Am I getting my mojo back ? I ask myself as I write this latest posting to my training blog- I know I have confessed to eating too many sweets, chocolate and cake on my last posting but I am not alluding here to nipping down to the shops for a bag of sweeties.After looking at my training record for October, I realised I had slumped in to just coping mode and letting my training tick over. I need to up it and gain some confidence in my running again and start to enjoy it again - does my pace really matter? well in all honesty yes but in reality I have to accept the last 18 months have been hard and STOP comparing myself to others and people I know. I still don't get why my legs won't move any faster?? answers on a postcard (lol that shows my age) or to move into the 21st century comments on a blog.
My autumn training has been as inconsistent as ever plagued with the relentless tiredness and struggling to maintain my workload. I still haven't quiet found the drive I need to maintain a decent training programme. However there is some light at the end of the tunnel. BMF has started a running club alongside the usual classes and this is making a difference, the sessions are challenging, include speed work, hills and endurance and I have really enjoyed them mainly due to my great BMF pals and the ethos of always encouraging each other, also we are lucky at Heaton Park; Tony (BMF instructor & BMF Park Manager) is really an excellent coach providing interesting sessions that push you - whilst Tony is yelling instructions at the group he also quietly tells us (individually) as we pass him how well we are doing. Who would have thought these running club speed sessions could be fun!!!- well in relays, in pouring rain they are -aren't they?. I have tried to build up my running sessions and this has been done through the BMF running club and park run, the local free 5k on a Saturday morning.
To work on my endurance Saturday is a hard training session I jog to the park, do the park run 5k then BMF running club and jog/walk/crawl home and fall asleep in the afternoon- well recovery is important.
A small turning point has been doing the dirty double lakeland trail races Hellvelyn trail race on 5th November and Ullswater on 6th. Hellvelyn was fantastic the first race I have really enjoyed, sunny, crisp November morning, lakeland autumn colours, an excellent route. I LOVED IT perhaps wearing the lucky fancy dress cat's ears took the pressure off!! it was ok to be at the back "fun runner". The hills, the views awesome this is really why I try to train.
I have maintained my mad Saturday morning training sessions completing about 9 miles each Saturday as training so that I could run the Stockport 10 - a road race with slight hills. I felt strong on this run and certainly I am managing to run the hills much better, I usually give in and power walk, I was a bit disappointed with my time 7 mins slower that the last time I ran it - 3 years ago, but I do feel my body is getting use to the impact again after the surgery and a year out, I certainly see it as base to build on.
I have entered Manchester marathon 29th April 2012 with BMF mates more because this lot keep me going and we are getting together to train off and on road and I have every intention of enjoying this one and the party after.
Taking a Christmas break from work has given me a chance to jog on the moors near my son's house and I certainly feel a bit more motivated and dare I say I'm looking forward to training in the New Year - well I've been given a lovely training log that needs filling in for 2012.
Autumn training summary (Nov & Dec )
3 races = 2 trail 1 road
3 park runs
1 UTLD recce
11 BMF sessions
134 miles & 33.5 hours of training.
