my presence (usually cyclists!) Even in the dark it has usually been perfectly easy to make out where the path is. A gravelled path like the cycle routes in Richmond Park is very obvious, but even where the path is only defined by the grass being shorter can still be made out when ones eyes have adjusted.

And at night when there are fewer people around, one can see and hear different wildlife, not just the nocturnal creatures but the shy ones which hide away when there are lots of people and dogs around. I've heard owls hooting, seen bats silhouetted against the sky, darting silently after moths, with their sudden unpredictable changes of direction. I've seen herons flying quite low overhead, with their huge wingspan making them look very dramatic. I've heard the eerie calls of foxes, and once, up on Wimbledon Common, I heard a strange pig-like grunting sound. Was it a badger? Or could it have been a hedgehog? Or perhaps a roe deer? I never did see a deer on the Common on my training runs, but researching on the internet I see that the Wimbledon Parkrun website indicates that there are some. I hope there are. It is ideal habitat for them. Later on that same run I heard a slight rustle in the leaves on the ground as I ran past, and it continued for a little bit so I knew it wasn't my feet disturbing anything which ha caused it. I thought it must be a mouse or a vole and on a whim I stopped and turned and shone my torch where I thought the sound had come from. It was a toad. I quickly turned off my torch and resumed my run, and heard it rustling the leaves again as I left. One dark evening I ran through the middle of Richmond Park during the rutting season, with huge stags bellowing to each other all around me. That was an experience I feel truly privelleged to have had. A couple of weeks later I ran a similar route, but the rut seemed to have ended. I saw and heard nothing for most of the way round until down by Ham Gate, just a mile from the end, I heard a woody clattering sort of noise, and looked round to make out in the faint light two young stags, still practicing their fighting with their antlers interlocked. I could tell they weren't fully grown males fighting in earnest. Other deer stood around silently grazing or watching the fighters. That made my night.

There are fish to be seen in virtually all the water along the route, ponds, streams and even the river Thames. It's not easy to spot anything when you are running of course, but I have sometimes paused by a pond or stream on my way round and been rewarded by the sight of fish.

It's not just the fauna either. The flora is very varied along the route of the run. That's deliberate. there are dense woods, gardens, flat grass, tussocky grass, bushes, bracken and heathland. One bonus of the very warm dry autumn we have had this year is that the autumn colours seem to be that bit more spectacular, with the trees forming more vivid reds and golds than usual. Or is it just my imagination. For a couple of weeks the acorns were falling, and in places when there was a slight breeze, there would be a sound like a hailstorm as they fell in great numbers. I was surprised none of them ever hit me. They certainly startled a couple of ladies walking ahead of me on the path one time.

So all told, I have really enjoyed my training runs. I did some long ones on short holidays, in the Welsh borders, Norfolk farmland and Lancastrian hills, just south of the Lake District. Unknown territory, for which I had to carry maps and consult them at regular intervals. A slightly daunting prospect, running an unknown route in completely unfamiliar territory, with the danger of getting miles off course and hopelessly lost, but I made it back OK each time. And enjoying the runs is really what it's all about.

I have marvelled sometimes, when I found myself without another person in sight, and thought, "This is London. One of the largest cities on the planet. And there's just me and some deer." But of course I've also had a phone with me, and it has also cheered me and maintained my morale enormously when my wife has called, by pre-arrangement, to ask where I am and how I am getting on, and offer her encouragement. Many thanks to her for that.

I want to end this post by sharing with you these photographs I took of the most spectacular rainbow I have ever seen. It was in Lancashire towards the end of my long run, and the sun was sinking low behind me, and dark clouds were starting to pour heavily ahead of me but I was still dry, and these rainbows formed , complete from one side to another (if you look above the main one there is a second fainter one, and a vertical one joining the two in the second picture). Rainbows, like sunsets, rarely come out as spectacularly in photographs as they appear to the naked eye, but these are still very good (in my humble opinion). So imagine they were even more vivid than they appear here.

Running Accoutrements

When I first started running, the only equipment I needed was a decent pair of running shoes. With this marathon project I have undertaken, I have found that the paraphernalia required and list of things to do before starting has increased to the extent that I now need a checklist before I go on a long run.

Firstly, check toenails are short with no sharp edges. It has happened before that I come back from a run to find blood on my socks after a nail has slowly sliced into the skin of the adjoining toe!

Vaseline to prevent chafing in susceptible areas.

Micropore tape for the nipples, see above.

Suncream for bald head. If it is very cold I wear a woolly hat, but on most days sunburn is the danger.

Sweatband, to keep sweat mixed with suncream out of eyes.

Camelback preferably filled with a mixture of water & fruit juice, to stay hydrated on very long runs. I’ve been lent this item by a friend at my running club, and it has proved invaluable.

Running shorts with a decent pocket – preferably sealable, to keep car key safe, if not using the above.

Mobile phone, with camera, for photographing key points on the route.

Arm pouch for above.

Garmin for recording and measuring the route.

Wind up torch if running after dark. This has been very useful. I don’t need to use it often, and mostly for alerting others (like cyclists) to my presence, but the fact that I can recharge it whenever it gets dim is very reassuring, and means I don’t have to carry spare batteries and stop to swap them over in the dark.

Plastic bags to sit on in car at the end of the run, to save the car seats. Plastic bag and change of shoes if running shoes are likely to be very muddy.

Warm top to put on at end of run if there’s a danger of getting really cold when I stop.

Map, if exploring a new route. It is sometimes essential to carry one, but I find it adds a lot of time to a run if I keep consulting one.

Quite an increase!

The route in pictures

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5071510
If you are a memberof the Good Run Guide website:
http://www.goodrunguide.co.uk/RunDetails.asp?RunID=2408#


Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Start from the Kingston Gate car park in Richmond Park, cross the road and go up this path through the trees. There are optional steps.

At the top, turn to the left.

Follow the treeline.

Turn right onto this faint path across the grass. The path becomes more defined as you get nearer the trees opposite.

Follow a well defined path through the trees. Wherever it forks keep going in roughly the same direction.

Round this fenced area...

Along here...

and follow the path all the way to the entrance to Isabella Plantation (above).

Take the main path straight ahead of you. If you stay on the major gravelly path and keep heading down the slope you will inevitably come to the pond at the bottom, next to which is a gate leading out to the disabled car park.

Exit Isabella Plantation

Turn hard right and take a straight path which crosses the open area and joins a broad tarmac path with a bridleway next to it (shown below).

Turn right and follow that path until you reach a wood on the left.

Branch off the tarmac path and follow the edge of the wood on the track visible in the centre of the picture above.

You come down a slight slope, and through the few trees shown below.

The path crosses a ditch and curves round to the left to come to Pen Ponds. Follow the edge of the first pond and cross the causeway between the 2 split level ponds, and then turn left to go back along the other side of the upper pond.

Follow the path straight. Where it forks at the point shown above, continue on the right hand fork.

The path crosses an open area. Ahead you see a dense belt of trees on the horizon. The path will take you to the right of the densest area of trees.

You emerge onto a road (below).



Cross the road and continue on the path opposite which curves to the right, and then two paths fork off on the left.

 Take the second of them (shown above) which leads down to Ham Gate and out of Richmond Park.

As you leave Richmond Park there is a large white property on the left, after which is Church Road. Take the track which is shown above, to the right of the road sign.
Follow the track roughly parallel to the road until it emerges by the traffic lights at Ham Common.
Cross the road and run across the Common, skirting round the edge of the pond on the far side. 

Go down Lock Road (above).

At the end of Lock Road (shown above) turn right,

and after a few yards turn left down an alleyway, shown below.

At the end you cross a road and continue down a path, shown below.

Cross the road at the end and continue on a path which leads you to Teddington Lock.

Turn left at the river and follow the towpath down in to Kingston.

You briefly join a road which leads past the Sea Scouts, then branch off to stay next to the river at the point shown above. Go past Boaters pub and Canbury Gardens, under the railway bridge, to meet another road. You are next to the river all along this stretch so you cannot go wrong.

Take the brick path shown above, past John Lewis,

and go up the stairs visible in the centre of the picture above, which take you onto Kingston Bridge. Cross the river, then cross Kingston Road at the zebra crossing, turn left and go past the White Hart pub, and turn right into Church Grove. After 20 yards cross the road and go through the iron gate (shown below in the gap between the cars) just past the skateboard park.

That path goes between the skate park and allotments, then into Bushy Park.

Follow the grass path going diagonally into the park

Keep in as straight a line as possible
This path leads to the car park at Heron Pond. Go through the car park and take the track which leads out of the far right corner. This goes over a footbridge and brings you to Chestnut Avenue. Cross that road and continue on the path which leads into the Woodland Garden. 

Take the path up to the Pheasantry cafe (a good place to meet supporters), then cut across the lawn to pass the pond,

turn right, There is a bridge which is now closed off, so I have to amend those directions. As soon as you go through the gate, turn left so that the long pond is on your right, and keep on the right hand path wherever the path divides

 until you come to the exit gate.

As shown in the map above.

Leave that garden and cross to the Waterhouse Plantation opposite. 

Again take the right hand paths as shown on the map above



and these photographs.






As you go round this small pond where you can see the house shown above,



you reach this long straight track shaded by trees. This takes you to the top end of the Waterhouse Plantation.

Exit the garden at the top end via 2 sets of gates and turn left. Follow the path as it runs parallel to the fence until you get to the point shown below, where you branch off to the left into the Water Garden.

Go round the Water Garden

and out the other end and follow that path as it curves round the buildings and then intersects Cobbler's Walk, the main asphalt path that runs through the middle of Bushy Park.



Turn right on Cobbler's Walk and follow it until you reach Chestnut Avenue, the main thoroughfare for traffic through the park. Turn right and run parallel to Chestnut Avenue, skirting Diana Fountain and exiting the park at the southern end.


Cross the road at the zebra crossing and go into Hampton Court at the Lion Gate.
Turn right past the Maze and continue to the buildings and wall.
Turn left and follow the wall until you get to a gateway.
Go through and on the other side of the wall turn left, through the rose garden and across the front of the palace, and out of the gate opposite which comes out on the river.

Turn left and follow the river path until you come to the Jubilee Gate, shown below.

Go through this gate and then a second, into Home Park.

Follow the path shown above, across a golf course, past a pond, along a short stretch of tarmac and so to the Long Water, all of which is a fairly straight line.


Turn right and go to the end of the Long Water.



Turn slightly left, cross the road and follow the grass path shown below. (Follow the line of my shadow to where it intersects the road and you will see a green line which goes between the gap in the trees.

This path crosses a rabbit warren (mind your footing)

and then joins a tarmac path heading slightly left. Follow that path and it will lead you out of Home Park (across the cattle grid).

Turn hard right and stay on the pavement over Kingston Bridge.

Go down the steps to the riverside before reaching the shops.

Turn and go under the bridge and re-trace your steps along the riverside, under the railway bridge and into Canbury Gardens.

Turn right into King's Passage as shown above. (If you get to that blue bandstand you've gone too far).

Keep going in as straight a line as is possible, up Lower King's Road, cross the Richmond Road (take care here, wait for the lights), and up Kings Road past the Richmond Park pub, across Park Road, and finally back to Kingston Gate.

Go into the park, then follow the cycle path up the eastern edge of the park (this is the longest hill on the course), all the way to Robin Hood Gate.

Exit Richmond Park at Robin Hood Gate, turn right to the pelican crossing, cross the road and then take the footbridge over the A3.

On the other side of the bridge turn hard left and over a narrow track over a low mound, and into a small grassy area. Ahead of you there is a small bridge with red brick parapets, over the Beverley Brook.

Cross this bridge and enter a large playing field with several rugby and football pitches.

In the opposite corner is a circular hedge with trees inside. Skirt anticlockwise around two edges of the field.

Go in through the gap in the hedge nearest you

 and follow the path to this imposing war memorial in the centre.

 Turn right and another path takes you out of the circle, and onto Wimbledon Common.

The above photos show what you see as you enter Wimbledon Common. Turn right onto the path you see behind the tree on the right of the picture, and then immediately left again, uphill.



After about 30 yards the path forks as you see above. Take the left hand fork.



You can be sure you are following the right path by following this Capital Ring sign, on the post to the left of the tree where the path forks.



At the top, you emerge onto a golf course, with this white and yellow sign reminding you to take care crossing the fairway. Keep following the path.



You go through this patch of trees and cross a second fairway.



On the other side the path splits like this. Take the path straight ahead in this photo. It is actually the middle of 3 paths, the third being out of shot further round to the right. Note the Capital Ring signpost.


At the bottom, you reach the Queensmere pond. Turn hard right when you reach the pond and up a very straight path leading to a Golf Clubhouse.

Turn left at the top (shown above), round the side of the clubhouse, and you reach the Windmill car park. Turn right and cross the car park.

Cross the grass

 and turn onto the 2nd path on the left you can see in the picture above. 

(This is the 2nd path, the 1st path diverges off to the left, whereas the 2nd one is straighter.) 

 Follow the path all the way up to Tibbets Corner at the northern tip of the Common. Ignore the path on the left shown above.

For much of the way you will see a parallel path on your left.

At the point shown above cut across to the left hand path. If you miss it there are 2 more paths which cut across, as indicated by the arrows above.

You will emerge from the woods at this point and the Tibbets Corner underpass begins where the path disappears in the photo above.
Go to the right before you get to the underpass,

and follow the path round to the right. You will be close to the roundabout here.

 

Follow the path for about 200 yards 

and turn right where another path crosses the one you are on.

 

As you come out from the trees, the track crosses the one you ran up earlier,

and leads to Kingsmere Pond.

Pass Kingsmere Pond on your right.

(The paths round Kingsmere Pond.)

Then leave the pond by taking this path shown above.

The track enters a wooded area with no undergrowth so you see all the tree trunks on either side of the path.

A path crosses the one you are on, but take the path opposite and a few yards to the right, just visible under the leaning tree in the picture above. (The tree is no longer there).

(Note the No Cycling post on the right of the track.)

Follow this path up and round, over a small hillock.

Turn left when you reach this wider grassy path below.

It passes the East Surrey Regiment memorial (several yards to the right of the path)

and then goes over a couple of undulations (rather steep!)

When you come down the other side, there is a grassy clearing with woods each side.

Descend to the right,

and take the path through the woods which leads back to the Windmill car park.

 Cross the car park and go round to the other side of the Windmill,

past these gear wheels and to the right, 

 where you pick up the main bridle path leading south through the Common.

 Continue on it straight for about half a mile.

Then turn left onto another large broad bridle path (junction shown above).

 Continue straight on this until you near the edge of the Common,

 Turn left again a few yards before reaching the posts across the track, seen in the picture above. The new track runs roughly parallel with Cannizaro Road.

After ~30 yards you come to a junction of 3 paths. Take the middle one which leads diagonally back in to the middle of the Common, through the trees. (The left hand path is obscured in the photo above.)

 Note the No Cycling post on the left.

This path leads straight back to the Windmill.

At the Windmill cross the green area with the log pile on your right, and pick up the path that runs parallel to the hedge. Take the path downhill, back to Queensmere Pond. (You came up it earlier.)

Do a lap round Queensmere Pond, then retrace the paths you took coming into Wimbledon Common, across the golf course and back to the big war memorial.

Go to the right of the hedge round the war memorial, but stay inside the playing fields.

Go round the other 2 sides of the playing fields you have not run along before.

Exit the playing fields the way you came in, and exactly re-trace your steps back over the A3 and back into Richmond Park.



In Richmond Park, as you come through Robin Hood Gate you come to a mini roundabout (shown below). Go across the roundabout (carefully) and follow the line of the road (much quieter than the perimeter roads).

and where it starts to curve right and head uphill to the car park, branch off it and onto the bridle path (continuing initially in a straight line).
Pass an isolated clump of trees on the right.

After a while the bridle path broadens out to become a track, and then curves slightly right, and then joins a tarmac path (shown below where the arrow curves left).

 Continue in the direction you were going on that path. You were on this path in the opposite direction earlier, between Isabella Plantation and Pen Ponds.

This path ends at the perimeter road. Cross the road (carefully) and take the track opposite (shown below).

which leads down to Ham Gate again.

At Ham Gate turn left and follow the cycle path round the perimeter back to Kingston Gate. Cross the road carefully and go to the car park and the finish.

Hooray!