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!