Week 12/ 2 of mileage build-up schedule

Sunday 12th November

Time: 1600
Temperature: 8 C
Weight: 90 kg
Distance: 6.5 km
Time: 33 minutes

Tuesday 14th November

Time: 2230
Temperature: 8 C
Distance: 5 km
Time: 25 mins 43 secs

Another disruption. On Thursday I've got to have an operation to correct carpal tunnel syndrome on my right hand. I'm meant to run 6.5 km on that day but as I don't run early in the morning I don't think I'll have time. I'll probably run the 6.5 tomorrow instead. However I don't know for how long I won't be able to run after the exercise. I know I don't run on my hands but a rise in blood pressure while running could have an unfortunate effect on the wound. I'll need to check with the doctor but it could be as long as a week.

Week 11/ 1 of Mileage Build Up Schedule

Sunday 5th November - Istanbul Marathon 2006 (Fun run)

Weather: Bright, sunny, a slight breeze
Temperature: 4 C
Distance: 8 km
Time: 60 minutes

I was so disappointed. Based on my experience of running round the school road, I was expecting to clock 40 minutes, 45 at most. So why the big difference? In short, hills. The campus road is pretty flat. the only incline being a set of steps near the elementary school which extends up to the Lojman heights. A combined distance of about 200 m.

Running across the Bosphorus bridge was amazing. This event is the only time that pedestrians are allowed to go across, otherwise the less jolly of them have been known to throw themselves off. Running across does give you a better appreciation of the structure of a suspension bridge such as this. The upward incline as you get onto the bridge is actually quite steep, but you hardly notice this in a car. Of course there's then a downward slope as you crest the bridge, but there was a stiff cross-wind (wind chill was probably - 3 or so) as I was now a couple of hundred metres above the Bosphorus. Again, something you don't normally notice in the confines of a car. After the bridge there's a long pull, 3 km or so, up to the turning to Mecediyekoy. I think this was where I lost most of the time. After that the rest of the route was either down hill or on the flat, apart from the last 300m uphill to Taksim.

It was good fun, but I then had to make my way back to Kadikoy for the service bus, while wearing shorts. A little chilly. I also had to suffer the astonished glances of people wrapped up in their winter woolens.


Tuesday 7th November
Distance: 5 km
Time: 25 minutes

Thursday 9th November
Distance: 6.5 km
Time: 33 minutes

Saturday 11th November
Distance: 5 km
Time: 25 minutes
Temperature: 6 C

Total distance: 24.5 km

Time to take stock

As you may or may not be aware, running shoes can only be used to run a finite distance. Beyond that distance they have lost the cushioning property that protects your ankles, knees and hips from the repetitive shock that occurs each step of a run. The assistant in the shop where I bought my waverider 9's said that they were good for 500 to 600 miles. As I've finished the first, beginner's, schedule this week I thought now would be a good time to estimate the distance I've run so far, just so I'm not caught out suddenly having to get a new pair with no running shop in sight.

Thus far I've been running a fairly consistent 2 km in 10 minutes pace. So I'll use that to make my estimate.

Week 1 33 minutes
Week 2 58 minutes
Week 3 66 minutes
Week 4 86 minutes
Week 5 20 minutes
Week 6 108 minutes
Week 7 93 minutes
Week 8 116 minutes
Week 9 129 minutes
Week 10 60 minutes

Total = 769 minutes
Distance = 76.9 x 2km = 153.8 km

154 x 5/8 = 96 miles (more or less)

Now I move on to the mileage build up schedule (schedule 1). To mark the start of that I have decided to run the 8km fun run at this year's Istanbul Marathon event. It'll be good to see at least some of the course that I'll run next year, Inshallah!
The 8 km will count as my long run for this coming week. Hayirli olsun!

Week 10/ 18 of Beginner's Schedule

Sunday 29th October

Run: 30 minutes


Wednesday 1st November

Run: 30 minutes


With exam week again this week I lost any semblance of regularity, but this was the very last week of the beginner's schedule and so was going to be rather easier than other weeks.