Inching steadily towards my goal

A busy week at work yet again and a poorly doggy have given me plenty other than running to worry about but I've somehow managed to still nail a reasonable week's training the week before my Ljubljana Half taper. My new Asics arrived to give me a bit of retail therapy; they're nice and bright for the dark nights of the winter.

Monday was a recovery run at club and the committee meeting. On Tuesday I wasn't able to get out or on the treadmill to run so I did one of my old faves, a Davina DVD with some good plyometrics thrown in; all of which I could feel in my glutes on Wednesday when I met up with the group that do reps at Cannon Hill park. I'm normally away on Wednesdays or Guy is late so I like to be home for the dog, but owing to Jess being at the vets I was at home and as Guy was home too I had the chance to go to a different session. It was a good workout on Park Hill near Cannon Hill park and in spite of the aches in my legs I enjoyed the session taken by Suz. We did some exercises after the session too; designed to get the glutes firing. 

I decided to do reps at club on Thursday as well since it was designed for those taking on the Great Birmingham Run on Sunday so I knew I'd be able to take it steady if needed. There was also a focus on posture and some useful tips and reminders. My posture and arms need a lot of work but I'm trying to take it a step at a time and not give myself too hard a time when I see the photographic evidence of my poor form!

I had a rest on Friday and a sports massage; my legs felt really fatigued afterwards and I was glad to get an early night. I'd not planned to go all out on Saturday at parkrun but I felt alright in the morning and it was a bit cold so I took the time to have a warm-up and lined up reasonably near to the front (not ridiculously so - I'm not crazy!) Once again though I went out at a pace that was ahead of PB pace (not as bad as my disaster of a few weeks previous), and couldn't hold it. Still it was another 5 seconds off last week and edging closer to my Cannon Hill PB (13 seconds off that and another 5 on top would be a "proper" PB). 

Today's run was an 8-mile easy run, taking advantage of the roads around Bournville being closed for the Great Birmingham Run. A few of us set out early so we could be back in time to watch the race from Bournville Lane. It was the first time I'd been a spectator having run it for the last three years. I really enjoyed looking out for my club mates and other runners from local clubs as well as cheering along those running for charity and in the usual mix of costumes and charity vests. It was a great reminder of the joy in running and the amazing camaraderie. I'm so excited now for next week's trip to Ljubljana - hoping for a good race, but mainly looking forward to the trip away with Guy and my running friends. 

Warming up to spectate at the Great Birmingham Run. Loved the closed roads and perfect running weather.

Run and be happy

For the last couple of weeks I've been trying to keep to regular running ahead of the Ljubljana Half whilst introducing a bit more speed-work to start a 6-week build up to having a go at my 5k PB. I love parkrun, but one of the problems with running a timed 5k every week (there or thereabouts) is that I've become a bit lazy with it; there's always next week so I don't always give it my best. I think it is one of the issues with regular racing in general; you lose a bit of the hunger that saw PBs come tumbling in earlier years of running. I've been enjoying doing some more structured sessions but also struggling a bit with feeling tired from a busy few weeks at work and some full-on weekends too.

Occasionally, to give my mojo a boost I find a little running-related retail therapy goes a long way, and I spotted this Momentum jewellery bracelet a little while ago and decided to treat myself; it arrived this week. I've played around with running mantras in the past and decided that this one is definitely one for me to remember. Running isn't my job, it's my hobby and whatever happens it should always be fun! It also helped that it was in my favourite colour, teal.

On Thursday I was persuaded to go to my first ever track session, at Abbey Stadium in Redditch. The session was 8x200m efforts with jog recoveries and I really enjoyed the feeling of pushing myself. It's been a long time (over 20 years probably) since I ran such short distances but I think a few of those sessions will begin to make a difference to my 5k times. I noticed my quads felt fatigued on Friday and my hamstrings were a little stringy, so I did a bit of yoga at home which helped. That said, Saturday's visit to Cannon Hill parkrun was marked by a lethargic feeling in my legs towards the end, but it was a much better paced run (although only 5 seconds quicker it felt more controlled) than a fortnight ago and my best time at CHP since May! Perhaps a PB in 2015 isn't out of the question yet.

Mojo back, pacing needs a little work...

Well after a couple of weeks where I've missed my target and struggled with motivation I feel that at last I've nailed a solid week's training, managing to run on 5 days and throwing in a bit of speed work and some weights and yoga too. 

I was forced onto the dreaded dreadmill on Wednesday but, determined to make use of it I did a 6x3min session with 2mins recovery; the efforts were at 7:53 pace which is in the vicinity of my parkrun PB pace. I'm not going to lie - it was hard work but it was "easy" in the sense that I didn't have to think much and unlike a steady or tempo run on the treadmill the time flew by. I was listening to Marathon Talk and happened to have 3 coins about my person so I moved them all one-by-one from one side of the treadmill dashboard to the other (and back) so that I didn't even have my mad mid-run moment (is this number 3 or number 4?) where I can't manage even the basic maths of subtracting the time that my warm-up took and dividing the remainder by the effort plus recovery to work out where I am. I call this "running maths" and it results in some bizarre circumstances where very simple sums become all but impossible mid-effort. Anyone else struggle with this?

A friend and fellow runner has kindly offered to put together a plan for the next 6 weeks which will focus on my 5k times but allow for the Ljubljana Half Marathon too. I was therefore targeted with having a bit of a go at parkrun on Saturday to give us a baseline measure of my fitness (especially since I've not always been giving it my best effort recently). I had a spa day planned with a friend and have missed Cannon Hill (which is my home parkrun) over recent weeks so found myself back there on a morning which was just beautiful - the bright sunshine and autumn leaves along with the time of day being the only things separating this from those "too hot; too hard" summer runs. I warmed up and joined a couple of runners I knew at the start. Unfortunately I got the pace completely wrong from the off - seeing Jude speed into the distance I thought if I could just see her it would get me off to a good start and I'm typically a conservative runner in the early stages, I also thought I would avoid looking at my watch - it might be limiting me to what I thought I could do rather than what I am capable of. Well, now I realise that conservative is not a bad strategy. Looking now at the splits a first mile of 7:36 was clearly a crazy starting pace (according to Strava - which doesn't hold all of my records, just those since January, but is nevertheless a useful guide - I broke my km, half mile, mile and 2 mile records). Then the wheels came off! An agonising last mile and a half, wheezing, people passing me and looking concerned and an unbelievable desire to just stop and lie down. I finally understood the expression to "blow-up". I've had some tough second halves of half marathons and longer races, but I don't think there's ever been such a stark contrast in a 5k race. My last mile was nearly a minute slower than the first. Ouch! 

I managed to squeeze under 25 minutes (24:59) for my best time for a few months, but I feel that I could have shaved a bit more off that if I'd paced it more evenly. 

Nevertheless I've posted a time to aim at next week and learnt a valuable lesson. Next week it's the road relays and I will definitely go for a steady start and try to finish strong!

I've topped off my biggest running week in some time with a 14 mile run along the canal into town with a few pit stops to collect folks en route - it's another glorious day in south Brum and I collected a couple of owls too... Mojo back and up for the next 6 weeks of hard training!

Man in the background looks like he could use some mojo (or a good night's sleep!) #TheBigHoot2015

Another weekly target missed

Having set a 30 mile per week target for my Ljubljana Half Marathon prep with a minimum of one speed session or race per week I have, yet again, missed my target. My excuses; I've had a rubbish week; my windscreen cracked on the way home from a hen weekend in Bath; I got a speeding fine; I'm still tired from last week's work in the U.S. and work's been busy yet again. 

All that said I've enjoyed my running this week and even managed to squeeze in a weights session on Tuesday. Yesterday I finally took part in the JW Relay which is a 30-mile Ultra race or a Relay. I did the last leg of the relay (described by one of the Ultra runners as "the glory leg") as part of a team of Bournville Harriers, called "Canal we stop now?" in reference to the fact that the race is largely along the canal towpath between Stratford and Kings Norton, Birmingham. The race is run in memory of John Ward, a coach and Bournville Harrier (although well before my time), so there were plenty of other harriers there, taking part in the full distance or the relay (some doing two legs as part of their Autumn marathon preparations). 

Preparing for "the glory leg" at the Blue Bell Cider House

My leg was on a stretch of canal that I'm very familiar with, but even so I really enjoyed being part of the whole event. I was reasonably pleased with my time (although I think I should have gone out harder - my leg only ended up being 8.5 miles and I was off my 10-mile pace by quite some way). The goody bag alone was well worth the entry fee - a lovely kit bag, bobble hat and sunglasses as well as some chocolate and a granola bar.

Modelling the JW goodies - bobble-hat, bag and sunnies!

I finished the week with a 7-mile run averaging 9mm - I'm trying to get to a point where that feels like a comfortable pace and tonight it really did. I need to really start to focus on my half-marathon training now, with 6 weeks to go it really is time to get serious if I've any chance of a PB in Ljubljana! 

Two weeks, two races

I've found myself a bit busy over the last two weeks, both with work and outside of work so I haven't had chance to blog as I would have liked to, especially as I raced twice so would usually have written a couple of race reports. I'll try to remember enough of the last couple of weeks though to update on how the training is going.

I flew to New York on Monday 18th May for a few days in the office on Long Island. By the time I arrived and got to the hotel I was tired so had an early night and got up early (although it was 10 o'clock UK time) on Tuesday for a run on the treadmill in the hotel's gym. I managed half an hour or so, alternating pace and incline. I still don't enjoy running on a treadmill so I try to keep it interesting by varying the pace. I seem to sweat even more than usual running indoors so I find it quite off-putting. Does anyone else have that problem? I was listening to a great podcast though, one that I've been enjoying on and off for a while; the Freakonomics podcast. It's given me an idea to write a blog soon on the podcasts I enjoy.

I really wanted to run outside whilst I was in the U.S. and I'd heard there was a trail about a mile away from the hotel. I headed out in the direction I'd been given but couldn't find the trail and ended up having a rather unsatisfying run along the highway with the smell of petrol fumes and the noise of traffic for company (along with Martin & Tom of Marathon Talk, continuing the podcast theme!) 

I got back to the UK on Friday morning and tried to get a full day's work done, catch up on stuff at home and then we had plans for dinner so no time for running. I figured it wouldn't matter having two days off; I was looking forward to parkrun on Saturday though...

The alarm went off on parkrunday and I felt like I'd been run over. We'd had a few drinks on Friday night but I've got up and done parkrun after more than that. I put it down to jet lag, but I really wasn't expecting to feel so tired. I started to panic as we were going to visit family for the weekend and I knew I wouldn't be able to run for the rest of the day or on Sunday because we had plans. Non-runners find it strange when you describe the worrying feeling when you can't run for a few days for whatever reason, but it really gets to me - I know other runners understand! 

I couldn't properly shake the tiredness all weekend but I enjoyed the catch up with family and we saw a show; The Commitments, in London on Sunday night which was great fun. My niece, Sarah and I were running in the Bupa London 10,000 on Bank Holiday Monday and both looking forward to it.

The weather on Monday was perfect for a picnic, unexpectedly warm and sunny. The race is huge and well-organised with a great atmosphere and I was excited to be running. I reckoned a PB was probably not on the cards but wanted to improve on my Great Birmingham 10k time. Unfortunately I nearly missed the start, needing a last minute loo visit and still standing in the queue with two minutes to go before the start. I made it though to my wave and got chatting to a lady from West Bromwich Harriers. We set off along the Mall but the first mile or so was quite congested, so I didn't get the start I was after. Things didn't quite click but I just focussed on keeping going as best I could, enjoying the occasional respite of a bit of breeze. I enjoyed the course and in most areas the support was superb, although there was a stretch from 8-9miles where it was really quiet. I completed the race in 52:01, which was the same as my PB for ages back in 2012 and 13 - funny how it now seems a bit disappointing, and as expected it didn't give a boost to my runbritain handicap either. Never mind, it was a fun day and I got a lovely medal and t-shirt as well as a day out with my niece and some of the other BvHers who'd made their way down.

On Tuesday I managed a surprisingly good pace on my 6 mile Kings Heath loop, and I really, really enjoyed the run; feeling like a different person to the one who went out as I often do. 

I missed club on Thursday to go to dinner with Guy instead - a "No Rules" night with Nomad, Birmingham which turned out to be at the Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath. We had a great night though, probably (definitely) too much to drink and eat. It was good to relax and spend time together having had a few stressful, full-on weeks.

Friday night was race night for a change. We'd got four teams entered in the Whale Ale Relay at Stratford Recreation Ground; a Tempo Event. I was in a team with a very speedy and improving couple; Monica & Mat, and also Clare who you may recall was my running buddy at Manchester Marathon. Our team was "Four Pints of Ale and a Packet of Blister Plasters". It was all a bit of fun really, four legs of two miles each with our three other teams and the addition of celebrating Suz's 40th Birthday (we'd all worn Jack Daniels t-shirts in honour of her favourite tipple) with a few beers afterwards on a sunny evening. I found the two miles tough, having not had chance to warm up properly, but I basically just wanted to run under 8 minute miles and managed to achieve that. A great race though and one I would recommend!

Saturday's parkrun was looking like being a steady plod until I found myself running alongside Pauline who had also been at the previous evening's festivities. I figured that if Pauline was going for it then I could too! We had a good natured battle with Pauline leading initially and then me coming back towards the end and a close finish. I was pleased to go under 25 minutes yet again; all things considered it gives me confidence that with a few weeks of consistent training I could have a go at a PB soon.

Sunday's long run was a 10.5 mile yomp around the hills of South Birmingham from the Peacock out to Alvechurch. It was a drizzly start to the day but great company as ever and rounded off my first 30 mile week since marathon week!

Close but no cigar!

A quick write up then for the last week or so of training. Monday's run was the Cannon Hill route from club. It's nice getting back to the summer routes but I'm having to remember to spray the insect repellent before the run... I'm really not designed for warmer weather, I burn easily, get hayfever and react badly to insect bites; in spite of this I like the summer months, the lighter evenings and the opportunity to run in parks and along the canals of Birmingham with club.

I made it to my Iyengar yoga class on Tuesday for the first time in months. I'm enjoying my new job but I am struggling to fit my ideal workout schedule in around the job and the amount of travelling. I really enjoyed the yoga class but felt quite sad that I'd let my yoga slip so much - it always feels like a long struggle to get back the strength and flexibility. My arms, that I'd been pleased with a few weeks ago, have started to look less toned; from baby-guns to bingo-wings in no time!

I entered the Notts Summer Series Race 1 on Wednesday and blogged about the race here. This was the first of two occasions this week (and the second of three if you count last week's parkrun) where I've felt close to my best but not quite getting there!

I made it back in time for club on Thursday and one of my favourite sessions; Kenyan Hills in Cotteridge Park. It's a great session with a sufficiently long and steep hill to feel like a good workout but without being so hard as to seem ridiculous. I really like the park (although I've heard that it can be a bit dodgy - I've never seen that side of it). Most of us were holding a bit in reserve for the Masters Road Relays but I ran with some faster runners and felt like I'd had a reasonably good session after Wednesday's race.

I took a complete rest day on Friday although my original intention had been to do some weights or Yoga. I just ran out of time with quite a bit of work to do. The foam roller is also staring at me accusingly and the odd bit of tightness in my legs is a reminder that I'm once again making the mistake of fitting in the running but not a lot else.

Saturday was British Masters Road Relays day and a relatively early start as they'd put the ladies and the "very mature" men on at 10:30am to spread the numbers out. I was glad of this as I was going to the Foodies Festival in the afternoon so was happy to go first leg and get away on time. For one reason or another I'd been bumped up from the W35 C team to the B team; this puts a bit of pressure on - knowing I'd be the slowest of my team but wanting to justify my promotion with a result at least as good as my colleagues in the C team. I knew the course would be short of 5k but there or thereabouts so relatively easy to pace. Going off first added extra pressure but also gave me an advantage in being with Jude and Rachel in our W45 and W35 C teams respectively. I've never caught Jude in a race but she's been within sight of me in the past and I thought it would be good to keep her there again if I could. Rachel is a similar pace runner to me and we've pushed each other to achieve good results before. I found myself in a Jude and Rachel sandwich which spurred me on to a time of 24:05. I was quite pleased with it at first and I'd worked hard, but again I didn't quite catch Jude and would have dearly liked the result to begin with a 23... Unfortunately in spite of two pretty good performances this week my runbritain handicap continues to travel in the wrong direction and I'm back at 16 having been at 15 at the start of the year. I'm clearly going to have to find a new gear to improve it.

Me feeling pleased with my t-shirt; a bargain at 2 for £6.

Sunday's run was a lovely 8.5 miles from the Peacock with three friends from club while a lot of others were enjoying a day off or racing. We took a fairly hilly route (no other option from the Peacock), but it was steady, in beautiful sunshine for most of the run and with plenty of stops for photos and just to enjoy the scenery! A great way to finish a reasonably good week of running and a reminder that it's not all about the times.

The build up to the big one!

I'm not going to lie - I really should have written this before Sunday instead of at 2:30am on Monday morning; the past week is a blur (if it weren't for Strava I doubt I could tell you which days I ran on, let alone how far) and I only really want to write about the marathon. Since I'm lying here in bed, shattered but with such achy legs that I can't sleep, I thought I'd write a bit about the week leading up to it and then tomorrow I'll write about the Greater Manchester Marathon.

It was BvH club run on Monday and as there were a few of us with Manchester looming or with tired legs after a combo of Road Relays and Sunday's 10k, a group of us trotted round the 5k route, which is two laps around Rowheath. I ended up running a bit faster than I'd intended but as it was short and I still had six days to go I wasn't too troubled. 

Work was busy and I was glad of a rest day on Tuesday and some time in the evening to do a bit of ironing and catch up at home. Plus it was an early start to drive up to Notts on Wednesday so an early night was in store.

I consciously increased my carbs with the aim of keeping the overall calories about the same but having less protein and fat. It's really hard though as that's against my usual eating plans and I start getting hungry really quickly after a carb-laden meal. Malt loaf lunch-box snacks were a bit of a saviour this week.

I had a little run on the treadmill on Wednesday - the weather in the West Mids was lovely apparently but it was cold and wet a bit further north and I didn't fancy a run outside. I just did three gentle miles, with a wry look at the clock at 2.62 miles!

I was back too late for club on Thursday so I just chilled out and watched a bit of TV, I didn't think it would hurt to miss one run, although I had intended to run on the days I usually would, just doing shorter distances with nothing intense. I was working from home on Friday, and it was nice to not have to drive anywhere so when I finished work I used the time to catch up on paperwork and bills at home. Whilst I was beginning to get a bit anxious I decided not to do anything drastically different to a normal week so when Guy said he just fancied a takeaway curry on Friday night I went along with it. I substituted my usual pea pilau rice and veg stuffed paratha for the plain versions to reduce the fibre content, and ditched the tarka dhal and onion bhaji which can sometimes trigger an upset tummy. Plus it was non-alcoholic beer for me. 

On Saturday I ran a slow parkrun at Cannon Hill. I got a few raised eyebrows from people who knew I was running Manchester but quite honestly I find it helps to loosen the legs the day before a race (and I know this was going to be my longest race, but so was 10k and half-marathon once upon a time!) I really did take it steady and felt better for it. I think that being confident about your decisions and not letting "helpful advice" take you off course is an important lesson (in life as well as running!) Whilst it is good to take on board the experience of others, we are all different and what works for us mentally is often more important than the physical side. The benefit I derive from a few steady miles in the company of friends outweighs any tiredness I might experience physically (in fact it probably helps to deal with some of the nervous energy!)

I ran a few errands and then it was up to Manchester with the Teal Massive! We got to our hotel in Altrincham which is on the marathon course in good time and popped out for a coffee and cake. It was a lovely day and warm in the sunshine, but the forecast for Sunday was cooler and overcast so the conditions were looking favourable. I was starting to feel really hyper but so glad to be there with friends and we sometimes kept our minds off it or shared our thoughts. We had booked dinner at a local Italian restaurant in the evening which was lovely, very busy but the food was good and they had Becks Blue so I was happy to feel quite normal with my pizza and "beer" on a Saturday night. 

Back to the Travelodge at about 9:40 with just time to catch up with the good luck messages and lay out my kit for the next day and the 5:45 alarm. I struggled to switch my brain off and get some decent sleep but probably ended up switching the light off at about 11pm and just waking 2-3 times in the night. 

As I lay in bed I thought about how pleased I was after my previous disappointments, to finally be there, just waiting to begin. I planned what I would think about when it got tough (a mile in honour of my loved ones, some no longer with us. Time to think about what they mean to me and how I want to do them proud). And then, all of a sudden it was time to get up and take on the adventure...

Taper, taper, taper!

It's strange looking back over my training since the start of the year; apart from the occasional week where through illness I've not been able to train, 30+ miles, often 40+ has been the norm compared to my usual training where I would typically hit 25 miles on a good week. As I'm now tapering I've been reducing the mileage but maintaining the frequency; five runs this week but a total of "just" 22 miles, less than the amount I will run in one day next Sunday in Manchester.

I started the week with a pretty typical Monday night club run; nothing spectacular but a nice Bank Holiday evening following some lovely weather and a bit of retail therapy. On Tuesday I drove up north for work and decided to do a short run on the treadmill - I'm warming to the treadmill and the opportunity to manage my speed, so I did a bit of a progression run, but my stomach was playing it's tricks again so after half an hour I gave up (probably just as well, given the tapering!)

On Thursday night I wasn't intending to do the club reps but I got swept along and actually had quite a lot of fun - we were doing shuttle runs with strength exercises (squats, lunges, planks etc.) between each set. I didn't push it on the runs but I did enjoy doing something a bit different and we had a laugh. Overall it was only about 3 miles of running and that was quite enough. 

I'd foolishly put myself forward for B team duties at the National Road Relays on Saturday, and was regretting the decision but we had a full team so I decided that I would run but definitely NOT RACE! There was a strong field as you would expect but it seemed small and not many clubs had put out B teams. They'd introduced two long legs at the start (around 5 miles each), but with my marathon being close I was down to do one of the shorter ones, which was the same as the recent Midlands relays at just under 5k. We were already in last place when I began my leg, and with no chance of making up any places it was quite easy to stick to a pace that was "easy" (can someone explain why it never feels easy to run easy though?) With last leg runners occasionally passing me (and people on their warm-downs too!) I did marvel at these super-human creatures who are able to get so much more from their mixture of skin, bones, muscle and organs than I can, but there was great camaraderie as always and I do think there's something to be said for representing even if you can't really compete.

A sunny yet windy day at Sutton Park for the National Road Relays.

On Sunday I had a pace to stick to at a local 10k, the Ronnie Bowker race at Cannon Hill park, which I've written about here. Having had a sports massage on Friday I'm pleased to say that the knee issue that seems to have plagued the last few weeks has abated, and apart from the odd twinge (probably psychological) and slightly worrying tummy troubles (probably stress-related) I'm feeling about as good as I have done for a few weeks now... The taper must be working on the physical side.

To the mental aspect; no matter which way I look at it 26.2 miles is a heck of a long way. I've tried chunking it down in my mind but still it looms large and intimidating. And yet, people do this all the time! If you look at my Facebook or Twitter feeds you'd be forgiven for thinking it's a normal activity, but perhaps the very fact that we all want to share in it, compare notes etc. is because it is just bloody huge and scary. 

It reminds me of exams at school - how much revision have you done? Have you tried this or that? If we don't know it now we never will etc. etc. There's a comfort in sharing it all but we can also freak each other out with all the talking. Even writing a blog, I'm conscious I'm contributing to the marathon chatter, but I'm consuming it all too. In an effort to remain calm ahead of next Sunday I'm focussing on the following thoughts:

1) It's just another race. Yes, it's the furthest I've ever run, but once upon a time that was true for 5k too!

2) I've trained well and consistently. Not perfectly, but whoever managed that?

3) There will be other opportunities to do this and do it faster. Nothing silly now. No heroics. Get round, stay sensible.

4) I'm going with my mates, we're in it together, we will support each other through it.

5) It's going to be fun!

This time next week it will be done - stay tuned...

A step closer

Another week closer to marathon and technically I've entered the taper. I feel that a longer run last weekend would have been a better end to my training but I have to put that behind me now; it's too late to do anything about it and certainly too late to be doing anything like the long runs that would have been okay just a week ago. 

This was another week that didn't start well. I wasn't alone in wimping out of the planned club run on Monday, tackling the easier Pebble Mill route rather than Harborne Hills. It's less than a week ago but I don't really remember anything about how it felt, other than enjoying a chat but feeling a bit sluggish. The weather was pretty horrendous in the first part of the week and I drove up North on Tuesday feeling quite tense because of the wind and rain. I had a tenderness in my stomach since the previous week and began to feel gradually worse as Tuesday progressed; by the afternoon I felt really lousy so I had an early night instead of running, enjoying the "minor social media celebrity" status afforded by my appearance as Unbound's parkrunner of the week. Unbound is a new website and I was first to be interviewed in this new slot.

parkrun #100 Christmas 2015

On Wednesday I felt a bit better in the morning and by the evening I felt ready to tackle a short run. The weather was still strange and as I was in the accomodation at work I thought I'd manage a few miles on the treadmill. I much prefer running outdoors, and I've never really seen the point of gym membership, but I quite enjoyed the ability to set my pace; perhaps one treadmill run each week would be good for speedwork? I did 5 miles at various paces, listening to the last ever parkrun show podcast. I will write another blog soon on what parkrun means to me but the show has been a big part of the experience and feeling part of the wider community; I'm really going to miss it.

Thursday's club session was continuous hills, and as often happens, I thought I'd just jog round but ended up putting a bit of effort in anyway! I still didn't feel great so I was only a little bit disappointed at falling quite far behind those I'm usually able to stick with. I know it's important to listen to your body but mine is being really loud at the moment in telling me how unhappy it is. At least it is more of a stomach issue and my niggly ITB/knee seems (touch wood) to be easier.

As it was Good Friday and I knew Easter Sunday would be out for training, a few of us went for a longish canal run in the morning. It was drizzly and a bit cold but I covered 12 miles in lovely company and retired my trusty silver Asics Gel Cumulus at the end of the run. 

Easter weekend is certainly a good one to start a bit of carb-loading and I've been tucking into hot cross buns and chocolate as well as having a few drinks and meals out with Guy. Saturday's parkrun was very much a recovery run, having a chat with a club mate who I haven't seen much of recently. We had some good friends to stay over on Saturday and it was nice to have a lie-in on Sunday and an easy morning, although I must confess to a bit of "runvy" as I started hearing about everyone's last long runs (for those training for London marathon which is a week after mine in Manchester). 

Two weeks to go now and they'll be a busy couple of weeks with work. I'm getting the usual nervous jitters already and strange phantom aches and pains, but I'm also getting very excited. It would be great to hear from you if you're reading this and also marathon training or tapering - what are your hopes and fears? What do you enjoy about tapering and what do you hate? You can follow me on Blogger, Bloglovin' or subscribe by email and look me up on Twitter where I'm @stakka79 or Instagram; @stakkalee79.

A week of two halves

The first few days of last week were overtaken with work and an insatiable appetite; the runger just took over post Ashby 20 and I had a horrible cold as well which didn't help. I had intended to run whilst away in Notts and even to run with a different running club on Tuesday but I just felt awful so I rested for most of the week. I was looking forward to getting a sports massage on Thursday but ended up not being able to get back from a conference on time. Work's been going well and is my priority right now but I couldn't help feeling frustrated that my training and the other important stuff like diet, massage and rest were taking a bit of a hit. I've written before about how much habit and consistency are key to fitness and health and it's so easy to lose a few days, which turns into a few weeks. It was the last week of Jantastic too and I knew I was going to have to play a joker; not the planned "finishing strong" I'd hoped for!

By Friday I started to feel a bit better and decided to have a little run on Friday evening to see how the legs were feeling before Saturday's Road Relays. Occasionally I am reminded of my love for running, pure and simple, and Friday was one such occasion. It was a slow four miles, with my knee feeling sore to begin with but soon relaxing, and I loved it...  My mood lifted and I slept better on Friday than I had all week and was looking forward to the relays on Saturday.

After a panicky realisation that because of missing so many runs in the week I hadn't washed my club vest (managed to get it through the express wash & dry cycle just in time!) I headed to Sutton Park on the train with my club-mates. We were somewhat depleted, with injuries, house moves and holidays reducing our numbers until we ended up with one full team and a B team (which I was in) of just five (instead of six) members. It was the usual slightly hideous running experience; I was glad to set off first leg and get it over with, but I always feel like my self-esteem takes a bit of a battering at these events. I half-joke that they make me feel old, fat and slow; but there's a hint of truth in it. Fortunately the team spirit, cheering other members of the team on and the cake afterwards more than make up for it. I was a bit disappointed with my time of 25:34 over approximately 5k; but it is a tough course and it was difficult, once we were all spread out, to get that race mindset. 

I'd got 17 miles down for my last long run of Jantastic, but decided to just do a 15 miler, being as I was still shaking off the cold and my knee was continuing to gripe a bit. The clocks changed on Sunday so we set out at 9 instead of the usual 8:30. I had a lot to do for the rest of the day so it was good to get it done and to enjoy a chat with everyone else who was out - I saw so many team mates out running along the canal... Everyone coming to the end of the serious training, ready to start their tapers. It was good to finish the week in better form than I had started it!

When the going gets tough

From a running perspective the first week of a new job, more miles in the car than I usually do in a month, a night away and a dodgy knee seemed like a recipe for a poor week's training leading up to my longest ever race, the Ashby 20. As it happened I managed to get four runs logged (not quite my hoped for five), none of which were as long as I would normally manage but I ticked over the week whilst mostly focussing on the new job and wondering if I'd ever get used to sitting in the car for two hours at a time with only Radio 4 for company.

Monday's run was a leg stretch and an explore around my new base for a couple of days each week in Nottinghamshire. I managed to catch the last of the light, unfortunately the wind turbines, which look majestic in the distance on my run, appear quite unimpressive on the photo I took on my run. 

The nights are definitely getting lighter and with the clocks changing this weekend I'm looking forward to exploring the area and perhaps joining a club in the vicinity as a "second claim" to Bournville Harriers.

Back in Brum I managed a second run on Wednesday of a similar distance, with the knee still irritating me for the first mile or two but feeling more comfortable as time progressed. I listened to the parkrun show podcast during the run - it is coming to an end shortly and I'm already missing it. So many of my runs have been accompanied by "King" Danny Norman and Nicola "she who must not be named" Forwood and the other various characters that inhabit my other running community - the virtual world that brings together parkrunners from around the globe. I have mostly laughed along, occasionally cried (Episode 122 - For Zoe) and learnt a few fascinating facts through parkrunpedia. If you've never listened to it you have 180 ish episodes to enjoy.

I made it home just in time for the club reps session on Thursday but I didn't really try in the efforts and my knee was really starting to hurt. I decided that as I was volunteering rather than running at Saturday's parkrun I would try to completely rest my legs and hope that it would be better come Sunday's race. I knew this would leave me short of the 100% I was aiming for in the March section of Jantastic, even if I did get the target time 

I had ambitiously set for Ashby, but I really felt it was the sensible thing to do with Manchester just over four weeks away and the bulk of the training in the bag. So many of my running friends were suffering with various injuries and illnesses - I don't think I was alone in feeling a bit broken.

An "edgy" week

With Sunday's epic adventure in my legs I began the week looking forward to ticking off some errands on my last week off work ahead of starting my new job next Monday. I suddenly realised I hadn't got long to get on top of things like the washing and general admin before getting back on the usual treadmill where there never seems to be enough hours in the day. I wanted to get a solid week's training in, and maybe write a couple of extra blog posts as well.

Monday's club night was the Kings Heath route, which is quite gentle as BvH routes go but with a couple of climbs up Cartland Road on the way out and Mary Vale on the way back. In any case this was never going to be a quick one but my legs felt relatively good, except for an occasional twinge on the outside of my right knee. I'd noticed a bit of tightness there before during my post workout stretches and in yoga, but I have only just started to realise it is a bit tight in the early stages of a run too.

I had intended to go to my Iyengar yoga class on Tuesday but instead decided to visit some friends and then take my Mum out for supper for her birthday, so I did a DVD at home on Tuesday morning; Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown, which is a bit of a revved up Vinyasa style yoga. It's only half an hour but it's quite a good workout with some balance poses as well as strength and a bit of cardio too. I think Jillian is a great trainer, having used her DVDs and followed her on the podcast and the Biggest Loser TV show. She's also an inspiring person and I recently had the pleasure of seeing her live. She's become a bit more of a self-help guru lately but I find her really interesting when she talks about health and nutrition; and she's really passionate about things like dealing with the obesity crisis in the US. 

On Wednesday it was back to the medium-long run, and this time I tried to gradually increase my pace over the first five miles and then reduce it gradually in the second half. I ran out along the canal towards Dickens Heath which is a muddier route than heading in towards Birmingham, so I had my trail shoes on. I had a few issues with my watch on this run so it was difficult to get the pacing right - I think breaking the run into three sections rather than mile by mile would be easier. I listened to some good interviews on the Marathon Talk podcast which really helped to pass the time, but again I was conscious of my knee and felt glad that I had my sports massage booked. I've written about sports massage and other ways I'm trying to avoid injury here.

Thursday was a really busy day, filling in loads of forms for my new job and taking Jess to the vets. I was looking forward to the session at club and had virtually forgotten about my knee as it felt fine on my dog walk during the day. The session was mile reps which was a good fit with my training in keeping with my plan to do a bit of work on my speed over the next 3-4 weeks. During the warm up my knee felt really quite sore though, and I was beginning to question whether I should be running at all, let alone doing the efforts. My thoughts began to run away with me... "I can't believe this is happening again, I'm going to have to stop just when I've put in all this training..." Fortunately one of my club mates, who is also doing Manchester and has battled back from a very nasty injury after falling off a climbing wall, was there to put things into perspective and advised me not to get carried away, but just to see how it felt and back off if necessary. On the second effort it felt much better - in fact, the harder I ran the less it bothered me, and by the third effort I couldn't feel it. I did four in the end and although I was a bit disappointed that my splits weren't better, I definitely felt like I was working hard, although I couldn't keep up with those around me who are a similar pace. I took some advice from Margaret and had a good stretch afterwards and used the foam roller too.

On Friday morning my knee felt good but I didn't want to risk a load of squats and lunges as I had planned, so instead I did a DVD which focussed on upper body and core strength, followed by a good 15 minute yoga stretch. This is from the Davina Fit DVD which is one I use regularly. I got the foam roller out again too, which seemed to help. The rest of the day was pretty busy with lots of errands to run and cleaning the house too; my iPhone Health App reckons I did 24 flights of stairs which is pretty high for a supposed rest day (and I think I left the phone downstairs on a couple of trips too!) By 8pm I felt tired and ready for UKrunchat hour - an hour of tweeting all things running... Good fun while you're resting tired legs! Just follow the hashtag UKrunchat.

I had a long run of about 18 miles planned for Saturday, meeting a good pal from my running club and incorporating Cannon Hill parkrun too. We had a great chat passing the time and the miles, incorporating three parks (Kings Heath, Highbury and Cannon Hill) as well as sections of the canal and Rea Valley on a crisp, dry day but it was much colder than I was expecting. I'd planned to run at approximately 10 minute mile pace but Strava thinks it was more like 9:15... My legs felt shot at 15 so perhaps it was just a bit too fast. Good job there's 8 days to recover before the Ashby 20-mile race. 

The lovely Barbara Partridge was Run Director at parkrun and she kindly have me a This Girl Can keyring just before the start, which gave me a boost! It looks good next to my parkrun barcode, doesn't it? It would be nice to have another crack at my parkrun PB soon, but at the moment it just isn't fitting in with my other plans.

In Wolverhampton on Sunday for Mother's Day, I had a leisurely start but wanted to try out my new Hoka One One shoes on a short recovery run. (I'll do a full review soon). My knee felt a bit niggly again so I kept it to just four miles, although again my pace was a bit quicker than it felt. Lots of friends were racing over the weekend and there were some impressive performances and PBs for a few. Just five weeks until my marathon in Manchester and six weeks before the London Marathon, everyone seems to be peaking and/or struggling with injuries.

Starting my new job tomorrow so a good week's training logged this week is a confidence booster as I'm not sure how my usual routine will fare next week. Fingers crossed my knee will settle down a bit too and I'll be able to get some good rest in.

Photo courtesy of Geoff Hughes, Cannon Hill parkrun.

Logging the miles

After Sunday's half marathon tumble I woke up on Monday feeling very aware of my elbow. It was slightly swollen and felt hot to touch and I couldn't lean on or use my arm fully. I had a fairly easy day, catching up with some washing, writing my blog and trying not to worry. I was looking forward to Monday night's club run as so many of my club-mates had been competing over the weekend and many were celebrating PBs so there was a great atmosphere. A few of us decided to run one of the club routes in reverse which was enjoyable, but I was later reminded that there can be safety issues related to running in groups on untested routes.

On Tuesday I would have liked to do some strength work but even just doing a bit of housework was aggravating my elbow so it's another week without any weights being lifted. I did make it to my Yoga class in the afternoon though, just missing out anything involving putting weight on my arm and focussing on my kneecaps (yes, really! Occasionally in Iyengar Yoga we become very aware of parts of the body that are oft overlooked).

On Wednesday I was going to meet an ex-colleague for lunch, but I was also planning on going to Wolverhampton to see my mother-in-law in the afternoon so I suggested meeting him for a run and a coffee in the morning instead. Having friends who run is great for meeting up and fitting in training with a social life too. I ran to Cannon Hill park (3 miles) where we met up and then continued on along the Rea Valley route and back to the mac for a further 6 miles or so. This was perfect for me; a longish run after the weekend's effort, but also suited him; a faster runner but not training for anything in particular, just happy to get a few miles in. The coffee and teacake afterwards was a nice guilt-free treat too. I was also trying out some new kit on this run, which I reviewed here.

On Thursday I enjoyed a bit of shopping for a change in Solihull. Thinking ahead to returning to work I even bought a lunchbox for my healthy lunches I'm planning to take. I sometimes find it easier to make healthy choices if I make them fun - this Happy Jackson box is just waiting to be filled with raw fruit bars, nuts and veggie wraps!

I decided to do the club reps session which was pyramid hills on Thursday, having run out of excuses (I've got a race at the weekend etc.) for avoiding speedwork. I do want to get faster, but sometimes find it mentally draining to keep putting in the effort week after week. With five weeks to go until Manchester Marathon, I think a few reps sessions could make a difference even at this late stage, but my focus will continue to be the longer steady runs and keeping the mileage up. Pyramid workouts are those where the efforts get progressively harder or longer and then reduce gradually back down again. In this case we were running uphill efforts with recovery downhill back to the start point, running to the first lamppost then the second etc. up to the 6th marker then back "down the pyramid" (6th marker, 5th and so on). I really enjoyed this session! Although the total distance seems like nothing compared to a typical run, the feeling of running hard is great... Why do I sometimes forget that and talk myself out of the sessions?

On Friday we received the news that we had not passed the Only Connect auditions so wouldn't be going through to the TV rounds. It was fun taking part up to that point though, and my TV quiz dream isn't over for good!

Friday was also a rest day, just enjoying a walk with the dog in the spring sunshine before getting ready for our club awards night. I was very excited as I missed awards night last year and I love the social events. Being part of a club has been fantastic for me on many levels, both in terms of running but also the great friends I have met. Running with someone else is a bonding experience; in life we're all so busy that it is rare to spend an hour talking to a friend or family member, and yet I share runs of that length with club mates a few times a week - no wonder fast friendships are forged! The awards night was good fun and acknowledged some of the great performances but also individual improvements and participation of Team Tealers. I was pleased to be nominated for an award for Endeavour (which I joked was running club speak for "slow but enthusiastic"), but not surprised that the award deservedly went to a team mate who races most weekends in some really tough events, mainly off-road. I had won one of the Teal Target events (winners chosen based on runbritain rankings) last year, but wasn't expecting a prize for that, and also received a medal for being a nominee; as you can see I was rather pleased to take away some "bling" from the event.

On Saturday morning I toyed with taking Jess to parkrun at Cannon Hill but decided to give it a bit of a go instead. I wasn't expecting a PB after the wine and curry at the awards and given how busy CHP is these days, but I thought it would be good to have more of a tempo run. I was disappointed with my time of 25:50, but pleased that I hadn't made excuses and jogged round, especially as my thoughts were turning to Sunday's long run. I had an afternoon nap on Saturday which is really rare for me, but perhaps an indication that the extra miles are starting to catch up with me.

This morning's long run loomed like a race rather than an LSR... I felt a bit nervous, partly because I'd suggested the route but also because it was to be my longest run (I planned a minimum 18 miles, but others were talking 18.5 plus). We decided to run along the canals into town and round to the Cole Valley route through The Shires country park, which I have run through in the past and makes a pleasant change. I do prefer a loop to out-and-back runs; for some reason they feel like more of an achievement, but they're also more interesting. Unfortunately I didn't really know how to stick the two parts of the route together and was relying on a combination of my smartphone, signage and my fellow runners. We ended up taking one diversion and a second unnecessary extra loop which in total added about 2 miles to the planned route which had come out at 17.5 miles. The signage did not help...

So we did get a little bit lost, but I loved the route for the change of scenery and I especially enjoyed the company and positivity of the others. 19.5 miles around Birmingham, virtually all along canal towpaths and cycle routes through varied urban landscapes. 

Last week I reflected on how useful running had been while I've been "between jobs". This week I've also considered that having some time off work has really enabled me to put some extra miles in during this training cycle and that opportunity is now coming to an end. I am full of genuine admiration for anyone who goes on this marathon journey with jobs and families that demand so much more of their time. It's hard work, but everything worth doing is!

Turning points

This week was full on, but mostly in a good way! I try to keep this blog to life outside of work, but to give a bit of context; I've been looking for a job since being made redundant at the end of last year. This week started out with one proper interview and two informal chats about possible roles on Monday; a workshop on CVs, interviews etc. on Tuesday; another "chat/interview" on Wednesday; a proper interview on Thursday; and finished with two job offers on Friday! In addition to this, Friday was audition day for Only Connect - which was great fun, but also quite nerve-wracking and added to my feeling of being "tired but wired" come Friday night.

Nutrition was also a big struggle again this week as I found myself reaching for sweet things and plenty of caffeine and struggled to make healthy choices. Something to focus on for me in March I think, as well as trying to get an earlier night wherever possible.

Back out running with club on Monday, the break seemed to have rejuvenated me and the run felt easier. All my running is recorded on Strava which I upload from my Nike+ watch so if you're on either of those and want to follow me there it would be great to connect with more runners. I was home too late to go to my Yoga class on Tuesday so just did a DVD at home, struggling a bit with the weights after a longer break. I'm not really following a training plan at the moment, just trying to focus on putting in the miles and occasionally doing a race or parkrun as a nod to speedwork. I had time to do a longer run on Wednesday but I was mindful of having a half-marathon scheduled as a tune-up race on Sunday, so 9 miles somewhere between steady and easy made sense. I love the run along the canal, although the smell of chocolate as I passed Bournville on Wednesday had me reaching for the Cadburys Fruit & Nut again when I got home!

I have found running really helpful whilst being out of work - it's given me some structure, something to focus on and I've been able to prepare for interviews too; just thinking through questions and how I might answer them. I also started to notice the signs that Spring is here this week as a few flowers are appearing on my runs and walks with the dog. I think this all helps me to feel more positive; that I'm reaching a turning point and good things are beginning to happen.

Thursday night's club run was a choice between reps and an easy run, and I took the easy option; mostly because I wanted to have a chat with one of my club-mates who I haven't had chance to catch up with much of late. We ran a version of one of the club runs but kept the miles to just five. Although I didn't want to taper specifically for the Half in Anglesey, I was conscious that with everything else going on I was feeling pretty tired, so my runs this week have all been fairly steady, just trying to enjoy it. Saturday's parkrun was also very much in this category. I've not been to Cannon Hill to run for a while, although I have volunteered there. It was nice though to run without any pressure and to say hello to some friends who were running or volunteering. Afterwards I drove to Wolverhampton to collect my Mom and then on to Rhyl to stay with my Auntie who lives there. We used to spend quite a bit of time in Rhyl in the summer holidays but it's probably been 10 years since I have been there. Apparently Conwy has a lovely new parkrun though and is just down the road, so I will add it to my parkrun tourism list and return for a visit soon.

On Sunday morning I got up at 6am and drove to the Menai Bridge for the Anglesey Half Marathon, which I've covered in a short race report here. I then had a long drive back via Wolverhampton and finished off with a chip-shop tea! I'm sure it isn't the best recovery from a race, but it's all about balance and I finished the week feeling much more positive. Onwards and upwards!

A step back?

After a solid week's training last week I was looking forward to more of the same, but also preparing myself for a challenging week with three job interviews in three days. Monday's club run was scuppered by arriving home late after getting stuck in traffic coming back from the first of these interviews. I ran on Tuesday but didn't enjoy it, struggling the whole way with stitch and a "swishy" stomach after the second interview and a rushed lunch. On a more positive note I received my goodies from Brooks Running which had been kindly sent by Women's Running magazine after I took part in their Great Debate for the March issue. The top and capri tights they sent were a great fit, really comfortable and looked good on. I find some tights too shiny but these looked soft but matt.

 

On Tuesday evening we went to a great pop-up restaurant or "roaming kitchen" concept, which I've profiled in another blog post.

Wednesday was round three of "interview week" and I woke up with a sore throat and itchy ears and nose. The interview was in London and I travelled down on the train along with hundreds of families with children visiting the capital at half-term. After my interview I met up with friends for a few drinks and caught a train back just after 8pm beginning to feel like my cold was properly taking hold and promptly flopping into bed for a very long sleep when I arrived home at about 10:30.

So when I woke up on Thursday I'd pretty much decided that I was going to have to play my joker for Jantastic this week and "be sensible"; giving my body a proper rest and recovery. The only problem with this being my complete inability to pay attention to other aspects of health when the training part goes out of the window... Cue eating "bad food", drinking too much and not doing any stretching, foam-rolling etc. I don't know why I find it so hard, but I do know that this week was made more difficult by Guy being off work too and us having arranged various catch-ups with friends, all involving eating and drinking. Some of it though (yesterday's chocolate bar) was just me, searching for something to comfort myself...

A little ray of sunshine in the form of a lovely competition win appeared on Thursday; I'd entered a Tribesports comp on Facebook and was pleased to have my entry picked to win £100 in vouchers which I'm looking forward to spending on more new kit!

I was intending to travel to London with club on Saturday for the National Cross Country championships but again, decided it was too much - a long day on the coach, a hard run and potential for getting wet and cold just seemed too much too soon so again I rested, making time to watch a film and practice connecting walls for my audition for Only Connect, which is on Friday. I felt quite low though, I think that not running, and particularly missing my mates and the more social aspects of running, is quite hard for me to deal with. I spent a lot of time questioning and doubting my decision not to run, and feeling sad seeing other people's pictures or status updates about their parkrun, training run or XC race. Do other people feel like this too?

As for Sunday's long run, I'm still undecided. I haven't gone out with the usual crew this morning, and whilst I feel a bit better today I'm thinking that I might need just one more day's rest so I can start afresh tomorrow...

A few days away and an unexpected running streak

Another week has passed and I'm writing on Sunday, knowing Monday will be a busy day. I had a few days in the Algarve this week, staying at my Aunt's lovely cottage in a village called Almadena, near to Burgau. I usually run on Monday evening and had intended to run in the morning, knowing we'd be travelling later, but as always, packing took longer than expected and I ended up not running at all on Monday. The weather on Tuesday was dreadful, with a thunderstorm in the morning and continual rain, so we took ourselves off to the shopping centre in Portimao. There were a few bargains to be had, and I treated myself to new arm-warmers and a buff in the Asics shop, as well as some sweatbands, amongst other non-running stuff.

I'd put my running gear in the car, in the hope that the weather would improve, and it seemed to lift a bit when we called in at the supermarket on the way home, so I changed in the car and set off down the straight road from Lagos. Unfortunately the weather got steadily worse and it was also dark. I was feeling a bit concerned/lost when my aunt and cousin pulled up alongside me in the car after just four miles, so I abandoned the run (anything over 30 mins counts for Jantastic, and satisfying the five runs per week target was the main goal!)

We decided to check out a Zumba class later that evening, and, having read somewhere that dancing classes are good cross-training opportunities for runners, I have to say, I felt I'd had a good workout! 

On Wednesday morning my trainers were still damp from the night before but it was a dry day at least and so I headed down to Bergau to see the sea. I enjoyed the run though countryside and along the cobbled streets of the town as the sun tried its best to put in an appearance.

Later, we walked a few miles along the beach at Lagos and earnt our lunch of pasta and garlic bread, but probably not the cakes we bought at the bakery; good job holiday calories don't count!

Thursday's weather was glorious (for February!) so we drove to Sagres to visit the lighthouse there. Again I'd packed running gear and ran in the middle of the day for part of the journey home. Once showered and changed we went to Praia da Luz for a late lunch including the delicious sardines which are a speciality of the region.

We returned to our Zumba class on Thursday night and I pledged to include some more Zumba in my training plan on my return; it's a great mix of cardio, some interesting squats and lunges as part of the dancing, as well as being a good test of co-ordination and great fun! We popped to a local bar for a rehydrating beer afterwards.

Even though I'd already done three runs, I couldn't resist throwing in a last run in Portugal on Friday morning. I'd seen a road leading up from the village and decided to run to the top of the hill and back, just to enjoy a great view of a wind farm and the sunrise. I listened to the interview with Gemma Steel on Marathon Talk as I ran, and by coincidence she described her training in the Algarve over recent weeks and how it had reignited her love of running. It seemed entirely apt to leave on that note.

Back in the UK on Saturday I realised I was in the middle of a running streak as Friday would usually be a rest day. As I was in Wolverhampton I went to parkrun there and wasn't too disappointed with a 25:13 run after a week of eating and drinking, especially since I was chatting so much I ended up starting right at the back of the pack.

This morning I still had a long run to complete to meet my Jantastic target, even after running for five days in a row, which I never do. I met the usual crew at Drakes Cross and set off, planning on completing at least 15 miles. My legs felt sluggish for the first few miles, but as usual, the chat with my buddies helped to pass the time and I soon found myself at eight miles deciding it was time to turn around. Miles 13 and 14 were tough, but we got through it, trying not to think about our marathons and how we'd only be halfway at that point!

A bath, a generous application of Deep Heat and my compression socks were called for when I got home and whilst the mileage was down overall on previous weeks I reflected on a solid week's training. I'm still on 100% for Jantastic and feeling pretty good; looking forward to the arrival of Spring and some better running weather... 

Starting afresh...

So, only six weeks late if you like your New Year's Resolution to start at the beginning of January, I'm finally getting around to starting (or, restarting) my blog. The resolution was to "make blogging a habit" though so I'm not patting myself on the back just yet!

Speaking of resolutions, I'm doing pretty well with the other two, although progress is somewhat hard to measure. The marathon training is going well, I'm 5 weeks into Jantastic and riding high at 100%, having completed my 5 runs per week and my distance target in the first week of February. I've been increasing the long runs and am up to 15 miles. Since I'm not aiming for a time in Manchester I've not done much speed-work; relying on the odd parkrun, cross-country and tune-up race really. The focus is consistency and, with my injury history, making the start-line in one piece is more important than reaching the finish line in a given time. I've also managed to fit in at least one Yoga class each week (as well as my usual Tuesday night Iyengar class I've tried out a few Hotpod Yoga classes for a change) and a couple of strength sessions (mainly Davina DVDs using weights). 

In the Hotpod...

The other resolution was to be on a TV quiz show (this has been a resolution most years on and off for the last few years!) Well let's just say an application has been submitted, so fingers crossed!
In other news I'm on my way to Portugal for a few days with my aunt and cousin. The trainers were the first things to be packed and I'm also hoping to fit in a Yoga class there too. I had a really busy weekend with XC, then a night out to see a gig on Saturday (quite a late night for me!) So a few days relaxation is in order...

Training Diary (2nd - 8th February)

Monday - BvH Club Run, Parsons Nose
Tuesday - workout DVD (am), Iyengar Yoga (pm)
Wednesday - LSR, 15 mile canal run
Thursday - BvH Club Run, Northfield
Friday - workout DVD
Saturday - XC league race
Sunday - 9 miles steady River Rea

My collection of workout DVDs