London's British 10K Run

On Sunday, 14th July, Robert and I ran the British 10K run on behalf of a small charity called PetSavers. PetSavers does some great work dedicated to improving the health of pets and small animals. We've chosen this charity because we love pets and animals need all the support they can get.
So far, we've raised about £145, there is still time to donate. Check out our Just Giving fund raising page: http://www.justgiving.com/doris-runs-for-pets.

Since my half marathon in June I've tried to keep up with my training running and ran about 2-3 times a week, ranging from 5k to 10k runs. I knew I could run a 10k, now I was more concerned about my time. I found myself on a plateau lately, unable to improve my running time.

The weather forecast predicted one of the hottest days in the year with about 30 degrees Celsius, which meant hydration was key. I prepared myself by drinking a lot of water the day before and drinking electrolyte water before the run on the day. I decided to leave my water bottle in my bag as it was promised that enough water was available throughout the course.

When we arrived at Embankment it was already quite hot, about 24 degrees Celsius. We dropped off our bag and met some of our PetSavers team mates. We all made our way to the start line to watch the opening ceremony. The start line was quite a walk away and no toilets were available on the way, which meant many men and women decided to visit the bushes of St. James and Green Park instead.

The race started with about 15mins delay. We were all queued up in front of the start line in the glaring heat, waiting for the countdown to begin. At that point I regretted not having any water on me.
Once we got going I felt fine and didn't mind the heat too much. At about 2.5km we came across the first water station and I gulped down a bottle of water in one go.
The route took us across Trafalgar Square, along Embankment up to Canon Street, back to Westminster where we crossed Westminster bridge; a short sprint up to Victoria and before we ran back to Whitehall were we crossed the finish line.

For the first 6K I felt quite good running along in a steady 7mins/km pace. On the way back towards Embankment I felt the heat getting to me. My legs felt lethargic. On the next water station I poured a water bottle over my head and face to cool myself down, but to no avail. To my disappointment I had to halt to a walk. The last 4K were a combination of run/walks and crossed the finish line at a time of 01:17 (unofficial). Robert finished at an incredible 0:56 mins.

My verdict 4/5

The British 10K has a reputation for being unorganised and that was unfortunately true to some extend. There weren't enough toilets available before and during the run and routes weren't cut off from pedestrians. It was a shame I didn't get to see any of the opening ceremony. I didn't enjoy standing in the glaring heat for 15mins before the race start. However, the bag drop area was well organised and the medals were very pretty (that's where all the money went into).

The route was great and went along many popular sights in central London. The crowd was amazing and carried you all the way along to the finish line.

You can find some more pictures of the race day in my image gallery.

Keep your cool in hot weather

© iStockPhoto

Even though I love summer and the hot weather I find running in the high temperatures very hard. The other day it was a nice, warm day (about 20 degrees Celsius) so I went out for a short 5K run after work along the Embankment pier and found it almost unbearable to run in the sun. The problem is simple: For the last six month I trained and ran in rain, wind and snow - I know how to prepare myself for that kind of weather. However, now everything is flipped upside down and I need to realign myself to keep a cool head.

Running in hot weather requires some preparation to avoid the risk of dehydration, heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses.

I talked to some fellow runners and here I have gathered some tips on running in hot weather:

• Keep yourself hydrated: Hydrate your body before, during and after exercise - take a water bottle with you. Drink to thirst or when your mouth feels dry. When your run is going to be longer than 30 mins, drink a type of sport drink that contains sodium and other electrolytes.
• Wear light, breathable clothing & a hat: On hot days you should wear light coloured clothing that reflects the heat and help your body to cool down naturally. Wear synthetic fabrics instead of cotton as it will lock away moisture.
• Choose your running time wisely: Run early in the morning (just after sunrise) or in the evening (before sunset) as these are the coolest times. Avoid running between 9am and 4pm. If you have to run in in-between the hot times, ensure to stick to shady or tree-filled pathways. Avoid roads and tarmaced pavements.
• Wear sunscreen: Protect your skin with water-proof sunscreen (for fair skinned runners like me, take SPF 50 or above). There are sunscreens available for outdoor sports with a particular formula that sticks to your skin.
• Splash cold water on yourself: If the heat starts to get to you, splash cold water on your head and body to help your body to cool down.
• Listen to your body: If you start to feel faint, dizzy or you've stopped sweating, slow down or have a break and rehydrate. If your symptoms continue or worsen, sit or lie down in the shade.

Apparently it takes your a couple of days to get used to the hot weather. While your body is adapting, exercise less vigorously and take your heart rate as a guideline as it will rise more quickly even at low intensity workouts.