Day 304/365 'Halloween'

Took time out from 'Trick & Treating' to run around the housing estates around Westfield. There were a fair few houses all lit up with Halloween decorations and many folk out there wandering the streets all dressed up. Also heaps of fireworks going off all around, I wore my green skeleton mask for my 5.39 mile run, had a few comments as I ran past 'trick & treaters', luckily no rotten eggs coming my way.
Today brings October to a close, 153.59 miles this month. Not one of my highest mileage months nor the lowest but I've struggled to get the miles in the last week or so. Certainly makes the challenge of reaching 2014 miles for the year a challenge needing 374 miles in 2 months, that's 187 miles each month or 6.13 everyday for the next 61 days almost double my minimum daily mileage.....mmmmm.

Day 303/365

Squeezing just the minimum in, 5k road run up to Stoke St. Michael through the village and back. Legs are feeling very heavy today and lacking energy all round. Lots of folk leaving The Duke of Cumberland seems very popular for lunchtime meals. Overcast again today but still quite warm, didnt take long to heat up once I started running.

Day 302/365

As time has gone on through the year it is not do much the effort of running, my body seems to be used to that,  its finding the time during the day to do the run. Weekends and holidays are the worst for this as there is no routine and some days you just run out of time before you know it then it's becomes a nuisance to try and go for a run. Trying to think ahead is the key to fitting the run in, knowing we were going to the City of Bath for the day I put my running gear in the car you never know when an opportunity may arise.
On the way home I jumped out of the car and ran off road 5 miles back home on a grey and misty afternoon. Quite slippery in places and very muddy tripped over a root and hit the deck, luckily my fall was cushioned by the leaves and I just slid forwards through the mud. Closer I got to home I was retracing the footpaths I'd ran the previous night in the dark. Home just in time for teda.

Day 301/365

The clock change caught me out this evening, after a busy day carving pumpkins at Bath City Farm it was dark before I'd realised. Head torch on for just over 4 miles off road, past Holcombe old church and into the woods behind through the fields following the footpaths. A few very muddy patches but going underfoot is quite firm.

Day 300/365

Day 300 of 365 in challenge of 2014kx365 back to back getting out there everyday and walking a minimum 1k everyday since 1st January. That's not strictly true since the 1st of January I have ran a minimum 5k everyday except for 2 days in February when I had a severe stomach bug and walked a mile two days running. I have ran over 1600 miles and my average daily run is just over 5 miles, I am possibly on track to make 2014 running miles in 2014, I just have to keep going at the same rate as I have over the last 300 days.
Day 300 the whole family out there getting their daily exercise, I ran along the Greenway from Radstock to Thicket Mead and back my oldest two joined me on their bikes whilst the toddlers played in the park with their mum. School half term now and the park was full of children as well as the Greenway being well busy with folks doing their thing prams, bikes dog walkers everyone enjoying an autumn afternoon. Exactly 4 miles from one end to the other and back again, a steady pace in just over 33 minutes.

www.justgiving.com/365jimbarron

Day 299/365 Shepton Mallet 10k

1610 Shepton Mallet 10k a road run organised by Total Buzz events starting at Shepton Mallet leisure centre leaving the town past the famous, now unused, Shepton Mallet Prison and weaving through the streets of the town before escaping onto scenic if very muddy countryside lanes. A challenging run with a couple of mean inclines along the way. My time of 52:08 was my target on a dry morning conditions were good. A good turn out from Somer AC for a club race, runners were called to the start line a few words of health and safety and they were off. One lap of the playing field to spread the field out before the route went out onto to main road along the pavements. Well marshalled runners were directed through the streets  of the town before heading out along the lanes to the North of the town. First mile a ran quite quickly soon to be punished on mile two with the first of two mean hills knocking the pace down to 9.28 min/mile, mile 3 managed to pull the pace back with 7.27 min/mile pace. 3 miles in 24:37 I was going ok but would have to keep this up for another 3 miles to beat last years time. Mile 4 just under 8 mins then I hit the hill a long hill and steep many runners were already walking, i put my head down and ran past them being past myself by a couple of runners. I kept pushing on I could hear the trainers of runners behind me running at the same pace as me, then a tall guy came along side me pushing past and then slowed I past him again, then he ran along side me. We were pushing each other along if he slowed I would push on then he'd come back again, we ran well up the hill, at the top a water stop and he pushed on past taking water, I took water we ran on. The same was happening now along the decline and the flat back into the town now he began to fade and I ran on trying to catch runners in front of me. Pace was increasing but I couldn't seem to gain on the front runners I could see two Somer vests in front of me and pushed hard mile 6 being 7.13 min/mile pace. Just had to hang in there and keep the pace going back into the leisure centre and again around the field Shepton Mallet 10k done, Day 299/365 done. Official finish time chip to chip 50:21minutes, 1.47 minutes quicker than last year, happy with that.

Day298/365 Bath Skyline parkrun

Parkrun organises free weekly 5km timed runs around the world, encouraging people of  every ability to come and take part. Bath Skyline Parkrun  is held at Free a Fields, North Road/ Claverton Down, Bath organised and ran totally by volunteers every Saturday morning at 9am.
Bath Parkrun starts in a clearing following a narrow path and up a flight of about 30 steps if you get caught with the crowd it is hard to find your pace until your at the top of the steps and there is room to overtake and the field thins out. Tried to push myself a bit this week but my legs felt very heavy, I felt tired and it was a slog to run I wasn't bouncing. However managed to get myself a Parkrun PB coming 38th of 134 runners in a time of 24:11 minutes.

www.justgiving.com/2014kx365jimbarron

Day 297/365

Team Integrity after work took on a very muddy Jack n'Jill course. Desmond, Steve, Paul and myself ran Somer Ac's route starting from Westfield trading estate. As soon as we entered the fields we were slipping and sliding struggling to find grip underfoot especially in the wooded areas where the footpaths were also covered in wet leaves. Dessie was struggling a bit from the off after running 12 consecutive days and we were having to wait for him at the stiles, he doesn't like off road much anyway. whereas the other two boys withfresh legs were chomping at the bit. As they didn't know the way I managed to slow them down enough for Des to keep up. It is still quite amazing how much venom is still in the stinging nettles pushed down across the footpaths by the weight of the rain. We had a few close shaves but no one actually hit the deck sliding about in the mud. Everyone was victorious in running up Jack n 'Jill without stopping looking forward to next May when Somer Ac wil agsin host the Jack n'Jill Challenge. 6.55 miles in just over an hour.

Day 296/365

Up & down Holcombe Hill on a damp & dreary evening. I broke the current Holconbe record for consecutive times up & down whilst keeping the pace below 10 min/mile managing 4 times which comes in at 6.10 miles.
6.10 miles takes my total running mileage over 1600 miles since January 1st in my 2014kx365 challenge.
I can just see a glint of light at the end of the tunnel now so please if you haven't already dont forget the charities I am running for Time is Precious and SANDS you can donate through my just giving pages on www.justgiving.com/365 jimbarron for Time is Precious or www.justgiving.com/2014kx365jimbarron for SANDS. A big thankyou to all those who have donated already but please tell your friends spread the word & together we can raise my target of £2014 for each of these charities.

Day295/365

The only window for running today was between finishing work at 2pm and school pick up st 3.25pm. 1 hour 25 minutes whicg includes getting changed and getting round to school to pick my youngest daughter up before her swimming lesson. Wanting to get a longer run in it was going to have to be fairly quick, decided to do 10k around Midsomer Norton amd Radstock along the footpaths and cycle ways. Desmond decided to come out agsin for his ninth day of running streak. Headed along Charlton Rd and down Silver Street into Midsomer Norton getting on the footpath behind the somer centre. Slightly muddy along these paths now and wearing road trainers found it hard to grip. Came out by the Five Arches and then ran along the cycle paths. Felt a few spots of rain and it wss overcast but not particularly cold. Into Radstock back along Somervale Rd onto cycle path again turning off by yhe Pit path. Dessie was struggling to keep the pace now, through the housing estates and back to trading estate 6.26 miles in 51.45 minutes. 10 minutes to cool off and go on school run and then the rains came.

Day 294/365

Todays run was going to be quite an adventure with the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo hitting the country today. Desmond coming out for another run today, there's no stopping him maybe a contender for 2015kx365!! The rain had passed and if it wasn't for the winds it would have been quite warm this afternoon, once stopped the wind was quite chilling. Struggling to run head on into the wind ran up to the White Post and then back down the Fosseway with the wind behind us pushing us along, through Charlton park the wind was coming from different directions and down Lynton Road we had to dodge a black bag swirling in the wind threatening to tangle in our legs and trip us up. Minimum distance done we decided to head back into the trading estate and save the miles for a less windy day. 3.2 miles in 27.25 minutes.

Day 293/365

A warm and sunny Autumnal afternoon after a rain shower 10 minutes before we set out from the trading estste after a morning shift and before school pick up. Ran up the Fosseway and back down to Midsomer Norton past Midsomer Norton rugby club. Desmond  joined me again for another run mabe a contender for 2015kx365!!! We ran down Silver Street & got on the cycle path the trees are changing the colours of their leaves now and many have fallen which you need to be careful not to slip on, wet leaves are a real hazard. Up the pit path where Des nearly fell over a Jack Russell which ran between his legs, he wasnt happy nor was Des. Through the housing estste and back up the Fosseway through Westfield. 4.4 miles in 37.5 minutes.

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Day292/365

Leaving it a little late in the day again but managed to get out for a much needed off road trundle. My ankle is slightly tender, running up and down Holcombe Hill last night 3 times probably didn't help but it could well have been worse. Ran out across the fields towards Holcombe Inn then onto to Holcombe Old Church and into the woods behind which the footpath is actually still closed due to the bridge being unsafe. Followed the footpaths and trails skirting Holcombe village arriving eventually at the bottom of Holcombe by the Duke of Cumberland intending on going up the pack horse trail opposite it was now dusk and without my head torch I had already struggled to see in the wooded areas I decided to run straight up Holcombe to home instead. 5.2 miles in 54 minutes.

Day 291/365

End of a busy day and running out of time to fit my run in. Ice, compression and elevation had eased any pain I may have had in my ankle after rolling it over yesterday, just left with some slight twinges. So where to run? Was hoping to get an off road run in today but now it was dark and too tired to run across the fields with my head torch, decided to run up and down Holcombe Hill. Nice and dry under foot but a bit of a wind keeping it cool, ran up to the  Holcombe cross roads around Longleat Lane and through Kingsway then all the way down the hill to the Duke of Cumberland touching the wall before running all the way up. Three times up and down just over 4.5 miles which in 41:10 minutes.

Day 290/365

Legs have been aching a bit today & not really feeling like it but having company again this evening with Vincenzo & Desmondo ran just over 5 miles in 42 minutes after work. Another   damp and dreary evening ran the same route as Wednesday night. On the home straight backup through Westfield I was watching a car which had its indicator on to turn left into my path not watching where I was running rolled my ankle in a pothole, going right over. Managed to keep my balance and run on but after the run it began to seize up. Elevation ice and compression fingers crossed for tomorrow as no rest not on day 290 its to close now to fail.

Day 289/365

Legs are feeling a bit tired today, possibly the weekends Mendip Muddle and racing around with my companions this week has caught up with me a bit. No offers of running with me tonight decided to take it quite steady. Ran out around the trading estate bumping into Somer AC's boys and girls training. On up Charlton Lane & Charlton Road past Norton Hill School and down Silver Street picking up the cycle path. I put my head torch on with new battteries which lit up the path well. Just past the pit path there was a flash of light then an almighty rumble. I ran on for about 2 or 3 minutes then it started to hammer down. Carried on along the cycle path into Radstock through the town centre and back up through Westfield back to the trading estate. The rain getting harder the further I ran, I was drenched, spotted Dessie cycling home down through Westfield he didn't look to happy in the rain either. Just under 5.5 miles in 50.19 minutes.

Day 288/365

Baby Loss Awareness Week ended today with the global 'Wave of Light'  whereby world wide everyone was invited to light a candle  at 7pm this evening and leave burning for at least an hour to share the unity in remembering all babies that have been lost in pregnancy, during or after birth. It would have been fitting to have run during the hour of remembrance  but it wasn't possible.
After work at 10pm another damp and drizzly evening but quite warm, had the company of  Nick and Des again. Through the housing estates ran a fairly quick tempo 5 miles with Nick leading the charge from the outset. We all kept pretty much together running 5 miles in 40 mins 17 secs.

'Wave of Light' remembering babies x  

Day 287/365

Damp drizzling and misty at 10pm after work. Company again tonight Mr Rabbitts coming out again two nights running. Setting his garmin for 9 min mile pace again the first mile was spot on as we ran around the trading estate and along Charlton Road past Norton Hill School. Chatting away now Desmond told me how he started running in 2004 by doing the Great North Run and weighing 24 stone. We ran on along the cycle path in the dark I had my head torch on and Des recalled how he finished The Great North Run in 2 and a half hours, since then he's lost 8 stone in weight and his best time for a half marathon being 1hour 45. He hasn't stopped running since 2004 even running the London Marathon. Before we realised we'd ran up the pit path, through the housing estates and back down the Fosseway without even noticing the pace had increased to 8.44  and last mile 8.21. No ruffled feathers, Just running, relaxed and chatting with a nice steady pace.  3.43 miles in 29.38 mins.

Baby Loss Awreness Week
Tomorrow at 7pm is The Wave of Light. Everyone is invited to take part in this global event to remember all the babies that have died during pregnancy, at, during or after birth. Simply light a candle at 7pm and leave it burning for at least an hour. Wherever you do this you will be uniting with others across the world in honour of those babies who lit up our lives for such a short time. To find out more http://www.uk-sands.org #WaveofLight

Day 286/365

After yesterday's 12.5 miles just a steady 3 or 4 miles was the plan with Desmond and Nicholas. It had rained almost all day long but luckily at 10 pm we had a dry window but numerous puddles to avoid. Desmond set his garmin for 9 min/miles nice and steady, first mile "slightly quick" Desmond said "8.42". Then Mr Parrott spread his wings and decided to fly with Mr Rabbitts in hot pursuit miles two and three 7.48/7.34 and then it started to rain again.
Bit of tightness in my hamstrings from yesterday's Mendip a Muddle apart from that legs feeling pretty good.

Baby Loss Awareness Week
SANDS supporting anyone affected by the death of a baby & promoting research to reduce the loss of babies' lives. #BabyLossWeekUK #breakthesilence

Day 285/365 The Mendip Muddle

The Mendip Muddle is a 20km multi terrain race. Organised and well marshaled by Weston Athletic Club. The race headquarters and start and finish is from Charterhouse Education Centre high on the Mendips. The route is well known for being tough and not for the faint hearted with 420m climb and some fast descents taking in some of the finest scenery in the West Country. There are Roman lead mines, underground rivers, open moorland, potholes, an ancient rabbit warren, an Iron Age fort, deciduous and conifer forest and prehistoric tumuli. Most of these treasures I missed on this occasion as my eyes were fixed on the floor in front of me watching my footing. With a race limit of 350 the field at the start was quite congested, in places slowing down to stop while at least 20 runners queued to get over stiles. Hoping to finish the 12.45 mile run in under 2 hours, I needed a pace of just under 10 min/ mile. With the hold ups early on I knew I couldn't relax and would have to run strong especially when it came to the hills, slogging my way up them and letting the legs go with the descents. At mile 6 the marshal counted us over the gate 145 he said your still in the top 150 runners, I had run the first 6 miles in 56 mins, I had 4 mins to spare but would need to keep this pace up for the second half plus I would need those 4 mins for the extra  half mile at the end. Miles 7, 8 and 9 were hard steadily rising up with some hard climbs too, I lost 3 minutes  with mile 9 going up to 11.26 mins/mile, I thought I had lost it. The legs were starting to feel heavy but the route levelled and I pushed on chasing after runners in front of me picking them off one after the next. It felt good  again   some steady downhill running and I was gaining time back 11 miles 1:46:30, I had 13minutes 30 secs to run the last mile and a half. A steep downhill along a lane, my legs gained momentum I could see the parked cars I was nearly there but then the marshal directed me into a field 12 miles 1:55:24. I was going in the opposite direction the terrain was again difficult half a mile to go and 4.5 minutes to do it, through bracken and long grass, legs were tired I couldn't do it now. Out on to a gravelled footpath I kept pushing I could see the flags was this the finish I pushed harder. I could see the digital clock now 1:59:45 it read I sprinted telling myself under 2 hours I pushed for the line. The race was done I enjoyed it, had I come in under 2 hours I would have to wait for official race results.

Baby Loss Awareness Week

Many of the 17 baby deaths that happen everyday in the Uk are avoidable and more must be done to stop babies dying before and soon after birth. SANDS supports those working to  implement change by funding research in order to collect evidence needed to change practice and by ensuring parent's voices are heard at the highest levels.