Another London run: Ealing Half Marathon

Just completed the inaugral Ealing Half Marathon! Another run in London so doesn't count towards a new Olympic city but still good fun!

I came 41st place (out of around 4,600) in a new personal best time of 1 hour 23 minutes and 14 seconds. Really chuffed as there were quite a few mean hills along the way! Perhaps the theory of "home advantage" rings true since it was around my local streets!

Have refuelled at the local pub ahead of the next half marathon next week in Windsor...apparantely that one is very hilly so no chance of a new PB there! Picture from the end of today's race below:

City 5 done: Helsinki

Completed city number 5!

The run in Helsinki was very very wet and I took a few wrong turns as it wasn't sign posted very well (oops!) but I still made it in a personal best time of 1 hour 25 minutes and 50 seconds! That was 20th place :-)

That wasn't the plan to run so quickly but it was pretty chilly so I figured the faster I went the quicker I would be able to have a cinnamon bun and the local gin drink which is served as a pint!

Picture from the end of the race below:

Next half marathon is next Sunday in London...fingers crossed for less rain!

Helsinki...the art deco Olympic city

Only one more sleep until the run in Helsinki....

Have spent the day around town and visited the Olympic Stadium:

Helsinki was due to host the Olympics in 1940 and built the stadium in art deco style that was popular at the time:

The Olympics were cancelled due to WWII and then didn't take place in the city until 1952....60 years ago:

There are awesome views of the city from the top of the tower:

It was the first Olympics in which Russian Federation and Israel competed in. The Olympic flame was lit by Paavo Numi who was a Finnish middle and long distance runner who won 9 Gold medals and 3 Silver
medals at the Olympics:

Now time to stock up on some carbs and sleep ahead of city 5's run tomorrow!

City 4 done: Stockholm

I have just completed the latest half marathon in an Olympic city...Stockholm!

I came 289th out of around 17,000 people in a time of 1 hour 26 minutes and 18 seconds! A personal best for me so am pleased with that!

2012 is the centenary that Stockholm held the Olympics so it has been fun to run here this year.

Of course my beloved Roxette are from Sweden so I was helped around the course by a few of their classics playing on my iPod!

A few pictures from the end below:

Next stop...Helsinki in 7 days time....

Ealing 10km

As a bit of a training run I have just done the inaugural Ealing 10km run.

It was a toasty day but good fun....thanks to Ealing Eagles for organising it :-)

A nice report about the run below....who is the mystery runner they mention?!!

http://www.ealingeagles.com/news/ealing-eagles-10k-eagle-eyed-view

I came 10th in a time of  37 minutes and 50 seconds which is a best for me so am going for beer and to see Lady Gaga tonight to celebrate! Some pics from this morning below:

Now only 6 days until the next Olympic City....Stockholm on Saturday! Watch this space....

Born to run?

Recently discovered a photo of me in one of my Mum's photo albums from 1988...me running in the ancient stadium in Delphi (Greece)...on the back she had written "Marathon Man Michael"....perhaps a sign of challenges to lie ahead later in life?!

Check out picture below: