Selecting my tune-up races...

One of my favourite parts of running is racing, even though I rarely actually race a race, by which I mean I'm never racing against other people and I'm very often not going all out myself. I like the atmosphere, the build up of anticipation and the chat and fun afterwards with my club-mates. I like adding to my medal collection and Facebook album of race numbers, and running somewhere different. 

Starting out on another training cycle I have a couple of races planned in before Ljubljana Half. The first is a leg of the JW Ultra, which I've wanted to race for a few years and eventually would like to complete the full ultra. I've also recently won a place at the Thoresby 10, which is the week before the Ljubljana Half and I have the choice of 10k or 10mile - heart says 10 miles but head says 10k is better just seven days before my target race. There's also the Midlands Road Relays and I'm looking out for another 10k somewhere in the mix.

One race that has been on the calendar for the last couple of years is the Bournville Leafy 10k, our club race. It's a great race and perfectly timed as a tune-up race for the Great Birmingham Run, with a couple of similar climbs. This year I'll be helping to marshal the event, and I'm looking forward to taking part in a different way. 

How do you use tune-up races in your training? What do you learn from them and when are they a good idea (and not so good?)

Starting again

I haven't written a blog post for two months. At first I thought it was just a blip; life got a bit scary and hairy - family illnesses, lots of travel, work was busy, but as with any habit, a period of time without it made it seem harder and harder to start again. I didn't know (still don't) whether to fill in the blanks or just leave it and hope that my readership (ha ha - it's probably just me and my Mom!) would understand/not care. 

It's too long now to fill in the blanks; to write about the running, reading and eating I've done in the intervening period; so I won't. I've had some fun and good food, probably too much of the latter. I've been running more for fun and socialising and haven't been running well. I'm a few pounds heavier, about 20 seconds per mile slower, and struggling with a "sensitive" stomach. 

Last week I somehow managed to win a prize at a little race in Nottingham - it was a very small field and frankly I'd have been more pleased with a PB or at least to have run as fast (I always feel a bit strange using that F-word in relation to my own running!) as my previous 5k there a month before. It got me thinking though; how far could I take this running thing? If I put the effort in - could I get faster? What's stopping me from trying?

I needed a plan and a goal to shake it off and shake it up and it has appeared in the form of the Ljubljana Half Marathon. Some running buddies are heading over for the weekend either to take part in the full or half and I've decided that with just under 10 weeks to go it is the perfect goal and will get me back to blogging too. I've had a good start so far this week; I tackled a reps session yesterday and although tonight's 5 miler was a struggle (stomach upset again!) I got through it and am feeling like it's a start... Little baby steps!