For the first time in years, I ran every day this week. It was limbo-week, between Christmas and New Year, and it was great to be able to get out. I didn't manage to get out for long each time generally, but I do feel like after a year of inconsistent training, I'm finally getting into a rhythm and starting to improve after the injury.
One of the most difficult things about training for a round is sustaining the motivation and interest over a 6 month period with just one goal. It's easy now, at the start, especially having been starved of running for a bit. But it gets hard when everyone else is racing and you're focussing on long days.
It's New Year's Day today and I ran a local fell race, the Hangover Hobble near Llandegla. A few of my friends did it too and it made for a great way to start the year. I ran ok, and had the aforementioned hangover at the start! But I really really enjoyed it. Boy have I missed racing.
It occurs to me that missing racing and the difficulty of a single goal for 6 months points to a simple plan - to train for fell racing for 3 months to get really fit and then hone that towards a round for the summer.
First target will be the Long Mynd on 5 February. The aim is to get a time that is roughly in line with my previous ones. That doesn't sound very ambitious but given how much fitness I have lost recently, and that I've been in generally good nick when I've done that race, it would be great to be properly 'back' by then and I can kick on from there. My best time there is 2:13 (2008) so I'll aim to beat that, conditions permitting (I did 2:31 in snowy conditions in 2009).
After that, we'll see but come Easter I'll focus on long days and the round. Provisional date, 30 June 2012 - a full moon and 5 years to the day that I did the BGR!
Week Summary:
Monday (Boxing Day) - Easy 4M with Alison - our first run together since before Rosie was born
Tuesday - 10M and 2,700' on Moel Famau with Nick, Kate, Shaz and Heli
Wednesday - 4 0.9M efforts fast around Marford Quarry - a brilliant circuit
Thursday - 6M at the club, Border League route with Martin and Kate
Friday - 3M 1000' dash up Moel Famau - very wet!
Saturday (NYE) - 3M 1000' dash up Moel Famau - very dark!
Sunday (NYD) - Hangover Hobble, 6M 800', 47:29 - very muddy!
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