The last couple of weeks have been something akin to mogul skiing- certainly it's been as bumpy and stressful. Sometimes I've been so tired and stressed that doing anything has been a huge challenge, but other days training has felt great- I've been able to increase the weight and reps and get some quality miles run. Even though it has been hard going, I can now see and feel improvements in my strength and general fitness. I've even gained some weight!
Tomorrow is all about just getting round the Marriotts Way trail marathon. I've spent the week doing battle with a sore throat lurgy thinking I could push through it, but spent yesterday in bed, and actually sleeping. That's a rare occurrence so I guess it's what was really needed. Today I'm much better but not 100% so I've ditched the plan to run the marathon as part of a back to back weekend. It's so frustrating that for the first few days of spring-like weather I've not been out making the most of it, but it's important to think of the long-term goal. The revised plan is to run as much as I feel I want to and walk the rest accumulating time on feet rather than fretting about running to a set pace. It's also a good chance to practice nutrition- I still struggle to get enough calories in on long runs. It should be a lovely race and hopefully I can catch up with a few friends I've made at other Positive Steps events.
Looking ahead, my first ultra of the year is in a couple of weeks. It wasn't in the plan to run one this early but thanks to UTMB changing the rules (as I just knew they would), I now need extra points if I'm to keep my increased co-efficient for next year's ballot. I don't want to rely on the points from A100 in October as I don't know what to expect from my first 100 miler- obviously my intention is to finish within the cutoff but anything could happen and I don't want the additional pressure of absolutely having to get the points. Right now I'm not sure how comfortable I'll find 39 miles across Yorkshire moors, but it's a small event and judging by the contact I've had with the RD it seems very friendly and low key. It'll be fun running somewhere new and having fun is just as important as anything else!
https://positivestepspt.co.uk/
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Saturday 17 February 2018
Friday 2 February 2018
Friday night thoughts
It's not been the best of weeks so far. I took the hip niggle to my masseur who did some very unpleasant things to it and told me to ease off the mileage/ time on feet to a point where I can complete a run with neither pain nor discomfort. I've known Gareth for a good few years now and trust his judgement on such matters, so advice duly heeded resulting in 3 runs of about 5 miles each since my treatment on Monday. That makes just 20 miles for the week so far and rather less than 4 hours on my feet which is a lot less than I'd like, but for the long-term success of this year's training it's crucial to allow enough adaptation time. Running quicker is already feeling easier but it's still a shock to a body that's only plodded for the last couple of years!
Strength work isn't happening as often as I'd like either, but at least it is happening and I'm getting through all the exercises. The biggest enemy isn't time but sleep, or rather the lack of it. I'm just not sleeping well and so may days I simply can't get up and function at 5am or summon the effort needed to do anything constructive. I don't have a bedroom or a bed so all the stuff about creating a peaceful sleeping environment isn't helpful- I do the best I can with what I have.
And that's the thing when you have big goals. I'm not a pro, I'm not charged with getting good results, no one cares whether I stick to a training plan or not. I have a stressful job, stressful enough that I went part-time (and am now broke) because it was making me ill with unhappiness; and I have two children who need me very much at the moment. This stuff about being 'the best that you can be' is all very well but it can be at the risk of losing balance in life.
I love running. It has brought me much joy and it keeps me on a relatively even keel. But it also makes me exhausted and ache all over, and sometimes it has made me very unhappy. There are other things that I love doing and I think it's important to give them time too.
Strength work isn't happening as often as I'd like either, but at least it is happening and I'm getting through all the exercises. The biggest enemy isn't time but sleep, or rather the lack of it. I'm just not sleeping well and so may days I simply can't get up and function at 5am or summon the effort needed to do anything constructive. I don't have a bedroom or a bed so all the stuff about creating a peaceful sleeping environment isn't helpful- I do the best I can with what I have.
And that's the thing when you have big goals. I'm not a pro, I'm not charged with getting good results, no one cares whether I stick to a training plan or not. I have a stressful job, stressful enough that I went part-time (and am now broke) because it was making me ill with unhappiness; and I have two children who need me very much at the moment. This stuff about being 'the best that you can be' is all very well but it can be at the risk of losing balance in life.
I love running. It has brought me much joy and it keeps me on a relatively even keel. But it also makes me exhausted and ache all over, and sometimes it has made me very unhappy. There are other things that I love doing and I think it's important to give them time too.
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