It is the end of the Berlin Marathon training week 3 of 16. I missed a second run this week on Tuesday when it was just too hot, and even hotter on Wednesday so I could not postpone so I was hoping this weekend I could pick it back up with Hampstead Heath parkrun on Saturday and a long slow 24K Sunday.

Parkrun was a hot one and, with the Race for Life taking place overlapping our normal route we ended up back at the start/finish area where I was bitten last time and ended up with a welt-like bug bite for a week. Well, as I sit writing this up I have a welt the size of half a tennis ball just above my left knee where once again, I was feasted upon by creepy crawlies.

I am never going for a 5K PB at Parkrun, let me get that out there first. My times are 5 minutes plus away from my best at the distance but I like to gauge how I am feeling and, most importantly, how my training is going on the course that does include several hills, including a killer midway that you hit twice.

Now, I can tell from your disappointed sighs that this week was bad, and I give you that it wasn’t good but it was hot. I walked a lot in the heat and I lost a headphone and was deaf in one ear at the midway point of the second lap. Still, 6 parkruns recorded and 93 seconds between them? Even with the heat that is consistency right there.

And so, after my fun and games with PUMP IT UP, this morning I had a long, slow distance run on little sleep, and no food other than an apple, and a mouthful of Lucozade.

It did start hot and I was glad of 1. my new Adidas Climate control cap that I found after grumpily tearing the place apart at 7am 2. the Salomon Soft Cup, again coming to the rescue at the Hanover Gate fountain (3 times!) and 3. my old Yurbuds, I found them an they were both working, so score there.

The run started hot, really hot, ran down to Primrose track and did three steady laps before rounding the Outer Circle to the fountain, taking on water and then looping back to the track for a second set of laps at about the KM 9 mark before heading round for more water as the grey clouds met in the middle and the most welcome of rain fell, cooling the whole area off.

I did another loop of the outer circle, now cooled down and in my stride by KM 15, with one eye on the time as I promised to cheer on @Judie_judie at a Regents Park summer 10K. Nice TFL inspired medal BTW, am tempted by the next one. And then took in 3 more laps and headed home.

It was surprisingly comfortable running-wise and here is how it looked a 6 minute 28 KM pace for 24K compared to a 7 minute 47 second per KM pace last week for 23K. Definitely improvement.

I do say comfortable running-wise because when I got home I looked in the mirror, in the rush to grab some stuff and head back out for cheer leading duties when I worked out why lots of people were looking at me oddly on the run. I assumed I had my grumpy running face on. No, it was this.

So I presently have a hydro cortisone and antihistamine covered welt on my leg under the ice pack and very very sore nipples. Still, at the end of week three of marathon training I hit 24K quite easily with little sleep, no food and very little in the way of liquids. It was the Liverpool RNR hangover factor. I didn’t want to pass out, so focused on running well and hydrating when I could.

Two more training 10Ks in the week, no Parkrun as have a London Running photoshoot on Saturday, and then finally!!! a race, the British 10K on Sunday. See if I can see any improvement there,

Run safe everyone! And grease those nipples (whether running or not).

@RunnersKnees

PS. Oh, met up with @FrankieSaysRun and cheered @Judie_Judie over the line for a PB. Well done, Jude.