Top 5 Running Hotspots in London (for this runner!)

I've been based mostly in London these last few weeks, which means more time than usual wading through crowds and chaos. And not just when I run. So I thought it would be a good time to write about my top 5 running hotspots--traffic hotspots, that is!

These are places in London that are busy year round, but absolutely crazy during peak seasons. You should avoid them at all costs but if you absolutely can't (or like me, naively think you can make it to the other side alive) then dive in with caution. And remember you're likely to miss out on your magic mile PB or struggle to hit your target pace if you do!

One small disclaimer--London is a big place and these are based only on places where I run, mostly along the Southbank which is near to where I live, and Piccadilly Circus, where I used to work. I'm sure there are a lot more hotspots (and some even more treacherous) than the ones in my top 5.

So, counting back from 5:

5. Hyde Park Corner, crossing from Constitutional Hill to Wellington Arch. Okay, not the worst in terms of crowds although there are always tourists around...but if you *just miss* the traffic light, you will be stuck for ages! You'll have to wait not once but TWICE, because the first crossing just takes you halfway, and then you need to wait again for traffic coming from the other direction. I'm not advocating risking your life, but do cross if you it's clear and you have ample time. And if not, don't forget to stop your watch!

4. St. James' Park, the entrance near Buckingham Palace. If you run around Green Park and then decide to go into St. James' Park (or vice versa), you have to cross The Mall.  The crossing nearest the fountain is one many runners use. The traffic light's not too bad and you can usually sneak across, but the entrance to the park is not very wide and filled with tourists. And to make matters worse, it's a downhill slope towards the pond. Just remember not to go in too fast and veer right, away from the crowds.

3. Thames Path Walk, behind London Bridge Hospital. Going West on the Southbank just before you come to London Bridge, there is a pathway just behind London Bridge Hospital that narrows before you either go straight and up the stairs to London Bridge, or left towards Southwark Cathedral. It's tough to go around people because there's just no room, and the sharp 90 degree turns means lots of chances for near-collisions. My one and only collision happened here!

2. Clink Street, from Southwark Cathedral to the Clink Prison Museum. Narrow with twists and turns, and always packed with tourists and regular commuters. Sights like the Golden Hind and Winchester Palace mean people also mull around in big groups. To top it off, cobblestones might add to the quaintness of the street but they are a runner's worst nightmare! They are really uneven in some spots, so challenging to run on and even worse when in rains. Navigating through the crowds AND having to watch your step always makes it tricky! Plus, LOTS of vans park to make deliveries here to the nearby restaurant, making things extra crazy.

1. The London Eye, in particular the area from Westminster Bridge to the London Eye. The chaos starts with all the random street performs as you approach the London Eye from the East side. But the real fun begins right when you hit the Eye itself. Crowds queuing up, people buying tickets, lots of large families, the London Aquarium and McDonald's, more tourists heading down from Westminster Bridge towards the Eye...the list goes on and on. And everyone moving so very slowly, looking around but not around them. At peak times this is the one place on the Southbank where I have to stop and walk. Definitely avoid!

So there you have it, my top 5 running hotspots in London. Run through them with caution! :) It's worth mentioning that if you get up early enough you can avoid a lot of the madness. (Early is always tough for me....)

So tell me, what are your top running hotspots? Either in London, Brighton or wherever you are!

My Three "Get in the Best Shape of My Life" Commandments

Been away from the blogging world for a bit but happy to be back! Had a great week in California with my family (my 1 year old niece and 3 year old nephew were exhausting--don't know how you parents do it!) and it took a while to settle back into things once I got home. Plus one big change...I resigned from my job and my last day was on Friday! After being there for 6 years it was strange to go through all my junk and pack things up, but the timing was right and it feels almost like a fresh start. I'm lucky to be able to take a short career break but it still feels strange right now. What will I do without a Blackberry?!

I'm going to spend a little time coming up with a list of all the things I want to accomplish over the next few months but there is one thing I'm already sure about: I'm going to take this opportunity to try and get in the best shape of my life!!

Now, this is no easy feat for lots of reasons. One being that once upon a (long) time I was in really great shape as a member of my high school swimming team! My friends have pointed out that trying to be 18 years old again is impossible (don't ask me how long ago that was, because I won't tell!), but I'm going to do my best now that I have the time to put into it. I have no excuse not to try!

So I've come up with Three Commandments for me to start following NOW. Why three and not ten, you ask? I want to start with small, simple changes that I can continue with once I do re-enter the working world. All of these might be no-brainers, but the fact is that I haven't been doing any of these things. And I hope actually doing them will make a difference to my running and general fitness. So here goes:

1. Get 8 hours of sleep every night. I'm a night owl (and a procrastinator) so it's always easy for me to lose track of time, especially when I'm caught up in nothing. Will make sure I get to bed on time so I can wake up early enough to have breakfast before I run.

2. Drink 1 liter of water everyday. I always struggle with this one! I don't drink too much other than a few cups of tea or coffee, and whatever I have when I run or exercise. One liter doesn't sound like a lot, but according to this formula from Runner's World it's more than enough for me. This is on top of what I drink when I run.

3. Eat as healthily as I can. Another tough one. Eating is big thing for my family--it's usually the main theme when we all get together. And although I'm a foodie I don't like to cook, so with long hours at work we usually go for convenience over quality. I've enjoyed reading about the perfect runner's diet on Jason Fitzgerald's great website, Strength Running, but all that feels a little too complicated for me right now. So while I'm going to start heading in that direction, I'm going to just start with a few sub-commandments:

• Watch my portions. Believe it or not it's hard to remember not to eat the same amount as my 5'11" husband. This is the biggest thing for me, making sure I eat enough to properly fuel my training but not enough for someone twice my size.
• Don't eat too many sweets. I can easily eat a bag of sour gummy candies in one sitting. And on Friday I *did* go to the amazing Hummingbird Bakery to get some celebratory cupcakes (red velvet and black bottom, my favorites). I won't cut these things out completely but will save them for special treats only.
• Make fruit and veg the largest part of my diet. I'm not a vegetarian but I'm generally pretty good about eating vegetables. Will just try not to eat too much meat. I don't think that I could ever cut out dairy but will try not to eat too much cheese!

So there they are, small changes I hope will start to make a real difference. These are outside of my fitness goals! Still working on them but here's what I'm thinking at the moment:

1. Continue to build my running base, eventually getting to about 50 miles a week.
2. Start strength training again. Gave this up after injury but I know it's important to do this if I want to stay injury-free.
3. Integrate yoga back into my training plan. The stretching used to make a big difference and was great on my rest days.

Of course, my most immediate goal is to run a sub-2:00 half in Dublin.....just 3 weeks left!

So whaddya think? I know all of this isn't going to be easy but I'll be excited to share my progress. Would also love to hear about any small changes you've made that have made a real difference to your health or training!

You think you're gonna have a bad run? Then you'll have a bad run....

I've been really happy with my running these last few weeks, with no motivation issues. In fact, I felt like I was getting better and better with each run! But this morning I just didn't feel like running AT ALL. I dragged my feet (more than usual!) and could not bring myself to even think about intervals. I don't know if it's because I'm about to go on holiday....or the depressing scenes around London and the UK that played over and over again on the news this morning.

I knew, JUST KNEW that if I did intervals they would be bad. So instead of my planned 5 mile run with intervals, I decided to do a 6 mile fartlek. Figured the extra mile would be good since I won't be able to run tomorrow, and the fartlek would let me throw in a few random sprints when it wasn't too crazy on the Southbank. How easy it is to just avoid something you're supposed to do!

Not the worst run I've ever had (like when I wasn't fueling properly), but I just never really felt comfortable. I definitely didn't feel the flow, not for a moment. Looking back though, I'm sure my lack of motivation and just that feeling of "why do I have to run?" contributed to my general blah-ness out there. If I had kicked myself in the ass I'm sure I would have felt differently. I've read so many articles on self-belief, visualization, mental toughness...and how it's just as important as physical training to set yourself up to do well. I thought I was going to have a bad run, so I DID have one! So next time I'm feeling reluctant I'm going to give myself a stern talking to! I'll remember my injury and tell myself how lucky I am just to be running! HA!

I'm off to California tomorrow morning....so excited to see my family, in particular my niece and nephew. I'll be busy spoiling them over the next week, but will definitely find time to squeeze in a run or two.

Ca-li-for-nia here I come....right back where I started from.....

Stay safe, London. I'll be thinking of you!