Ups and downs

I realise that routine is the name of the game.  Any break of routine means that it's hard to get consistency of either diet or exercise.  Self inflicted weekend of shame - lots of booze and munching on rubbish rolled over til Tuesday.  Skipped long run on Friday and replaced with a weak 5.6km on Saturday.  Need to stay to regular time slots.  Ran 8km tonight (Tuesday) and will aim for 9km Wed, 12km Fri and 6-8km on Saturday.  However, I'm in London on Mon-Wed and have a full schedule.  Things become tight again.  I'll get diet re-established only to blow it all when we are away - who can resist an all you can eat pizza hut buffet? I might try and squeeze in a cheeky 5km on the Tuesday/Wednesday morning.  Then a decent run on  the Friday and Sunday of that week, but it's not going to be a vintage week.  I'm definitely going to be down a run from my ideal 4!  This seems to be the case too often - what with parent's evenings etc.

After London there are several nights out in the run up to christmas.  Mates 30th, work night (both official and unofficial), then christmas itself and the lads night out.  Maybe I need to be sensible and make sure I'm not counting on the post boozing day for my long run, and trying not to go OTT on the munch for several days at a time.  I'd still like to do the Lancaster Half - just to get the season up and running and to ensure that my running stays at the 3 (worst case) to 4 times per week pattern I'd like.  Even if it's very slow I'd like to think I'll start 2014 with a better base than I did 2013.   I broke 30mins for 5km today which although not impressive is the first time I've managed the feat since achilies became an issue.  If I can start the new year with good regular mileage and a decent long run each week then the idea of a marathon or improved half marathon times can become more realisitc.

Diet is the biggest issue for me.  If I'm running I am more inclined to eat well.  If not I eat shit.  It's quite illogical.  If I keep running I can afford the odd biscuit.

I know I feel better if I ran and if I eat well.  The past couple of days have been horrible having eaten and drank so badly.  I just need to remember this.  The only runs that I ever regret are the ones I don't go on.  I'm begining to motivate myself to run at night in some terrible conditions- keep that positive step going!

Positive signs

On the verge of stressful workday induced breakdown when a nice 7km run saves the day. I'm finding that when I do two days back to back the Achilles is loser second day. It feels less tense.

Fuelled up on oats, fruit , nuts yoghurt and soup, bread and Soreen. Plenty of carbs but amply good. Plenty of fluid. Feeling good!

Why am I setting this up?

Simply: to track my progress over time.  If anyone else decides to read this then that is cool, but it's intended for me.  It is to help me understand my thought processes and to assure myself that I am getting faster, developing stamina and becoming a better runner over time.  As it stands I am on the mend from Achilles tendon problems.  Ran 10km today for the first time in a couple of months.  Time of 1h 2mins is pathetic but I'm glad by ankle was relatively calm enough to let me do this.  This sounds bad, but a few weeks ago 5km in 40 mins was an achievement.  Rewind 2 months and lots of speed training (leading to injury) had me running 10km in 49mins, which was a rather shabby PB (although I'd taken 4 mins off the time I held as 19 year old!).  I could run 1km in under 4mins30 seconds although at relaxed pace sat around 5mins30secs.  Today I managed to hit a 5min40sec for one of my kilometres but the average was 6:30.  I need to be happy though with the progress.

I remember giving up on a marathon programme earlier this year (despite having just run 18 miles the previous week).  I didn't think I was good enough for a marathon as I'd struggled to keep to the schedule at a busy time in my life.  I realise now how fit and strong I was back then, how lean my figure had become thanks to it too.

My aim now is to set some targets for the year ahead and see how many of them I can reach.

First up is the half marathon on January 6th.  Realistic timeframe normally.  I won't be entering though, until I can see myself being able to steadily increase the distances.  If I handle my next two long runs then I will be confident enough to apply.  Then I'll definitely do the meadows (half) marathon again in March and be looking to do a full one around this time too, but need to be selective.   I'd love to do the Edinburgh full one in May, then tackle something in the summer.  Then I'd like to do the Glasgow half or great north run or both and finish off in November with the southside six which I think is a 26km route.