9 weeks today and I will be running my first ever half marathon... All of a sudden it seems to be quite real.
The last two weeks have proved a bit difficult for me on the running front, a mix of weather, Christmas and spare time have meant that this week in only managed 13.6 miles and last week 9.5 miles.... I know I now need to step things up a bit to keep on track for March.. My problem is that for the next two weeks I am working away quite a bit and that always makes it difficult for my running so, I'm just about to sit down and go through my schedule and make sure I book my running time in to my diary as well as my work !
Just before Christmas I was finding the running really hard, a lack of energy and I just felt "heavy" as though I was dragging myself around... This week in comparison has been really good even though I have not done the miles.. My first run was 5.5 miles and I completed it in 55:32, my best training time over this distance.. I then ran a 3 mile route and averaged 9:54 minutes per mile. The first time I have broken the 10 minute mile barrier for a complete run.. I have done it on individual miles during runs but not from start to finish before, so maybe a couple of weeks with less running has done me good..
Yesterday I did a 5.3 mile cross country run with my daughter... Not my best ever time but Holly doesn't normally run cross country and found it quite a hint harder than her normal road runs... If you add in to that the fact we were both feeling a little delicate after celebrating New Years Eve, but it was good to get out. The snow has all gone from here now just leaving a lot of mud.... I'm not sure what is worse.. The polished ice we had the previous week was not good but when the ground is frozen it is a bit easier than ankle deep mud.... Your feet just get heavier and heavier, I hope it starts to dry out a bit soon although I have a feeling that this mud will last for quite a few weeks yet..
So, the start of a new year and it is at this time of year we always look back at the year just gone and what has happened over that time.. Well, it is still less than a year since I started running. A year that has seen me go from nothing to something. I have completed my first ever 5k race and my first ever 10k race. This year I will take part (and hopefully complete) my first half marathon. I have been thinking long and hard about the "what next" I have no great desire to run a marathon, I think that is for other people to do, not me. I want to run in different places and have been looking at other 10k races and half marathons that I can do. If I can get my fitness to a level where I can complete a half marathon without feeling dead at the end of it I will be happy. I want to keep my running as fun without the level of training taking over my life and without feeling guilty if I miss a run because of work/life commitments.
I enjoy running on my own, yet I also enjoy taking part in races, I'm never going to be at the front of the field... And so far I have never been last either, the only person I'm really competing with is myself. For each race I set my self two targets, one that I really should be able to achieve.. And one that I might be able to achieve if I push myself hard... for the half marathon I'm running the female record is 1:46.... I know I'm about twice as slow as the fast runners, so I should be able to complete it in under 3 hours.. If I can achieve 2:30 I would be really happy, at the moment I'm doing 10.7 miles cross country in 2:20 so if I push myself over the next couple of months and train properly it should be achievable.... But I will still be happy if it is sub 3 hours !
Anyway, I'm off to schedule some running in to my diary, catch up next week !
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