To town - UoN roundabout - and back. Sunday, October 23. 2hr 19min

Yes! I finally managed to run to town and back - two weeks later. In the previous two plans, I somehow chickened out at the last minute - thanks to fatigue and sometimes just fear.
Anyway, I couldn't miss this chance especially since the Stanchart run is on this Sunday, October 30. Two, I didn't want to commit the sacrilegious act of turning up for the race without having had a proper long run (by that I mean being on my feet running, jogging, walking or a combination of the three for a minimum of two hours).
As fate would have it, I was up by 4.30am. I had planned to leave at 5am but I didn't feel very safe at that time considering the route I was taking. At 5.20am, I left bed, dressed up, washed my face and drank some water. It was going to be the first time I was running in a cap and I hoped it would not be trouble - and it wasn't. I had not eaten as I should have in preparation for a long run - I paid for it, I tell you.
I walked from the house to Braeburn, about a kilometre away then started my running, a step after another. Braeburn, Amboseli, Valley Arcade, Methodist, Bangladesh and on to Argwings Kodhek all the way to Yaya Centre. Time used up: 23 minutes.
That was encouraging; in fact, I started doubting if Braeburn to PanAfric was 10km. This thought was more plausible by the fact that I reached the Hurlingham-Nairobi Hospital roundabout at time 39 min meaning I would be at PanAfric in less than 6 minutes; that is, Braeburn to PanAfric, 45 min. Not with my kawaida speed, I 'refused.'
All the same, I ran down Valley Road but on reaching PanAfric, I saw no reason to turn back. I went on down Kenyatta Avenue then Uhuru Highway to the UoN roundabout. Time: 52 min.
I was out of air and feeling light like a piece of paper. Too bad. I was all the way in town and there was no room for taking a matatu. Two reasons: After the running, I was all sweaty; so rule out sitting in a matt with other people that early. Two, and very important, pride. Of what use is it to run to town only to come back in a matt?
So I ran back but on reaching end of Kenyatta Avenue, start of Valley Road, I dumped Valley Road for Milimani Road, past Amaica restaurant as if going to NPC but turned right past DoD, the Russian Embassy (that must be Lenana Road, I think), that hospital for Spinal Injury, Nigerian High Commission all the way to the road that joins Argwings Kodhek road at Kilimani Primary. At the time I was so wasted I reached into my pocket, got some Ksh50 and bought water. With that, ladies and gentlemen, I started the second phase of the run: run, jog, walk ... time: 1:38:11.94. Bit by bit, step after another, I dragged myself home, 41 minutes in all. Hungry and tired.
When I got home, I was more than happy to shower and turn my attention to food: Two mugs of uji, six slices of bread and some pineapple. Then I slept.
Jack estimated the distance from Braeburn to Uon roundabout and back to Kilimani Primary to be 18km. So, 3kms shy of the 21km. Not bad. I should try to do this run every week until I can conquer Valley Road...
'Moving forward' - a phrase so beloved of my business writer colleagues - I have one more warm up run on Tuesday or Wednesday. For now, I need to eat right and relax.
Cheers folks.

Pleased with myself, Thursday, October 20, 55:01.84

Exactly two weeks ago, I chickened out of my morning runs. Fatigue, laziness, fear or a mix of the three! Two weeks I didn't run but not a morning passed that I didn't warm up and stretch and, later, I would walk a kilometre from the bus stop to the office.
However, on Tuesday, my employer came through with the sponsorship: t-shirt, microchip and number, 2599. It is 21km on Sunday October 30. So, no turning back.
No wonder then that today morning I didn't stop at stretching and warming up. Ten days to the d-day, I couldn't resist the temptation to do a morning run. The goal was Uthiru. I set off late, 5.56am, but interestingly, it was not until 6.10 that I came across the first runner. By the time I was done, I had come across a total of 30 people running. Truly, the Standard Chartered Marathon is here with us.
I am pleased with the pace I took in the morning. It was easy, fun and a bit fast especially for my little 'air capacity' but it helped. Just that I pack in as much distance in my time as is possible, I did mini-reruns. I would run up a hill and mid-way run down he very same hill then run back up to the end. I did this about four times. Fifty-minutes is all I did. I have two key runnings to do: a 2hr-plus run to town and back and a one hour run. Of course, one or two fast 5.43min/km runs...
When you read this Jack (therunningwriter.blogspot.com), be assured am coming for the 10k. As I requested, I prefer crisp Ksh200 notes!

I kept the time... Thursday, October 6, 40:46 and Operation 5:43

I sure was in a bad frame of mind - such a tired phrase. How else do I explain that in my last post I wrote September 3, S-e-p-t-e-m-b-e-r! It is October, silly!
Anyways, I didn't run last evening as I had planned but managed to run this morning, all of 40min 46sec. I didn't give way to greed, this time, I made sure I stopped right after minute 40.
In total, there were 12 people running - only one female.
As I ran in the morning, two running thoughts kept running in my mind:
Thought 1: To do 21km in sub 2hrs means I have to do a minimum(120min/21km) 5.71 min per kilometres; that is 5 minutes 43 seconds. (I must inscribe that on my forehead ... and on my tracks and on my running shoes and on my watch...5:43, Operation 5:43)!
Thought 2: Jack advises we start slowly but after the 10km mark we increase the pace/tempo. That is not fun (am not sure if it is un-doable... I should try a version of it tomorrow morning...).
There are 24 days to D-day. Twenty-four days to my, er, well-deserved 10k from Jack.
Cheers.

Time is the new distance .... Monday, Sept 3: 48:19.22

I promised myself I would take it nice and easy as I prepare for Stanchart 2011 that is slated for October 30 (25 days away). That was really not to be, if the Monay run is anything to go by.
I set out to do just 40min. And I was set to do just that but somewhere along the road, I took a detour and met one hell of a sharp hill. I did the hill in two minutes, full of psyche, energy, exuberance and all that screams 'fun'. Big mistake!!!! Right after the hill, all 'air' went out of me and I had to walk. Shame!
I walked for a few minutes to get back my 'air' then pushed myself to get to Uthiru and ran back, all beaten and breathless.
One other reason why it is going to be hard to take nice and easy is Jack (over at http://therunningwriter.blogspot.com). After I sent him text whining about how 'finished' I was from a 48 min run, he wrote back warning me against greed. Then he taunted my greed with an offer, 'Say I give you 10k if you return a sub 2hr at the Stanchart marathon ...' The rest are details. As we speak, am doing strategy. How to do a sub 2hr (1hr50min to be precise) with my 81kg on October 30th.
I didn't run this morning, instead I walked a new route for 50 minutes but I plan to run this evening from 6.45pm. Let's see how it goes.
Cheers.