So it has been a few days since the 2012 brass monkey and I've had some time to think about how it went and what it was like. 

Usually when I do something as silly as running 13.1 miles I can't walk for a week afterwards and coming down stairs is something to definitely be avoided. Even the last half marathon I did, the Great North Run, back in September caused at least 3 or 4 days of proper inability to function in the leg department! This time though was different, for the first time ever I trained well for the event. I'd been nowhere near the distance but was consistently running 6 – 8 miles almost or at pace and being able to go out and do it again the next day. If it hadn't been for the break in training over the new year I may even have run the distance before the event, maybe?! 

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Today will be my last run before the brass monkey half marathon on Sunday. I'd hoped to have done the distance prior to the brass monkey this time round, but for one reason or another I've had a couple of breaks in my training that mean I am a little behind where I wanted to be. That said I have never been consistently running 7+ miles at the pace I want before doing a half marathon before so maybe that is a good sign. I tried to run a flatter route today so that it was a little more like what I'll face on Sunday and was quite pleased to have run out of time, rather than energy, after 8 miles. Unfortunately I had a GPS fail today so only have vague timing which probably aren't very accurate. Total distance was 8.18 miles (mapped after the event due to GPS fail) in roughly 1 hour 23 minutes (ish, give or take!). 

Swimming tomorrow morning to loosen the legs of then a quick spin on the bike on Saturday before the Brass Monkey on Sunday sums up my next few days. The a bit time doing short recovery runs before getting the set for Edinburgh. The Silverstone Half Marathon in March and Leeds Half Marathon in May should be nothing more than training runs as I should be running further than that before then. 

I almost slipped up on Tuesday by nearly entering the Liverpool Marathon. We'll see how the next month goes and see if I'm going to do my first 2, and possibly last 2 if I have any sense, marathons in 1 year. 

Cold again today. Ran from work taking in the both new and old campus of the University of York. Given the slipperiness yesterday I chose to wear my Saucony Xodus today as they have a little more grip than my Asics Gel-Nimbus although it is a slightly less cushioned ride! The extra grip was most welcome, especially where the sun hadn't broken the frost yet and down the muddy hill back to the old campus. In total 7.35 miles in 1:15:53 giving an average pace of 10:19. Strangely my slowest miles were the first 3, must have taken that long to get warmed up! Unlikely to be out tomorrow as it is Kate's funeral but I may do a quick blast in the morning.